Maria Mathews

Professor, Department of Family Medicine BA, BSc (Calgary), MHSA (Alberta), PhD (Toronto)




Research Interests:

I am an applied health services researcher. My research looks at functioning of the health system. Currently, My research falls into two broad themes: 1) physician workforce issues and 2) accessibility of cancer care. I use both quantitative and qualitative research methods and my projects routinely involve knowledge translation components

Current Research Projects:

• Physician and Medical Practice Registry
  Agency: CFI, IRIF, MUN
  Investigator: Maria Mathews (PI)
  Duration: 2008-

  This project will build a research database to examine physican workforce issues in Newfound and Labrador.

• Retention of Locally Trained Medical Graduates in Saskatchewan and NL
  Agency: CIHR, IRIF, NLCAHR, Saskatchewan Learning
  Investigators: Maria Mathews (PI), Bob Card, Jody Glacken & James Rourke
  Duration: 2006-2009

  This project examines physican mobility and the factors related to attracting and keeping different generations of physicians.

• Waittime Related Experiences, Satisfaction, and Expectation for Cancer Care
  Agency: CIHR
  Investigators: Maria Mathews (PI), Matthew Piercey, Kathy Fowler, Bill Pollett, Sharon Smith, Veeresh Gadag, Peter Wang, Roy West, Marshall Godwin, Donna Bulman
  Duration: 2008-2012

  This project examines patients' satisfaction with wait times for breast lung, prostate and colorectal cancer.

Courses

I teach about Canada's health system, applied health services research methods, and knowledge translation.

• MED6293 Knowledge Transfer & Research Uptake
• MED6276 Current Topics in Canada's Health Care System
• MED6279 Quantitative Methods for Applied Health Research
• Community Health 1 - Health Care Delivery (MD Program)

Highlighted Accomplishments

• 2010: President's Award for Outstanding Research, Memorial University
• 2005-2010: New Investigator Award (CIHR/RPP)

Selected Articles Relating to Research on Physician Supply

• Mathews M, Seguin M, Chowdhury N, Card R. (in press) Generational differences in factors influencing physicians to choose a work location. Rural and Remote Health
• Fleming P, Mathews M. (in press). Retention of Specialist Physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador. Open Medicine.
• Mathews M, Edwards AC, Rourke JTB. Retention of provisionally licensed international medical graduates: a historical cohort study of general and family physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador. Open Medicine 2008; 2(20): 37-44.
• Mathews M, Rourke JTB, Park AD. National and Provincial Retention of Medical Graduates of Memorial University. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2006; 175(4):357-360.

Selected Articles Relating to Research on Accessibility of Cancer Care

• Mathews M, Park AD. Cancer Care Providers’ Perceptions of Barriers to Cancer Patients in Financial Need Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing 2009; 13(3):501-505.
• Mathews M, Buehler SK, West R. Health care providers’ perceptions of patient and provider responses to out-of-pocket costs for cancer care. Current Oncology 2009; 16(4):3-8.
• Mathews M, West R, Buehler SK. How important are out-of-pocket costs to rural patients‘ cancer care decisions? Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine 2009; 14(2):54-60.
• Miedema B, Easley J, Fortin P, Hamilton R, Mathews M. The economic impact on families when a child is diagnosed with cancer. Current Oncology 2008 15(4):8-13.

Selected Articles Relating to Knowledge Translation

• Mathews M, Newbury J, Housser EM. Shaping policy: The Canadian Cancer Society and the Hormone Receptor Testing Inquiry. Current Oncology 2011;8(4):174-179.
• Mathews M., Buehler SK, West R. On the Rock, In a Hard Place: Challenges in working with advocacy and care providers groups.[Reprint with update] Healthcare Policy 2006; (1): 45-50.