A Canadian model for providing high-quality, timely and relevant evidence to meet health system decision-maker needs: the SPOR Evidence Alliance
Wasifa Zarin,
Carole Lunny,
Sabrina Chaudhry,
Sonia M. Thomas,
Annie LeBlanc,
Fiona Clement,
Ahmed M. Abou-Setta,
Janet A. Curran,
Brian Hutton,
Ivan D. Florez,
Linda C. Li,
Stephen Bornstein,
Clayon B. Hamilton,
Pertice Moffitt,
Christina Godfrey,
Louise Zitzelsberger,
Leanne Gardiner,
Christine Fahim,
Sharon E. Straus,
Andrea C. Tricco
Affiliations
Wasifa Zarin
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Carole Lunny
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Sabrina Chaudhry
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Sonia M. Thomas
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Annie LeBlanc
VITAM Research Center on Sustainable Health, CIUSSS de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC G1J 0A4, Canada
Fiona Clement
Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
Ahmed M. Abou-Setta
George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 367-753 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6, Canada
Janet A. Curran
School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, 5869 University Ave, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
Brian Hutton
Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Box 511, Ottawa ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
Ivan D. Florez
Department of Pediatrics, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
Linda C. Li
Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Stephen Bornstein
Centre of Applied Health Research, Memorial Univeristy of Newfoundland, 95 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John’s, NL A1B 2X5, Canada
Clayon B. Hamilton
Fraser Health, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450-102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC V3T 0H1, Canada
Pertice Moffitt
North Slave Research Centre, Aurora College, Bag 9700, 5004-54th St, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R3, Canada
Christina Godfrey
Queen’s Collaboration for Health Care Quality: A JBI Centre of Excellence, Queen’s University School of Nursing, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
Louise Zitzelsberger
Office of Grants and Contributions, Strategic Policy Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
Leanne Gardiner
Department of Justice, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9, Canada
Christine Fahim
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Sharon E. Straus
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Andrea C. Tricco
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, East Building, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
Canada has made great progress in synthesizing, disseminating, and integrating research findings into health systems and clinical decision-making; yet gaps exist in the research-to-practice continuum. The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance aims to help close gaps by providing decision-makers with evidence that is timely, context sensitive, and demand driven to better inform patient-oriented practices and policies in health systems. In this article, we introduce a model established in Canada to support decision-maker needs for high-quality evidence that is patient oriented to enhance health systems performance. We provide an overview of how this model was implemented, who is involved, who it serves, as well as its organizational structure and remit. We discuss key milestones achieved to date and the impact this initiative has made within the health research community. The strength of the SPOR Evidence Alliance lies in its unique ability to simultaneously: (i) serve as a national platform for researchers to stay connected and collaborate to minimize duplication of efforts and (ii) facilitate access to research knowledge for patient partners and decision-makers. In doing so, the SPOR Evidence Alliance is supporting health policy and practice decisions that support and strengthen Canada’s dynamic health systems.
