CIHR Knowledge Translation e-Newsletter - October 2011

In this issue:

  1. News from Ian Graham, Vice-President, CIHR
  2. KT Funding News
  3. KT Learning Resources and Opportunities
  4. KT Events
  5. KT Community News

1. News from Ian Graham, Vice-President, CIHR

On August 18th in Calgary, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced CIHR's funding for 25 new projects, in six provinces, through the Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) program.

The PHSI program supports teams of researchers and decision makers conducting applied and policy-relevant health systems and services research that responds to the needs of health care decision makers and strengthens the Canadian health system. CIHR is providing $8.1 million to support the 25 projects. Partners from across Canada are providing an additional $2.1 million, for a total of $10.2 million.

"These projects will enable meaningful collaborations between researchers and decision makers who will be able to use the results of the research to address health system challenges. Their important work will help ensure Canadians have access to the best possible healthcare" said Minister Aglukkaq.

The three projects at the University of Calgary were highlighted. Dr. David Johnson will develop a clinical pathway across Alberta to help guide clinicians in caring for children with chronic and acute asthma. Dr. Braden Manns will evaluate the impact of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) on the care and outcome of people with diabetes. Dr. Tom Stelfox will develop a patient and family-centered approach for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of trauma care. These three Alberta projects are co-funded by Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions.

"A funding program based on partnership like PHSI offers Canada's health-system decision makers evidence-based answers to pressing health system questions," said Dr. Robyn Tamblyn, Scientific Director for CIHR's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research. "This knowledge translation will in turn benefit Canadians by improving the quality and delivery of healthcare and Canadian health systems."

For a complete listing of the PHSI projects supported, please visit the CIHR website.

The next deadline for PHSI applications is November 1, 2011

2. KT Funding News

  1. Network Catalyst Grant was launched on September 1st

    The Knowledge Translation Branch of CIHR re-launched the Network Catalyst funding opportunity in September 2011 in partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), Institute of Infection and Immunity (III), Institute of Aging (IA) and Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA). The objective of this funding opportunity is to support the creation and/or further development of formal networks by encouraging national and/or international collaboration, resource sharing, capacity building and dissemination in priority research areas.

    The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $200,000 per annum for up to three years.

    Anticipated deadlines:
    Application deadline: December 15, 2011
    Funding start date: June 15, 2012

    For more information, please contact Liz Drake, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist at 613-948-2682 or by e-mail at elizabeth.drake@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

  2. CIHR's Knowledge Translation Branch Announces the Second Launch of the New Science Policy Fellowships Program

    Here is your chance to learn about and have an impact in the policy world. Contribute to bringing evidence to inform health policy. Understand how evidence informed decision making works. We are offering fellowships for "embedded" researchers in the policy world.

    This new and exciting Funding Opportunity was launched for the second time on October 14, 2011 with a new series of policy assignments. This program provides highly qualified candidates at the doctoral, post-doctoral, new investigator and mid-senior investigator stages of health research with the opportunity to learn more about current Canadian health policy activities and the science/policy interface.

    The CIHR KT Branch has partnered with the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to help foster positive exchanges between health researchers and policy makers. The program aims to help bridge the gap between the worlds of science and policy making by providing funding for researchers to undertake fellowships at Health Canada and the British Columbia Ministry of Health. Support will be provided through short-term policy assignments for highly qualified individuals who are engaged in health research to participate in and contribute to the policy making processes while learning first-hand about the intersection of science and policy.

    Application deadline: December 5, 2011
    Funding start date: April 1, 2012

    For more information on this funding opportunity, please view our promotional video on the CIHR YouTube channel and/or contact Jasmine Lefebvre, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist at 613-952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

  3. Evidence On Tap - Expedited Knowledge Synthesis - Focused on Evidence-Informed Healthcare Renewal

    Healthcare System Financing, Sustainability and Governance

    Policy decisions must be made quickly - so quickly that research can often be left behind. Expedited Knowledge Synthesis speeds up the research process so that the best evidence arrives just in time for policy.

    The chance to make an impact couldn't be greater. Ever-increasing cost pressures, coupled with the current fiscal environment, attention on the upcoming expiration of the 2004 Health Accord, and an appetite for new models of financing and delivering care have created an exciting opportunity for researchers to contribute to health care renewal in Canada.

    A series of priority synthesis questions related to health care financing and funding, sustainability of the health care system, as well as governance and accountability have been identified by collaborating Ministries of Health across Canada and are detailed within this Funding Opportunity. Research teams interested in answering one or more of these questions are invited to register with CIHR by November 8, 2011. For each synthesis question, a teleconference will be held with registered teams and the relevant ministry partner to discuss and refine the synthesis question. Teleconference dates/times (end of November) will be provided to registered teams.

    For researchers this is a rare opportunity to work directly with senior-level policy-makers. For policy-makers, this is an opportunity to have access to high-quality research syntheses, tailored to their needs, and in their hands quickly.

    Registration Deadline: November 8, 2011
    Full Application Deadline: January 10, 2012

    For more information, visit the website or contact Jennifer Campbell at 613-941-0805 or jennifer.campbell@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

  4. Partnerships for Health Systems Improvement (2011-2012)

    Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) aims to strengthen Canada's healthcare system through collaborative, applied and policy-relevant research. PHSI is Canada's premier health services and policy research competition - and with its strong emphasis on partnerships and knowledge translation it is also a major resource for managers and policy makers who want relevant research to inform their decision-making. PHSI funds teams of decision makers and researchers to conduct applied health services and policy research. Because they participate throughout the research process the research results are more likely to be relevant to and used by decision makers. Consistent with the program's emphasis on partnerships, grants are funded through a combination of CIHR and partner funding.

    The maximum amount awarded by CIHR for a single grant is $400,000 for up to three years (partnership contributions are in addition to the CIHR amount).

    Application deadline: November 1, 2011
    Funding start date: April 1, 2012

    (Please note that deadlines to submit requests to competition partners are in advance of the CIHR application deadline)

    For more information on this funding opportunity, please contact Jasmine Lefebvre, Senior Knowledge Translation Specialist at 613-952-8965 or by e-mail at jasmine.lefebvre@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

3. KT Learning Resources and Opportunities

  1. Knowledge Translation in Low & Middle-Income Countries: A Learning Module

    Prepared by The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research in partnership with the Knowledge Translation Branch and Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    This module is one of a series of modules commissioned by CIHR's Knowledge Translation and Public Outreach Branch. The modules are designed to help researchers and knowledge users learn more about knowledge translation (KT). The longer term goal, of course, is to ensure that the production and use of knowledge leads to improvements in health and health systems. The modules are a tool to achieve this objective and to advance our understanding of, and engagement in the KT process.

    The purpose of this specific module is to introduce primarily Canadian researchers and knowledge users to the remarkable work in KT that is going on in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) around the world, including the organizations that support this work. The module has been prepared by a team from the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR or "the Coalition")-a Canada-based global network whose members are committed to the promotion of better and more equitable health worldwide through the production and use of knowledge.

  2. Translating Research into Policy and Practice

    During this two-day workshop, you will learn about how to collaborate with stakeholders, policymakers and practitioners to build their considerations into your research program before you even begin. You will learn how to develop comprehensive research-use strategies and plain language communication products to position your findings for the greatest impact. You will move beyond the "publish or perish" tradition toward fostering the relationships and networks often required to develop cross-sector solutions to complex problems. And you will begin to see how the feedback gathered from partners will help ensure your research remains relevant over time.

4. KT Events

  1. Acting Together on Healthy Eating for Children

    We may think we know a lot about a healthy diet… Healthy eating for children needs to involve government, the food industry, schools, and communities. Academia should also be involved to promote action that is based on evidence. Come out to this free event to hear representatives from these groups discuss the current problem and debate solutions.

    When: Monday, October 17th, 2011, 7:00-9:00pm

    Where: Enterprise Square – Gallery, 10230 Jasper Ave., University of Alberta

    Speakers:
    Dr. Kim Raine, Director and Professor, Centre for Health Promotion Studies, University of Alberta, Dr. Charlene Elliott, Canada Research Chair, Food Marketing, Policy and Children's Health, University of Calgary and Mr. Dave Colburn, Board Chair, Board of Trustees, Edmonton Public Schools

    Moderator:
    Dr. Nancy Edwards, Scientific Director, CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health

    Please RSVP: ipph-ispp@uottawa.ca

  2. Leading the best: new ideas, new thinking. Call for Abstracts

    The Canadian College of Health Leaders and the Canadian Healthcare Association are co-hosting the National Health Leadership Conference (NHLC) in Halifax on June 4 and 5, 2012. This conference is the largest gathering of health system decision-makers in Canada. It aims to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing today's health leadership. The call for abstracts is now open and these should address one or more of the following leadership capabilities: Lead Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions and System Transformation.

    Abstracts may be presented as oral presentations, panels, posters or workshops and must be submitted online.

    Deadline: November 1, 2011.

5. Community News

  1. Social Media: A Guide for Researchers

    This guide was produced to provide researchers with an understanding of social media and its possible uses within the research process. It will enable researchers to make informed decisions about using social media in every step from data collection to knowledge dissemination and will help them select wisely from the vast range of tools available.

    If you would like to advertise your event or activity in this e-newsletter, please contact
    kt-ac@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

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