International Medical Informatics Journal Publishes a Special HEALNet Edition on Canadian Health Informatics Research

Victoria, BC; Hamilton, ON; Montreal, QC, February 9, 1999 - The work of Canadian HEALNet health researchers has been showcased in a special issue of a renowned international medical publication, the International Journal of Medical Informatics (IJMI). This special issue contains health informatics research conducted during the first two years of HEALNet, a federally funded Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE). The collection of thirteen papers:

• addresses such fundamental issues as the nature of evidence and its role in decision-making;
• explores the role of evidence in health decisions made by clinicians, administrators and lay persons;
• examines the role of health informatics tools in support of evidence-based decision-making; and
• outlines approaches to training in the application and use of such tools.

According to HEALNet member Dr. Jochen Moehr, Professor of Medical Informatics at the School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, and corresponding editor of this special issue, the publication reflects the cohesion as well as the international calibre of the research being conducted within this Network of Centres of Excellence.

"To be featured in a peer reviewed publication on an international level is a testament to the quality of the research undertaken within HEALNet by our Canadian researchers," said Dr. Moehr. He added that this was a tangible product of the collaborative nature of the HEALNet research community, which has recently refined its focus to concentrate on evidence-based decision-making within its overall mandate to improve the translation of health care research results into products and practices.

Along with Dr. Moehr, HEALNet researcher Dr. Vimla Patel of McGill University and HEALNet Program Leader Dr. George Browman of McMaster University co-edited the publication. Dr. Moehr says that the special edition is the first ever international publication of collaborative work in the field of health informatics by Canadians. The papers include HEALNet student research presented at the HEALNet Annual General Meeting in November of 1997. Each paper underwent extensive peer review.

The special issue of IJMI, published by Elsevier Science, is entitled, "HEALNet, a Canadian Health Informatics Collaboration," Volume 51, Nos. 2,3 (August/September 1998).

HEALNet is a national network of researchers from disciplines throughout the health, social and applied sciences, whose common aim is to better the health of Canadians by improving decision-making at all levels in the health care system and in the workplace.

HEALNet research focuses on enhancing the use and utility of information in health care decision-making - from analyzing information needs to developing strategies and tools to facilitate effective information use and assess performance. The Network collaborates with health care decision-makers and other private and public sector partners to facilitate the transfer of its research to users

HEALNet is a member of the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) Program, and has received core funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) since 1995. The NCE Program is a unique partnership among Canadian universities, Industry Canada and the federal research granting councils.

HEALNet Web Site.