The University of New Brunswick’s McKenna Institute has launched the i4 Initiative in collaboration with Shoppers Drug Mart to address disparities in cardiovascular and diabetes care. The initiative—short for inform, innovate, improve, and implement—unfolds in three phases. Phase one analyzes how illness and health care usage vary by geography and demographics. “One of our goals is to shine a light on where inequities exist,” said UNB Senior Research Scientist Dr Chris Folkins. “With that understanding, we can help inform strategies that bring better care to those…with unmet needs.” UNB’s Pond-Deshpande Centre will lead the second phase, which will invite solutions through a Rapid Innovation Challenge, while phase three will inform a call for proposals to fund targeted research.
