Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement Honours Ontario's Dr. Gina Browne with the 2013 Excellence through Evidence Award

OTTAWA, Feb. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Dr. Gina Browne, a life-long champion of healthcare improvement and a trailblazer of innovative approaches to primary care delivery, is the 2013 recipient of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement Excellence through Evidence award.

The annual award recognizes a health services leader who has successfully implemented evidence-informed innovations in care and service delivery.

"The Trustees of CFHI join me in congratulating Dr. Browne on her most-deserving honour," said Maureen O'Neil, President, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI). "Gina's distinguished career as an educator, scholar and mentor has boldly challenged conventional approaches to care by promoting evidence to drive innovation and quality in health service delivery."

"This is an unexpected and wonderful affirmation of my work with my team and collaborating service providers.  I receive this recognition on behalf of all of them," said Dr. Browne. "I'm especially delighted to be able to apply the award's honorarium to the implementation phase of my current project involving children and youth enrolled and not enrolled in high school who learn in different ways compared to mainstream youth. This is the first step in a mental health promotion strategy and not a treatment approach. It uses a variety of arts studios (music, dance, computer, literary and visual arts, etc.) to help youth find their passion and the spark that ignites their enthusiasm for learning, self-esteem and life skills. This is highly attended by current youth enrolled. It's my current full-time, week-long, year-long, project involving youth."

During her 41-year career as a leader in clinical practice, education and research, Dr. Browne has worked with others to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities.  Her ability to get community groups, partner health and social service agencies to work together to study effective and efficient ways of providing proactive integrated care to improve health, has benefited thousands of individuals and helped integrate services for Ontario's most vulnerable populations.  Her integrated approach has been applied across Canada and beyond in improving the lives of the disenfranchised.

Dr. Browne will receive her Excellence through Evidence award on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at the CFHI CEO Forum in Montreal, a one-day event for healthcare leaders from across Canada.

Past recipients include: Dr. Judith Ritchie, Associate Director of Nursing Research, McGill University Health Centre, Dr. Leslie Levin, Head of Health Quality Ontario's Medical Advisory Secretariat, and Dan Florizone, Saskatchewan's deputy minister of health.  For more information on CFHI or its awards programs, visit cfhi-fcass.ca

The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (cfhi-fcass.ca) is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to healthcare improvement and transformation for Canadians. CFHI collaborates with governments, policy-makers, and health system leaders to convert evidence and innovative practices into actionable policies, programs, tools and leadership development. CFHI is funded through an agreement with the Government of Canada.

SOURCE: Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement

For further information:

Eileen Melnick McCarthy
Tel./tél.:[phone] ext. 233
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