E-Health
Industry Size and Composition | Labor Force | Business Competitiveness | Innovation
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
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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