Technology-Enabled Knowledge Translation Investigative Centre (TEKTIC)

The mission of the Technology Enabled Knowledge Translation Investigative Centre—or TEKTIC—is to understand, explore, and innovate on how information and communications technologies (ICT) can be used effectively to accelerate the translation of health research evidence into routine practice and health system implementation. The Centre’s research currently focuses on chronic disease management through ICT.

Leader:

  • Kendall Ho, MD, FRCPC
    University of British Columbia

Members:

  • Leslie Bainbridge, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Joan Elangovan
    Ministry of Health
  • Michal Fedeles, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Luke Ferdinands
    University of British Columbia
  • Sandra Jarvis-Selinger, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Harry Karlinsky, MD, FRCPC
    University of British Columbia
  • Andre Kushniruk, PhD
    University of Victoria
  • Francis Lau, PhD
    University of Victoria
  • Helen Novak Lauscher, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Malcolm Maclure, PhD
    University of Victoria
  • Raymond Ng, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Anne Nguyen, PharmD
    University of British Columbia
  • Victoria Power-Pollitt
    Ministry of Health
  • Richard Scott, PhD
    University of Calgary
  • Robert Woollard, MD, CCFP
    University of British Columbia

The mission of the Technology Enabled Knowledge Translation Investigative Centre—or TEKTIC—is to understand, explore, and innovate on how information and communications technologies (ICT) can be used effectively to accelerate the translation of health research evidence into routine practice and health system implementation. The Centre’s research currently focuses on chronic disease management through ICT. TEKTIC has five major objectives:

It commonly takes more than 20 years for advances in medical knowledge to become widely incorporated into clinical practice. While “best practice” medical regimens and disease management strategies become more complex, health professionals remain faced with limited resources and inadequate continuing education opportunities. The process of integrating evidence into case management is also currently ineffective; communication is lacking between researchers and practitioners and policy-makers, who may be resistant to integrating new information into their day-to-day work. Modern information and communication technologies—such as computers, the Internet, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and videoconferencing—have revolutionized our ability to find and retrieve information. The potential benefits of these enablers, coupled with the demands of ever-increasing complexity within the health system, suggest an important role for technology to support education, patient care and evidence-based clinical decision-making within medical practice.

Researchers within TEKTIC are working to understand, explore and innovate on how information and communication technologies used within a healthcare setting – known as eHealth – can be used most effectively, and accelerate the translation of health research evidence into routine health care practice and implementation into the health system. With a current focus on chronic disease management, the Unit focuses on developing new technologies and assessing their usability and effectiveness within health practice, assisting with the incorporation of eHealth evidence into health policy innovation, and coordinating eHealth adoption and implementation across the health system.