Brightshores Moves Research Back In-House to Prioritize Local Care
The hospital system is realigning its research efforts toward local priorities, ending its partnership with the independent Brightshores Research Institute launched in summer 2024.
Brightshores Health System is re-establishing its Office of Research and Innovation to strengthen its commitment to advancing local research and innovation. As part of this restructuring, the hospital system will discontinue its partnership with the Brightshores Research Institute, an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 2024.
“This decision is made as the partnership priorities no longer align with our priority to focus on local care and patients,” said Board Chair Deborah Pope. “This is a strategic decision to direct our efforts toward research that delivers the greatest local impact for our patients, families and community, and ensure alignment with our strategic priorities.”
Brightshores staff who had been seconded to the Research Institute will return to the hospital’s Office of Research and Innovation.
“Brightshores will continue to deliver impactful, community-focused research,” said President and CEO Ann Ford. “The Office of Research and Innovation will serve as a central hub for research coordination, grant support and partnership development. There will be no disruption to ongoing research.”
In a written statement to The Owen Sound Current on October 7, Brightshores elaborated on the decision:
“As the research institute evolved, our priorities were no longer aligned and meeting the needs of patients or the hospital. It became clear that the partnership was changing in a direction that was not beneficial to the hospital, and the decision was made to alter course so that our efforts would more directly benefit the people we serve.”
The organization added that:
“Brightshores Health System is re-establishing the Office of Research and Innovation to strengthen our commitment to advancing local research and innovation that has the greatest impact on the patients, families and communities we serve.”
Brightshores confirmed that the Research Institute “is independent of the hospital and is governed by its own board of directors,” and that it will be up to the Institute’s leadership “to determine the path forward.”
The move marks a reversal from the structure established last year, when Brightshores transitioned its internal Office of Research and Innovation into the standalone Brightshores Research Institute, intended to pursue external partnerships and funding opportunities.
The Research Institute had been positioned as a vehicle to advance innovation in rural health care, attract and retain medical talent, and expand Brightshores’ research capacity through partnerships with institutions such as Georgian College and Sheridan College.
By returning research oversight to an internal office, Brightshores says it aims to refocus on projects with direct local benefit while maintaining continuity for existing initiatives.
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