WELL Health Technologies and a consortium of partners have been awarded the largest DIGITAL project to date for an ambitious project known as Health Compass II.
The publicly traded WELL Health, a Vancouver-based company focused on consolidating and modernizing clinical and digital assets within the healthcare sector, this week announced the approval of a $44M project.
“This is a monumental milestone,” says founder Hamed Shahbazi.
The project is set to receive more than $15 million in funding from DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, to support the second phase of WELL’s Health Compass project.
“DIGITAL’s continued investment in the Health Compass initiative is supporting improved health outcomes for Canadians while also supporting Canadian innovators,” posits Sue Paish, CEO of DIGITAL. “Since 2018, DIGITAL has worked to foster innovation, help Canadian companies grow and spur private sector investment in digital solutions that are making a positive difference in the lives of Canadians.”
WELL Health will serve as lead commercialization partner and first customer as the federally supported DIGITAL funds one third of all project costs over the next four years.
“We are honoured and grateful to DIGITAL,” Shahbazi said, “for their commitment to supporting healthcare innovation and responsible AI research.”
Health Compass II aims to revolutionize the healthcare industry by enhancing interoperability and leveraging AI to reduce healthcare provider burdens. The project will introduce a suite of four AI-driven modules integrated through an EMR-agnostic mobile app, designed to engage patients, automate administrative tasks, assist healthcare providers with documentation, and enhance clinical decision-making.
“At WELL, we are committed to leveraging technology to empower healthcare providers and reduce burnout by equipping them with responsible AI and other tools to assist in providing quality care and ultimately improve patient outcomes,” Shahbazi stated. “Projects like Health Compass II directly support this mission and are essential in fuelling healthcare’s digital transformation.”
Project partners include Tali AI, Phelix, and Simon Fraser University.
Tali is deploying an AI voice assistant that employs ambient sensing technology to capture medically relevant information from natural conversations (with patient consent), while Phelox is working on a back-of-house automation module dubbed “SMART Inbox” that leverages algorithms to reduce manual administrative efforts for clinics by 50%.
“Artificial intelligence presents a transformative opportunity for healthcare professionals to innovate and enhance patient experiences,” believes federal minister François-Philippe Champagne, “and Canada is at the forefront of this pivotal field.”
“From helping health professionals take notes and assist in recording their diagnoses, to streamlining administrative paperwork and facilitating the patient care experience, this innovative project is using AI to build a better future for Canadians,” added Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Currently, WELL’s healthcare solutions empower 33,000 providers across North America, including for the Vancouver Canucks.
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