Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services is hosting its annual health innovation summit this week at the Health Innovation Acceleration Centre in St. John’s. Kicking off today, this year’s theme is ‘Reimagining Patient-Centred Care through Innovation and Research.’ Over the course of five days, keynote speakers, academic researchers, innovation partners, government officials, and industry experts will discuss how research and innovation has had positive impacts for health-care patients and clients as well as health-care professionals.

“This year, we have further expanded our innovation summit to include a research component with five days of informative presentations, discussions and networking opportunities,” said Ron Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Urban Zone and vice president of Innovation and Research for NL Health Services. “Health-care research and innovation, at its heart, is about finding ways to improve the health of our patients, clients and residents, and why it is fitting to focus this year’s summit on patient-centred care.

NL Health Services brings together five former separate health entities – Eastern Health, Central Health, Western Health, Labrador-Grenfell Health, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information. The creation of a provincial health authority was announced following recommendations from Health Accord NL.