Improving health and health services requires both better knowledge (a key function of research) and better action to adapt and use what is already known (quality improvement). However, organizational and cultural divides between academic research institutions and health system organizations too often result in missed opportunities to integrate research and improvement. The Saskatchewan Health Quality Council's experience and relationships, from linking research, quality improvement and patient engagement in its leadership of the province's healthcare quality improvement journey, provided core support and leadership in the development of Saskatchewan's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT Unit. The vision is for the SUPPORT Unit to integrate research and quality improvement into a continuous learning health system.