For the eleventh consecutive year, Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and its research institute, the Kingston General Health Research Institute (KGHRI), has been named one of the Top 40 research hospitals in Canada by Research Infosource. As the research arm of KHSC, KGHRI is committed to cultivating patient-oriented research, building innovative partnerships and pursuing excellence in research through collaboration, including with its partner, Queen’s University.
This year, KHSC/KGHRI is ranked 23rd in the country, a significant increase from the previous year’s ranking of 30th. This jump is the result of a 15 per cent increase in research spending over the previous year, a change that ranks fourth highest among the top 40 research hospitals.
“Over the past year KHSC has proactively evolved its COVID-19 protocols, which has allowed the expansion of patient-based clinical research activities, and demonstrates that research and innovation are a key strategic direction of our hospital,” says Dr. David Pichora, President and CEO of KHSC. “Research drives innovation in healthcare, and the mission of KHSC is to be at the forefront nationally. Our research mandate helps us recruit the best and brightest physicians and hence, we are able to provide a level of care that most similar sized cities cannot.”
KGHRI is home to over 290 researchers who are actively involved in research projects, including more than 120 new clinical studies. Several of these involve collaborative efforts with regional, provincial, national, and international hospitals and universities, and involve areas of research such as allergy, cancer, cardiology, kidney disease, gastrointestinal and neurological disorders, and psychiatry.
“We are extraordinarily proud of our Top 40 ranking as recognition of the quality of research and innovation that is taking place at KHSC,” says Dr. Steven Smith, President and CEO of the KGHRI and Vice-President of Health Sciences Research at KHSC. “This ranking reflects our collective ability, most notably those of the research teams, to nimbly respond to needs brought about by the pandemic, but also enhance their foundational and innovative research activities over the past year.”
This recognition, as a leading research hospital, strengthens KHSC’s brand as a teaching hospital. It also positions the organization as a destination academic health sciences centre – a place where students, researchers, staff, and volunteers alike are inspired to learn and discover.
“This ranking reflects the focus held by KHSC as being a research-intensive hospital and will help us to continue to attract and retain top tier researchers and keep us on the leading edge of research development, which allows us to provide new and innovative care to benefit future patients and generations closer to home,” says Dr. Smith. “We are grateful to federal, provincial, industry, philanthropic, and community funding partners, including the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation, who continue to provide support for research.”
To see the full list of Canada’s Top 40 research hospitals, please click here.
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