Dr. Sumedh Bele PhD, MPH, MBBS

Dr. Sumedh Bele is an Assistant Professor in Academic Learning Health Systems in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan. His research examines how health systems can learn from patient-reported outcomes and experiences, real-world data, and clinical practice to continuously improve care. He combines implementation science-guided qualitative and mixed-methods, evidence synthesis, value-based health care, and digital technologies to develop and evaluate approaches that make care more responsive, equitable, and effective. Working in partnership with patients, communities, healthcare professionals, researchers, and health-system leaders, he seeks to transform data into actionable improvements while ensuring that patient voices shape healthcare decisions. Dr. Bele is a medical doctor with an MPH and a PhD in Health Services Research and previously held a CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Oxford.

CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Research Fellow – University of Oxford, UK
Postdoctoral Research Associate – University of Calgary, Canada
PhD – University of Calgary, Canada
MPH – Nanjing Medical University, China
MBBS – Nanjing Medical University, China

Bele S, Santana MJ, Patient-reported Outcome Measures to Deliver Patient and Family-centered Care in Pediatrics: The Ball is Now in Our Court, Frontiers in Health Services, 5:1529731, (2025), https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2025.1529731

Bele S, Rodrigues J, Beard D, Harrison C, Remote postoperative management using Ecological Momentary Computerized Adaptive Testing (EMCAT): feasibility assessment survey. Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume);0(0), (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-024-03801-1

McCabe E, Rabi S., Bele S ,et al, Factors affecting implementation of patient-reported outcome and experience measures in a pediatric health system, Journal of Patient Reported Outcomes, 7, 24, (2023), https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-023-00563-1

Bele S, Paolucci EO, Johnson DW, Quan H, Santana MJ. Implementing paediatric patient-reported outcome measures in outpatient asthma clinics: a feasibility assessment study. BMJ Open, Nov 9;13(11):e073260, (2023), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073260

Bele S, Rabi S, Zhang M, Ahmed S, Oddone Paolucci E, Johnson DW, Quan H, Santana MJ. Uptake of Pediatric Patient-reported Outcome and Experience Measures and Challenges associated with their Implementation in Alberta: A Mixed-Methods Study. BMC Pediatrics, 23, 369, (2023), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-04169-w

Bele S, Rabi, S. et al. Patient-reported outcome measures in pediatric asthma care: using theoretical domains framework to explore healthcare providers’ perceptions. Journal of Patient Reported Outcomes 6, 88, (2022), https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-022-00494-3

Santana, M.J., Duquette, D., Fairie, Nielssen I., Bele S ,et al. Patient-identified priorities for successful partnerships in patient-oriented research. BMC Research Involvement and Engagement 8, 49, (2022), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-022-00384-4

Bele S, Teela L, Zhang M, Rabi S, Ahmed S, van Oers HA, Gibbons E, Dunnewold N, Haverman L and Santana MJ. Use of Patient-reported Experience Measures in Pediatric Care: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 9:753536, (2021), https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.753536

Bele S, Cassidy C, Curran J, Johnson DW, Bailey JAM. Using the Theoretical Domains Framework to Identify Barriers and Enablers to Implementing a Virtual Tertiary–Regional Telemedicine Rounding and Consultation for Kids (TRaC-K) Model: Qualitative Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research ;23(12):e28610, (2021), https://doi.org/10.2196/28610

Bele S, Chugh A, Mohamed B, Teela L, Haverman L and Santana MJ. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Routine Pediatric Clinical Care: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 8:364. (2020), https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.00364

McCaughey D, McGhan G, Bele S, Sharma N, Ludlow NC. The Quest for Value in Canadian Healthcare: The Applied Value in Healthcare Framework. Healthcare Papers.;18(4):48-57. (2019), https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpap.2019.26029

Dr.Bele welcomes expressions of interest from MSc and PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers, and short-term undergraduate students whose interests align with his research program. Opportunities depend on project fit and available funding. 

Prospective applicants should email Dr. Bele a brief introduction outlining their research interests and goals, the type and proposed timing of the opportunity they are seeking, and how their interests align with his research program. They should also attach a current CV and provide information about any funding they currently hold or plan to pursue.

Note – Application deadline for MSc and PhD programs starting Fall 2027 is December 15, 2026.