A Visit from Dr. Paul Hébert, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Dr. Paul Hébert, the new president of CIHR, visited Vancouver in August to strengthen ties with the West Coast research community.

Angela, Bill, and Cathy, along with patient-partners Carolyn Canfield and Darren Lauscher from UBC’s Patient & Community Partnership for Education, had dinner with Dr. Hébert and CIHR policy analyst Serenna Dastouri. They discussed the importance of patient partnership in health professional education and the upcoming international conference, ‘Where’s the Patient’s Voice in Health Professional Education?‘ in Vancouver this November.

“It was an amazing opportunity to sit and ask questions about how CIHR works, not the outward facing bits we all see, but more of the inner workings which allowed me to have a better understanding of the process and culture of this organization,” said Darren Lauscher who also Co-Chairs UBC Health’s Patient & Community Advisory Committee with Angela Towle.

Dr. Hébert, who helped develop CIHR’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, knows the value of involving patients in health research and training future health professionals.

“It was a pleasure meeting with our Governing Council member Cathy Kline, along with her colleagues and patient-partners, and learning how they are building sustainable patient and community partnerships,” says Dr. Hébert. “We look forward to working with this community to advance research and training to make a positive impact on the health of Canadians.”

CIHR, created in 2000, is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency, dedicated to creating new knowledge and translating it into better health and prosperity for Canadians, more effective health services, and a stronger healthcare system.