Evaluative Clinical Sciences

Education:

• BScPhm, 2009, University of Toronto, Canada
• MD, 2013, Queen’s University, Canada
• FRCPC, 2017, Internal Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
• FRCPC, 2018, Infectious Diseases, University of Toronto, Canada
• MSc Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, 2020, University of Toronto, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Tory Trauma Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Medical director, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Staff Physician, Infectious Diseases, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Research Foci:

• Patient safety
• Quality improvement
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Virtual care

Research Summary:

Dr. Lam is the Medical Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship at Sunnybrook. His quality improvement research work is focused on the evaluation of system-level interventions aimed at optimising the use of antimicrobials in the prevention and treatment of infections. Examples have included reducing the inappropriate use bone flap swabs in cranioplasty procedures, optimising peri-operative antibiotic use in patients with reported penicillin allergy, and promoting the use of highly bioavailable oral antibiotics in the treatment of bone and joint infections. His secondary research interest focuses on evaluating the impact of novel virtual care models in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Lam PW, Tarighi P, Elligsen M, Nathens AB, Riegert D, Tarshis J, Leis JA. Impact of the Allergy Clarification for Cefazolin Evidence-based Prescribing Tool on Receipt of Preferred Perioperative Prophylaxis: An Interrupted Time Series Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Dec 31;71(11):2955-2957.
2. Lam PW, Volling C, Chan T, Wiggers JB, Castellani L, Wright J, Peckham K, Shadowitz S, Tasker S, MacFadden DR, Daneman N, Gold WL, Pugash R, Leis JA. Impact of Defaulting to Single-Lumen Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters on Patient Outcomes: An Interrupted Time Series Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 31;67(6):954-957.
3. Lam PW, Tarighi P, Elligsen M, Gunaratne K, Nathens AB, Tarshis J, Leis JA. Self-reported beta-lactam allergy and the risk of surgical site infection: A retrospective cohort study. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020 Apr;41(4):438-443.
4. Lam PW, Sehgal P, Andany N, Mubareka S, Simor AE, Ozaldin O, Leis JA, Daneman N, Chan AK. A virtual care program for outpatients diagnosed with COVID-19: a feasibility study. CMAJ Open. 2020 May 23;8(2):E407-E413.
5. Hoang T, Daneman N, Leis JA, Coomes EA, Elligsen M, Colavecchia C, Halliday A, Lin Y, da Costa L, Lam PW. The utility of routine autologous bone-flap swab cultures in predicting post-cranioplasty infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Apr;44(4):631-637.

Related Links:

• Canada’s first COVID-19 patient was at Sunnybrook. Today his treatment would have been by video (Toronto Star, 2021)
• COVID-19 Raises Profile of Virtual Care (CPSO, 2020)