DETERMINANTS OF INNOVATION IN QUEBEC COMM UNITY-HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

Following the reform of the health care system in Quebec at the beginn ing of the 1970s, 32 Community Health Departments (departements de san te communautaire or DSC) were created; these new organizations were ad ministratively and physically integrated into 32 acute care hospitals throughout the province. Our study investigates to what extent variati ons in the implementation of DSCs and in the way they have fulfilled t heir mandate influence the degree of innovation of their practices. Th e results show that DSCs devoting greater efforts to research activiti es and to their relationships with other health care establishments an d agencies achieve a higher level of innovation in their practices.