Glossary

Clinical Practice Guidelines: An evidence-based or consensus-based statement prepared to help improve the quality and consistency of care for specific clinical conditions or situations. They incorporate the latest clinical information based on all available scientific evidence and professional opinions into a framework of best practice to promote the best patient outcomes.

Knowledge Synthesis: A research process that systematically summarizes all important studies on a specific research question to help make sense of the diverse evidence on the topic.

Knowledge Translation: The process of summarizing, distributing, sharing, and applying the knowledge uncovered from research. Our goal is to use knowledge translation to improve the health of Canadians and strengthen the health care system through the use of the most effective services and interventions.

Integrated knowledge translation (iKT): A type of knowledge translation where researchers and knowledge users (e.g. policy makers, clinicians) work together on a research project from the beginning (i.e. determining research questions) to the end (sharing and distribution of research findings). This close partnership between knowledge users and researchers produces knowledge that is more relevant and useful to the end users.

Knowledge User: An individual who is likely to use research findings to make informed decisions about health policies, programs and/or practices (e.g. clinical practice guideline producers, policy makers, professional organizations, health system managers).

Patient Engagement: Meaningful and active partnership of patients in all spectrum of research, including governance, priority setting, conduct of the research, and knowledge translation. It may also involve others who bring the collective voice of specific affected communities.

Patient-Oriented Research: Research that includes patients as partners in research and focuses on patient-identified research priorities with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. This type of research is carried out by a diverse team of experts in partnership with patients and other relevant stakeholders, with the goal to speed up distribution, sharing, and application of knowledge generated from research activities.

Patient Partner: An overarching term inclusive of patients (an individual with a health condition), family members of a patient (e.g. parent, spouse, adult child or other close family member of a patient not capable of decision-making), caregivers (family, relative, friends or neighbours providing unpaid assistance to someone with a health condition/limitation), and citizens at large.

Researcher: An individual who is autonomous in their research activities and has an academic or research appointment (e.g. Scientist, Professor).

Research Trainee: A graduate student or post-doctoral fellow who is enhancing their research skills through actual involvement in research and works under the formal supervision of an independent researcher.