Health Services Information: From Data to Policy Impact (25 Years of Health Services and Population Health Research at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy)

Abstract

The impact of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) on policy development has resulted from an integrated approach to knowledge translation (KT), combined with a close relationship between the proposed/ongoing research and those working on provincial programs. Under a 5-year funding agreement with Manitoba Health, the director of MCHP negotiates five new major projects (called “deliverables”) annually with the Deputy Minister of Health. Researchers interact among themselves and with the provincial government in several ways: through forums, advisory group meetings, knowledge translation workshops, and Need to Know (NTK) team meetings. Need to Know representatives are from all the regional health authorities (RHAs), from Manitoba Health, and also from MCHP staff. This and other activities related to knowledge translation are discussed.

This chapter outlines steps in the deliverable process. MCHP researchers retain publication rights over the content of the deliverable with government input being advisory only. Several deliverables over the past 15 years, and their program and policy impacts, are discussed.

Finally, linking information from various government departments with longitudinal and familial data has created a large, integrated data repository. Looking ahead, life stage analyses and intervention studies have great potential. In keeping with past success, MCHP believes information-rich environments should continue to facilitate opportunities for new types of research and policy analysis.

Patricia J. Martens: deceased