معرفی
John Hirdes is a Professor at the University of Waterloo's School of Public Health Sciences. His primary research focuses on geriatric assessment, mental health systems, and health informatics. He chairs interRAI's International Network of Excellence in Mental Health and serves on the interRAI Board. Educated entirely at the University of Waterloo (BSc Health Studies, MA Sociology, Diploma Gerontology, PhD Sociology), he specializes in case mix systems and quality measurement. His work includes developing standardized clinical assessment tools used internationally. Awards include the Order of Canada and Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He has advised graduate students like Joanna Sinn, whose research addresses care transitions and resource allocation. His extensive publications analyze healthcare outcomes across home care, long-term care, and mental health settings.
Education
- BSc Health Studies, University of Waterloo
- MA Sociology, University of Waterloo
- Diploma Gerontology, University of Waterloo
- PhD Sociology, University of Waterloo
- Postdoctoral Research, Freeport Hospital
Research Interests
Hirdes' work bridges clinical practice and policy. Key areas include:
- Geriatric Assessment: Developing tools to measure health status and care needs
- Health Informatics: Standardizing data collection for better care coordination
- Quality Measurement: Evaluating healthcare system performance across settings
- Mental Health Systems: Improving access and outcomes in psychiatric care
Professional Activities
- Senior Canadian Fellow, interRAI
- Member, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
- Advisor to Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) committees on home care and long-term care reporting
- Public Health Agency of Canada's National Population Health Study of Neurological Conditions
Grants & Labs
Leads interRAI Canada initiatives and collaborates with global researchers through the interRAI consortium. His team analyzes large-scale clinical datasets to inform policy and practice.
