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MOHLTC Research Unit

The ministry's research investment :
Quality Research for Quality Health Care in Ontario

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's vision for research is to improve the health care and outcomes of Ontarians by investing strategically in policy relevant and applied health services research. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care does not fund clinical or biomedical research, but the Ministry of Research and Innovation does.

As part of the Health System Strategy Division and the Health System Planning and Research Branch, the Research Unit’s mission is to ensure an innovative research environment where evidence informs policy development and decision making, and researchers are supported across the career continuum.

Our Health Research Strategy has three components:

• build capacity by attracting, developing and maintaining world-class health research professionals;
• increase research productivity by aligning research funding with strategic priorities to optimize return on investment; and
• foster knowledge exchange by bridging the gaps among research, practice and policy; linking the producers and users of research; and encouraging research utilization in health policy and planning.

The Ministry’s current strategic priorities include shortening wait times in Emergency Departments, reducing the number of patients who are designated as requiring an alternate level of care, developing a mental health and addictions strategy, enabling seniors to age in place, lessening the burden of chronic disease, (specifically diabetes), bolstering our health human resources.

The 2009 Health Research Showcase held October 8th 2009 demonstrated the breadth of the Ministry’s investment in research. Please feel free to browse the 70+ posters (PDF - 17MB | 153 pages) that were displayed for a fuller flavour of our research enterprise.