Photo of Dr. Daren Heyland

Daren Heyland

MD, MSc, FRCPC
613-548-3232--4847
Roles
Interests

Nutrition support, gastrointestinal motility, stress ulcer prophylaxis, and gastrointestinal structure and function in the context of critical illness Pneumonia, sepsis, and other infections in the critically ill patient.
Randomized trials, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, outcomes assessments, economic evaluations, quality of life assessments, quality of care, satisfaction with care, and health service research. Evidence-based medicine, patient preferences, end of life care, and clinical decision-making.

Bio

Dr. Daren Heyland is a critical care doctor at Kingston General Hospital and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario Canada.  He is trained in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Clinical Epidemiology.  He currently serves as the Director of the Clinical Evaluation Research Unit (CERU) at the Kingston General Hospital which functions as a methods center for multicenter clinical research.  For over a decade he chaired the Canadian Researchers at the End of Life Network (CARENET), which has a focus on developing and evaluating strategies to improve communication and decision-making at the end of life. Overall, Dr. Heyland has published approximately 300 peer-reviewed papers and raised more than $97 million in external grant support. From 1995-2000 he held a Career Scientist Award from the Ontario Ministry of Health and in 1996 received the Garner King Award from Canadian Critical Care Society for Best Young Investigator. In 2005 he received  the Excellence in Research Award, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University.

 

Education and Honours

BMS, University of Alberta.
MD (distinction), University of Alberta.
Licentiate with Medical Council of Canada.
MHS (Design, Measurement, and Evaluation Program), McMaster University.

1980,1983-85 Presidential Scholarship, Brigham Young University.
1990 Regional Medical Associates Research Scholarship
1993 E. Garner King Award from Canadian Critical Care Society for Best Young Investigator.
1994 Internal Medicine Resident's Research Competition- Third Prize.
1994 Regional Medical Associates Research Scholarship
1995 Internal Medicine Resident's Research Competition- First Prize, David L. Sackett Award.
1996 E. Garner King Award from Canadian Critical Care Society for Best Young Investigator.
1996-2005 Career Scientist Award, Ministry of Health, Ontario, Canada (a multi-year award that provides approximately $60,000/year for salary support)
2005 Full Professor of Medicine, Queen’s University
2005 Excellence in Research Award, Department of Medicine, Queen’s University

Research

Dr. Heyland maintains two comprehensive research programs: clinical nutrition, and end of life (EOL) care. He is the principal investigator on a number of large scale, multicentre clinical nutrition research projects, the lead author of the Canadian Critical Care Nutrition clinical practice guidelines, and the sponsor of the International nutritional survey, which audits nutrition practices worldwide every year. This work included the creation of a novel feeding protocol (PEP uP) and the development of an internationally renowned website, (www.criticalcarenutrition.com)  for critical care nutrition . He also conducted one of the first open-label, dose-ranging studies of pharmaconutrients in the critical care setting, followed by a multi-centre randomized trial, the REducing Deaths due to OXidative Stress (REDOXS©) study. He also organized and chairs the Nutrition and Rehabilitation Investigative Consortium, a diverse group of clinicians and researchers interested in developing protocols and best practices in nutrition and exercise that will improve outcomes for survivors of critical illness. He also leads, with the KGH Clinical Evaluation Research Unit, the recently funded CIHR study (Re-ENERGIZE) on the effect of glutamine on patients with severe burn injuries, and how its use could lead to lower morbidity and mortality.

For over a decade Dr. Heyland chaired the Canadian Researchers at the End of Life Network (CARENET), documenting the “dying experience” in Canada, and developing and evaluating strategies to improve communication and decision-making at the end of life. With this group he developed two measurement tools, the Family Satisfaction with ICU Care, used worldwide, and the CANHELP Satisfaction with EOL Care. He has also developed programs of EOL research in primary care (iGAP Study), acute care hospitals (ACCEPT and iDECIDE), and ICUs (iCCARE), with a common focus on improving communication and decision-making. He also established a Network Centre of Excellence, The Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Network (TVN), focused on improved care of the frail elderly.