Measuring the Results of Research and Innovation

For Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS), the ultimate impact of funding and facilitating health research and innovation is to realize health and socio-economic benefits for Albertans. To demonstrate this impact, we have developed a performance management and evaluation framework for the Interdisciplinary Team Grants (ITG) Program to monitor progress towards program goals and evaluate the outcomes resulting from our funded investments. We use an impact model adapted from the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and congruent to national and international health research impact measurement methods, to interpret the ITG results and determine how they contribute to AIHS’s mandate. The model describes the pathway to achieving health and socio-economic benefits with a list of associated measures that correspond to specific program goals.

The ITG Program provides opportunities for high-quality, internationally recognized teams of investigators to complete research initiatives with defined health outcomes. The program provides up to $5 million per team for five years and ten teams are currently supported. Funding support for cohort one (five teams) commenced in 2008 and for cohort two (five teams) in 2009. Each team is required to complete a web-based annual report. The highlights and executive summary reports were developed by AIHS to reflect progress and achievements for each team from April 1 2009 to March 31 2010. The reports contain both qualitative and quantitative information to reflect both the depth and breadth of information collected. These reports will be posted annually.

• 2010 ITG Program Highlights
• 2009 ITG Program Highlights
• 2009 ITG Program Annual Report Executive Summary

For more information, please contact:

Pamela Valentine, PhD
Vice President, Research & Innovation
Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions
Phone: 780-423-5727 Fax: 780-429-3509
Email: pamela.valentine@albertainnovates.ca