Knowledge Translation

CIHR’s mandate

CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

The Health Care System is our largest knowledge-based industry in Canada (113B & growing…)

How can we extract value from research to yield a more cost effective and efficient health system, improved health & enhanced economic benefits?

Knowledge Translation

– Proof of Principle Program Grants

– Centres for Health Innovation

Knowledge Translation

Challenges for knowledge uptake:

Poor or scarce evidence Inaccessible, irrelevant evidence Few incentives to use evidence

Imperatives for successful KT High quality evidence User involvement in shaping the research

agenda Cultural shift Conducive environments Demonstration projects Pipeline of knowledge flow Creativity Alignment of resources

Shared leadership

Effective KT requires partnerships with:

NGOs

Professional associations

Multiple levels of government

Technology transfer office

Other funding councils

who also have a role in KT

Stakeholder audiences

Policy Makers, planners and managers

ResearchersPrivate Sector Organizations

General public and patient groups

Health care providers and administrators

Areas of focus

RESEARCH

‘The study of KT’

PEOPLE

‘Increasing capacity in

KT’

ENVIRONMENT

‘The doing of KT’

CIHR’s Role in KT To Date

Stimulating KT Research

Bringing researchers and users together:• e.g., CAHRs and IHRTs

Studying areas of KT:• The uptake of evidence• Assessing the needs of various users

Creating Institute tools:• Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement grants (ICE)• ACADRE program

Developing People

Opportunities to learn about effective KT:– Centre for Knowledge Transfer (Edmonton)– STIHR Initiative– Science-writer scholarships– Policy research graduate student prize

Innovative Environments Bring people and ideas together

International importance of Centres or clusters as a tool for KT

CIHR’s demonstrated interest in creating Centres

e.g., Centres for Research Development

CIHR’s Future Strategic Role in KT

Stimulating Research: studying the strategies that promote knowledge uptake

Continue to hold annual RFA

competition of KT research

Developing People: involved in the study and application of KT

Continue to support training awards in KT for students, post-doctoral fellows, young investigators and scholars as well as create unique training opportunities

Creating Innovative Environments: identifying the best evidence and developing methods

of knowledge dissemination

Creation of Centres for Health Innovation in partnership with federal, provincial and territorial agencies

CIHR Commercialization

Part of CIHR’s mandate is to:

• encourage innovation;

• facilitate the commercialization of health research in Canada; and

• promote economic development through health research in Canada.

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CIHR Focus on InstitutionsStrengthen commercialization in our universities and hospitals by:

• Supporting proof-of-principle research;

• Building intellectual property management capability and infrastructure; and

• Training personnel skilled in technology transfer and commercialization.

Proof of Principle programSupports research to establish POP of an invention/discovery (IP) to ascertain or improve economic benefit.

Goal:

• facilitate and improve the efficiency of the transfer of knowledge resulting from CIHR funded grants and awards.

Proof of Principle programDescription:

• open to researchers with contributions in

the field relevant to the IP;• supports research; • supports tech transfer activities related to

a commercial plan (with TT offices);• awards up to $100 K for up to 12 mo.

Proof of Principle programPeer Review Evaluation and Criteria:

• Research and Technical Plan• Commercial Plan

business opportunity IP protection strategy market awareness feasibility of plan

Proof of Principle programProof of Principle program

Overview of 2001/2002

N.B. 92% of the unsuccessful applications had inadequate commercial plans.

Number of Applications

Number Approved

Success Rate

Total Funding Requested

Total Funding Approved

Funding Rate

98 44 44.9% $10,171,730 $4,330,097 42.6%

84 35 41.7% $6,803,596 $3,426,588 50.4%

Poof of Principle Partnered Program

New in 2003 Follow up to POP program Must have investor support Must be conducting peer reviewed

research 12 month, 100K grants

POP & POPP Programs

• 2003/04 Launch; $4 M

• Full applications due Oct. 1/03

• Funding Begins Jan/04

• 70 Letters of Intent received

• 7 POPP LOI’s

Centres for Health Innovation

Bridge gap between research, practice and policy

Promote a more evidence-based health system

Influence innovation through commercialization of health

research

Moving health research into action by:

Centres: Design

Bringing together partners:

Provinces/territories

NGOsPublic

IndustryPolicy makers

Researchers

Health practitioners

Creating clusters that break down

boundaries:

Sectoral Geographic

Disciplinary

Centres: Activity

Knowledge synthesis –to understand the evidence - to synthesize and contextualize research, which includes:• existing evidence:

- national and international reviews and studies- qualitative and experiential evidence

• context and environment for policy and practice decision-making

• economic analysis

Centres: Activity

KT Activity –Design, implement programs for effective use of knowledge through:

• creating opportunities for stakeholders to come together

• disseminating new knowledge • implementing interventions – demonstration

and pilot projects

Centres: Activity

KT Research – to understand what works in KT through:

• monitoring uptake of new recommendations - E.g. “which provinces changed policies?”

• evaluating approaches – E.g. “which physicians adopted new practices -

and why?”

• evaluating effect – E.g. “what are the cost savings?”

What will success look like for the Centres by 2007?

Increased access to high quality relevant knowledge

Increased KT research activity

High volume of appropriate user access

What will success look like for the Centres by 2007?

Significant level of knowledge sharing among Centres

Strong linkages between CIHR Institutes & and the Centres for Health Innovation

Implementation of positive demonstration projects across the country

What do we need to make it happen?

Multi-disciplinary teams formed with users and researchers around the table

Incentives for people to use evidence

Strong links with government – tied to priorities

Implementation

PHASE 1: Potential teams given development funds to create proposal 04/05

PHASE 2: Full funding of pilot centres (limited number) 05/06

PHASE 3: Funding of more

Centres

06 and beyond

Estimated Costs

Development Phase: $1Million

Each Centre: $2 - 5M (depending on size)

Network Costs: $.5M

Next Steps

Appoint Steering Committee

Launch Centres for Health Innovation

Consult with Partners

Develop Centres

Conclusion

=

RESEARCH

The study of KT

PEOPLE

Increasing capacity in

KT

ENVIRONMENT

The doing of KTImproved health of

Canadians

Recommendation

Annual RFA competition

Recommendation

Create Training Opportunities

Recommendation

Implement Centres for

Health Innovation