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The Ottawa Hospital among the most research-intensive hospitals in Canada


October 29, 2015

The Ottawa Hospital is the 5th most research-intensive hospital in Canada, according to data recently released by Research Infosource. The ranking is based on research activity (expenses) of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, which totaled $123.7 million in 2013/14. It excludes regional health authorities.

Two years ago, The Ottawa Hospital’s ranking increased, mainly due to the $32M Translation of Innovation into Medical Excellence (TIMEx) grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. With the conclusion of this grant, research funding has dipped slightly, however, figures for next year show an eight percent increase in research activity, and recent successes in peer-reviewed grant competitions are likely to continue this upward trend.

For example, 22 scientists at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute recently secured more than $28 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and achieved more than double the national success rate in CIHR’s inaugural Foundation grant competition. Dr. Ian Stiell had the top-ranked grant in the country for his research in emergency medicine. Overall, The Ottawa Hospital ranks 3rd among all hospitals for CIHR funding.

Drs. Michael Rudnicki, Duncan Stewart and John Bell also recently secured more than $50 million from the Ontario Research Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Networks of Centres of Excellence, for research in the areas of regenerative medicine and cancer biotherapeutics.

External grants and contracts account for approximately 75 percent of research funding at The Ottawa Hospital. Community support provides the seed funding that enables researchers to obtain these larger grants.

“The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest research and learning hospitals, but our funding only tells part of the story,” said Dr. Duncan Stewart, executive vice-president of research at The Ottawa Hospital, CEO and scientific director of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. “The real story is how our discoveries are improving care for patients here in Ottawa and around the world, and in terms of this impact, I don’t think anyone can beat us.”

About The Ottawa Hospital
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.

Media contact
Jennifer Ganton
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73325
Cell: 613-614-5253
jganton@ohri.ca