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The Ottawa Hospital ranks among Canada’s top research hospitals


November 10, 2016

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:


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