Paul A. Williams

Impact:

1) Informing evidence-based policy and practice in community-based care. As past lead of the Balance of Care (BoC) Research and Evaluation Group, a collaborative of academic researchers and graduate students based in IHPME, Paul headed projects in 12 of Ontario’s 14 LHINs, and in First Nations communities, examining community-based options for supporting high needs older persons, children and informal caregivers appropriately and cost-effectively in community settings. The results have been used by planners and policy-makers across Ontario to guide new investments in community-based services and supportive housing.

2) Catalysing knowledge transfer. As previous Co-Chair of the Canadian Research Network for Care in the Community (www.CRNCC.ca), Paul engaged with providers, planners and consumers from across the care continuum, and with other knowledge networks, to bring together leading international experts around cutting-edge topics including health equity, care integration, supportive housing, informal caregiving, and sexuality and aging. Results have been disseminated in web-cast symposia, special workshops, on the CRNN website and through an e-newsletter, spurring documented on-the-ground innovations in areas including seniors’ housing and caregiver supports.

3) Training future healthcare leaders. As past Lead of IHPME’s health policy stream, Paul was instrumental in linking academic knowledge to on-the-ground practice. By engaging health care leaders, policy-makers, policy analysts and consumers as tutors, speakers, and responders in the health policy courses, and by having students write short, concise briefing notes on current health policy issues, Paul’s courses aimed to equip graduates with the theoretical “tools” needed to understand the complex and dynamic “real world” of health care policy and practice, and with the communication skills needed to increase their impact.

Professional Interests: health policy, comparative health systems, home care, community supports, long-term care, populations with multiple, chronic needs including older persons, persons with disabilities and children with medical complexity, informal caregivers

CIHR Team in Community Care and Health Human Resources