New study setting the stage for non-opioid analgesic in post-surgical pain management

July 5, 2023 (Toronto, ON) — Patients are often prescribed opioids after undergoing surgical care to help them manage their post-surgical pain. This intervention often leads to dependency and creates additional burdens on the healthcare system.

AmacaThera, a clinical-stage biotechnology company transforming therapeutics, is developing AMT-143, a long-acting formulation of a non-opioid analgesic designed to be placed directly at the surgical site. Upon injection, the compound would sustain drug release for two to three days, ideally to help patients through the most severe pain window following a surgery. If successful, this approach to pain management would alleviate the need for opioids in the patient’s pain management journey. New opioid sparing products for post-surgical pain management must demonstrate a positive impact on current patient care and the healthcare system.

AmacaThera is pleased to announce a new collaboration with the University Health Network (UHN) to evaluate the health economic impact of opioid use in post-surgical pain management. Funded by OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), the evaluation aims to quantify the economic impact of opioid use on health systems using indicators such as length of hospital stay, overall health care system cost, and self-reported pain levels by patients within the current standard of post-surgical pain management.

“Many patients we see are already experiencing chronic pain prior to surgery and may already have an active opioid prescription; after surgery, their dosage stands to be even higher. We want to come in to give them novel options for managing that pain,” says Dr. Hance Clarke, Medical Director of The Pain Research Unit at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network. Dr. Clarke is also the President-Elect of the Canadian Pain Society and Co-Chair Knowledge Translation, University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain. “Chronic post-surgical pain and persistent post-surgical opioid use is a significant burden to today's health care system, and patients need innovative options to improve their post operative pain trajectories, improve their mobility, and reduce the reliance on opioid analgesic medications,” he added.

“UHN is the largest health research hospital in Canada with a world-class department of anesthesia and pain management,” said Mike Cooke, CEO of AmacaThera. “They are exactly the right partner to access rich data on the current pain management experience for most patients. With that knowledge, we can then use data to illustrate the current patient experience in an opioid context and show how our product may provide improvement.”

This partnership presents a unique opportunity to identify important areas where non-opioid pain management products like AMT-143 may improve pain management practices, with the overall aim of providing alternatives to opioids for post-surgical patients.

“The three days following a surgery are the most difficult for patients. To date, opioids have presented the strongest source of relief, despite their known downstream risks for the patient and the healthcare system,” said Molly Shoichet, AmacaThera’s CSO and Professor at the University of Toronto. “AMT-143 is designed as a non-opioid alternative. Results from this retrospective study will help us to establish a baseline from which we can evaluate AMT-143 in a Phase II clinical trial.”

“OBIO® supports companies driving innovations in key areas, including therapeutics, that can transform healthcare practice,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “This is a first for the EAHN™ program, a therapeutics cost-benefit evaluation project that will help AmacaThera set data-driven benchmarks for future clinical evaluations of new opioid-sparing products currently in development. We are delighted that AmacaThera is forging a path towards commercialization of therapeutics through the EAHN™ program”.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, visit OBIO.ca.

About AmacaThera

AmacaThera Inc, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company transforming therapeutics to make a difference in patient health. AmacaGel™, our unique, injectable hydrogel platform provides localized sustained drug delivery for improved patient outcomes across multiple therapeutic areas, including post-surgical pain management, cancer and other hard-to-reach unmet medical needs. For more information, visit: www.amacathera.ca.

About UHN

University Health Network consists of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, arthritis, vision, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information, visit: www.uhn.ca.

Media Contacts:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Director, Market Acceleration
OBIO®

Mike Foorer
VP Business Development & General Manager
AmacaThera

Ania Jones
Sr. Manager, Communications & Partnership Engagement
Commercialization at UHN

Making managing asthma easier for patients and providers

June 29, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Nearly 3.5 million people across Canada suffer from asthma, the third most common chronic disease in adults and one that is increasing in prevalence. With support from OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), the Albany Medical Clinic is partnering with Toronto-based digital start-up EAPOC (Evidence at the Point-of Care) to evaluate its electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS), a disease management and clinical decision support system (CDSS) designed to improve health outcomes for patients with asthma.

Prior to an appointment with their healthcare provider, patients access the eAMS through its web portal or app and complete an electronic questionnaire. The eAMS processes the information for care providers and generates personalized, guideline-based advice for each patient.

“The eAMS was developed as a response to gaps in primary care delivery for asthma care,” noted Dr. Samir Gupta, EAPOC President and CEO. “Although it has proven effective in trials, a successful evaluation of the sustainability of this technology will provide us with an opportunity to increase its adoption for asthma treatment, but more significantly, to expand its application to the management of other chronic diseases, thereby improving patient outcomes for millions of Canadians and others around the world.”

“We welcome the opportunity to work with EAPOC to evaluate a system that can help our physicians enhance patient care,” said Dr. Brian Adno, Medical Director at the Albany Medical Clinic. “The eAMS is a thoroughly researched, easy-to-use tool that allows our physicians to treat patients with asthma efficiently and effectively.”

“Providing effective primary care not only improves health outcomes for patients, it also has the potential to reduce future healthcare system costs,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “The Albany Clinic and EAPOC evaluation demonstrates the importance of supporting innovation in the primary care setting and OBIO® is pleased to support it through the EAHN™ program.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

About EAPOC

EAPOC (Evidence at the Point-of Care) is a health technology company that develops computerized decision-support systems to enable providers to improve the quality of care.  There are highly prevalent and stubborn gaps between the best care that guidelines recommend and the actual care that patients receive. The company is founded on the principle that when the needs of patients and providers are prioritized, technology can not only effectively bridge these gaps and improve outcomes for patients, but also improve efficiency for providers. Visit EAPOC for more information.

About the Albany Medical Clinic

The Albany Medical Clinic, celebrating 75 years of service to the East Toronto community, is one of Canada’s oldest full-service healthcare clinics supporting a patient community of over 50,000.  Since 1946, the Albany Medical Clinic has been providing a wide range of quality community-based healthcare including onsite diagnostic testing and a Walk-in Clinic open to the community.  Today, the medical team at the Albany Medical Clinic has more than 35 family doctors and more than 40 different specialists supported by a team of staff including nurses and other direct physician supports. Visit Albany Medical Clinic for more information.

Contacts

For more information, about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact: Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration.

For more information about EAPOC, please contact: Samir Gupta, CEO.

For more information about the Albany Medical Clinic, please contact: Wanda Morvay, General Manager and CFO.

New CHEO Research Institute study to examine feasibility and engagement with Mobio Interactive mobile mindfulness therapy for youth

June 1, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – A new CHEO Research Institute study, in collaboration with Mobio Interactive, is underway to examine the feasibility of delivering clinically validated mindfulness therapy for youth through an AI-powered mobile app. The collaboration will also explore whether Mobio’s AmDTx app helps youth better engage with mental health services, and how healthcare providers may leverage the tool for adjunctive therapy and remote patient monitoring. The study is funded in part by the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHNTM).

“With mental health and wellness-related issues reaching an all-time high, especially in young Canadians, it is time to find scalable and objectively quantifiable ways to serve them,” said Dr. Bechara Saab, Mobio Interactive’s CEO & Chief Scientist. “Our mission is to help create a world where anyone, anywhere who is living with mental health issues, has the opportunity to access clinically meaningful support.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the wait times for Canadians seeking mental health support were at an all-time high. The problem has continued to escalate, with a 52% increase in people seeking mental health services during the pandemic, according to The Canadian Mental Health Association.

“CHEO, like many other pediatric hospitals, is experiencing unprecedented demands for mental health services and we must find innovative solutions. This study will provide initial evidence on whether a mindfulness training program delivered using mobile technology is a feasible way of managing distress and promoting resilience for youth waiting for outpatient mental health services at CHEO. If the study shows this new mobile approach to early intervention works, it could be a game changer by identifying an innovative, affordable, and scalable therapeutic tool,” said Dr. Gary Goldfield, Senior Scientist and clinical psychologist at the CHEO Research Institute, who is leading the study alongside Dr. Michael Cheng, co-investigator, and psychiatrist at CHEO.

AmDTx delivers and measures clinically validated psychotherapy. The mobile therapy includes wellness sessions ranging from mindfulness training to music therapy, as well as indication-specific step-by-step programs. Additional features of AmDTx include AI-enabled objective measurements of mental wellbeing using the camera on the mobile device, along with personalisation algorithms that guide the user into a suite of meditations and psycho-education based on effective stress reduction from previous use, as determined by the company’s proprietary digital biomarker extraction and analysis.

By providing funding for this study, OBIO’s EAHN™ program continues to advance health technology innovation and commercialization and help healthcare organizations access innovations that can impact the patient’s journey.

“This project will test both AmDTx’s ability to support youth as they experience increasingly longer wait times for outpatient mental health services, as well as the app’s impact on outcomes during treatment,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO, OBIO®. “We are excited to support this important study that focuses on improving the pressing problem of longer than acceptable wait times for outpatient mental health services in Canada.”

About OBIO®

The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Mobio Interactive

Mobio Interactive is a digital health company that is meeting the exploding demand for efficacious mental healthcare with artificial intelligence-powered digital theragnostics. To learn more, visit mobiointeractive.com.

About the CHEO Research Institute

The CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of CHEO and is affiliated with the University of Ottawa. The seven programs of research at CHEO RI focus on a full spectrum of pediatric topics. Key themes include cancer, diabetes, obesity, mental health, emergency medicine, musculoskeletal health, electronic health information and privacy, and genetics of rare disease. At the CHEO Research Institute, discoveries inspire the best life for every child and youth. For more information, visit cheoresearch.ca.

Contacts:

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Director, Market Acceleration
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca

For more information about Mobio Interactive, please contact:

Michelle Tjia
Chief of Staff
michelle@mobiointeractive.com

For more information about the CHEO Research Institute study, please contact:

Jennifer Ruff
Manager of Communications
(613) 261-3979
jruff@cheo.on.ca

Women’s College Hospital Evaluates Gotcare to Enhance Care Journey for Homebound Older Adults

May 23, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Care for homebound older adults involves little overlap between primary care and community services. This problem has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN ™), OBIO® has recently facilitated an evaluation between Gotcare, a national health technology start-up reimagining health services in the home, and the Centre for Digital Health Evaluation (CDHE) at Women’s College Hospital (WCH). Gotcare enables support at home through a combination of personalized in-home visits, health monitoring, virtual care, and ongoing interventions addressing social isolation. 

The EAHN™ evaluation will measure Gotcare’s model of care through the recently launched “In the Community (ITC): Health Ambassadors Connecting Primary Care for Homebound Older Adults Living in the Mid-West Toronto Area”. The initiative aims to support both patients with complex needs and their family physicians by providing a menu of services the patient and provider can access together, to expand the reach of primary care into the home. 

“The CDHE is a national leader in the provision of timely, high-quality evaluations of digital health technologies at various stages of maturity. Our evaluation of Gotcare will provide the organization with the scientifically rigorous and clinically relevant insights to enhance their services,” said Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, family physician and scientific director of the CDHE. “Comprehensive homecare for older adults, enables them to ‘age in place’ and reduces the use of healthcare resources downstream.” 

“For many homebound patients, leaving their home for health-related appointments can feel like a full-time job. Alternative options, such as self-monitoring, can be stressful and challenging for patients resulting in limited adoption and success. In the ITC model, regular in-person health ambassador visits, on-demand virtual care access, easy to use technology interfaces, and ongoing interventions addressing social isolation, create a distributed ecosystem of care in the community. Initiatives like ITC bridge the gap between primary care and community services, so that we can create a healthier and more inclusive society by providing equitable access to all, regardless of background or location,” said Chenny Xia, Co-Founder & CEO of Gotcare. 

“OBIO® is excited to support this EAHN™-funded evaluation of Gotcare by Women’s College Hospital. This initiative will enable better support for vulnerable patients that require at home care”, said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “This project is an example of how EAHN™ can facilitate adoption of innovative Ontario technologies to enable new models of home-based care for elderly adults transitioning from in-patient care to improve coordination and patient outcomes.” 

About OBIO® 

Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information. 

About Gotcare  

The healthcare worker shortage has left many older adults without access to the care they need. By attracting and upskilling community health workers who have previously left the sector, Gotcare is rehumanizing the patient care journey. They provide personalized in-home care, AI-driven biometric monitoring, and virtual care to address low-acuity care needs right at home. Gotcare is a social enterprise and  a certified living wage employer. For more information: gotcare.ca.

About Women’s College Hospital  

For more than 100 years Women’s College Hospital (WCH) has been developing revolutionary advances in healthcare.  Today, WCH is a world leader in health equity and Canada’s leading academic ambulatory hospital. It focuses on delivering innovative solutions that address Canada’s most pressing issues related to population health, patient experience and system costs. For more information about how WCH is transforming patient care and leading health system solutions, visit www.womenscollegehospital.ca.

Contacts 

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Director, Market Acceleration
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca

For more information about Gotcare, please contact:

Chenny Xia
Co-Founder & CEO
chenny@gotcare.ca

For more information about Women’s College Hospital please contact:

Jordan Benadiba
Manager, Public Affairs
jordan.benadiba@wchospital.ca 

SCN and OBIO® partner to enhance the commercialization of life science innovations through specialized training for scientists

(Le français suit l’anglais)

May 16, 2023 (Ottawa/Toronto) – Today the Stem Cell Network (SCN) and Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) are pleased to announce the formalization of their partnership as they expand their efforts to enhance the commercialization of Canadian life science innovations through specialized training programming for scientists.

Although SCN and OBIO® have been close collaborators for many years, including for OBIO’s® annual Investment Summit each February, the formalization of this partnership will allow the two organizations to offer the following:

• A Health Science Industry Training Course through OBIO’s popular Health to Business Bridge Program (H2BB™). This 27-hour course will arm trainees with the skills and knowledge to commercialize a therapeutic product or work in the health science industry. 

• A half-day industry symposium at SCN’s Till & McCulloch Meetings this October in Toronto. This symposium will feature several industry and investment experts and heads of Canadian regenerative medicine and biotech companies who will share with attendees what it takes to start and grow a successful company in Canada.

• A brand-new Scientific Founders Program. This program will take the form of an intense one-week bootcamp aimed at new scientific founders or those who are considering creating a biotech start-up in Canada.

“The bottom line is that we need to create a ‘sticky environment’ here in Canada, where our researchers not only have the chance to innovate, but also have the opportunity to commercialize their research,” said Cate Murray, President and CEO of SCN. “OBIO® has a mandate to further the commercialization of life science innovations, and SCN’s mission is to advance research and train the next generation of scientists. This partnership with OBIO® will help to cement a full and complete pipeline from innovation to commercialization and ultimately build a stronger regenerative medicine sector within Canada.” 

“OBIO® is thrilled to strengthen our relationship with Stem Cell Network,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “Canada is already a leader in regenerative medicine, largely due to the efforts of SCN. Canadian researchers have attracted significant funding and their efforts in training have produced a highly skilled talent pool. The combination of these two elements has resulted in substantial innovation in the regenerative medicine space. However, the path to commercializing innovative cell therapies is long and arduous and requires more than technical expertise. OBIO’s® workforce development programs provide a bridge from the technical training of SCN to the commercial requirements of the life sciences industry. Through our partnership with SCN, together we will fill a critical talent gap that will ensure early-stage regenerative medicine innovations are successfully commercialized in Canada.”

For more details, please contact:

Samantha Rae Ayoub
Vice President, Communications & Knowledge Mobilization
srae@stemcellnetwork.ca

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
dorianerey@obio.ca

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Le RCS et l’OBIO® s’associent pour soutenir la commercialisation des innovations en sciences de la vie en offrant un programme spécialisé de formation aux scientifiques

Le 16 mai 2023 (Ottawa/Toronto) – Le Réseau de cellules souches (RCS) et l’Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) sont aujourd’hui heureux d’annoncer leur décision d’officialiser leur partenariat. Cette mesure vise à élargir les efforts qu’ils déploient pour soutenir la commercialisation des innovations canadiennes en sciences de la vie en proposant un programme spécialisé de formation aux scientifiques.

Bien que le RCS et l’OBIO® collaborent étroitement entre eux depuis plusieurs années, y compris pour le Sommet de l’investissement tenu chaque année par l’OBIO® en février, l’officialisation de ce partenariat permettra aux deux organisations d’offrir ce qui suit :

• Une formation sur l’industrie des sciences de la santé dans le cadre du populaire programme de transition Health to Business Bridge (H2BB™) de l’OBIO®. Ce cours d’une durée de 27 heures permettra aux stagiaires d’acquérir les compétences et les connaissances nécessaires pour commercialiser un produit thérapeutique ou travailler dans l’industrie des sciences de la santé. 

• Un symposium industriel d’une demi-journée dans le cadre des réunions Till & McCulloch du RCS, en octobre, à Toronto. Ce symposium réunira plusieurs spécialistes de l’industrie et de l’investissement ainsi que des dirigeants d’entreprises canadiennes de médecine régénératrice et de biotechnologie, qui expliqueront de manière détaillée aux participants ce qu’il faut pour lancer et faire prospérer une entreprise au Canada.

• Un tout nouvel Atelier pour les fondateurs scientifiques. Cet atelier intensif d’une semaine s’adressera aux nouveaux fondateurs scientifiques et aux personnes qui envisagent de créer une entreprise biotechnologique au Canada.

« En définitive, nous devons créer un “environnement rétentif” ici au Canada, dans lequel nos chercheurs ont non seulement la possibilité d’innover, mais aussi de commercialiser leurs recherches », a déclaré Cate Murray, présidente-directrice générale du RCS. « l’OBIO® a pour mandat de favoriser la commercialisation des innovations en sciences de la vie et la mission du RCS est de faire avancer la recherche et de former la prochaine génération de scientifiques. Ce partenariat avec l’OBIO® contribuera à consolider l’ensemble de la filière de recherche, depuis l’innovation jusqu’à la commercialisation et ainsi à renforcer le secteur canadien de la médecine régénératrice. » 

« L’OBIO® est ravie de resserrer ses liens avec le Réseau de cellules souches », a déclaré Maura Campbell, présidente-directrice générale de l’OBIO®. « Le Canada est déjà un chef de file de la médecine régénératrice, en grande partie grâce au RCS. Les chercheurs canadiens ont attiré des investissements substantiels et leurs efforts de formation ont produit un bassin de talents hautement qualifiés. La combinaison de ces deux éléments a donné lieu à plusieurs innovations dans le secteur de la médecine régénératrice. Cependant, le chemin vers la commercialisation des thérapies cellulaires novatrices est long et ardu et exige plus qu’une simple expertise technique. Les programmes de perfectionnement de la main-d’œuvre de l’OBIO® font le pont entre la formation technique du RCS et les exigences de commercialisation de l’industrie des sciences de la vie. Grâce à notre partenariat avec le RCS, nous comblerons ensemble une lacune importante sur le plan du talent et aiderons à faire avancer les innovations embryonnaires dans le domaine de la médecine régénératrice au Canada au stade de la commercialisation. »

Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez communiquer avec :

Samantha Rae Ayoub
Vice-présidente aux communications et à la mobilisation des connaissances
srae@stemcellnetwork.ca

Doriane Rey
Responsable du marketing et des événements
dorianerey@obio.ca

Toch Sleepsense technology enables retirement home staff to monitor overnight bed-exits for seniors with real-time alerts

Sensor technology piloted in retirement home can improve health and safety of residents, study finds

May 2, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – Many seniors struggle with insomnia or may be living with dementia – conditions that can put them at increased risk of injury from nighttime wandering and falls. Nevertheless, overnight staff at care homes are faced with the challenge of providing direct and continuous monitoring of all at-risk residents. With funding and advisory support from OBIO®, through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), researchers at Bruyère partnered with Tochtech Technologies to evaluate the Toch Sleepsense, an award-winning bed alarm system’s ability to monitor nocturnal activity in real-time.

Toch Sleepsense is a non-contact sleep monitoring device, easily placed under the foot of a bed that is uniquely designed to detect when a person exits the bed. The system can provide “out-of-bed” alerts to care teams, helping them respond quickly to residents who may be at risk of falling or wandering, and generates high-level reports on sleep quality, helping health care providers better support a resident’s care.

Over the course of a five-month pilot, AGE-WELL SAM3 National Innovation Hub researchers validated the technology’s accuracy in an objective laboratory setting at Carleton University with multiple bed styles and sensor placements. The evaluation was also conducted, in a real-world environment, located at The Courtyards on Eagleson, a seniors’ retirement community for people living with dementia that is owned and operated by All Seniors Care Living Centres.

The evaluation found that Sleepsense was successful in monitoring high-risk residents getting out of bed and wandering at nighttime by effectively alerting staff, which reduces the need for hourly checks on all residents’ rooms.

“Staff members felt the technology supported their work enabling them ultimately to provide better care for their residents,” said Dr. Frank Knoefel, Senior Investigator at the Bruyère Research Institute and consultant at Courtyards. “Not only can this technology support resident safety, we saw real examples of it supporting resident health when a family noticed their loved one was tired during daytime visits. Thanks to the available data on sleep cycles that the sensors also capture, we were able to recommend medication adjustments and monitor changes to the resident’s sleep pattern. One family was really happy to see objective evidence of sleep improvement in real time.”

Between validated testing in a controlled and home care environment, outcomes show the valuable impact the Sleepsense technology can have for long-term care and retirement homes. With the assessment resulting in a positive determination of value, OBIO’s EAHN™ program will now provide follow-on funding and advisory support to EAHN™ members to plan and implement the procurement of Sleepsense in accordance with provincial procurement guidelines.

“The evaluation demonstrates that this innovative, made-in-Canada solution will help to improve the care and safety of residents in long-term care settings who frequently get out of bed and wander­­­ at night, said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “OBIO® welcomes any opportunity to bring commercial-ready technologies that have a positive impact on patient care to the healthcare system.”

“We are pleased that our partnership with Bruyère can help continue improving the care journey of the aging population,” said Jessica Yang, CEO, Tochtech Technologies. “The EAHN™ program provides critical exposure for this innovative technology across the Ontario health care sector.”

About Tochtech Technologies

Founded in 2014, Tochtech Technologies is a digital healthcare company whose mission is to build smart, cost-effective senior care solutions solutions that offer caregivers peace-of-mind while enabling seniors to live healthier and safer lives. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Tochtech’s philosophy centres around the use of technology to eliminate the risk and sense of disconnect for seniors, especially those living independently. Tochtech has developed first in-class solutions in the areas of stove safety, voice integrated personal aides and a risk predictive smart care platform. Using voice integration, AI and proprietary algorithms, these products enable caregivers to provide proactive, personalized care to extend older adults’ ability to live a healthy and longer life.  Visit Tochtech Technologies for more information.

About Bruyère

Bruyère is an academic health care organization training the next generation of health care leaders and using research and industry partnerships to improve care. Bruyère plays a unique role in the region’s health care system providing specialized hospital care, primary care, long-term care, and assisted and independent living for older adults while the Bruyère Research Institute focuses on finding the next generation of care for aging Canadians and vulnerable populations. To learn more about Bruyère, visit www.bruyere.org.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

For more information:

Jessica Yang, CEO & Co-founder, TochTech Technologies

Blake Daly, Project Manager, Health Innovation Bruyère Research Institute

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Nailing it: Innovative project treats toenail fungal infections easily and effectively for seniors

April 11, 2023 (Windsor, ON) – Like skin, toenails dry out as we age. This can result in cracks in the nail, providing a breeding ground for a fungal nail infection. This is a concern for seniors because it spreads easily, becomes more difficult to treat and can be quite painful. With support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), the Banwell Gardens Care Centre is working with ToeFX Inc. to evaluate ClearToe Therapy Light, a safe and effective solution for the treatment of onychomycosis (toenail fungus). 

Authorized for sale by Health Canada as a Class II Medical Device by Health Canada, ToeFx’s ClearToe Therapy Light is a user-friendly, lightweight and portable unit that can fit easily into any space.  Safe and effective, this clinically proven treatment for toenail fungus can treat an entire foot in just 30 minutes. 

“Banwell Gardens Care Centre is excited by the opportunity to participate in an evaluation of this innovative new treatment,” said Sara Fox, Executive Director.  “Healthy feet are the bedrock for seniors’ mobility, which is integral to an improved quality of life.” 

“We are so grateful to the EAHN™ program for supporting an evaluation which we are confident will demonstrate how our product can bring safe and accessible treatment to those who need it cost effectively,” said Monika Yazdanian, CEO of ToeFx Inc.  “We are confident that the results of the evaluation will lead to better integration of this easy-to-deliver therapy across institutional settings.” 

“OBIO® is pleased to support this collaboration through the EAHN™ program, the first in a long-term care facility”, said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO.  “While Banwell Gardens Care Centre and ToeFx Inc. are evaluating a made-in Canada therapy that meets a real clinical need, they are also laying the groundwork for future EAHN™ partnerships in the long-term care sector.” 

About ToeFx 

ToeFX is driven by innovation. Created by scientists, our vision is to create the world’s most effective foot care treatments. We understand that toenail fungus can be embarrassing, hard to treat, and hard to talk about. We want to help the millions of people hiding their feet to “show off their toenails” with confidence. Our commitment to our partner clinicians and their patients is to provide innovative, high-quality products that really work.  Visit ToeFx Inc. for more information. 

About Banwell Gardens Care Centre 

With 142 long-term care residents, Banwell Gardens Care Centre maintains a warm, inviting atmosphere in the neighbourhood of Tecumseh. We pride ourselves on providing outstanding, compassionate care to our residents and paying close attention to their individual needs. We are pleased to offer French Language Services and strive to meet the needs of our bilingual community. Well-established programs such as pet and music therapy, restorative care and physiotherapy enhance residents physically, mentally and emotionally. Our landscaped courtyard features seating and a walking path for exercise and the enjoyment of all.  Visit Banwell Gardens Care Centre for more information. 

About OBIO® 

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information. 

For more information:  

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO® 

Monika Yazdanian, CEO, ToeFX Inc.  

Sara Fox, Executive Director, Banwell Gardens Care Centre 

OBIO® and Communitech® partner to facilitate adoption of made-in-Canada healthcare solutions

March 30, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – OBIO® and Communitech have partnered together to further their shared commitment of advancing Canadian healthcare technologies.

Committed to supporting Canadian healthcare technology from validation to commercialization, OBIO® is supporting this partnership through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), which matches companies with healthcare organizations to evaluate solutions and facilitate broader adoption across healthcare systems. OBIO’s national network has more than 50 healthcare organizations and health systems that are ready to adopt Canadian-made innovative technologies to advance patient care.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with Communitech,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “We share a common purpose in advancing Canadian-made healthcare technology solutions. The EAHN™ and Future of Health programs complement each other and provide Canadian tech companies with an ideal opportunity to leverage the networks and expertise of both organizations.”

This partnership is supported at Communitech through its Future of Health Program, a collaborative focused on building connections across the healthcare ecosystem while identifying innovative solutions to shared healthcare delivery challenges. Communitech®, in collaboration with OBIO®, will continue to identify Canadian tech firms with scalable innovations to help overcome the biggest hurdles facing today’s healthcare systems.

“Communitech is committed to helping our healthcare systems– from hospitals to primary and long-term care facilities– access the much-needed support of made-in-Canada innovation,” said Chris Albinson, CEO and President of Communitech. “This partnership complements our mission and values while giving five startups engaged in our Future of Health program crucial assistance in taking their solutions from validation to commercialization.”

Through this partnership, up to five Canadian technology startups selected in partnership with Communitech’s Future of Health Program team will receive up to $100,000 through the EAHN™ program to facilitate a technology evaluation in a clinical setting. NextUp Care, FluidAI and Voyce are the first three companies to benefit from the partnership by being paired with members of EAHN™.

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About OBIO®
OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

About Communitech®

Established in 1997 in Waterloo Region, Communitech was built by tech founders who saw the need for a community of support to help ensure the future prosperity of Canada. Today, Communitech is Canada’s leading innovation hub, supporting a community of more than 1,200 founders by providing accelerated opportunities to access talent, capital and sales.

As Canada’s tech supercharger, Communitech helps founders start, grow and succeed by:

• Hiring and retaining the smartest, brightest and most experienced people

• Accessing growth financing at every stage

• Selling to the biggest customers at home and around the world

• Connecting the right people at the right time – peers who have been there before, coaches who can guide them through the difficult spots and partners from all over Canada

For more information, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Danielle Braun Carlin, Program Manager, Ecosystem Collaboration, Future of Health, Communitech

OBIO® enables Alberta Health Services to partner with Trexo Robotics to evaluate Robotic Walking Device for Children’s Rehabilitation

April 4, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – In North America, 250,000 children are unable to walk due to central nervous system injuries or neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy.  With support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Ontario-based Trexo Robotics and Alberta Health Services (AHS) are embarking on a study to evaluate the Trexo Plus pediatric robotic gait training system. This system is meant to enable children with difficulties in moving to experience walking and improve balance.

Led by Dr. Elizabeth Condliffe at the University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital, this study will evaluate the clinical feasibility and utility of the Trexo Plus healthtech device in the rehabilitation of pediatric patients with difficulty walking. The study will develop workflows for offering this innovative approach to rehabilitation including perspectives both patients and therapists, impacts on patients’ mobility, and whether patient and caregiver goals are met. We are dedicated to finding ways to help our patients including children with difficulty walking optimize their health and unlock their potential.

“OBIO® is delighted to support this EAHN™-funded evaluation between AHS and Trexo Robotics, which will help improve the quality of life for children with disabilities or injury”, said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “This project shows how EAHN™ supports inter-provincial collaborations that accelerate broader market adoption for Canadian-made healthcare technologies.” Increasing innovative health technologies in our provincial systems ensures the highest quality of care to patients, allowing doctors and therapists to deliver the best possible outcomes.

Trexo Robotics was co-founded by Manmeet Maggu and Rahul Udasi in Ontario. “There was nothing out there for kids to use at home, and everyone wants to see their kids walk. We decided we would build it”, said Maggu. Children with various disabilities that impact their mobility can benefit from getting upright and walking in the Trexo Home, the first at-home robotic pediatric gait trainer. Trexo has seen adoption of its Trexo Plus primarily in private clinics, in the U.S., Canada and internationally. “We are eager to complete the study and see our reach increase in provincial hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation facilities”, added Maggu.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

About Trexo Robotics

The Trexo device is the first wearable robotic device designed to help children with disabilities experience walking in a stable and independent way. It works by converting a passive walker into a fully powered robotic device that is completely mobile, stable, and capable of delivering consistent and reliable gait training. The approach to co-creating their devices with children, parents and physiotherapists, is deeply ingrained in the way Trexo Robotics think of solutions. At the end of the day, their goal is to create technologies that physical therapists trust, parents can afford and children love.

Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®
Manmeet Magu, CEO, Trexo Robotics

Innovative Digital Device Supports Health Care Workers’ Mental Health

March 30, 2022 (Ottawa, ON) – Health care worker burnout, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has health care workers feeling increased levels of stress, worry and anxiety. Providing support to enhance health care worker resiliency and mental wellness is the rationale behind a partnership facilitated by OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), giving Bruyère the opportunity to introduce Neurovine’s mental wellness solutions, a hospital-wide mental wellness event.

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The mental wellness event invited employees to check their mental wellness through confidential and validated mental health survey tools and review the available resources and supports at Bruyère. Upon completion of a mental health assessment, employees were offered access to the Neurovine mental wellness platform, including the personalized Neurovine mobile application, an EEG Sensorband, and curated mental wellness content on stress management, nutrition, meditation, and exercise.

“Frontline workers are the backbone of our health care system, continuing to deliver care as we have navigated the incredible stress of the pandemic,” said Blake Daly, Manager, Health Innovation, Bruyère. “We welcome the opportunity to support the mental wellness of our teams and were happy to see 10% of staff participate in this mental health check-in.”

The partnership is a unique opportunity to establish a bird’s eye view of the current state of employee mental health. De-identified and anonymized survey scores are analyzed, helping to give a broad picture of how staff are doing based on those who participated in the survey. Neurovine’s analytics can then be used to see the impact of wellness initiatives and resources, including those provided through the Neurovine application, in subsequent pulse checks.

“Neurovine is pleased to work with Bruyère in its efforts to support the mental health of their hospital staff,” said Ashleigh Kennedy, CEO & Co-Founder, Neurovine. “The ability to assess the effectiveness of the Neurovine mobile application lines of health care will facilitate broader adoption across the delivery system, ultimately helping more health care workers reach their full potential for health and well-being.”

“OBIO® is committed to supporting innovations that increase access to mental health care for health care workers, who shoulder the additional burden the pandemic has placed on the health system,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “Innovations that support health care workers are ultimately an investment in the health care delivery system itself.”

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About Bruyère

Bruyère is an academic health care organization training the next generation of health care leaders and using research and industry partnerships to improve care. Bruyère plays a unique role in the region’s health care system providing specialized hospital care, primary care, long-term care, and assisted and independent living for older adults while the Bruyère Research Institute focuses on finding the next generation of care for aging Canadians and vulnerable populations. To learn more about Bruyère, visit www.bruyere.org.

About Neurovine

Neurovine makes brain health visible and actionable through wearable technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Neurovine uses portable EEG technology to read brain activity and send real-time reporting to concussion patients' mobile devices, allowing doctors to track improvement, identify triggers, and prescribe treatment, empowering patients to take control of their recovery. Visit Neurovine for more information.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

 For more information:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Jasmine Rooke, Manager, Research Communications, Bruyère

Dr. Ashleigh Kennedy, CEO & Co-Founder, Neurovine

Eligible patients currently receiving or seeking chronic pain treatment at select clinics in Alberta will receive access to the Manage My Pain app as part of their treatment plan

March 27, 2023 (Edmonton, AB) – ManagingLife is proud to announce its collaboration with Alberta Health Services (AHS), with funding from the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), to support patients living with chronic pain across Edmonton and Calgary.

Manage My Pain, the app developed by ManagingLife, has been shown to improve the outcomes of people living with chronic pain and will be offered to patients referred to participating chronic pain clinics in both cities as part of an evaluation of the app.

Manage My Pain helps patients track their symptoms, learn self-management techniques, and communicate with their care team during clinical visits. With over 20% of Albertans living with chronic pain, this app aims to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of those affected.

A feasibility study last year yielded positive feedback from both patients and clinicians. As a result, AHS is further evaluating ManagingLife’s digital solution with a focus on health outcomes and health resource utilization.

With support from OBIO® through the EAHN™ program, AHS will evaluate Manage My Pain’s uptake and satisfaction by both patients and clinicians. Its impact will also be assessed on clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization.

Due to the high demand for the multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment clinics located in Calgary and Edmonton, patients often face long waiting times from their referral to their initial visit to a pain clinic. AHS sees digital innovation as a key component to supporting patients while they wait to be seen by the clinics as well as when they are being treated.

“OBIO® is excited to support this EAHN-funded evaluation between AHS and ManagingLife, because of the impact that innovation can have in addressing the treatment and management of chronic pain patients across Canada,“ said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “This project is an example of how EAHN™ can facilitate adoption of innovative technologies across Canada to help Canadian companies establish markets domestically.”

ManagingLife’s solution, Manage My Pain, is clinically validated to improve the outcomes of people living with chronic pain. Manage My Pain allows patients to track and analyze their symptoms while providing educational content based on best practices in pain psychology about how pain works and strategies to help manage it. Reports created by the solution facilitate improved communication between patients and doctors to support treatment decisions.

About ManagingLife
ManagingLife is a privately held Corporation based in Toronto, Canada that has developed a digital solution for pain management that combines patient self-management, remote monitoring and analytics to help chronic pain sufferers and practitioners learn more about their condition and better communicate with each other. With its award-winning app, Manage My Pain, ManagingLife works with disability carriers, health plans, pain clinics, and clinical trials to help healthcare professionals better measure and manage their patients’ pain and medications. For more information, please visit managinglife.com or contact Nadia Bashir, Media Relations.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca or contact Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®.

Bruyère Procures Innovative Patient Transfer Technology by Able Innovations

February 27, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Research at the bedside has a literal meaning with Able Innovations, a Canadian robotics company focused on patient transfer technology. Today, Bruyère has announced the procurement of Able Innovations’ ALTA Platform™, a robotic patient transfer device akin to a hospital bed, for its complex care units.

Frontline health care staff perform hundreds of lateral transfers each year, moving a patient or resident from one surface to another, when bringing them between units or appointments, to facilitate bathing, or changing bedding. Patient transfers require multiple staff members for physical support and safety, and despite being a routine task, staff risk injury to themselves and transfers can be uncomfortable for patients.

Jayiesh Singh, CEO of Able Innovations, saw the struggle first-hand. His mother worked in long-term care, and while he volunteered there, he realized how physically demanding and resource intensive lifts and transfers could be. Along with co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Philip Chang, he seized the opportunity to build change from the ground up with his idea for a robotic transfer platform that would give both staff and patients a better experience.

The work began in 2019, when Singh approached Bruce Wallace, Executive Director of the AGE-WELL SAM3 National Innovation Hub, Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University, and investigator with the Bruyère Research Institute, whose work specializes in sensors and smart technology to support aging. Their first research study, funded by AGE-WELL, looked at how their new transfer method might reduce the risk of injury and discomfort for patients, successfully finding factors that contribute to bruising, contusions, skin tears, and abrasions, were all significantly reduced compared to existing transfer methods.

“The success of this project has hinged on the continued transparent feedback we’ve had from clinical staff, patients, and researchers,” said Singh. “We had insights into the nuances of the problem very early on in the process, which has been a critical part of ensuring our designs are practical and easy to use.”

Consultations and research turned into prototype development and soon after, a full-scale platform was launched, leveraging an automated sliding platform to move a patient from bed to ALTA, and back again with the push of a button.

“AGE-WELL is proud to have funded this ground-breaking work from the very start, from research and early testing through to implementation,” said Alex Mihailidis, Scientific Director and CEO of AGE-WELL. “As Canada’s technology and aging network, AGE-WELL’s investment across the research and innovation pipeline is paying dividends in products like this one that address real-world challenges and benefit Canadians.”

Able Innovations began to pursue their commercialization journey with support from OBIO®, preparing them for early-stage fundraising, business development, and building their workforce. Through funding and advisory support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), and with additional funding through AGE-WELL’s AgeTech Implementation Response program, Able Innovations found its way back to Bruyère to be evaluated for procurement.

In the summer of 2022, the commercial-ready ALTA Platform was brought to Bruyère’s complex care units where it was compared against current transfer methods and assessed on its ability to make patient transfers effortless, less time consuming, safer, and more dignified for both staff and patients. Throughout the project, real-time feedback has allowed Able Innovations to modify and improve the device’s functionality to meet the specific needs of the hospital and patient population.

“We are excited to help accelerate the deployment and adoption of Able Innovations’ technology,” said Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “This evaluation project is a great example of how Canadian innovations can move to procurement and be adopted by Canadian healthcare organizations. It shows that there is a tangible and meaningful impact on clinical teams by reducing physical strain and wait times.”

“From the first prototype, we knew this technology could be transforming care at Bruyère,” said Paula Doering, Senior Vice President of Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals at Bruyère. “This project has shown how important collaboration across our organizations is in order to tackle the challenges our front line is facing and improve how we care for the people we serve.”

The ALTA Platform becomes a permanent part of care at Bruyère this month.

ABOUT ABLE INNOVATIONS

Able Innovations™ is a robotics company developing technology that allows front-line healthcare staff to do-more-with-less. Able’s ALTA Platform™ automates one of the most labor-intensive tasks in healthcare- patient transfers (e.g. moving a patient from bed to stretcher). Now more than ever, facilities are drawn to the value Able can provide and see ALTA as a tool to protect and help retain staff.

ABOUT AGE-WELL

AGE-WELL NCE Inc. is Canada’s Technology and Aging Network. The pan-Canadian network brings together researchers, older adults, caregivers, partner organizations and future leaders to accelerate the delivery of technology-based solutions that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians. AGE-WELL researchers are producing technologies, services, policies and practices that improve quality of life for older adults and caregivers, and generate social and economic benefits for Canada. AGE-WELL is funded through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence program.

ABOUT BRUYÈRE

Bruyère is an academic health care organization training the next generation of health care leaders and using research and industry partnerships to improve care. Bruyère plays a unique role in the region’s health care system providing specialized hospital care, primary care, long-term care, and assisted and independent living for older adults while the Bruyère Research Institute focuses on finding the next generation of care for aging Canadians and vulnerable populations. To learn more about Bruyère, visit www.bruyere.org.

ABOUT OBIO®

Founded in 2009, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

Hamilton Health Sciences and Voyce Canada to evaluate video remote medical interpretation services

February 23, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – As language barriers in healthcare settings persist, OBIO®, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is funding the evaluation and adoption of innovative technologies in Canada’s healthcare systems through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). Through the EAHN™ program, OBIO® has facilitated a partnership between Hamilton Health Sciences and Voyce Canada, a Toronto-based technology driven company offering a simple and seamless language interpretation solution, to evaluate Voyce’s medical interpretation platform. 

“Voyce’s on-demand interpretation services caught the attention of EAHN™ because of its potential to decrease medical errors and enhance the patient care experience. EAHN™ facilitated an evaluation of the Voyce platform with Hamilton Health Sciences to put the technology through its paces in a real-world setting.” – Dr. Maura Campbell, CEO, OBIO®. 

Voyce Canada provides language interpretation services in over 240 languages and dialects, including American Sign Language (ASL), to hospitals and healthcare systems. By connecting users with a medically-trained and certified interpreter in often less than 20 seconds, patients can receive PHIPA-compliant care in their own language, allowing staff to communicate more effectively with patients, ultimately reducing the time to deliver care. 

“Linguistic diversity can impact access to care during health care encounters and preventative health services. By partnering with Voyce, we hope to address these language barriers and provide health care equity to our community.” – Ted Scott, Chief Innovation Officer, Hamilton Health Sciences 

A successful evaluation will demonstrate Voyce’s value in emergency departments, inpatient and ambulatory/outpatient settings and help address any adoption barriers to allow for full implementation across healthcare organizations.  

“Language and cultural barriers are one of the many concerns for providing accessible and equitable care around the world. In their most vulnerable moments, Voyce provides a comfortable platform for patients to communicate with their providers, leading to improved care outcomes.” – Andrew Royce, CEO. 

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Voyce Canada   

Voyce is a technology driven company deeply committed to helping people in need that are facing language barriers, enabling them to easily and quickly communicate and get help. Voyce’s professional and qualified language interpreters provide interpretation across a variety of technology and telehealth platforms in 240 languages and dialects, including American Sign Language. Across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and globally, Voyce supports thousands of sessions a day, providing language assistance to those in need. Learn more at voyceglobal.com and follow Voyce on LinkedIn. 

About Hamilton Health Sciences 

Hamilton Health Sciences is a community of 15,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers that proudly serves southwestern Ontario residents. It is the only hospital in Ontario that cares for all ages, from pre-birth to end-of-life and offers world-leading expertise in many areas, including cardiac and stroke care, cancer care, palliative care and pediatrics. Hamilton Health Sciences is also a world-renowned hospital for healthcare research and has a daily focus on improving the quality of care for patients through innovation and evidence-based practices. 

Contacts 

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact: Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

For more information about Voyce Canada, please contact: Ryan Wagner, Voyce 

For more information about Hamilton Health Sciences, please contact: Wendy Stewart, Communications Advisor, Hamilton Health Sciences

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OBIO® Introduces Virtual Fall Prevention Rehab Program to the Home & Community Care Sector

February 22, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – Canada’s aging population combined with the desire to keep people in their homes for as long as possible presents an opportunity to expand virtual care across a broader range of healthcare services. With support from OBIO® through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Phyxable is partnering with Right at Home Canada to introduce AgeWell, which is an exercise program delivered through Phyxable’s virtual rehabilitation platform that is designed to prevent falls.

Phyxable’s AgeWell platform combines one-on-one virtual rehabilitation with self-guided home exercise programs, enabling practitioners to customize the programs for patients. The AgeWell program enables patients to more easily engage with the content and better fulfill their rehabilitation goals. The EAHN™ evaluation will examine the accessibility of the service and its ability to improve health outcomes while easing the burden on healthcare systems.

“Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults,” said Dani DePetrillo, COO at Right at Home Canada. “The AgeWell exercise program provides Right at Home clients with one more tool to help them successfully and safely age in place through guided strength-building exercises.”

“AgeWell helps make it possible for prevention to start at home,” said Jim Feng, Phyxable’s CEO and Co-Founder. “We believe that a customized exercise plan delivered in the home encourages an active lifestyle and builds confidence, resulting in fewer falls and fewer doctor visits, which is a win-win for both the patient and the system.”

“Home and community care services are an integral, yet often overlooked component of the healthcare delivery system,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “Through the EAHN™ program, OBIO® is pleased to support Right at Home and Phyxable in evaluating this unique rehabilitation service, which also represents OBIO’s inaugural expansion into the home and community care sector.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Right at Home Canada

Right at Home is one of the largest providers of in-home supportive care services, staffing and employer solutions, globally. With over 600 Care Offices in 8 countries around the world, and 55 offices in Canada, they are a trusted resource for tens of thousands of families, clients, residential living organizations, employers and government agencies in the delivery of a wide variety of highly personalized, quality supportive care services to individuals and residents in their home, wherever home is to them. Their in-home care and staffing solution services assist clients and residents with a full range of professional care services supporting a wide range of physical, health and cognitive challenges.

Right at Home is an international brand with a 30-year history of providing professional care services. Of that time, they have been supporting Canadian families under the Right at Home Canada brand for the past 10 years, growing to 55 offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI.

About Phyxable

Phyxable is an innovative online solution for post-operative and care at home patients, which includes physiotherapy, chiropractic and occupational therapy through an end-to-end virtual rehabilitation platform. Phyxable provides a hybrid model of care that integrates one-on-one practitioner tele-rehabilitation and self-guided home-based programs that enhance the clinical experience. Visit Phyxable for more information.

For more information: 

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Rica Esguerra, National Director of Community Engagement, Right at Home Canada

Jim Feng, CEO and Co-Founder, Phyxable

Canadian Health Science Innovations Attract Global Investment at the Sixth OBIO® Investment Summit

Toronto, ON – February 14, 2023 – Global investors and strategic pharma licensing teams met with some of Canada’s most promising early-stage health science company leaders and our top research institutions at the OBIO® Investment Summit from February 8-10, 2023. The sixth edition of the annual Summit, held at First Canadian Place in Toronto, showcased Canada’s early-stage life science industry to the global investment community.

“The Summit brings together Canada’s most promising early-stage life science companies to share their state-of-the-art innovative technologies with global investors, showcasing the strength of our industry and the opportunity for investment across Canada,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO® President and CEO. “The Summit continues to build on the success of the Canadian ecosystem, and we are proud of our efforts to help companies anchor in Canada and develop their innovative technologies at home.”

The OBIO® Investment Summit attracts investment to Canada and Ontario, and since 2018, Canadian companies that presented at the Summit have raised more than CAD $1.3 B. “Each year we build on our past success,” added Dr. Campbell. “The 2023 Summit featured our first-ever Pharma Licensing Forum, where 9 global pharmaceutical companies met with Canadian biotechnology companies looking to out-license their technologies and develop research collaborations.”

OBIO® has received support from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) to assist with various programs including the, CAAP®, EAHN™ and WiHI. “Providing better health care for Canadians means investing in the organizations that support innovators and research institutions. The work that OBIO® is doing helps grow Canadian-made health technologies and encourages participation of women in leadership roles in the health sector,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “OBIO’s Investment Summit is an important networking opportunity that is strengthening our healthcare institutions for the health and wellbeing of all Canadians.”

“Part of building Ontario is ensuring that companies, innovators and entrepreneurs have the support they need to succeed and advance next-generation technologies,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “The OBIO® Investment Summit has provided Ontario’s life sciences sector a great opportunity to showcase their world-class talent and ingenuity, and our government is proud to have supported this event. Together, we’re building Ontario and ensuring that our province remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation and a global leader in life sciences.”

The OBIO® Investment Summit’s success, and that of the entire industry, can only be achieved with the support of a strong, collaborative ecosystem. These include Canada’s pre-eminent research and post-secondary academic institutions, technology incubators and accelerators, entrepreneurs, start-ups, healthcare organizations and multinationals, all of whom are working together to develop the industry and pursue every opportunity for growth.

"Having a strong ecosystem to help new companies accelerate commercialization of their innovations is important to attracting investment to the Canadian life science industry,” says Anne Woods, Managing Director of Life Sciences and Healthcare at Silicon Valley Bank in Toronto. “Investors and licensing professionals rely on the Canadian ecosystem to support health science businesses to develop their intellectual property and scale domestically.”

“We were delighted to present at the OBIO® Investment Summit,” says Dr. Wendy Naimark, Chief Technology Officer, Ripple Therapeutics, a clinical stage ophthalmic therapeutics company focused on sustained drug delivery without the use of polymers or excipients. “OBIO® gave us the skills we needed to present our novel therapeutics and the right forum to foster relationships with investors outside of our network.”

OBIO® looks forward to collaborating with our ecosystem partners to develop the life science industry and foster investment in Canada through future summits.

About OBIO®

The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About FedDev Ontario

For 13 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Revolutionary surgery closure device evaluated at Alberta Health Services

February 6, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Research shows that almost 1 in 5 open abdomen procedures in the US are left intentionally open for further treatment and later closed. However, a staggering 38% of these “fail to close”. This results in additional visits to the operating room (OR) for sequential closure. The risks of infection, prolonged time on a ventilator, loss of domain, increased attendant time, increased OR time, and even mortality resulting from these additional visits add a costly burden to the healthcare system.

With support from OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Alberta Health Services (AHS) is working with Ontario-based InventoRR MD to evaluate AbClo, InventoRR MD’s innovative flagship device for closing an open abdominal incision without surgery. By offering a non-invasive method of closing an incision at the patient’s bedside, AbClo improves patient safety and experience, while freeing up OR staff for other procedures.

AbClo works like a corset, supporting and stabilizing the abdominal wall to prevent damage and restore the equilibrium of the muscles in the torso. It can be applied in the ICU where it is sequentially tightened at the bedside so that the edges of the abdominal wall can meet in the middle for reattachment. While prescribed by a physician, it can be applied and monitored by other authorized healthcare providers, such as nurses.

InventoRR MD CEO Chris Bass notes, “AbClo was developed to improve patient outcomes and make the post-surgical process easier for medical teams.  We appreciate the opportunity EAHN™ has given us to work with the AHS on this evaluation, and the potential to expand our footprint in Alberta.”

“OBIO® is pleased to support this EAHN™ evaluation, the first with Alberta Health Services,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®.  “The collaboration provides InventoRR MD with the real-world setting to test its technology and help encourage broader adoption of AbClo in Alberta, and utlimately across the Canadian healthcare system.”

About InventoRR MD

InventoRR is a medical device company bringing market innovations built by the clinical teams and researchers who work day in and day out to save the lives of the patients they serve.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

Contacts

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact: Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization

For more information about InventoRR MD, please contact: Chriss Bass, CEO, InventoRR MD

For more information about Alberta Health Services, please contact: Daniela Robu, Director, Innovation and Business Intelligence, AHS

MEMOTEXT and CAMH Awarded Funding from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network to Trial Automated Mental Health Texting Check-in, Support & Navigation Tool

January 26, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – MEMOTEXT Corp. (www.memotext.com), North America’s leading platform for digital patient engagement co-creation has partnered with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) with help from the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to enhance adoption of a novel SMS-based interactive mental health tool. The MEMOTEXT BeWell program is a validated, just-in-time-adaptive-intervention for mental health engagement. Co-created by Dr. Gillian Strudwick and Dr. Tracie Risling on the MEMOTEXT platform, the automated intervention checks-in on users and sends relevant mental health and resilience support based on individual needs. 

OBIO® advances health technology innovation and commercialization through the (EAHN™) program, providing funding for studies to help healthcare organizations access innovations. With this funding, CAMH will offer the MEMOTEXT BeWell program to its social workers and occupational therapists.  The SMS program will share psychoeducation resources to help maintain or improve the well-being of employees for 12-week cycles. Resources include curated digital mental health tools, wellness supports, mindfulness tips as well as the promotion of eligible mental health resources.  

There is a need to provide support, relief and tools to help with stress and burnout for all healthcare workers. An organizational study completed in July 2022 stated that social workers and occupational therapists had high rates of burnout compared to other health disciplines. 50.0% of social workers and 21.3% of occupational therapists reported one or more symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and/or a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. “Through this collaboration with CAMH enabled by OBIO®, we’re demonstrating how engagement can be enhanced with the right message at the right time in the right context. We are excited to bring this to the employees of CAMH to offer support for their mental health and well-being”, says Dr. Gillian Strudwick. 

Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO’s President and CEO, noted “In the past 3 years, burnout of healthcare workers has been at an all-time high, and OBIO® is proud to support the collaboration between the MEMOTEXT BeWell program and CAMH to help improve the well-being of those who are working so hard to care for patients in need.” 

About OBIO®: OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): CAMH is Canada’s largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. 

About MEMOTEXT: Trusted since 2012, MEMOTEXT is a platform for co-creation of digital patient engagement communications and digital therapeutics. MEMOTEXT uses health data to identify risk and tailor secure, omni-channel treatment adherence, care-coordination and support communications. MEMOTEXT enables academics/clinicians and commercial partners to co-create evidence-based communications and digital therapeutics (DTx). Together, MEMOTEXT commercializes those interventions with North American provider, insurer and pharmaceutical clients on their digital engagement marketplace. 

For more information:  

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®  

Amos Adler, M.Sc., CEO, MEMOTEXT 

Kingston Health Sciences Centre ensures the beat goes on with virtual cardiac monitoring

January 24, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – An evaluation that allows for ambulatory monitoring of cardiac patients at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is receiving support for their partnership with m-Health Solutions from the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™).

m-Health Solutions’ Panorama 360 is a proprietary software platform that allows for a patient to be monitored virtually via a medical device that sends data back to a centralized facility where cardiac technologists review the information and send a report to the patient’s cardiologist.

“The m-Health Solutions system is helping us renew our technology with state-of-the-art patient-friendly monitors and analysis software,” said Dr. Michael O’Reilly, cardiologist at KHSC. “It is a critical part of our outpatient diagnostic program.”

“This initiative, made possible by the EAHN™ program, will enable us to demonstrate our longstanding expertise and ability to work together with our partners to optimize and improve workflows, while focusing on our common quest to improve patient experience. m-Health Solutions and our parent company, the ELNA Medical Group, are delighted to take part in a project that dovetails perfectly with our overarching mission to empower both patients and physicians through use of advanced and innovative technology designed to provide better continuity of care and better outcomes,” said Sandy Schwenger, CEO of m-Health Solutions.

OBIO’s President and CEO Dr. Maura Campbell notes, “The collaboration between KHSC and m-Health Solutions is a great example of what EAHN™ program was established to do – match local companies developing made-in-Canada innovative technologies with healthcare organizations to evaluate these technologies with the goal of procurement, leading to greater adoption across the Canadian healthcare system.”

About Kingston Health Sciences Centre

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is southeastern Ontario’s complex, acute and specialty care, research and teaching hospital. Consisting of the Hotel Dieu site and Kingston General site, as well as the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario and the research institute, they care for more than 500,000 patients and their families from across the region. As one of the region’s largest employers, they are home to almost 6,000 staff, more than 2,000 health-care learners and 1,000 volunteers who are committed to partnering with patients and families to ensure that they continually provide high quality, compassionate care. Fully affiliated with Queen’s University, KHSC is ranked as one of Canada’s top research hospitals.

About m-Health Solutions

An ELNA Medical Group company, m-Health Solutions specializes in remote patient monitoring and cardiac diagnostics. Using leading-edge technologies, m-Health Solutions has created a system where the patient is at the centre of care. Their easy-to-wear ambulatory ECG technologies allow patients to be fully mobile and go about their daily routine, which dramatically improves patient compliance.

Their cloud-based reporting services deliver faster results to facilitate a quicker treatment pathway. Their evidence-based offerings focus on improving the patient monitoring experience and provide better connected care, which can reduce wait time, hospitalization costs, and help end hallway health care.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

For more information:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

John Pereira, Media Relations, Kingston Health Sciences Centre

Sandy Schwenger, CEO, m-Health Solutions 

AI-enabled scheduling system is improving the patient experience in medical imaging

January 13, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Increased demand for medical imaging due to its wider adoption in the prevention, detection and treatment of medical conditions has resulted in a “hurry-up and wait” experience for many patients in the healthcare system. With support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), NextUp Care is working with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Sunnybrook) to improve medical imaging scheduling turnaround time by evaluating NextUp Care’s AI-enabled Intelligent Patient Scheduling Platform (‘Platform’).

Traditional scheduling begins with a physician referral and ends with a patient receiving imaging. However, this is often a manual, time-consuming and costly process that contributes to the turnaround time before patients get notified of their imaging appointment. NextUp Care’s Platform reinvents the process, using scheduling algorithms to automate the appointment booking process and optimize resource utilization. The Platform allows patients and/or caregivers to confirm, remind or cancel appointments via text messaging, which improves patient engagement.

“Imaging is a critical component of diagnosis and treatment,” said Henry Sinn, Director of Medical Imaging at Sunnybrook. “Reducing scheduling turnaround times through an improved and automated scheduling solution is a significant step towards ensuring that patients receive the right care at the right time.”

Wayne Li, NextUp Care’s CEO noted that “by facilitating this collaboration with Sunnybrook, EAHN™ made it possible for us to evaluate our Platform in a world-class healthcare facility. This paves the way for its wider adoption across the healthcare system, and the realization of significant operational efficiencies and improved patient satisfaction.”

“EAHN™ supports the evaluation of technologies that provide value when measured against the Quadruple Aim of Healthcare – patient experience, population health, caregiver wellbeing and cost,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “This collaborative and cost-effective evaluation to improve access to medical imaging for thousands of patients through this Platform provides a wonderful example of what EAHN™ can deliver.”

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About NextUp Care
NextUp Care is automating healthcare – one appointment at a time. Our Intelligent Patient Scheduling Platform enables healthcare providers to automate and optimize scheduling for advanced medical imaging services. The Platform can algorithmically schedule patients without manual intervention and instantly notify patients via text message. NextUp Care is committed to improving access to care in our healthcare system.

About OBIO®
OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO® for more information.

About Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is inventing the future of health care for the 1.3 million patients the hospital cares for each year through the dedication of its more than 10,000 staff and volunteers. An internationally recognized leader in research and education and a full affiliation with the University of Toronto distinguishes Sunnybrook as one of Canada’s premier academic health sciences centres. Sunnybrook specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies, critically ill newborns and adults, offering specialized rehabilitation, and treating and preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological and psychiatric disorders, orthopaedic and arthritic conditions and traumatic injuries. The hospital also has a unique and national leading program for the care of Canada’s war veterans.

Contacts

For more information, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration at OBIO®

Wayne Li, CEO at NextUp Care

Henry Sinn, Director of Medical Imaging at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Lisa Di Prospero, Director, Practice-based Research and Innovation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

The Ottawa Hospital and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre partner with Gray Oncology Solutions to tackle important operational challenges in radiation oncology

January 12, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – Gray Oncology Solutions’ novel module for radiation therapy, GrayOS, is the first of its kind to be deployed in Ontario. The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), University Health Network (UHN), and Gray Oncology Solutions Inc. (Gray), with support from OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), are evaluating GrayOS’ ability to build radiation therapy schedules that better manage patient wait times while using hospital resources most effectively.

GrayOS is an operating system for oncology that draws on operations research and artificial intelligence to automate and optimize patient scheduling within and across departments. GrayOS for radiation therapy has the potential to unlock additional hospital capacity that will help cancer centres treat more patients, with the same resources and quality of care.

“We hope that by implementing GrayOS, we will see an improvement in clinical workflow, a reduction in the amount of manual coordination required in scheduling, and evidence of cost savings,” said Dr. Richard Tsang, Interim Chair of Radiation Oncology at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

“As treatments and processes in the radiation therapy workflow become increasingly complex, we are looking forward to seeing GrayOS make care delivery simpler and more efficient for both patients and staff,” said Dr. Srinivas Raman, the physician co-leading the evaluation of GrayOS at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “The collaboration between ourselves, Gray, and OBIO® will provide an important opportunity to evaluate a novel technology with the aim of refining systems and automating processes, which is a strategic goal of our Radiation Medicine Program.”

“Innovative healthcare partnerships like this will help streamline care in the Ottawa region by optimizing how radiation therapy patients are scheduled and treated,” said Melissa Diffey, Manager of the Radiation Medicine Program at The Ottawa Hospital. “We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with Gray to continue delivering high-quality radiation treatment while contributing to the overall patient experience.”

“TOH and OBIO® have a history of collaboration in delivering high-quality and innovative solutions to address healthcare challenges,” said Dr. Alan Forster, Chief Innovation and Quality Officer at The Ottawa Hospital. “As one of our four projects with OBIO®, the partnership with Gray is an opportunity to use innovation to help elevate and streamline how we deliver care to our patients.”

“We appreciate the enthusiasm of our hospital partners and the opportunity made possible by EAHN™ to help bring our solution to Ontario,” said André Diamant, CEO of Gray.  “A successful evaluation will provide an opportunity to engage with other hospitals to help reimagine treatment scheduling for cancer patients.”

OBIO’s President and CEO, Dr. Maura Campbell, noted that EAHN™ provides a valuable opportunity for Canadian early-stage companies to partner with healthcare organizations to test their products.  “We are pleased that TOH and UHN can evaluate GrayOS with support from EAHN™ to resolve critical scheduling issues in oncology in the interest of enhancing patient care,” Dr. Campbell said.

Results from the EAHN™ evaluation are expected in the first half of 2023. Deploying GrayOS has saved the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, where GrayOS was co-developed, $250K annually and reduced administrative burdens by 80%, all while improving staff satisfaction.

For more information:

Alison Jennings, Manager (acting) Digital Innovation, The Ottawa Hospital

Mark Taylor, Director, Commercialization, University Health Network

André Diamant, CEO, Gray Oncology Solutions Inc.

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

About The Ottawa Hospital

The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex healthcare challenges. Their multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Backed by generous support from the community, they are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care they would want for their loved ones. Visit The Ottawa Hospital for more information.

About University Health Network

University Health Network consists of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, arthritis, vision, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information: www.uhn.ca

About Gray Oncology Solutions Inc.

Gray Oncology Solutions (Montréal-based start-up) has a vision of a healthcare ecosystem with no resources wasted. In pursuit of this vision, they have developed an “operating system” which simplifies cancer treatment by streamlining workflows across multiple points of cancer care (GrayOS). Operationally, this translates to the optimization & automation of patient scheduling while explicitly incorporating the complex multi-disciplinary workflow resulting in increased access to care, reduced patient wait times, increased patient/staff satisfaction and ultimately superior patient care. Visit Gray for more information.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO® for more information.