Lavis to discuss engaging citizens in health decision-making

McMaster Health Forum Director John Lavis is one of the featured presenters in the annual seminars series organized by the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging.

He will describe how the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, and the Forum’s stakeholder dialogues and citizen panels programs engage citizens and civil society representatives in informing decisions about health systems. The seminar will take place on Thursday, October 23, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., in room 505 of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.

While innovative approaches to support the use of the best available research evidence in health system decision-making have traditionally been perceived as having an unbalanced emphasis on elite policymakers and stakeholders, the three initiatives Lavis will discuss are among the novel knowledge-mobilization strategies that engage citizens in the healthcare decision-making process.

The seminar is one of six on the overarching subject of aging and technology. The Gilbrea Centre, based in the Faculty of Social Sciences, is a hub of research, teaching and outreach that aims to improve all aspects of the lives of older adults in the community and in long-term care by linking research, education, policy and practice with local, national and global initiatives.

All are welcome to attend the seminar.