ACE Health Care

Experience

ACE Health Care is a rapidly growing multidisciplinary specialist medical group in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2020, the organization has expanded from a single-physician endocrinology practice into a network of four specialist clinic locations across Burnaby and Surrey, with a fifth location currently under development in Vancouver. Today, ACE Health Care serves more than 20,000 active patients and provides hundreds of specialist consultations each day.

The Akimbo Research Site, located at s4279 Dawson Street in Burnaby’s Brentwood district, serves as ACE Health Care’s primary clinical research location. Adjacent to Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain Station and major transportation routes, the site is easily accessible to participants throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

ACE Health Care currently includes eight endocrinologists, eight internal medicine specialists, four cardiologists, and two rheumatologists, with continued physician recruitment supporting ongoing growth. The Dawson Street clinic is the flagship endocrinology centre, encompassing more than 2,000 square feet of clinical space with thirteen examination rooms and physician offices. Together, the ACE Health Care network represents the largest endocrinology group practice in British Columbia.

The multidisciplinary practice provides access to a large, well-characterized patient population across numerous therapeutic areas, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity, prediabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, adrenal and pituitary disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatologic conditions. Referrals from hundreds of primary care physicians and specialists throughout British Columbia support efficient patient identification, rapid recruitment, and strong participant retention. The site’s patient population reflects the cultural diversity of Metro Vancouver, supporting inclusive enrollment in clinical research.

The site is supported by experienced physicians, dedicated research personnel, an in-house Clinical Research Coordinator, clinic management, and trained nursing and administrative staff. Research personnel have completed Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP), TCPS2 CORE, Health Canada Division 5, and other required regulatory training. The clinic utilizes a fully integrated electronic medical record system to support participant identification, study management, regulatory compliance, and data integrity.

Education and professional development are central to the organization’s mission. ACE Health Care regularly delivers educational programs for healthcare professionals throughout British Columbia and serves as a teaching site for medical and pharmacy learners. Principal Investigator Dr. Rui Chen is a triple board-certified specialist in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Internal Medicine, and Obesity Medicine, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia, Clinical Faculty at Simon Fraser University, an active member of regional and national advisory boards, and a frequent invited speaker.

By combining an experienced multidisciplinary physician network, robust clinical infrastructure, dedicated research personnel, and access to a large, diverse patient population, the Akimbo Research Site is well positioned to successfully conduct Phase II–IV clinical trials and observational studies while delivering high-quality data and an exceptional participant experience.