Health Services and Policy Research

The Ontario Training Centre in Health Services and Policy Research is a consortium of six Ontario universities that includes: Lakehead University, Laurentian University, McMaster University, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto and York University. The establishment of the centre is a response to the need for increased numbers of health services researchers to address critical issues in effective and efficient health care delivery (which has been identified as a top priority by national research funding agencies). Its overall goal is to increase health research capacity in Ontario through an innovative training program that builds on existing strengths in university and decision making environments.

Primary funding for its development ($3.75 million from 2002-2012) comes from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Additional funding for specific instructional projects has been provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Partnering with a growing number of health care organizations, the Centre offers graduate training leading to a Diploma in Health Services and Policy Research at Lakehead, Laurentian, McMaster, Ottawa and York universities or to an equivalent qualification through the Collaborative Graduate Program in Health Services and Policy Research at the University of Toronto.

Specific objectives of the program include: 1) to provide training in health services reseach for graduate students, 2) to enhance the quality and breadth of trans-disciplinary training in health services research, and 3) to include decision makers as active partners in teaching, program and curriculum planning, and the provision of field placements for students.

This competency-based program focuses on the following five areas: 1) understanding the Canadian health care system, 2) ability to carry out health services research, 3) understanding theories regarding how the health of populations is produced, 4) understanding theories of health and health services knowledge production, and 5) knowledge exchange and development of research partnerships.