When Niagara Health set out to make research more accessible to community hospitals, it was a local idea with global potential. That potential was realized earlier this month when Niagara Health Knowledge Institute (NKHI) Executive Director and Chief Scientist Dr. Jennifer Tsang was invited to share Niagara’s approach at an international health conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
The gathering — the Building Global Acute Care Research Capacity meeting hosted by the International Forum for Acute Care Trialists — brought together nearly 200 participants from across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Leaders from the World Health Organization, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and some of the world’s top academic hospitals were among those in attendance.
Standing before hundreds of health researchers and clinicians, Dr. Tsang described how Niagara Health built research capacity in a community setting and created free online learning tools that make research skills accessible to hospitals everywhere.
The modules, known as RICH-CPD (Research Capacity-Building through Continuing Professional Development), offer short, practical lessons on study design, involving patients and families in research, and embedding equity, diversity and inclusion principles at every stage.
“Our local research is being noticed on a global scale,” says Dr. Tsang. “It shows that the work happening at Niagara Health is both relevant and impactful - not just for our patients, but for health systems around the world.”
The three online modules teach the fundamentals of research in clear, practical lessons.
They cover topics such as how to design a study, involve patients and families in research, and embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles in every stage of the process.
The message struck a chord.
After her presentation, clinicians and researchers from around the world - including teams from Africa and major Canadian hospitals such as Sunnybrook and the Ottawa Hospital - asked to use the modules in their hospitals. The modules will now be incorporated into a new international research education initiative.
The RICH-CPD project began more than two years ago as Dr. Tsang’s vision to make research less intimidating and more inclusive.
Funding was secured through the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group and the Ontario SPOR SuUPPORT Unit, and a small but passionate Niagara Health team brought the idea to life:
Dr. Tsang joined international colleagues for a panel discussion on advancing clinical research in community hospitals.
- Kian Rego, PhD student at McMaster University, authored the Research Foundations module, simplifying complex academic content into practical, bite-sized lessons.
- Heather O’Grady, Research Scientist at NHKI, developed the Patient and Family Engagement module with guidance from Niagara Health’s Patient Engagement Network.
- Fatima Shaikh, Doctoral Student, created the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion module to embed EDI principles into every stage of research.
- Jessica Thompson, Administrative Assistant with a design background, brought the modules to life visually, designing characters and videos to make the lessons interactive and accessible.
- Christopher Henderson, former Manager of the Learning Management System, transformed the materials into e-learning courses that can be completed anywhere in the world — even in areas with limited internet access.
A successful global gathering - more than 150 in-person participants and over 40 virtual attendees joined from across the world, representing both the Global North and South.
Together, their work turned a local idea into a global model for community-based research education.
But its impact begins right here at Niagara Health.
The modules are already being used across the organization to help staff gain confidence in research concepts, strengthen collaboration with patient partners, and inspire new quality improvement projects that are guided by evidence. They will also be disseminated via Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and ACT Consortium.
By making research knowledge more accessible, the team is helping to grow a culture of inquiry across Niagara Health - one where anyone, from a bedside nurse to a project manager, can see how research connects to better patient outcomes.
“When we invest in learning and make research part of our everyday work, it directly benefits our patients,” says Dr. Tsang. “The RICH-CPD modules give our teams the tools to ask questions, test ideas and keep improving care - right here in Niagara.”
The RICH-CPD modules are freely available online through the Canadian Community ICU Research Network.
