Vancouver Coastal Health-Richmond has a new director of research Dr. Scott Garrison.
The appointment of Dr. Garrison by the Richmond Hospital Foundation and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute marks the first time in B.C. that a community of care (an acute care hospital and its community-based health care programs) will count medical research among its core health care activities.
The position will be jointly funded for a three-year term by the foundation and the research institute, which is the research arm of Vancouver Coastal Health.
Traditionally, most medical research within Vancouver Coastal Health has been carried out at the large teaching centres at Vancouver General and St. Pauls hospitals, said Susan Wannamaker, Richmond Hospitals chief operating officer, who made the appointment.
Dr. Garrison believes Richmond is particularly well positioned to lead practice-changing research to focus on improving the health, quality of life, and independence of its residents.
As part of his new position, Dr. Garrison will be promoting Richmond as a centre of clinical research in the Lower Mainland.
In addition to encouraging other research projects at the hospital, Dr. Garrison will also be working with Richmond Hospital Foundation to help showcase emerging research projects to potential partners and contributors.
We believe research is an important way to enhance and improve the continuum of health care, said Natalie Meixner, president and CEO of Richmond Hospital Foundation.
Were excited about this partnership and the new direction that Dr. Garrison and his team will forge at Richmond Hospital, and how the findings of his research will be directly applicable to the provision of patient care throughout the community.
Dr. Garrison has practiced family medicine in Richmond since 1995. He began his pursuit of clinical medical research in 2006 and has recently completed his PhD in experimental medicine at UBC. His research will focus on the practical treatment of the health-related
