Applied Research and Analysis Directorate (ARAD)
Mostafa Askari, Director General
ARAD helps to build the analytical foundation for Health Canada's policy decision making and performance measurement and reporting. ARAD conducts economic analysis of health policy issues and publishes the Health Policy Research Bulletin. ARAD develops the quantitative information base to support the Department's and the Government of Canada's health system performance reporting commitments. ARAD develops, in collaboration with data providers, federal policy on investments in Canada's health statistics system and coordinates departmental core data requirements with data providers. ARAD has also developed a data dissemination system to give Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada analysts single-tool access to core data from a wide variety of sources. ARAD actively supports HPB, other branches, and regions through capacity building, partnerships, and the provision of analytical and performance information and tools.
The organizational structure of ARAD consists of three Divisions:
Microsimulation Modelling and Data Analysis Division (MSDAD)
Anil Gupta, Director
MSDAD is dedicated to providing evidence for policy making by building and exploiting comprehensive databases, microsimulation and input-output models to explore and quantify options for better health care in Canada. These initiatives increase the use of quantitative evidence in health policy decision-making. Microsimulation models enable policy-makers to undertake sensitivity analysis (e.g. winners/losers, household and aggregate cost impacts; aggregate impacts) in such areas as possible changes to pharmacare programs, changes to taxation in relation to health expenditures and so on. In addition, our physician and nurse demand/supply models show the impact of changes to, for example, entry and exit flows of physicians and nurses on their supply, and the impact of possible policy changes in patient demand for their services. Together, the models enable a supply-demand gaps analysis to facilitate precise policy responses to projected shortages.
By developing comprehensive databases that combine data from a variety of sources, MSDAD is creating richer, unique information bases for policy analysis on a wide spectrum of issues facing the health system. MSDAD is also currently involved in building an analytical tool using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze and disseminate information visually. GIS will display information on socioeconomic status, environment, health status, etc. by health regions and other geography.
Health Policy Research Division (HPRD)
Charles Mallory, Director
The Health Policy Research Division (HPRD) applies innovative theoretical and empirical economic, mathematical, and statistical tools, models, and methods to crucial health policy problems.
HPRD applies its research findings to provide expert advice and briefings to the Minister, Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Minister, and the Director General on urgent policy questions and the evaluation of options for the solution of key public policy questions confronting Canada's health sector. It also provides advice on the policy research agenda in support of strategic priorities.
As a centre of expertise in strategic policy research, HPRD promotes horizontal collaboration across Health Canada to support policy decisions and choices. Establishing effective relationships with departmental clients is critical to the effective research support and functional leadership and guidance in economic and quantitative research that HPRD offers other branches in HC.
HPRD also builds relationships with Canadian and international health research communities, including provincial and territorial counterparts, and non-governmental organizations, and represents Health Canada to influence research priorities, share expertise, and negotiate partnerships in sharing data, analysing problems, and providing solutions for Canada's health care system.
Current areas of study include the effectiveness of models of health care delivery; innovation and its effects on the costs and benefits of the health care; infectious disease; mental health; and the impact of climate on the health care system.
Data Development and Research Dissemination Division (DDRDD)
Glenn Irwin, Director
The Division's role is to support the federal government's performance reporting in the field of health and to deliver the information needed to support research, analysis, policy development, program decision-making and performance measurement throughout the Department.
One of the Division's major functions is to support the federal government's accountability and performance reporting requirements and in particular produce the federal report on comparable health indicators as directed by First Minister Meeting Accords. DDRDD also works with all Branches to identify Health Canada's major data needs and, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), to represent these corporate needs, liaising with Statistics Canada (SC) and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to fulfill them. The Division takes the lead in seeking funding for major data development (e.g. the CIHI Roadmap, Canadian Health Survey and Canadian Health Measure Survey) and works closely with SC, CIHI and Treasury Board to obtain and monitor funding. The Division also keeps Health Canada informed of major SC and CIHI releases by preparing or coordinating briefing notes and providing advance notification to all levels of the organization.
DDRDD disseminates data via its Data and Information System (DAIS) which allows Health Canada and PHAC researchers, analysts and decision-makers to quickly access, view, analyze and manage a comprehensive source of population health metadata from their desktop. DDRDD provides technical and expert advice on health data sources, their availability and use. DDRDD also disseminates and promotes the uptake of policy relevant research results on issues of priority to the federal health portfolio through its publication of the Health Policy Research Bulletin. The Bulletin provides departmental and external health policy-makers with access to policy research performed by health portfolio staff or commissioned by the Department.
|
