BC Ministry of Health’s research and knowledge management strategy

Earlier this month, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced a new BC research strategy, Putting Our Minds Together: Research and Knowledge Management Strategy.

The strategy represents the BC Ministry of Health’s commitment to supporting a culture of evidence use within the Ministry and to working with the research community to enhance evidence-based policy and decision-making at the Ministry.

MSFHR was pleased to facilitate the Ministry of Health’s consultation with five international experts in the use and integration of evidence in health systems to support the development of this strategy, and we look forward to working with the Ministry and others in the health research environment to support the use of current research knowledge to drive change in the health system.

“We congratulate the Ministry of Health on the strategy and look forward to continuing our collaborative relationship to improve the health-care system, health outcomes for British Columbians and the research enterprise in the province,” said Bev Holmes, president and CEO of MSFHR.

Of particular note for the BC research community, the strategy outlines two initiatives:

• Research Links: A single point of contact in the Ministry for researchers with the supports, information and resources needed to promote and sustain productive connections.
• Scholars in Residence: To support effective translation of research into policy and foster collaborative conversations and policy development, the Ministry is seeking to host established career researchers on site, for a portion of their time.

A full copy of the strategy is available here.