THUNDER BAY – Health News – A year after making their first appearance on the list for Top 40 Research Hospitals in Canada, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has improved in the rankings by climbing three spots. Last year was the first time TBRHSC appeared on the list, at #40. This year, it moves up to #37.
The research activity that has catapulted TBRHSC into Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals is attributed to the ongoing success of its research arm, the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute (TBRRI).
“We are very proud that the research activity that has helped TBRHSC be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals is attributed to the TBRRI,” says Susan Fraser, Board Chair of TBRHSC. “We can celebrate this as a very tangible indication of developments in medical research. All of the research at TBRHSC aims to improve patient care and contribute to the future development of new treatments and services.”
Andrée Robichaud, President and CEO, TBRHSC explains that having a robust research program is vital to advancing patient care in Northwestern Ontario. “Research gives our patients access to equipment we wouldn’t have had, like the PET/CT scanner used to diagnose lung cancer or the new cyclotron, which will eliminate our dependence upon outside sources of radioactive isotopes used for diagnostic imaging”, says Robichaud. “Research also improves healthcare by attracting the best and brightest medical minds, including both scientists and clinicians.”
Research also advances economic development. Since its inception nearly six years ago, the TBRRI has recruited 14 research scientists, generated over 100 jobs directly related to research, and garnered about $100 million in economic development for Northwestern Ontario. The TBRRI is also one of 5 sites for OICR High Impact Clinical Trials, and is the only research centre outside of the Greater Toronto Area to become a member of MaRS Innovation.
The improvement in the rankings is paired with a 33.5% increase in research income, from $4.63 million in 2010, to $6.19 million in 2011. Twenty-three of the top forty research hospitals featured on the list experienced an increase of research income from the previous year, compared with 17 hospitals where income was flat or declined. According to Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals List 2012, research income includes all funds to support research received in the form of a grant, contribution or contract from all sources (internal and external) to the organization.
“Along with the honour of inclusion among the Top 40 research hospitals in Canada come tremendously high expectations. We at TBRHSC and its research arm, TBRRI, are up to the task”, says Dr. Michael Wood, CEO, TBRRI and Vice President, Research, TBRHSC. “It is an excellent illustration of how our team of talented scientists, physicians-scientists, and staff in Thunder Bay are contributing to national and world-wide advancements in medical research and will continue to do so over the next decade.”
“This is yet another demonstration of the level of progress that is enabled through collaboration and support,” notes Glenn Craig, President & CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. “Businesses, groups and individuals contributed to the research activities at our Health Sciences Centre through donations to the Health Sciences Discovery Fund and they are seeing an impressive return on their investment and advancement in patient care.”
The Top 40 list is a compilation by Research Infosource to emphasize the very important role that hospitals play in Canadian medical research.
Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals List 2012 is available on the Research Infosource website:http://www.researchinfosource.com/media/Top%2040%20LR-2012.pdf
