Call (+233) 059-692-0909 Ext-146 | Email research@focosgh.com
FOCOS Research
Call (+233) 059-692-0909 Ext-146 | Email research@focosgh.com
The FOCOS Research Unit performs a systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of clinical data. The eventual goal is to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding clinical practice and to inform clinical decisions in orthopedic and spine surgery.
Members of the research team perform a wide range of activities at the core of the clinical research process such as:
Beside these core research roles, the Research Unit performs a variety of functions including:
We conduct both observational and experimental clinical studies. We also employ both retrospective and prospective designs. Our clinical research themes broadly fall in the area of spine deformity, degenerative spine disease, and arthroplasties.
Together with our interdisciplinary research group (comprising surgeons, physicians, anesthetists, nurses, dieticians, radiologist, biomedical scientist and physiotherapists), we identify research study goals, research methods, and variables of interest and other parameters to be investigated. We ensure the entire study protocol falls in line with ethical guidelines.
Research protocols are approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences, and University of Ghana. Research consents are obtained from research participants. Childs assent and parental consent are obtained from participants under 18 years.
The Unit also collaborates with other international research teams and has ongoing collaboration with international spine research teams such as the Growing Spine Study Group (GSSG) and the FOX Pediatric Deformity Study Group. We also collaborate with other individual investigators to conduct clinical studies.
In partnership with our foreign partners, the unit participates in mission trips to both Ethiopia and Sierra Leone twice a year. This enables our surgeons and the research team to: