Hospital research spending holds steady

TORONTO – Research spending at Canada’s leading research hospitals, hospital networks and health authorities rose by a modest 4.1% to $2.65 billion in Fiscal 2017, according to Research Infosource Inc., which has released Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals 2018. In total, 28 hospitals increased research spending compared with 12 hospitals where research spending fell.

In Fiscal 2017, the combined number of health researchers was 8,667, nearly the same as 8,657 as reported in Fiscal 2016.

Toronto’s University Health Network topped the list with $350.1 million of research spending in Fiscal 2017, a gain of 5.4%, followed by Hospital for Sick Children ($209.6 million, up 4.0%), Hamilton Health Sciences ($207.0 million, up 20.7%), McGill University Health Centre ($204.2 million, up 14.2%) and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority ($145.5 million, down 3.0%). Nine of the Top 40 organizations reported research spending amounts of more than $100 million per organization, up from eight the previous year.

In Fiscal 2017, 19 of the Top 40 organizations were located in Ontario with a combined research spending of $1.49 billion or 56.3% of the total national research spending total. Thirteen Quebec institutions spent $707.6 million on research, or 26.7% of the total, while 2 organizations in British Columbia spent $278.8 million, representing 10.5% of the national sum.

Research spending growth in Fiscal 2017 was highest at CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale – site IUSMQ (up 27.5%), Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) (up 27.2%) and CIUSSS de Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (up 21.8%).

“Fiscal 2017 was a year of stability for hospital, hospital network and health authority research spending,” said Ron Freedman (pictured), CEO of Research Infosource Inc. “Considering inflation, the 4.1% year-on-year gain was not at all robust. That said, seven organizations posted research spending increases of 10% or greater.”

London Health Sciences Centre/St. Joseph’s Health Care London posted the highest research intensity (research spending per researcher) among large institutions ($616,300 per researcher). Sinai Health System ($753,200 per researcher) led the medium institution group and was the overall national leader, while Montreal Heart Institute ($579,100 per researcher) headed the small institution group.

For complete information, see https://researchinfosource.com/top-40-research-hospitals

About Research Infosource Inc.
Research Infosource Inc. is Canada’s source of R&D intelligence. Drawing from proprietary databases, Research Infosource publishes Canada’s Innovation Leaders, which includes Canada’s Top 100 Corporate R&D Spenders, Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities, Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals and Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges. As well, Research Infosource publishes specialized reports and The Innovation Atlas of Canada™ – a web-based research and innovation mapping and data information product.