In September 2008, the MSFHR Board of Directors approved a recommendation from the HSPRSN Steering Council to focus remaining HSPRSN funds (about $4.5 million) on health human resources research in the three subtheme areas identified as priorities: ways to better employ existing providers, new models of staffing and new models of practice.
Read about the extensive consultation leading up to this recommendation: HSPRSN Program Evolution
In December 2008, HSPRSN issued a request for proposals (RFP) from health researchers or organizations to undertake a literature review and synthesis to gain further insight into what knowledge and research capacity currently exists in relation to three health human resource priority sub-themes. Following a review of the proposals, HSPRSN contracted with a BC group lead by Dr. Sabrina Wong, UBC, Dr. Martha MacLeod, UNBC and Vicky Farrally, Praxis Management to conduct the environmental scan, literature review and synthesis. The report was delivered in June, 2009.
Health Human Resource Scoping Literature Review and Synthesis (PDF)
In addition, HSPRSN partnered with the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) in funding a scoping exercise on health human resources productivity, undertaken by UBC researchers Dr. Robert G. Evans, Dr. David Schneider and Dr. Morris Barer. The report was delivered in July, 2009 and will be available by the end of the year.
A key finding from both reviews was that while many innovations have and continue to take place in how health human resources are deployed in the health system, very few are documented or evaluated, particularly with respect to their impact on health outcomes.
In November, 2009 the HSPRSN Steering Council approved the following recommendations for action on the health human resources priority area.
Staff will develop funding mechanisms (including exploring partnership options and developing program guidelines and funding projections) for review and endorsement by the Steering Council in March, 2010. Funding projections for endorsed programs will go forward for MSFHR Board approval as part of the fiscal 2010/11 budget process.
Valerie To
Program Coordinator
604.714.2783
vto@msfhr.org