News & Events

Brightshores Research Institute’s Executive Director, Neil MacLean, will be a featured panelist at the 2025 Home Care Ontario Symposium in Toronto on November 27, 2025.  He will discuss rural healthcare challenges, strengths, and opportunities for innovation, equity, and access as Ontario prepares for a sharp rise in its senior population.

Brightshores Research Institute’s Executive Director, Neil MacLean, will speak at Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services’ 2025 Health Innovation Summit from November 3-6, 2025. He will offer valuable insights on the challenges and innovation opportunities in rural healthcare that drive improved access, patient outcomes, and system efficiency across diverse community settings.

Georgian College and Brightshores Research Institute are partnering to offer palliative care simulation training to a variety of health care providers who see palliative patients through the early, middle and final stages of the end of their lives. Director Dr. Rebecca Brookham will help lead the research and training at the college’s Owen Sound Campus.

Spreading the word: Rural healthcare isn’t just underserved. It’s structurally different. That was our message during Alberta’s Rural Health Week, where Director Rebecca Brookham and Executive Director Neil MacLean delivered the inaugural keynote at the event hosted by John Sproule and the Institute of Health Economics.

We're thrilled to announce Nabeela Ratansi as the inaugural Chief of Staff at Brightshores Research Institute.

Emergency Departments (EDs) are the busiest areas of any hospital, with care teams working quickly to assess and respond to patients with a wide range of needs. To help prioritize patients’ care needs, Brightshores is introducing new digital technology in the Southampton and Owen Sound EDs, which will make the triage process faster, easier, and more efficient.  

The Brightshores Health System proudly announces the evolution of its Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) into an independent non-profit entity, now known as the Brightshores Research Institute (BRI). This strategic transition underscores a steadfast commitment to advancing healthcare solutions tailored to the unique needs of rural communities.

Ann Ford, President & CEO of Brightshores Health System and Neil MacLean, Executive Director of Brightshores Research Institute to speak about how the two organizations are working together to transform healthcare delivery in rural communities.

Dr. Neil MacLean is invited to participate in the plenary session of the conference, Innovations in Rural Health Services. The discussion is focused on emerging innovations in Ontario’s health system and their implications for rural Ontario.