What is e-health?
E-health is about achieving better outcomes by transforming
health systems and business practices through the investment
in and more comprehensive use of information and information
technology.
(Source: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care)
Smart
Systems for Health Agency
|
Informations & Communications Technologies (ICT)
E-Health
Industry Size and Composition | Labor
Force | Business Competitiveness |
Innovation
With 105 hospitals and medical facilities, the Greater Toronto
Area is one of North America’s largest centers for health
care. As such, the e-health sector is growing rapidly through
active collaboration between private firms and the GTA's health
sciences community.
Current collaborative partnerships include: Cisco Systems
Canada with NORTH Network; IBM with the Electronic Child Health
Network; Hewlett-Packard with the University Health Network
Tele-Health Program; Elmo with the Hospital for Sick Children
Tele-health Program.
Several public R&D projects are focused on Interactive
Digital Media applications specifically designed for health
care, particularly medical imagery and visualization applications.
The e-heath sector benefits greatly from the GTA’s
well-educated technology workforce. The region is the third
largest Information and Communications Technologies cluster
in North America with approximately 148,000 workers.
Industry Size and Composition
GTA industry segments that support the e-health sector
- Electronic tools to transform health services delivery
and management
- Infrastructure to secure electronic communication
- Information management capacity across the health sector
(Source: Ontario, Smart Systems
for Health Agency)
Information technology for performing medical acts and services
is in the foreseeable future.
| e- information
(for patients- public) e- health management (ERP) and
supplies e- medical devices |
e- monitoring
e- medical records (Electronic health records) e- prescription |
e- medicine
(medical procedures) |
Source: E&B DATA, E-Health
and e-learning in the Greater Toronto Area, March 2003.
Private sector companies are driving the GTA e-health industry
International systems operators or original equipment manufacturers,
as well as dedicated GTA-based firms are developing innovative
e-health solutions.
| Siemens Medical
Solution Tyco |
| Global Healthcare
Exchange (GHX) |
| Hewlett-Packard |
| 3M Health Information
Systems |
| Kodak |
| Elmo |
| Thomson Scientific & Healthcare
(e-information) |
| Triple G Systems Group (e-health
management and supplies) |
| Cedara (e-medical devices software) |
| MedcomSoft (e-medical records) |
Source: E&B DATA, E-Health
and e-learning in the Greater Toronto Area, March 2003.
E-Health companies in the GTA:
| ABELSoft |
Burlington |
Administrative software
for medical and dental clinics |
| AIM (Artificial
Intelligence in Medicine) |
Toronto |
Software products
focused on cancer informatics |
| AlphaGlobal IT |
Toronto |
Develops solutions
for processing medical information |
| Anzer Business Systems |
Mississauga |
Tools and services
such as hospital management systems and information solutions. |
| Baxter International |
Toronto |
Automation of the
medication management system |
| Benetech Medical
Systems |
Toronto |
Solutions for clinical
and laboratory data management |
| Cedara Software
Corporation |
Mississauga |
Software for medical
imaging |
| Clinidata |
Toronto |
Design, implement,
operate and manage customized telehealth service solutions |
| ClinSaver Software |
Richmond Hill |
Develops and implements
strategic decision support tools and expert systems |
| Courtyard Group |
Toronto |
Healthcare information
solutions |
| E Project Manager |
Mississauga |
Entice communication
and collaboration within organizations through computer
technology |
| Easy Pax |
Toronto |
Medical imaging
data warehousing and communication |
| Encom Information
Systems |
Markham |
Design and implementation
of computer information systems for the health care community |
| eSys Medical |
Toronto |
Software solutions
for healthcare organizations |
| Global Healthcare
Exchange |
Toronto |
Web-based healthcare
exchange that streamlines the procurement process for
hospitals and health networks |
| Inhealth Solutions |
Toronto |
E-solutions for
community–based healthcare providers and insurance
organizations |
| McKesson Canada |
Brampton |
Provider of supply,
information and care management products and services |
| MED e-care Healthcare
Solutions |
Toronto |
Administrative software
for health organizations |
| MedcomSoft |
Toronto |
Develops software
solutions that enable the industry to capture, manage
and exchange patient information |
| Medirex Systems |
Toronto |
Communications Improvement
Company that delivers information solutions for healthcare
by integrating people, processes and technology |
| Medisolution |
Mississauga |
Administrative software
for health organizations |
| Ophthalmic Technologies |
Toronto |
Provider of technologically
advanced, easy-to-use equipment for ophthalmology |
| Systems Xcellence |
Milton |
Provider of pharmacy
dispensing and benefits processing solutions to the pharmaceutical
benefits industry |
| ThiiNC |
Toronto |
Clinical information
services and electronic health record management services |
| York-Med Systems |
Markham |
Administrative software
for health organizations |
Source: E&B DATA, Greater
Toronto Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Industry
Profile 2004.
Government of Ontario e-health Strategy
The e-health sector in the GTA benefits from initiatives
for improving health care outcomes in the province
Source: Ontario Ministry of Health
and Long-Term Care, 2004. Notes: MOHLTC: Ministry of Health
and Long-Term Care
SSHA: Smart Systems for Health Agency is a key component of
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s (MOHLTC)
information and communications technology strategy.
Smart Systems for Health Agency is the provincial initiative
created to provide a secure, integrated, province-wide IT
infrastructure allowing instant electronic communication among
Ontario's healthcare providers.
SSHA provides infrastructure to the following e-health projects:
- Ontario Family Health Network /ePhysician Project
- Community Care Connects! (C3) Project
- Integrated Services for Children Information Systems
- Health Network System (Ontario Drug Benefit Program)
HNS
- Ontario Laboratories Information Systems
- HIV Information Infrastructure Project
- Public Health Information Systems
Strong private sector-public sector collaborations
Collaborations between private sector companies and public
initiatives are advancing deployment of innovative e-health
solutions and applications in the Greater Toronto Area.
Cisco Systems Canada/NORTH Network Partnership
Using two-way video and medical peripheral devices, NORTH
Network has facilitated more than 1,700 patient consultations
in more than 30 different medical specialties. The NORTH Network
has also facilitated more than 200 continuing health education
events in its first three years.
IBM Canada/Electronic Child Care Network Partnership
The Electronic Child Care Network uses computers to share
child health and safety information among parents, children
and health care providers.
Hewlett-Packard/University Health Network Tele-Health
Program Partnership
The University Health Network Tele-Health Program has more
than 4,000 desktop computers networked across Princess Margaret,
Toronto Western and Toronto General Hospitals, allowing hospital
staff to access patient-related information, communicate,
diagnose and review health data.
Hewlett-Packard is also a partner of Ontario’s Smart
Systems for Health Agency (SSHA). In early 2004,
HP Services announced that it completed the first stage of
a 10-year, $30-million outsourcing contract with the agency.
HP is working to create an information and communication infrastructure
that enables the secure electronic exchange of personal health
information and shared applications among Ontario’s
health care providers.
Elmo/Hospital for Sick Children Tele-health Program
Partnership
The Hospital for Sick Children Tele-health Program offers
specialist consultations, professional healthcare continuing
education, patient education and tele-monitoring to recipients
distant to the hospital via 2-way videoconferencing. The program
also offers international patient second opinion.
Market accessibility
E-health businesses can also capitalize on the GTA’s
large health care facilities. More than 100 hospitals are
likely to implement e-health initiatives at a regional level.
There are also approximately 10,700 of Ambulatory Health Care
Services – doctor’s offices and walk-in clinics
– that are potential users of e-health applications.
(Source: Toronto Economic Development).
Labor Force
A ready-skilled human resource capital
There is a steady supply of new talent thanks to
the province’s 17 universities, which turn
out more than 17,000 graduates per year in
mathematics, engineering, sciences and the health professions.
In addition, the University of Toronto and its affiliated
research institutions comprise the fourth largest medical
R&D community in North America.
(Source: The Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity,
Assessing the strength of the Toronto biopharmaceutical cluster,
September 2004).
The 148,000 strong ICT workforce grows each year as new graduates
enter the sector.
Click here for information
on ICT labor force in the GTA.
Business Competitiveness
Go to ICT industry sector for information on operating
costs in the GTA and to IDM industry sector for information
on labor costs.
Innovation
Toronto’s Discovery District is the world’s largest
urban-based Research and Development Park. It houses eight
teaching hospitals and more than 30 research centres specialized
in medical and related sciences.
The MaRS
Discovery District (Medical and Related Sciences Centre)
is dedicated to accelerating the rate of successful commercialization
of research and innovation in Canada. At the highest level,
MaRS is building a closely connected commercialization community
or marketplace that will bring together research, capital,
and industry more efficiently.
A Selection of e-Health related Public Research Centres
in the GTA
The University of Toronto is the leader in e-health R&D.
| Institution |
E-health Related
Center(s) |
| Universities |
|
| University
of Toronto |
Sunnybrook and Women’s
College Health Sciences Centre |
| |
Biomedical Communications
(BMC) |
| |
Interpretive Visualization
Group (IVIS) |
| |
Centre for Global
eHealth Innovation |
| |
Home & Community
Care Evaluation & Research Centre (HCERC) |
| |
Health Communication
Unit |
| |
Department of Biological
& Diagnostic Sciences |
| |
Institute of Biomaterials
and Biomedical Engineering |
| |
|
| Ryerson
University |
Biomedical Engineering
Research Group |
| |
|
| Colleges
and other institutions |
|
| Ontario
Centres of Excellence |
Photonics Research
Ontario (PRO) |
| Toronto
General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and Princess
Margaret Hospital |
University Health
Network |
Source: E&B DATA, Greater
Toronto Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Industry
Profile 2004.
Research Centres
Interpretive
Visualization Group
The IVIS Group at the University of Toronto has developed
two educational web sites, one for health-care professionals
and the other for health-care consumers. Both sites include
content developed under a research study entitled "Media-
Based Health Communication: Exploring The Power of Visual
Media to Promote Understanding", funded by the Bell University
Laboratories program at the University of Toronto. The web
sites to be showcased include a continuing professional development
(CPD) course in Sentinel Node Biopsy for surgical oncologists,
and a breast cancer awareness program for high-risk patients.
Centre
for Global E-health Innovation
The Program in eHealth Innovation was created in October 2000
as a joint initiative of the University Health Network (UHN).
UHN is the largest hospital grouping in Canada, consisting
of the Princess Margaret, Toronto General and Toronto Western
Hospitals, and the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine.
Researchers associated with the Centre are able to engage
in collaborative, trans-disciplinary efforts that cross both
institutional and geographic boundaries.
University Health
Network
Approximately 1,500 scientists, technical staff, students
and trainees are working together to solve fundamental and
applied research problems. They conduct research in four priority
platforms:
- Genes, Proteins and People
using molecular profiles to identify risk, determine diagnosis,
and target treatments
- Medical Technology Innovation
developing minimally-invasive, robot- assisted and image
guided therapies
- Health Informatics
integrating electronic patient records with clinical and
biological variables through computer-assisted technologies,
eHealth initiatives and system-wide information systems
- Regenerative Medicine
treatments based on replacement of genes, cells, tissues
and organs.
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