Since 1998, the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes has pioneered cutting-edge research led by some of Canada’s brightest scientists, supported evidence-informed policy and care, and championed knowledge mobilization efforts. Today, we’re stepping into a new era with Dr. Amy Salmon taking the helm as the new Centre Director.
Dr. Salmon joined the Centre in 2016, and became the Associate Director in 2020. In this role, she forged new partnerships, stewarded the direction of health systems developmental evaluation strategies across teams and projects, and played a key role in Providence Health Care’s efforts towards developing sustainable long-term care systems in BC. We sat down with her to discuss her new position, her vision, and her plans for the Centre in the near future.
Below is the interview with some quotes edited for length and brevity.
We’d like to begin by congratulating you on your new role! How are you feeling?
I’m excited about this new chapter in the Centre’s history. It’s wonderful to step into this role building on the contributions of the Centre’s outgoing Director, Dr. Aslam Anis. Dr. Anis and colleagues built a solid foundation of dedicated individuals with impressive records of contributing to the health system in many ways. The next phase will build on that success.
Speaking of success, in your position as the Centre’s Associate Director, you played a significant role in shaping the research direction here. Reflecting on those years, what are some achievements you’re most proud of?
I’d like to rephrase that as what I’m most grateful for. I was recruited to Advancing Health to work on the proof of concept for Foundry, and to bring a developmental evaluation perspective supporting that team. Seeing Foundry take off the way it has feels very inspiring. I’m also grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of the development of Providence Living’s Home for Us model of care, and see the evolution of long term care that this model inspires.
Something else that comes to mind is how proud I am of our Centre’s shared commitment to integrating evidence into practice and policy to enhance the health system for everyone. It’s a core value of the Centre, and one I aim to nurture.
What does your vision for the Centre look like in the next few months and years?
First and foremost, it’s important for me to acknowledge that right now we’re at a time of not just continued growth, but also of change. We’re about to start the process of updating our strategic plan so we can understand and act on the opportunities coming our way.
Over the next 12 months, we’re going to focus on building and co-creating this strategic plan by developing and articulating a shared vision and strategy for the next chapter of the Centre. This process involves all of us, including our partners at Providence Research, the UBC Faculty of Medicine, in Health Authorities, and with our valued community partners.
We have a strong track record of supporting early career investigators and trainees, and I would like to enhance that support. We’ll also be looking for opportunities to collaborate with colleagues at other centres.
What are some other aspects of Advancing Health that you see as particularly important as we re-evaluate our role in BC’s research community?
The Centre has always stewarded community involvement in research by building relationships and partnerships with people with lived experience across all areas of our work. I think those partnerships are incredibly important, and they have to be taken seriously as a fundamental part of ethical, impactful research. We hold the responsibility to continue nurturing them, as part of the ‘nothing about us without us’ approach.
I’ve had tremendous opportunities to work in partnership with several First Nations and Indigenous organizations — urban, on-reserve, and rural. This is an area I would like to strengthen, including Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, trainees and early career researchers, as well as rights holders and duty bearers in Indigenous health research. It is now more important than ever for us to stand firm in our commitment to anti-oppressive scholarship and prioritize inclusive research processes that invite lived experiences and expertise.
Lastly, I want to continue our tradition of prioritizing knowledge mobilization. It’s a big part of how we add value to the research process and build capacity for scientists. It’s a unique skillset and expertise in itself, and we have so many great examples of that within the Centre, from creating new guidelines for clinical practice to new educational materials, infographics, media, podcasts, and short films. I would love to see us grow more in this area.
What excites you about the future of the Centre?
BC is at a turning point in health care — we’re moving towards a future that’s both evidence-based and data-driven. We’re building a system where evidence, practice, and policy grow together through collaboration, data sharing, and the flexibility to adapt and innovate. I’d like the next chapter to focus on sharpening our skillset in a direction that meets the needs of our health systems today and tomorrow.
I’m really excited about continuing to work with this wonderful group of creative, innovative staff and scientists who have facilitated the Centre’s growth over the last three decades, and continue to build on a legacy of collaboration and inclusivity.
