As part of our mandate for the 2026–2028 period, a subcommittee of our Scientific Committee has developed the scientific program presented below. All of our projects are led by multidisciplinary teams that include patient partners.
The Unit continues to pursue its primary objective of supporting and facilitating the implementation of a learning health system (LHS) in Quebec by promoting research conducted in partnership with and for patients, focused on care and service pathways, in line with the quintuple aim. From 2026 to 2028, the Unit will consolidate its achievements and continue its work on key areas, with the goal of sustaining and scaling up some of its advances through the following specific objectives:
- Support the implementation and evaluation of LHS projects in Quebec’s four University Health and Social Services Networks (RUISSS);
- Support the development of experiential, clinical, organizational, and scientific knowledge that promotes the implementation of the LHS in care and service pathways;
- Contribute to achieving the quintuple aim.
LHS Governance and Project Management Approach
Since we operate within the context of a learning healthcare system, we adapt traditional governance models to foster collaboration among researchers, healthcare providers, and patients. We also incorporate the principles of continuous improvement.
To successfully carry out our scientific program, our teams also adopt a project management approach that follows the best practices of the Project Management Institute.
- Here is the virtual project workbook that we use and make available (in French). It includes 12 templates for structuring, monitoring, and carrying out a project within the context of a learning health system.
Our unit’s vision is a health care system that continuously improves through the mobilization and application of experiential, scientific, clinical, and organizational knowledge.
To this end, it develops knowledge and facilitates its application. Its mission is to support the implementation of a health care system that continuously learns and improves, thereby contributing to the achievement of the quintuple aim: greater equity, population health, system efficiency, and a better experience for patients and health and social services personnel.
The Unit has adopted a conceptual framework for the LHS based on Menear’s model and, more recently, on Reid’s model. The Unit’s framework is based on a learning cycle that illustrates a process of continuous improvement beginning with the identification of needs, followed by data management and analysis, and then change management—all in partnership with all stakeholders. This cycle fully integrates the principles of applied research and continuous quality improvement (CQI), fostering a feedback loop between clinical and research settings.
Scientific Program 2026–2028
Through its PATIenTS program, the Unit aims to improve life trajectories by working in partnership rather than improving processes in silos.
The projects in this program are carried out in collaboration with the RUISSSs, healthcare facilities, and universities in their respective regions. These initiatives are aligned with the priorities of the Ministry and the Health and Social Services Network.
| Projects | Teams |
|---|---|
| Development of a Support Program for Inuit with Cancer (Piqatigiit Cancer Program) | Christopher Fletcher Fabienne Labbé |
| TRIAGE: Respiratory Pathways; Information and Autonomy for Informed Management | Alexandra De Pokomandy Araceli Gonzalez Reyes Wan-Hua Lin |
| Improving the Care Pathway for Individuals Without a Family Physician Who Use the Primary Care Access Portal (GAP) – Phase 2 | Marie-Thérèse Lussier Viviane Tran |
| TMC Support: Implementation of a continuing professional development program on the clinical assessment of individuals with mental health issues in primary care | Ariane Girard Isabelle Gaboury Marie-Hélène Lemée |
| Improving the Care Pathway for Chronic Diseases | Tracie Barnett Yohann Moanahere Chiu |
| Implementation of a Clinical Toolkit to Strengthen the Capacity of Primary Care Nurses and Improve Care Pathways for Chronic Pain | Anaïs Lacasse Andréanne Bernier |
| LORI: Developing a service delivery model centered on the care pathway for chronic diseases in primary care | Marie-Ève Poitras Vanessa Tremblay Mélanie Aubin Philippe Latouche |
| Projects | Teams |
|---|---|
| Cross-Functional Program for Data Management and Utilization | Data Management Axis Tracie Barnett, Yohann Moanahere Chiu |
| Health Learning Path | Partnership Axis: Marie-Pascale Pomey Simon Courtemanche Geneviève David |
| Assessment of Partnership Practices in the LHS Ecosystem | Partnership Axis: Marie-Pascale Pomey Simon Courtemanche Geneviève David |
| Digital Tools Focused on Patient Perspectives in the Context of Self-Management for People with Chronic Conditions | Capacity Building Axis Anik Giguère Marie-Ève Poitras |
Building a Unifying Framework for Scaling Up in Quebec and Canada Maturity Matrix for Proximity Management | Change Management Axis France Légaré Denis Chênevert |
| Projects | Teams |
|---|---|
| Development of a Governance Model for a Learning Organization and Related Tools | Coming Soon |
| Living Data Lab: Developing a Methodology for Accessing, Sharing, and Using Data in Primary Care | Antoine Groulx |
| Evaluation of the LHS Incubator | Isabelle Gaboury Nathalie Trottier |
| Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Update – Indigenous Peoples’ Health | Christopher Fletcher Fabienne Labbé |
