Osler and University of Toronto launch academic practice partnership

Innovative collaboration focuses on integrating Human Factors research, education and practice to improve quality and patient safety in acute care

William Osler Health System (Osler) and the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering’s Centre for Healthcare Engineering (CHE), are proud to announce a first-in-Ontario academic practice partnership (APP) designed to drive innovation in Human Factors research, education and clinical practice. This groundbreaking partnership was launched April 2 during the International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto.

Through this ground-breaking collaboration, Osler and the University of Toronto’s CHE will co-develop dedicated pathways for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering students specializing in Human Factors to gain real-world experience within a hospital setting, as well as integrate Human Factors into patient safety and health care innovation initiatives and establish new research opportunities through the Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation. This marks a significant step in bridging the gap between human factors theory and health care practice to enhance high-quality patient care and health system efficiency. The event brought together leaders in health care, engineering, academia and industry to celebrate this milestone and discuss the future of Human Factors in health care.

What makes this APP unique?

• First-of-its-kind in Ontario – Pioneering the integration of Human Factors engineering into health care, guided by the APP’s three pillars of practice, education and research.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration – Connecting researchers and clinicians to co-develop practical solutions that enable high-quality, safe and efficient care.
• Rapid knowledge translation – Expediting research findings into real-world practice and fostering the co-creation of new knowledge.
• Training and development – Providing hands-on experience for engineering students and professional growth opportunities for Osler staff, enabling collaborative learning.
• Institutional impact and capacity building – Developing Human Factors expertise within Osler to drive innovation and enhance health care delivery.

“Academic practice partnerships are critical to advancing research, education, and clinical excellence across hospitals and post-secondary institutions,” said Tiziana Rivera, Executive Vice President, Quality, Research and Chief Nursing Executive, William Osler Health System. “By forging this new collaboration between Osler and the University of Toronto’s Centre for Healthcare Engineering, we are integrating Human Factors knowledge, research and tools into an acute care setting in ways that will meaningfully improve patient safety, clinical efficiency and health care innovation.”

The Osler-University of Toronto Human Factors APP is built on three core pillars - education, practice and research. It establishes dedicated pathways for students specializing in Human Factors to complete placements at Osler. It offers opportunities to build Human Factors theory and tools into an integrated curriculum and promotes collaboration across both organizations, generating new point-of-care Human Factors research.

“Patient safety and health equity outcomes will advance through this unique partnership that bridges engineering, Human Factors and health care delivery,” said Myrtede Alfred, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, and a member of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering. Collaborating on research in a clinical setting provides rich learning opportunities for CHE, Osler staff, and will ultimately meet the shared goal of improving patient care.”

“This multidisciplinary partnership brings together pivotal pieces needed to create a safer, effective and more equitable health care system,” says Markus Bussmann, Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto. “Collaboration between the Centre for Healthcare Engineering and William Osler Health System will provide new pathways to effectively translate research into practice, and I would like to thank Professor Myrtede Alfred for her work and leadership to make this a reality.”

Human Factors in health care explores relationships and processes between humans, tools and equipment in clinical settings and the impacts for patients and their families. Applying Human Factors analysis in health care settings can lead to quality and safety improvements, including minimizing clinical errors, increasing delivery of evidence-based care, improving patient communication and reducing inefficiencies.