Strengthening health research in Quebec - SUPPORT Unit builds foundation for patient-oriented research

MONTREAL, May 25, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for Lotbinière−Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, on behalf of Canada's Health Minister Rona Ambrose, and Quebec Health Minister Gaétan Barrette were joined by Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Dr. Renaldo Battista, Scientific Director, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé, to announce the launch of the Quebec SUPPORT Unit for patient-oriented research.

SUPPORT (Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials) Units are provincial or regional centres that connect patients, researchers, policy makers, funders, and health care professionals to help attract, train, and mentor health care professionals and patient-oriented researchers.

Ultimately, the SUPPORT Units are about improving health outcomes for patients.  They will provide the infrastructure needed to improve health care practices, therapies, and policies.  They will ensure new and innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are applied when and where needed, for the benefit of Canadian patients.

The Quebec SUPPORT Unit brings together research institutions and healthcare providers from across the province. The SUPPORT Unit will work with its partners to identify and address the priorities of patients. As an example of their work they will aim to adapt, implement and evaluate the Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program in Quebec in order to reduce cardiovascular illness among the elderly.

Quick Facts

• The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) is a national coalition of federal, provincial and territorial partners (patient advocates, provincial health authorities, academic health centres, charities, philanthropic organizations, pharmaceutical sector) dedicated to the integration of research into care. CIHR is leading this effort on behalf of the Government of Canada.
• SPOR is about ensuring that the right patient receives the right treatment at the right time.
• The Quebec SPOR SUPPORT Unit will receive $32.4 million from the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec and its partners. The funding will go towards improving health care practices, therapies, and policies to better improve patient care.
• SUPPORT Units help lead system changes to respond to locally-driven health care needs, and also support the development of new and innovative research methods. 
• Data systems will be put in place by each SUPPORT Unit to accelerate the conduct of clinical and health services research.
• All provinces and territories are working collaboratively on this cross-Canada initiative, with SUPPORT Units to be established in regions throughout the country.
• The Government of Canada is the largest single investor in health research in Canada.  Currently, CIHR is supporting more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

Quotes

"Through the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, the Government of Canada is partnering with all provinces and territories to move research innovations from the bench to the bedside.  Together, we are bringing health innovations and discoveries to the front lines of health care and sharing those innovations throughout the country, with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes for Canadians."
Jacques Gourde
Member of Parliament for Lotbinière−Chutes-de-la-Chaudière

"By fostering co-operation and innovation in patient-oriented research, the Quebec SUPPORT Unit will make a tangible contribution to improving the care and services provided by Quebec's health and social services system. That is the main reason why my Ministry welcomes the creation of this unit and will be granting it $10.57 million over five years—especially since this unit will be supporting research into primary care and services, which is one of our highest priorities."
Gaétan Barrette
Quebec Minister of Health and Social Services

"The Quebec SUPPORT unit will allow patients to benefit from regionally-tailored, innovative, and research-proven treatments. It will provide the knowledge and assistance needed to conduct research that will ultimately improve health care and its delivery. CIHR is pleased to work in collaboration with the province of Quebec, its academic institutions and other stakeholders on this important initiative."
Dr. Alain Beaudet
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

"The FRQS is very pleased to be supporting the establishment of the Quebec SUPPORT Unit. Through the combined efforts of all the partners involved, including CIHR, the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, Quebec's integrated university health networks and Merck, this project will generate tangible benefits for patient health."
Dr. Renaldo Battista
Scientific Director, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé

"The Quebec SUPPORT Unit team is launching this initiative with great enthusiasm. Quebec's health care system was ready to welcome a research unit such as this one, and thanks to the support of the University of Montreal, as well as Laval University, McGill University and the University of Sherbrooke, it has now become a reality. We also want to thank all of our government and institutional partners."
Dr. Marie-Dominique Beaulieu
SPOR SUPPORT Unit Council – Quebec

Related Products

Fact Sheet

Associated Links

Canada's Strategy on Patient-Oriented Research

Quebec SUPPORT Unit

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Fact Sheet

Quebec SUPPORT (Support for People and
Patient-Oriented Research and Trials) Unit

Government of Canada funding: $16.2 million

Quebec partner funding: $16.2 million

Total funding: $32.4 million, over five years

Description:
Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials (SUPPORT) Units are locally accessible, multidisciplinary clusters of specialized research resources, policy knowledge, and patient perspective. SUPPORT Units provide the necessary expertise to pursue patient-oriented research and help lead reforms in response to locally-driven health care needs. They also lead and facilitate decision-making within the health services setting, foster the implementation of best practices, and promote collaboration among researchers engaged in patient-oriented research.

The objectives of a SUPPORT Unit are to:

• Identify and address the needs of patients and knowledge users by facilitating research;
• Provide specialized and multidisciplinary methodological expertise in patient-oriented research and its application;
• Assist decision makers and investigators to identify and design research studies, conduct bio-statistical analyses, manage data, provide and teach project management skills, and ensure studies meet regulatory standards;
• Advance methods and training in comparative effectiveness research and develop the next generation of methodologists;
• Provide timely access to data including linked datasets and integrate existing or new databases.

About the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

SOURCE Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Michael Bolkenius, Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 613-941-4563, [email protected]