Want to better understand how the health and social systems work and how you can better advocate for changes that would improve these systems for you and your family? Enhance your knowledge with one of our free courses for citizens:
Finding and using research evidence: A guide for citizens
In this free online course, you’ll be provided with solutions to overcome the most commonly cited frustrations people have when trying to access research evidence. Prepared by the McMaster Health Forum with support from the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit, the course is now available online as a set of eight videos:
Here are helpful resources that are drawn on in the course:
- Definitions for word and phrases used in the modules
- How to make sure health information is trustworthy
- Links to online sources mentioned in the modules
Don’t miss the most important resource for citizen-targeted evidence about healthy aging:
Understanding how to navigate the health system
Knowing how your health system works will better you to navigate the system, identify opportunities to make things better, and advocate for changes that you’d like to see. This free online course describes the 'building blocks' of Ontario’s health system as well as how those building blocks are used to provide care in the province in different ways (e.g., by sector, condition, treatment, population). While Ontario is the example, these principles are useful to understanding health systems other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally.
Prepared by the McMaster Health Forum with support from the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit, the course is now available online as a set of six videos:
Here are helpful resources that are drawn on in the course:
- Free download of chapters from Ontario’s Health System: Key Insights for Engaged Citizens, Professional and Policymakers. The Ontario book is also helpful in understanding other health systems
Don’t miss the most important resource for citizen-targeted evidence about healthy aging:
Masterclass on patient-oriented research
The Forum’s masterclass was designed to prepare future champions for the conduct and use of patient-oriented research and future mentors to others becoming involved in the conduct and use of patient-oriented research. While we are not currently planning any sessions for the masterclass on patient-oriented research, you can access all of the course material to learn more about patient-oriented research.
Masterclass on Evidence Products and Processes (EP2) that Support Rapid Learning and Improvement
The Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit and McMaster Health Forum have opened the application window for the first offering of the new Masterclass on Evidence Products and Processes (EP2) that Support Rapid Learning and Improvement. If you’re interested in working as a team to develop innovative evidence products and use innovative processes to drive changes in a health system, please complete the simple online application process. In brief, you’ll need to identify a team of three to five individuals, consisting of one to two researchers, one to two citizen (or patient) partners, and one decision-maker partner (ideally, but not mandatory). We particularly welcome teams that strive for gender diversity and that include racialized and Indigenous individuals. This first offering of the masterclass will be held every Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern) from 14 April 2022 to 30 June 2022. By the first session on 14 April, your team will need to have provisionally identified a real-world health-system challenge or goal that you want to collectively address and that you will work together to address through the masterclass.
The masterclass has been designed and will be offered by John Lavis and his colleagues at the McMaster Health Forum. Since April 2019, they have been supporting – in partnership with Trillium Health Partners –rapid learning and improvement among Ontario Health Teams through Rapid-Improvement Support and Exchange (RISE). Since April 2020, they have been developing innovative evidence products and processes to respond to COVID-19 through the COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END). Since April 2021, they have been documenting innovations and identifying priorities for improvement in how we use evidence to address societal challenges through their role as the secretariat for the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges..
Offerings 2-4 will take place in the weeks starting: 26 September to 12 December 2022 (every Thursday 12-1 pm), 10 April to 26 June 2023 (every Wednesday from 12-1 pm), and 25 September to 11 December 2023 (every Wednesday from 12-1 pm). The application window for these offerings will open three months before each offering, but we encourage you to hold the dates if you are very interested in a particular offering.
- McMaster Forum
