From 14-18 November 2016, approximately 2,000 delegates will gather in Vancouver, Canada for the biannual Global Symposium on Health Systems Research (HSR2016). HSR2016 aims to push the boundaries of health systems research in addressing the challenges of our changing world. The theme for the Symposium is, “Resilient and Responsive Health Systems for a Changing World.” HSR2016 is co-sponsored by the Alliance for Health Policy Systems Research (AHPSR) and Health Systems Global (HSG).
During the 5-day event, the Alliance will lead and support nearly 20 sessions focusing on how health systems research can improve health policies to build more resilient and responsive health systems. The programme includes plenary addresses from world experts, satellite sessions made up from abstracts and other proposals, poster presentations, a marketplace and many other networking opportunities.
Moreover, the Alliance will bring 30 policymakers from more than 20 countries to partake in the Symposium. This will allow policymakers, researchers, donors and programme implementers the opportunity to interact, deliberate and share their experiences on how best to promote the demand and use of health systems research for improved policy making. Another major highlight will be the launch of the Alliance’s flagship report titled, Open Mindsets: Participatory Leadership for Health on 17 November 2016, along with a special issue in the Health Systems & Reform Journal on “Effective Leadership for Health Systems,” This special issue includes 12 essays that present various perspectives on the challenges of defining and creating effective health leadership.
Topics of the Alliance's sessions will range from conducting rapid reviews on HPSR, exploring models on the potential impact of using drug shops and pharmacies as points for health care service delivery, to discussions on results-based financing schemes and using implementation research to inform health policies. The Alliance's extensive experience in health systems research and innovative methodological approaches underpin these sessions.
Added to this buffet of sessions, the Alliance and HSG will jointly announce the winners of the first-ever awards in the field of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) on 17 November 2016.
As one of the co-organizers of the last three Symposium’s on Health Systems Research, the Alliance continues to play a central role in the planning of this event biannually.