Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Health Services and Policy Research

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
Name	Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
Parent	Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Established	2000
Location	Ottawa, Ontario
Focus	Health services research, health policy

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Health Services and Policy Research is a Canadian research institute focusing on health services and health policy research within the broader framework of federal health research funding. It supports evidence generation, knowledge translation, and policy-relevant studies that inform health system design, delivery, and evaluation across provinces and territories. The institute interacts with academic, clinical, and policy stakeholders to align research with national priorities and population needs.

History

The institute was formed during the establishment of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research era, contemporaneous with initiatives involving Health Canada, National Institutes of Health, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Institutes of Health Research restructuring, and provincial counterparts such as Ontario Ministry of Health and British Columbia Ministry of Health. Early collaborations drew on methodologies from McGill University, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, McMaster University, and University of Alberta researchers. Influences included policy debates featuring figures associated with Tommy Douglas, Romanow Commission, Chaoulli v. Quebec (AG), Canada Health Act, and interactions with agencies like Canadian Institute for Health Information and Statistics Canada. The institute’s evolution paralleled international dialogues involving World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, National Health Service (England), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Mandate and Objectives

The institute’s mandate emphasizes generating evidence to inform decision-makers in contexts such as Parliament of Canada, provincial legislatures, and health authorities including Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network and Alberta Health Services. Objectives align with policy needs referenced by entities like Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Canadian Nurses Association, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, and standards influenced by Canadian Standards Association. Priorities often reflect commitments from forums including First Ministers' Meeting (Canada), Council of the Federation, and international agreements such as those discussed at G7 and United Nations General Assembly health sessions.

Research Programs and Priorities

Research programs span comparative effectiveness studies informed by teams at SickKids Research Institute, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, CIEL, and thematic work related to pharmacare debates, health workforce planning examined by Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, and health equity analyses connected to Assembly of First Nations and Métis National Council. Priorities include patient-oriented research reflecting models from Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, integrated care studies analogous to Kaiser Permanente, and health systems performance frameworks used by Commonwealth Fund. Methodological collaborations involve scholars from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, London School of Economics, and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Funding and Grants

The institute administers funding streams parallel to mechanisms at Canadian Institutes of Health Research including investigator-driven grants, priority-driven initiatives, and partnerships with funders such as Canada Foundation for Innovation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and provincial research funds like Ontario Research Fund. Competitive programs draw applicants from institutions including Université de Montréal, Dalhousie University, Queen's University, University of Ottawa, and research centres like Bruyère Research Institute and Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing. Funding outcomes intersect with awards such as the Canadian Health Services and Policy Research Alliance recognitions and career supports similar to CIHR Canada Research Chairs.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The institute engages partners spanning Canadian Institutes of Health Research networks, provincial health ministries, Indigenous organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and international bodies including Pan American Health Organization and European Commission. Collaborations extend to professional associations such as Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Mental Health Association, and academic consortia including SPOR SUPPORT Units and Collaborative Health Research Projects. Strategic alliances involve think tanks like Fraser Institute, Conference Board of Canada, and policy labs at Imperial College London and McKinsey & Company-affiliated health units.

Impact and Contributions

The institute has influenced policy decisions cited in reports from Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow Report), Health Council of Canada assessments, and provincial reform efforts in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Contributions include evidence informing wait times strategies, primary care reforms paralleling models from Patient Medical Home, and workforce planning referenced in documents from Physicians for a Healthy Society and Canadian Institute for Health Information. Outputs have been disseminated through venues such as Canadian Medical Association Journal, Health Affairs, The Lancet, BMJ, and presented at conferences including Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research Annual Conference.

Governance and Administration

Governance structures reflect CIHR executive oversight, advisory boards composed of representatives from Academic Health Science Centres, provincial health ministries, Indigenous leadership, and stakeholder organizations like Health Quality Ontario and Canadian Patient Safety Institute. Administrative practices align with federal accountability frameworks found in Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat directives and grant policies consistent with Tri-Agency guidelines. Leadership rotations have included academics affiliated with universities such as University of Calgary and Université Laval.

Category:Health research organizations in Canada