The Ottawa Hospital ranks among Canada’s top research hospitals
The Ottawa Hospital’s research activity totalled $133.7 million in 2014-15, according to data released today by Research Infosource. This places The Ottawa Hospital in sixth spot among Canada’s hospitals and provincial health authorities for research activity, or fifth spot when comparing only against hospitals.
The Ottawa Hospital is affiliated with the University of Ottawa and includes the Civic, General and Riverside Campuses, as well as the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
“The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest hospitals, but we’re relatively young when it comes to research, so we’re particularly proud to be ranked near the top of this list,” said Dr. Duncan Stewart, Executive Vice-President of Research at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa. “Research is important because it provides our patients with new treatment options and gives us the tools to continuously improve quality, safety and efficiency of care. It also allows us to attract the best and brightest clinicians, and has a significant impact on our local economy.”
“In recent years, we’ve seen particular growth in research areas such as regenerative medicine and cancer immunotherapy, as well as in clinical trials and knowledge translation,” added Dr. Stewart.
“The strength of cardiovascular research in Ottawa undoubtedly contributes to this high ranking,” said Dr. Peter Liu, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President of Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. "Our Institute's researchers, clinical care professionals and staff are working relentlessly together in bringing ground-breaking work from bench to bedside to ultimately benefit our patients.”
Other measures of research success
The Ottawa Hospital measures its research success with five factors, one of which is the Research Infosource ranking. Other factors include:
- Overall number of research publications
- Number of “high-impact” research publications (top 10 percent for citations)
- Number of patients participating in clinical trials
- Number of patients providing permission to be contacted by research staff
The Ottawa Hospital enhanced its performance in each of these factors in 2014-15, achieving a composite research score of 84 percent.
The Ottawa Hospital also ranks third among hospitals for competitive, peer-reviewed funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Examples of research successes
Notable research successes from the last year include:
- Dr. Harold Atkins and Dr. Mark Freedman led a clinical trial that established stem cell transplantation as a treatment option for aggressive multiple sclerosis.
- The New England Journal of Medicine listed two research papers from The Ottawa Hospital on its list of the top 12 papers in published in 2015.
- Dr. David Picketts discovered that running triggers the production of a molecule that repairs the brain in animal models of neurodegenerative disease.
- A company co-founded by Dr. John Bell secured US$41 million in private investments to advance the development of viral therapies for cancer.
- Dr. Katey Rayner and team from the Ottawa Heart Institute published on a novel method to identify plaques most likely to rupture in the coronary arteries, making possible targeted treatment for individuals at risk for heart attack and stroke.
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
About the University of Ottawa Heart Institute
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) is Canada’s largest and foremost heart health centre dedicated to understanding, treating and preventing heart disease. UOHI delivers high tech care with a personal touch, shapes the way cardiovascular medicine is practiced and revolutionizes cardiac treatment and understanding. It builds knowledge through research and translates discoveries into advanced care. UOHI serves the local, national and international community, and is pioneering a new era in heart health.
Media contacts
Jennifer Ganton
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
613-614-5253 (cell)
jganton@ohri.ca
Vincent Lamontagne
Director, Corporate Communications
Ottawa Heart Institute
613 761-4427
613-899-6760 (cell)
vlamontagne@ottawaheart.ca
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
