Michelle LA Nelson
PhD, MA, FAHA
Senior Investigator
Associate Professor
Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
Vice President
World Stroke Organization
Senior Associate
International Foundation for Integrated Care
Joint Editor in Chief
International Journal of Integrated Care
Fellow
American Heart Association
Fellow
World Stroke Organization
About:
Michelle Nelson is a Senior Investigator, Associate Professor, and Implementation Scientist dedicated to creating the integrated healthcare systems that patients and families expect but rarely encounter.
Nelson is the Founder and Academic Lead of the Care in Common Living Lab. She employs implementation science, design thinking, and systems science to develop sustainable connections between clinical care and community support. Nelson's research program, with stroke rehabilitation as her primary exemplar, focuses on two key areas: implementing and evaluating integrated health service interventions and studying cross-sectoral partnerships across health, social, and community services. Her work addresses the critical gap in coordinated care, particularly during vulnerable transitions from hospital to home after stroke and other complex conditions. Through her Living Lab, she conducts research through cross-sector collaborations, grounded in principles of Active Implementation.
As a Principal Investigator, Nelson has, to date, secured over $12 million in research funding and contributed methodological expertise to projects exceeding another $20 million in value. Nelson brings extensive organizational leadership experience to her research, serving as Vice President of the World Stroke Organization, Joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Integrated Care, and Senior Associate with the International Foundation for Integrated Care. Her executive experience includes serving as Chief Knowledge Officer with March of Dimes Canada, where she designed the internationally recognized After Stroke service. Through this work, Nelson is creating tangible change for people with multiple concurrent health conditions who navigate complex rehabilitation and reintegration challenges.
Through her research and practice roles, Nelson is committed to mentoring the next generation of implementation scientists, health services researchers, and decision makers. Nelson’s ultimate goal is to transform healthcare from fragmented services into seamless, person-centred systems where evidence meets compassion.
Research Interests:
Integrated care, implementation science, rehabilitation, person and community-oriented approaches to care, intersectoral partnerships, stroke.
Select Publications:
Nelson MLA, MacEachern E, Bettger JP, Camicia M, García JJ, Kapral MK, Mathiesen C, Cameron JI. (2024). Exploring the inclusion of person-centered care domains in stroke transitions of care interventions: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Stroke.
Nelson MLA, Singh H, Saragosa M. (2023). Volunteers of Third Sector Organizations in supporting older adults in the transition from hospital to home: A collective case study. International Journal of Integrated Care.
Indar A, Nelson MLA, Berta W, Mylopoulos M. (2025). Exploring perspectives on the management of patients with complex care needs in stroke rehabilitation: An interpretive description study. Health Care Management Review.
Nelson, MLA, MacEachern E, Saragosa M. (2024). The important role of community organizations in stroke recovery and reintegration. Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation.
Nelson MLA, Lennox-Chhugani N. (2025). Come Together, Work Together, Achieve Together: Tensions in Leading Intersectoral Teams. International Journal on Integrated Care.
Learn about Nelson’s work at Care in Common Lab.