Press releases

Release issued 25th September 2009

The University of Western Ontario will host one of two provincial networks designed to bring researchers together to find new ways to ease the pressures on Ontario's health-care system and make it more efficient.

Announced today at Western, the Applied Health Research Network Initiative (AHRNI) of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will create a province-wide network of multi-disciplinary researchers translating targeted research into viable innovations and policies to improve the health of Ontarians. It is supported by nearly $4 million in ministry funding over three years.

As part of the initiative, Western will host one of two provincial networks. Researchers within the System Integration and Innovation (SII) network will examine issues related to primary care, identify transitions within the health care system that can be improved and evaluate new programs combining health with other services for high needs families.

One example includes using research to identify ways to help patients transitioning between systems - e.g. child to adult - and services - e.g. hospital to home care - receive more effective and efficient care. The initiative will also support evidence-based policy development and decision making in the ministry and health-care system.

Both the SII network and the Primary Health Care System program within it are led by Western's Moira Stewart, who is the Brian W. Gilbert Canada Research Chair in Primary Health Care and Director of the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.

"Many patients have multiple health care needs and they and their families can benefit from innovative ways to better integrate the variety of services required, within a smoothly running system," says Stewart.

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