Dr. Rick Glazier named scientific director of CIHR-IHSPR

By Michael Oliveira

St. Michael’s Hospital family physician and scientist Dr. Rick Glazier has been appointed as the new scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Health Services and Policy Research, effective Jan. 1, 2019.

He will be tasked with working with his community to identify research priorities, develop funding opportunities, build partnerships, and translate research evidence into policy and practice to improve the health of Canadians and people around the world.

He will also help set and implement CIHR’s strategic direction.

“While extremely excited about taking on this role, I am also humbled by the challenges that lay ahead,” said Dr. Glazier, who is also a senior scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and a professor at the University of Toronto.

“The need for robust data systems, advanced analytic methods, building researcher and decision-maker capacity, patient and community engagement, attention to equity, international collaborations, and partnership development has never been higher or the potential impact greater.”

Dr. Glazier’s primary research interests include the delivery of primary health-care services, equity in health-care delivery for disadvantaged urban populations, and the application of geographic methods in health research.

“Dr. Glazier’s impressive research career has been marked by a dedication to health equity and helping disadvantaged populations access health-care services,” said Dr. Michael Strong, president of CIHR and its Governing Council.

The CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research supports research designed to improve the way health-care services are organized, regulated, managed, financed, used and delivered in the interest of improving health and quality of life for all Canadians.

About St. Michael’s Hospital

St. Michael’s Hospital provides compassionate care to all who enter its doors. The hospital also provides outstanding medical education to future health care professionals in more than 29 academic disciplines. Critical care and trauma, heart disease, neurosurgery, diabetes, cancer care, care of the homeless and global health are among the Hospital’s recognized areas of expertise. Through the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre, which make up the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, research and education at St. Michael’s Hospital are recognized and make an impact around the world. Founded in 1892, the hospital is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.

St. Michael’s Hospital with Providence Healthcare and St. Joseph’s Health Centre now operate under one corporate entity as of August 1, 2017. United, the three organizations serve patients, residents and clients across the full spectrum of care, spanning primary care, secondary community care, tertiary and quaternary care services to post-acute through rehabilitation, palliative care and long-term care, while investing in world-class research and education.