The Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research (WIHIR), the School of Optometry and the School of Pharmacy (all at the University of Waterloo), the Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning and the National Institutes of Health Informatics (NIHI) are co-hosts of the first "Advances in Health Informatics Conference" (AHIC) from April 28 to 30, 2010 at the University of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy at the Health Sciences Campus in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

 

AHIC is an bi-annual, top-tier, peer-reviewed, Health Informatics conference addressing innvoation, research and education and attracting national and international visionaries, researchers, industry experts and government leaders from around the globe.

Waterloo Institute of Health Informatics Research (WIHIR): WIHIR is a trans-disciplinary research collaborative at the University of Waterloo dedicated to the advancement of health through the discovery and development of new Health Informatics concepts and tools. WIHIR brings together over 65 members from all the six faculties at the University of Waterloo including Accountancy, Applied Health Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, English, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, Management Sciences, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physics and Social Sciences to work together on addressing the significant information-related challenges in the area of health. WIHIR works with health organizations, industry, government, and experts at other academic centres on research focused on the areas of Pharmacy/Pharmaco Informatics, Health Information Management, the People and Organizational Aspects of Informatics Interventions in Health, Health Informatics Technologies, and Biomedical Systems Informatics.

 

School of Optometry: The School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo provides the only English optometric training in Canada. The School delivers an accredited, four year degree program leading to a professional Doctor of Optometry (OD). An extensive clinic program provides practical experience for students and health services for the public. The School also has an impressive program supporting research in Vision Science & Optometry.

 

School of Pharmacy: The School of Pharmacy is the anchor institution for the University of Waterloo's new Downtown Kitchener Health Sciences Campus, located approximately 5 km south of the main campus in Waterloo. The first class of Pharmacy undergraduates began studies in January 2008. At full operation, the School is expected to have 480 undergrads, 70 graduate students, 30 faculty members, and 20 staff. A key defining feature is that UW offers a co-op program; the first in Canada.  Students will alternate work terms with academic study, taking their classroom experience to the workforce, and bringing work experience back to class.

  

Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning: Contestoga College is the fastest growing polytechnic in Ontario. It has been identified as the number one College in Ontario in nine of the last eleven years. Conestoga has a productive partnership with local business and is a key contributor to regional growth. A recent study shows that Conestoga has provided education or training to at least 40 per cent of the local labour force and has a value to the local economy of at least $1.3 billion annually. Conestoga has consistently earned top overall ranking among Ontario colleges on the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) surveys, which measure graduate employment rates and satisfaction levels, and employer and student satisfaction.  

 

National Institute of Health Informatics (NIHI): NIHI is a not-for-profit national institute dedicated to stimulating and facilitating the development of groups, centres and institutes focused on Health Informatics research and education in Canada. NIHI’s means of accomplishing this include the convening of conferences, symposia, workshops and think-tank sessions; the sponsorship of a Canada-wide academic forum that unites health informatics teachers and researchers in Canada; educational programs for students in health informatics, and the provision of advisory services to assist individuals and groups to develop organized approaches to addressing the need for health informatics research and education.