What we do

The Centre for Health Evidence provides a range of information and communication services to a variety of health organizations and professional associations. We work on many projects simultaneously, allowing us to carry ideas and lessons from one project to another, creating efficiencies and synergy. For details on some of our current initiatives and partners, visit our Projects page.

Desktop Services

Most of our online offerings are delivered through VIVIDESK™ Internet Desktops. CHE is a VIVIDESK Global distributor, which allows us to customize desktops for groups we partner with, and also develop new features for the core VIVIDESK product itself.

• See what a CHE desktop is all about in our CHE desktops section.
• For more information about VIVIDESK technology and VIVIDESK Global, visit http://www.vividesk.com/.

CHE uses this technology to customize desktops in three broad areas: Learning, Research and Practice. A desktop may cover one or more of these areas.

Learning: Desktops with a learning focus organize educational content such as university curriculum, a workshop series, or continuing education activities. Features available include presentations, videos, readings, discussion forums, online note-taking tools, interactive learning activities, calendars, integration of licensed resources, and more. Content is sorted by feature and by educational topic. Educational curriculum and materials may be developed by CHE, project partners, or a third party.

CHE becomes closely involved in these learning programs, going beyond technical solutions to provide a complete program delivery package. We invest our collective experience in program management, teaching, technology management, and subject expertise. We often develop customized desktop tools and resources to meet the needs of the learning community. In some cases we also facilitate the day to day operations of the program. Additionally, staff may be called upon to teach on a range of topics relating to information management and evidence-based practice.

Initiatives of this nature are usually multi-year or ongoing programs.

Research: Desktops with a research focus allow users to share research findings and collaborate online. Virtual working group folders can be set up for sharing files, meeting minutes, contact information, and more. Access levels (no access, read only, editing rights) are controlled at the individual level. Custom tools for tracking research projects can also be developed.

This type of project is typically shorter-term, about a year or two.

Practice: One of the CHE areas of special expertise is integrating knowledge and clinical resources. Knowledge resources include free web applications, subscription-based products, and even full suites of knowledge tools. Clinical resources include electronic health records, imaging tools, and drug information databases.

These self-sustaining, peer-to-peer expertise sharing environments have proved particularly effective in changing practitioner attitudes and behaviours, and can last any length of time.

All desktops: Any desktop may include features such as contact lists for members of that online community (including pictures and professional and/or personal profiles), photo galleries, customized shortcuts to key websites, and point-of-need help for every resource and tool. Internal evidence, the information created and used by an organization, can also be integrated.

Each desktop is available to authorized members of that community only, which allows for protected sharing of information, ideas, and personal information.

Other Services

In addition to desktop-related services, CHE provides a range of other services that support the learning, teaching, and practice of evidence-based health care.

Consultation Services: CHE provides decision support and knowledge integration consultation services on a limited basis.

CHE is among the most experienced multidisciplinary group specifically focused on decision support and the interface between health knowledge and health decisions. Our philosophy on decision support is to enable evidence-based practice through the lens of practice-based evidence (PBE). PBE starts by looking at the information environment of front-line decision-makers.

This philosophy is supported by using proven information management systems optimized to serve the needs of groups interested in decision support. CHE has a rich understanding of the full range of technologies and issues that can help groups put knowledge to work.

The common sense approach of PBE, coupled with our experience and technical expertise, allow us to provide credible, specialized consultation services.

Research Facilitation: VIVIDESK technology uses SQL databases to capture events. As such, it can perform as an information laboratory for someone wanting to research existing data or capture new data on information behaviours. In the past CHE has facilitated researchers as they seek to answer questions about online environments as a medium for learning and collaboration.

Multimedia Development: CHE is experienced in rendering textbooks to multimedia format so they can be integrated into desktops, Web browsers, and other environments. This experience may be drawn upon in future projects, particularly for clinical decision support resources.

For more information on any of these services, Contact us.

What We Don't Do