IHSPR Newsletter – February 2013

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Message from Dr. Robyn Tamblyn, IHSPR Scientific Director

Dear Colleagues, Happy New Year.

In the spirit of a new start for 2013, IHSPR is focusing on preparing our research community for success in the new Open Reform Foundational Program Grant Scheme. This new category of grants is designed to contribute to the sustainable foundation of health research leaders by providing long term support to pursue innovative,high impact programs of research that address issues in health services and policy research related to health and populations.

In preparation for the open reform, we analyzed the first 11 years of funding at CIHR to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement for our community. This analysis revealed three important trends. First, health services and policy researchers, on average, apply for the shortest duration grants, an average of two years per application compared to the average of four years for the biomedical community. Second, researchers in the health services and policy research community rarely apply for renewals of their programs of research while over 80 per cent of renewal applications are from the biomedical community. Third, even when renewals of programs of research are submitted by the health services and policy research community, they are rarely rated as fundable.

These three trends suggests that our community will need to change how they apply for grants to be competitive in the foundation scheme. Our community will need to transition from two year applications to the five to seven years of funding that is expected in the foundational schemes. Moreover, we’ll need to have consensus on what constitutes excellence for five to seven year programs of research so that peer review can be conducted equitably to reward such excellence. Moreover, we will need a new paradigm for peer review for foundational grants. Unlike project grants, where the project and methodology are outlined in the application, programmatic grants will start with a review of the applicant’s curriculum vitae and a short summary of the research program. This means that we will need to have consensus in our community about what constitutes excellence in programmatic research and what constitutes excellence in the conduct of our peer review of programmatic research.

To prepare for the foundational scheme, IHSPR, in collaboration with the Institute of Population and Public Health and the Institute of Gender and Health, is leading an initiative to engage our senior academics and thought-leaders across the country in developing a consensus on excellence in programmatic research and peer review to support the successful preparation of our community for the foundational scheme. Twenty-five leaders have been nominated by their faculties and departments to contribute to this initiative by their respective institutes and universities. A boot camp will be held in September in Montreal where we will build consensus and training materials for preparing our communities for the foundational scheme applications as well as peer review. We will also develop mechanisms by which our success in the foundational scheme will be monitored in order to continue to enhance our capacity for success. We look forward to a great year and the success of our community in addressing these challenges.

Chair Showcase: Dr. Francis Lau

CIHR/Canada Health Infoway Applied Chair in Health Services and Policy Research

eHealth is here and it’s here to stay - in recent years, governments and healthcare agencies have increased eHealth investments in health information systems to improve care delivery and outcomes. Despite the exciting potential of this technology there is an urgent need for unbiased evidence on the value of eHealth solutions and rigorous methods on how they should be deployed for organizations to reap the benefits.

Dr. Francis Lau is leading the way in developing rigorous eHealth evaluation tools as the CIHR/Canada Health Infoway Applied Chair in Health Services and Policy Research. The aim of his program is to establish an eHealth Observatory in British Columbia to monitor the use and effects of health information systems in Canada. The scope covers medication management and integration with electronic records in physician offices and healthcare organizations, as well as the system’s functionality as a performance management tool.

Lau’s approach to developing a successful and sustainable program focuses on robust projects, engaged teams and comprehensive knowledge translation (KT) to ensure a diverse and growing body of knowledge and its users. The program includes a series of 10 projects, focused on models, methods and metrics for evaluation. He makes capacity building a priority for interested collaborators across the board from keen undergraduate students to trailblazing clinicians. At its core, KT involves taking advantage of opportunities to share and present findings at venues like workshops and conferences. Lau further collaborates with Canada Health Infoway as a vocal participant in an active online community where Evaluation researchers and decision makers can learn and share best practices.

The Chair position has granted Lau the opportunity to establish himself in the eHealth arena. Increased exposure to researchers, clinicians and decision makers with similar interests and facing similar challenges has fostered crucial collaborations in field research and large scale projects across Canada. “We need to think more like [decision makers],” Lau reflects, noting that inter-disciplinary research carries competing demands. He has learned the importance of balancing thorough research with timely results to generate outcomes that can efficiently address health system concerns. These partnerships require an openness and willingness to adapt ideas from the research status quo to more multi-method approaches.

Dr. Lau encourages new investigators to really focus and get an understanding of their professional field of interest and to always plan backwards from an ultimate goal. Most importantly he urges them to recognize their limitations and that being able to say, “No,” is a good reflection of this. From his own personal experience he implores the up and coming health services and policy researchers to value the opportunities and relationships that can be attained from participating in field-research and to never take them for granted.

Complete the sentence with Dr. Lau:

  1. My role models growing up were… my PhD supervisor, co-supervisor and former boss for teaching me about integrity, compassion and strategic leadership, respectively.
  2. The one thing I can’t live without is… my wife.
  3. In 2013 I will… do less, but more.
  4. My secret talent is… being a strategic thinker.
  5. If I had $1,000,000 I would… create a centre for health informatics research.

Meet Bob: Astronaut, physician, engineer, health researcher – and now Vice-President at CIHR

Bob Thirsk confidently has at least six months under his belt as VP, Public, Government and Institute Affairs (PGIA) at CIHR. But how much do we really know about the man behind the space helmet? The IHSPR team sat down to get candid with Bob about his influences, perspective on health research in Canada and his vision for CIHR.

Could you describe three life experiences and how they prepared you for your new role at CIHR?

  1. I did my undergraduate at the University of Calgary. One professor, Dr. Graham Walker, mentioned that I was doing well in mechanical engineering courses but he had noted my fascination with human physiology and interest in the application of engineering skills to solve medical problems. He suggested that I consider a medical career. Dr. Walker’s advice was surprising to me but sound. I went on to pursue research in biomedical engineering and later completed medical school.

  2. I spent a year at MIT pursuing a business degree. All 57 international students in my class had 15 years or more of career experience and were very knowledgeable. I learned as much about management and international relations from them as from my professors.

  3. I was privileged to fly in space twice. Missions are difficult and only properly executed with lots planning and real-time trouble-shooting. Despite the challenges, I can’t imagine any career so fulfilling and downright fun as being an astronaut. The missions were science-focused and  I was able to contribute to the research goals as an experiment developer, operator, subject and communicator. I had opportunities to work at the limits of my personal capabilities and at the frontiers of my external world.

As an astronaut you're used to missions, what do you see as your mission at CIHR?

The PGIA team and I are developing a strategic plan, where the first task we took on was crafting a mission statement for our new portfolio. CIHR’s stakeholders include governments, academia, non-profit organizations, industry and the public. We believe that PGIA’s mission is to catalyze innovative and diverse relationships with these stakeholders to raise the visibility, relevance and impact of health research in Canada.

As you get to know the health research community in Canada, what do you consider to be its biggest strength?

Collaboration is a core competence throughout all levels of CIHR. To effectively deliver on our mandate, it is essential that we work closely with like-minded organizations. While CIHR is the largest player in the Canadian health research funding field, we cannot do it alone. Cooperation with our partners enables research programs that are too ambitious for us to undertake on our own.

… and its biggest challenge?

Innovation is paramount to the mandate of CIHR. However, studies have shown that Canada’s reputation for innovation is slipping. This is a concern because our national economy must urgently transition from reliance on natural resources if we are to remain internationally competitive and maintain our level of prosperity.

The pioneering spirit that strongly characterized Canada’s early explorers and even my great-grandparents’ generation is waning. We need to re-instill a can-do attitude at a grass roots level. Citizens must be inspired to contemplate the unknown and to attempt the difficult. Along with new policies and investments, cultural changes about the importance of discovery and the role of innovation would greatly bolster Canadian health research.

What is the most surprising thing you have experienced in your first few months at CIHR?

The talent, dedication and sense of humour of my colleagues. What a team!

Complete the sentence:

  1. My role models growing up were… my parents. My father was a visionary who encouraged me to dream audacious things. My mother is a methodical person who ensured that I pragmatically built foundations under my dreams.
  2. The one thing I can’t live without is… my wife. She keeps steering my ship-of-life away from the shoals.
  3. In 2013 I aspire to… learn the meaning of all the CIHR acronyms.
  4. My secret talent is… singing “To All the Girls I Loved Before” karaoke-style. (I can do both the Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias parts).
  5. If I had $1,000,000 I would… invest in innovative and cross-curricular educational programs in Canada… and take a kayaking vacation to Patagonia.

Awards

CIHR-IHSPR Rising Star Award & Article of the Year Award
New Deadline: February 27, 2013

Please nominate your colleagues and students!
Each year, CIHR-IHSPR presents awards to trainees and researchers who are making a difference in health services and policy research:

CIHR-IHSPR Rising Star Award (3 awards of $1,000 and up to $1,500 for travel to CAHSPR)
The Rising Star Award recognizes the research excellence or innovative knowledge translation (KT) initiatives of graduate students (M.A., M.Sc. and PhD) and post-doctoral fellows.

CIHR-IHSPR Article of the Year Award ($10,000 and up to $2,000 for travel to CAHSPR)
The Article of the Year Award recognizes published research that has significantly contributed to the advancement of the field of health services and policy research in Canada.

CIHR Barer-Flood Prize for Health Services and Policy Research 2012-13
Application deadline: May 1, 2013

This new prize is a career achievement award that honours and recognizes an exceptional researcher in the area of health services and policy research who has created a seminal body of work that has had a substantial impact on health services and policy research, policy and/or care delivery. A nominee must:

  • be an independent researcher;
  • be registered at an eligible institution;
  • have at least 10 years of experience as an independent investigator and currently hold a full-time position within a Canadian academic, hospital, not-for-profit or governmental institution or affiliated research institution.

The CIHR Partnership Award
Nomination deadline: May 1, 2013

Annually, this award recognizes a partnership that exemplifies excellence. The recipients receive a $25,000 award in the form of a one-year research grant for advancing the research or knowledge translation activities of the partnership. These partnerships involve organizations from the private, voluntary or public sectors. They bring health research communities together:

  • to create innovative approaches to research questions;
  • to develop research agendas that are responsive to the health needs, concerns and priorities of Canadians;
  • to accelerate the translation of knowledge for the benefit of Canadians.

For questions about the award, please contact Rosa Venuta (rosa.venuta@cihr-irsc.gc.ca).

Announcements

Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) - Research Networks – Expression of Interest
Deadline for submissions is 5:00 PM (EST), February 28, 2013

As part of an overall process for identifying future SPOR Networks, the SPOR National Steering Committee is issuing a call for an Expression of Interest. This Expression of Interest is to assist the SPOR National Steering Committee in gauging interest and existing network capacity within the community. This is not a Letter of Intent. As such, responding to this Expression of Interest is not a prerequisite for application to future SPOR Network funding opportunities.

In parallel with this call for an Expression of Interest, Provincial/Territorial partners and Canadian citizens will be engaged to identify priority areas that would benefit from a SPOR network. The results of all these processes will be used to inform discussions of the National Steering Committee regarding areas where existing capacity may be mobilized through an open call for networks, and where gaps in capacity may exist which require a more targeted funding approach. Future funding opportunities will then be developed and launched based on these discussions.

Contact Mary Fraser Valiquette (Mary.FraserValiquette@cihr-irsc.gc.ca) for more information.

China-Canada Joint Health Research Initiative
Application deadline: March 19, 2013

The specific objective of the China-Canada Joint Health Research Initiative (2013) is to promote the development of Canadian-Chinese scientific co-operation between researchers located at universities, hospitals, research institutes or affiliated research organizations in Canada and China through the support of collaborative research grants.

The CIHR Institutes of Population and Public Health (IPPH) and IHSPR would like to encourage researchers working in the fields of population and public health and health services and policy research in Canada and China to collaborate on research that aims to compare how different policies and/or primary health care delivery models shift the distribution of health and illness in different contexts.

The total amount available for all relevant areas of this funding opportunity is C$3,375,000 from CIHR (subject to availability).

Please refer to the funding opportunity online.

Institute Advisory Boards (IAB) 2013 Renewal
Application deadline: April 15, 2013

CIHR will be launching the 11th cycle of IAB membership renewal. Each of the CIHR’s 13 Institutes has an advisory board composed of a diverse group of national and international representatives of the public, private and non-profit sectors, including the research community and health practitioners.

During the selection process each Institute reviews the roster of candidates who submitted applications to determine which individuals would best fill the critical gaps created by turnover both in expertise and in re-balancing demographic criteria. On average, each Institute appoints 1 to 2 members who will serve 3 year terms, effective September 1, 2013.

For more information & to apply please visit Institute Advisory Board Member Application and Guidelines.

Conferences

The Data Effect - Tomorrow’s Canada Today
April 17, 2013
Ottawa Convention Centre (Ottawa, ON)

The Data Effect: Tomorrow’s Canada Today will address how the prudent and innovative use of Big Data can improve outcomes in such areas as health care, drug and social policy research and public safety, to name a few. It can also help ensure the most effective use of public dollars in an era when balanced budgeting has become a challenge. This day long event will offer leaders in government, the private sector and researchers a practical special briefing that surveys the best practices and opportunities being created by the Big Data revolution in Canada and around the world. 

Conference registration: Open

2013 CADTH Symposium
May 5-7, 2013
Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre (St. John’s, NL)

What impact does context have on the type of evidence required and how is it used? How much contextualization is really necessary? How are Health technology assessment (HTA) providers and decision-makers in Canada and other countries approaching contextualization, and are these approaches increasing the impact of HTA? Join Canadian and international experts at the 2013 CADTH Symposium for thought- provoking discussions about the role of evidence, context, and other factors that are integral to the optimal use of health technologies.

Conference registration: Open

2013 CAHSPR Conference
May 28-30, 2013
Sheraton Wall Centre (Vancouver, BC)

Get ready for the 2013 CAHSPR Conference! This year’s theme “Making Good on the Triple Aim: How to Improve our Success within the Canadian Context” will set the stage to learn from improvement initiatives in Canada and other jurisdictions, to identify the factors necessary to drive improvements across the Canadian health system, and to explore what it means to pursue the triple aim within the promise of universal access.

Conference registration: Monday, March 4, 2013

2013 CPHA Conference
June 9-12, 2012
Ottawa Convention Centre (Ottawa, ON)

Planning for the 2013 CPHA Conference is well underway. This year’s theme “Moving Public Health Forward: Evidence, Policy Practice” will feature presentations that explore how evidence of different types can be used successfully in different situations and for different purposes. new perspectives on the various types of evidence available and how best to use them. Participants will discuss the integration of evidence into policy and practice and back into the research cycle as well as the factors beyond evidence that influence the policy development process.

Conference registration: Friday, February 8, 2013

Got Good News?

Are you a CIHR-funded investigator driving innovative health services and policy research? Have you recently been published in a peer-reviewed journal? Then we want to hear from you!

Send us a research project abstract and a short summary (500 words max) of your latest game-changing outcomes and impacts for a chance to be featured in the IHSPR newsletter or website! Forward your information to info.ihspr@mcgill.ca.

Learn how to get your research into the media spotlight

Communications Workshop
Date: Thursday, June 6, 2013
Location: Montreal, QC
Application deadline: 5:00 PM (PST), Friday, March 15, 2013

Population and public health researchers are doing important work that has the potential to shape policies, programs, and practices and to improve population health and health equity. This workshop is an opportunity to work with experts to improve your skills for getting this into the media and reaching decision makers.

The workshop will be led by media experts from the Berkeley Media Studies Group. These experts will work with participants to help them develop skills they need to more effectively pitch their research findings to news editors and journalists whose news stories have the power to reach decision makers and affect their thinking and plans around public health policy.

To be eligible for this workshop, applicants must:

  • Be working in the field of population and public health research and have an interest in communications
  • Hold a Master’s degree or higher
  • Be Canadians studying within Canada and abroad or non-Canadians affiliated with a Canadian Institution.

Please contact Emma Cohen (ecohen@uottawa.ca) for more information.

CIHR - Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
3666 McTavish, Second Floor, Montréal, QC, H3A 1Y2
Tel: 514-398-5736
Email: info.ihspr@mcgill.ca