High quality research is the key to better health. It drives improvements and innovations in health care. New drugs, better treatments, more accurate tests, new procedures : they all begin with research.

High quality research also has the potential to reshape the health care system. Researchers can provide valuable knowledge that policy makers and planners can use to develop more efficient, effective health services. Working together, decision makers and researchers can answer key questions. Where are services needed? What type or mix of services will have the greatest impact on health? How will a proposed change in the health care system affect health care costs? How should resources be allocated to ensure they have a positive effect on health? What is the best way to change a practice, protocol, intervention or the training of health care providers?

The challenge is bringing researchers and decision makers together. Decision makers are often unaware of available research and researchers are often unaware of the kind of information that decision makers need.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's Research Program is dedicated to supporting high quality health and health services research, to making research more relevant to decision makers, and to forging stronger links and more effective working relationships between researchers and decision makers.

FULL REPORT Making Research Relevant 42 pages | 940 kb | PDF format

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ISBN# 0-7794-3055-7