Training and capacity development in patient-oriented research: Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit (OSSU) initiatives

• Published in: Research involvement and engagement Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 5 - 7
• Main Authors: MacArthur, Colin, Van Hoorn, Rob, Lavis, John, Straus, Sharon, Jones, Nicola, Bayliss, Lorraine, Terry, Amanda L., Law, Susan, Victor, Charles, Prud’homme, Denis, Riley, John, Stewart, Moira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 25.02.2023; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Capacity building; Comment; Empowerment; Funding; Health aspects; Health care reform; Human subjects; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Patient engagement; Patient-oriented research; Questionnaires; Research centers; Research methodology; Stakeholders; Training; Working groups; Canada; Ontario; Patient-oriented research; Capacity building; Patient engagement
• ISSN: 2056-7529; 2056-7529
• DOI: 10.1186/s40900-023-00415-8

In Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research launched the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) in 2011. The strategy defines 'patient-oriented research' as a continuum of research that engages patients as partners, focuses on patient priorities, and leads to improved patient outcomes. The overarching term 'patient' is inclusive of individuals with personal experience of a health issue as well as informal caregivers including family and friends. The vision for the strategy is improved patient experiences and outcomes through the integration of patient-oriented research findings into practice, policy, and health system improvement. Building capacity in patient-oriented research among all relevant stakeholders, namely patients, practitioners, organizational leaders, policymakers, researchers, and research funders is a core element of the strategy. The objective of this paper is to describe capacity building initiatives in patient-oriented research led by the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit in Ontario, Canada over the period 2014-2020. The Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit Working Group in Training and Capacity Development has led numerous capacity building initiatives: developed a Capacity Building Compendium (accessed greater than 45,000 times); hosted Masterclasses that have trained hundreds of stakeholders (patients, practitioners, organizational leaders, policymakers, researchers, and trainees) in the conduct and use of patient-oriented research; funded the development of online curricula on patient-oriented research that have reached thousands of stakeholders; developed a patient engagement resource center that has been accessed by tens of thousands of stakeholders; identified core competencies for research teams and research environments to ensure authentic and meaningful patient partnerships in health research; and shared these resources and learnings with stakeholders across Canada, North America, and internationally.