Last year, the University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and its Research Institute (OHRI) announced a new partnership to foster a more dynamic, collaborative and impactful health research community. The partnership also provides a foundation for strengthening our city’s position as a global hub for health research and innovative patient care.
The partnership has recently led to the creation of an action plan, which includes nearly 50 initiatives to enhance collaboration, alignment, and integration in areas such as research infrastructure, strategic planning, research ethics and administering grants and contracts. Examples include:
- Creating a comprehensive online equipment database to facilitate the sharing of research equipment
- Enhancing clinical research by streamlining and aligning both the ethics review process as well as education and training around responsible conduct of research and conflicts of interest
- Strengthening collaboration and communications on strategic research funding opportunities
“Both students and local residents have long benefitted from the close relationship between the University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital. Having world-leading medical schools and hospitals like ours work together has led to many groundbreaking achievements in medical research and patient care and will lead to many more in the future,” says Jacques Frémont, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa. “As this research partnership grows, we also look forward to enhancing collaborative opportunities with all other local hospitals and research institutions.”
“Research is a key part of The Ottawa Hospital’s mission and a major driver of world-class care,” says Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “This partnership will greatly enhance our research environment and lead to higher-quality care for our patients.”
“Research provides our patients with new treatment options and gives us the tools to continuously improve care,” says Dr. Duncan Stewart, Executive Vice-President of Research at The Ottawa Hospital. “Streamlining research processes between The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa will enhance patient care locally, help us recruit top talent and also increase the impact of our research around the world.”