Does It Matter? Decision-maker Perceptions on the Impact of the Regional Training Centres.

A key feature of the Regional Training Centres (RTCs) is the scope and nature of their engagement with decision-makers. While the RTCs may believe that they have an excellent association with decision-makers, is that belief shared? The authors of this paper draw on the results of a survey of decision-makers undertaken by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) as part of the preparation for the fourth-year assessment and evaluation of the RTCs. The discussion encompasses three substantive issues: (1) decision-makers' assessment of the added value of the RTCs, (2) the RTCs' ability to effect cultural change in decision-maker organizations and (3) the experience and value of the internship/placement to the decision-maker organization.