The project to create a SPOR support unit in Quebec emerged through an initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). SPOR (Strategy for Patient-oriented Research) stems from a priority introduced in the CIHR\u2019s IPPH 2009\u20132014 Strategic Plan. This strategy was the result of a broad consultation conducted with governments, patients, individuals and organizations working in research and health and social services, including decision-makers, academic institutions, charities and the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our mandate has driven a number of developments and choices:<\/p>\n\n\n
POR gives us the means to achieve our ambitions by making it possible to establish a LHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This vision pushes us to embrace the quintuple aim<\/strong> and mobilize researchers and health and social services, with and for the benefit of the public<\/strong>, in an effort to improve:<\/p>\n\n\n Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n SPOR Refresh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2024, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) launched a project to update Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) program and its governance structure. Provincial units such as ours and other members of the PARS community were invited to comment on seven major themes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report \u201cPathways to Impact: Refreshing Canada\u2019s Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR)<\/a>\u201d was published in March 2025. It outlines the strategic objectives identified to accelerate the impact of the SPOR, as well as recommendations to guide it’s evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our goal is to break down silos and position research not as a standalone effort, but as an integral part of the larger ecosystem dedicated to improving health and healthcare for all.<\/em><\/p>Pathways to Impact: Refreshing Canada\u2019s Strategy for PatientOriented Research (SPOR), p.34<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n New Scientific Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook<\/a>Twitter<\/a>Email<\/a>Partager<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are pleased to announce the nomination of Dr. Patrick Archambault as the incoming Scientific Director of the Unit\u00e9 de soutien SSA Qu\u00e9bec, effective September 1, 2025. He will officially succeed Dr. Antoine Groulx on April 1, 2026. We thank Dr. Groulx for his immense contribution and commitment until the end of the transition to new scientific leadership. Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n\n\n Taking office in January 2024, the Transition Committee had one year to support the future management of Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec in its deployment. It was also tasked with drawing up a transition plan to be implemented over the next few years. Catherine Wilhelmy, patient-partner co-director of the Unit\u00e9 de soutien SSA Qu\u00e9bec’s Scientific Management and co-leader of the Exp\u00e9riences community, which brings together over a hundred Quebec patient-partners, is one of the members of the Transition Committee, which has the important mandate of \u201cPreparing for the merger\u201d at Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, Bill 15 was tabled by Minister Christian Dub\u00e9. Its aim was to make the health and social services system more efficient. The Unit\u00e9 de soutien SSA Qu\u00e9bec submitted a memoir to the Commission de la sant\u00e9 et des services sociaux to contribute to this collective reflection, which was crucial to the Quebec healthcare system. Vincent Dumez and Antoine Groulx, respectively patient co-director of the Partnership Axis and scientific co-director of the Unit, were also present at the Commission’s April 20 meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The publication of the Position Statement on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is part of a series of efforts by the Minist\u00e8re de la Sant\u00e9 et des Services sociaux (MSSS) to structure and deploy CQI. The Unit plays an active and essential role in this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The aim of the Statement is to contribute to the development of a common understanding of CQI, and to provide concrete support for improving practices in the Quebec health and social services network. In this publication, we argue that CQI is a concrete way of connecting science to practice. As such, it presents the current state of knowledge in CQI, recommendations based on best practices, and feedback tools to support the implementation of CQI approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We enthusiastically welcome the response from the MSSS, which has indicated its intention to implement all these recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n\n\n The Unit\u00e9 de soutien SSA Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong> is launching the Life Trajectory Improvement and Innovation Partnerships in Transition to Sustainable Health<\/a> (PATienTS program) in collaboration with the four integrated university health and social services networks (RUISSSs). Through the PATienTS program, the activation of the Qu\u00e9bec learning health system<\/a> is being carried out in the RUISSS territories of Qu\u00e9bec through four tangible projects over a one-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minist\u00e8re de la sant\u00e9 et des services sociaux du Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong> has mandated the Unit\u00e9 de soutien au syst\u00e8me de sant\u00e9 apprenant (SSA) Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong> to structure and deploy continuous quality improvement (hereinafter referred to as CQI) in order to contribute to the emergence of a learning health system in which the scientific expertise recognized in CQI in Quebec allows for the improvement of practices in the network. Find out more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n On May 11, 2023, the Unit held this summit as part of the 90th Acfas congress. The aim of this event was to continue the reflections and exchanges initiated at the symposium “Building Qu\u00e9bec’s learning healthcare system together” held in March 2022. View a replay of the event and the infographic summarizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Qu\u00e9bec Ministry of Health and Social Services<\/strong> has mandated the Unit\u00e9 de soutien au syst\u00e8me de sant\u00e9 apprenant (SSA)<\/strong> Qu\u00e9bec to develop guidelines for family medicine groups (GMFs) to help them become “learners”. The project involves developing a program to support GMFs in adopting a culture of reflexivity and continuous quality improvement based on the quintuple objective. A physician advisor<\/strong> and a research coordinator<\/strong> are joining the Unit to carry out this mandate.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n\n\n In late 2021 and early 2022, the Unit holds two major events:<\/p>\n\n\n In 2022, the Unit\u00e9 de soutien SSA Qu\u00e9bec, with the expertise of the firm L\u00e9ger, is administering a survey designed to question the Qu\u00e9bec population regarding the improvement of the health system and the sharing of their medical information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2025: Refreshing Canada\u2019s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) & New Scientific Management <\/h3>\n \n\n
2023-2024: Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec Transition Committee, Act respecting health services and social services and Position Statement on CQI<\/h3>\n \n\n
Sant\u00e9 Qu\u00e9bec Transition Committee<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Act respecting health services and social services<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Position Statement on Continuous Quality Improvement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2022-2023: PATIenTS program, symposium and mandates for continuous quality improvement and the learning GMFs orientations<\/h3>\n \n\n
PATienTS program<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Continuous Quality Improvement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Summit on the activation of Qu\u00e9bec’s learning health system: \u00ab From theory to practice \u00bb<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Orientations for learning family medecine groups (GMFs)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2021-2022: Two events, a population survey and a second mandate<\/h3>\n \n\n
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