IHSPR News: e-Bulletin
March 2009
A Message from the Scientific Director
Dear health services and policy research community,
Our team at CIHR-IHSPR is dedicated to supporting outstanding health services and policy research that aims to improve health system outcomes. In order to recognize top-quality Canadian research, this past winter we launched the first annual CIHR-IHSPR Article of the Year Award for health services and policy researchers. This new award is intended to acknowledge published research that has significantly contributed to the advancement of the field of health services and policy research in Canada.
It is my great pleasure to announce Dr. Meredith Lilly as the inaugural winner of the CIHR-IHSPR Article of the Year Award for her paper entitled “Labor Market Work and Home Care’s Unpaid Caregivers: A Systematic Review of Labor Force Participation Rates, Predictors of Labor Market Withdrawal, and Hours of Work.” This paper, co-authored with Audrey Laporte and Peter Coyte and published in the Milbank Quarterly in December 2007, focuses on the labour force participation of caregivers on an international scale. The findings from this paper have already had an impact on policy and have been used by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) in developing their “Caring-About-Caregivers” Strategy.
In addition to a $5000 cash prize, Dr. Lilly will receive recognition of her accomplishment at the upcoming Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research Conference, to be held in Calgary in May 2009. More information about Dr. Lilly and her paper is available on our website.
I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who nominated articles and I encourage our entire community to start thinking about nominations for next year’s award. We are truly excited to have another way to promote and recognize our research community and hope that you will join us both in congratulating Dr. Lilly and celebrating the successful launch of this new award.
Sincerely,
Colleen M. Flood
Scientific Director
CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
Funding Opportunities
Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) – apply now!
The PHSI program funds teams of decision makers and researchers to conduct applied and policy-relevant health services and systems research up to three years in length. Decision makers and researchers interested in working together to improve health services and the health system are encouraged to apply. CIHR provides most of the funding (up to a maximum of $350,000 or $400,000 over three years, depending on province) and applicants find the remainder – between 20% and 30% of the total grant budget, depending on province – from partners. The total amount available from CIHR for this initiative is $8.1 million. The CIHR application deadline is April 15, 2009. For more information visit CIHR’s Funding Opportunity Database or contact Meghan McMahon (by email or at 416-978-5172) or Chris McCutcheon (by email or at 613-948-2725).
Community News and Events
Knowledge to Action: A KT Casebook
CIHR’s Knowledge Translation Portfolio is pleased to announce the publication of Knowledge to Action: A Knowledge Translation Casebook. This series of knowledge translation (KT) cases spans the breadth of CIHR’s health research themes and showcases just a few of the diverse and interesting KT initiatives embarked upon by health researchers. These initiatives range from engaging the media in an informed public policy debate, improving patient care and reducing wait times through better collaboration and cooperation, to helping some of the world's poorest children receive the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. This KT Casebook provides valuable insights into the real world of researchers and knowledge-users as they do knowledge translation. Many important ideas and lessons about successful KT in diverse contexts emerge from these cases. Knowledge to Action: A Knowledge Translation Casebook is now available on the CIHR website.
Training Opportunities in Health Research at Statistics Canada
The Health Information and Research Division (HIRD) has a limited number of research positions at the PhD and Postdoctoral level for qualified candidates who are interested in pursuing health or health care-related research at Statistics Canada. For more information on the following programs please visit the links provided:
The Tom Symons Research Fellowship Program (deadline April 15, 2009)
Postdoctoral program in Health Research (deadline March 31, 2009)
2009-10 Canadian Harkness Associate Award - Call for Applications (deadline April 15, 2009)
The Commonwealth Fund, in partnership with the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, offers two Harkness Associate Awards annually. These awards are aimed at mid-career health services or health policy researchers, decision makers (health system managers, clinical leaders, and government policy makers), or journalists. The Harkness Associate Award enables talented Canadians to participate in the Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice, a core program of The Commonwealth Fund’s International Program in Health Policy and Practice. This program selects up to 14 international fellows per year from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany to spend up to 12 months in the United States doing original research and working with leading U.S. health policy experts.
For more information, visit the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation website.
Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Practice Guideline Summer Institute: Building Capacity in Knowledge Synthesis, Evaluation and Application, June 23-25, Hamilton, Ontario
Background: The Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP) is a strategic initiative of the Cancer Guidelines Action Group of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Corporation. The CEP, which is academically linked to the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University, is pleased to be hosting a Practice Guideline Summer Institute to build capacity in evidence-based practice, knowledge synthesis, evaluation, and application.
Objectives: To provide health services research and clinical trainees from across Canada the opportunity to participate in an in-depth critical examination of practice guideline development and evidence synthesis approaches, and issues related to their application in advancing a quality agenda in cancer control.
Format: The three-day workshop will consist of interactive presentations, panel and group discussions, small group break out sessions, with opportunities to discuss current and controversial issues around the guideline development enterprise.
Application Deadline: Completed applications will be accepted until April 1, 2009. The selection of successful applicants will be announced by April 15, 2009.
For more information, visit the Capacity Enhancement Program website.