There are 4,200 publicly funded diagnostic tests in B.C. that result in more than 96 million tests annually needing to be analyzed and diagnosed.
Provincial laboratories are testing digital tools and technological solutions with an aim to support swifter diagnostic services, thus improving access to testing for people living with diseases, such as cancer, throughout BC.
Through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace, delivered by Innovate BC, the Province and PacifiCan announced this week that they are contributing up to $2.65 million toward new projects.
The investment and projects are part of a new testbed hosted by Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services, which is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority.
By testing critical parts of a secure end-to-end digital pathology solution, the project teams could “reshape how pathology services are delivered in B.C.,” according to an official statement.
Teams of researchers will explore the ability to securely share high-quality images across a common platform for pathologists, implementing AI-powered digital tools and a provincial cloud solution to support more rapid diagnostic services.
“Innovative digital tools have the potential to revolutionize health care and ultimately achieve better health outcomes for patients and save more lives,” comments Adrian Dix, the Province’s Minister of Health.
Through the testbeds, Dix believes potential solutions can be found, “such as the ability to share and consult on diagnoses around the province helping health-care professionals access data and analyses more quickly and reducing wait times for patients.”
Sites that will test elements of an integrated provincial system include labs in Northern Health Authority, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer’s Vancouver Centre, and St. Paul’s Hospital.
“Upon full implementation of digital pathology, patients in Northern Health will be able to access the same level of care in tumor diagnosis, both in terms of accuracy and turnaround time, as they would in a tertiary centre in the Lower Mainland,” points out Dr. Kamran Azar, medical lead of laboratory services for Northern Health.
Results from the projects, part of B.C.’s Industrial Blueprint, will be used to inform the future investment in an integrated digital pathology system, according to Harjit Sajjan, federal Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada.
“By harnessing the power of innovation and partnerships, the Integrated Marketplace is creating a dynamic environment where B.C. companies are testing and developing the technologies of tomorrow,” Sajjan stated, noting the projects “will provide solutions to challenges faced by health-care providers in B.C. and around the world, ensuring critical care for British Columbians.”
The digital pathology testbed announcement is part of investment from both the provincial and federal governments.
“The Integrated Marketplace is about scaling up technology to help B.C. companies grow and provide jobs, while providing real-world solutions to big challenges,” stated Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “These new projects have the potential to strengthen our economy and contribute to a stronger health-care system that will improve people’s lives.”
Dr. Daniel Holmes, head of department of pathology and laboratory medicine at Providence Health Care, believes the digital pathology testbed presents “a tremendous opportunity for B.C.’s medical and technical laboratory personnel to collaborate on one of the most ambitious technological initiatives we have seen our laboratory medicine careers.”
Delivered by Innovate BC, the Integrated Marketplace Initiative program has been building a network of industry partners to identify challenges and implement technological solutions that help large-scale organizations increase competitiveness and improve health and safety.
A component of the StrongerBC Economic Plan, the Marketplace kicked off in 2022 with a pilot project linking Vancouver International Airport to B.C. clean-technology companies to help electrify operations and become the world’s greenest airport.
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