About the Contextualized Health Research Synthesis Program (CHRSP)
NLCAHR has worked with researchers, decision makers, health economists, experts in research synthesis, and subject experts to identify and address some health research issues that are of pressing interest to Newfoundland and Labrador. These issues will be addressed through our new Contextualized Health Research Synthesis Program (CHRSP).
CHRSP focuses on two types of issues-- health services/health policy, and health technology assessment (HTA). The approach taken to the synthesis varies from topic to topic, but we generally begin with consultations with the province’s health decision makers and health professionals to identify topics that are of the greatest interest to the provincial health and community services system and to prioritize those on which a substantial body of high quality research is available.
For each topic that is selected, a team is created to gather and synthesize the findings of this research and then contextualize it to the requirements, resources, and circumstances of Newfoundland and Labrador. An external reviewer then reviews the work of the project team, providing feedback to ensure validity.
The results of the synthesis project are then communicated to the province’s decision makers and health professionals in formats and forums designed to maximize their uptake into the local decision-making process.
The first CHRSP process was carried out in 2007 and focused on the provision of dialysis services in rural and remote populations in Newfoundland and Labrador. This project was funded by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) through a grant to NLCAHR. A synthesis report was released in April 2008.
A report on the second CHRSP process, which focuses on non-clinical interventions to prevent and reduce the rates of childhood overweight and obesity, is expected to be released in June 2008.