Learning and improvement

Two actions lie at the heart of a learning health system (LHS): 1) using ‘learning and improvement cycles,’ typically organized around tests of change; and 2) making ‘any change for the better’ the ‘new normal’ (and not yet another pilot project) using appropriate decision supports, aligned governance, financial and delivery arrangements, and an enabling culture and competencies.

Drawing on the LHS action framework, RISE uses five ‘gears’ in the learning and improvement cycles it: 1) analytics and population insights; 2) evidence synthesis and support; 3) patient, family, caregiver and provider co-design; 4) implementation; and 5) evaluation, feedback and adaptation.

With support from the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit, RISE offers an LHS pico course for clinical and health-system leaders and an LHS nano course for researchers and for patient, family and caregiver partners. Requests for bespoke offerings of the pico course can be sent to learnhow@mcmaster.ca.Offerings of the nano course will be profiled here on the RISE website.

We will add additional LHS resources to this part of the RISE website over time.