Scientist to discuss research/policy partnership to improve work and health outcomes

November 12, 2013 (Toronto, Ontario)— Based on the work of an innovative research collaboration between the University of British Columbia (UBC) and WorkSafeBC, British Columbia’s workers’ compensation board has changed its practices around the prevention, compensation and treatment of mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases—including the appointment of staff dedicated to helping workers with these conditions. This is just one example of many to be highlighted at this year’s Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture, which is focusing on the work of B.C.’s Partnership for Work, Health & Safety to improve work injury prevention and workers’ compensation outcomes.

From her perspective as co-lead and senior scientist of the Partnership, Dr. Mieke Koehoorn, a professor in the School of Public Health at UBC, will give examples of the collaboration’s contribution to regulatory and compensation policy in worker health protection. She will also draw from this experience to share lessons learned about bringing research to the policy table to achieve an impact. The lecture, hosted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), takes place on Thursday, November 21 in Toronto.

The Partnership addresses current and emerging work-related health issues in British Columbia. It develops and promotes the use of routinely collected health and compensation data from multiple sources, allowing it to conduct research on B.C.’s entire working-age population over a 25-year period to answer policy-relevant questions.

Dr. Koehoorn is an engaging speaker with a great story to tell, says IWH President Dr. Cameron Mustard. We are proud to host this national leader’s visit to Ontario.

Full details are below:

Dr. Mieke Koehoorn
2013 Nachemson Memorial Lecture: 
Research informing policy—How to make an impact
Thursday, November 21, 2013, 4.30 p.m.
Design Exchange, 2nd Floor
234 Bay St., Toronto, Ontario

Please register for this event at: www.iwh.on.ca/nachemson-lecture/form

The annual Alf Nachemson Lecture was established by IWH in 2002 to honour the significant contribution of Dr. Nachemson, a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon and researcher from Sweden and a founding member of the Institute’s Scientific Advisory Committee, to the use of research evidence in clinical decision-making. Dr. Nachemson passed away in 2006, and the lecture was renamed the Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture.