STRATCOM Health Care in Canada

The following is a review of developments affecting health care in Canada

The information is updated the first week of every month - so ... make this a regular stop in your information gathering activities.

The following information has been compiled from publicly available sources, StratCom does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or the authenticity of the information and StratCom cannot be held liable for errors.

Healthcare in Canada - July 1998

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation has recently concluded a site license contract with InfoWard, Edmonton, that will bring Clinical Integrator (CLINT) to all clinical desktops at the four sites of the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation. Speaking on the benefits of the CLINT system, Rose Dzugan of the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation said "by using CLINT, the multidisciplinary team is able to individualize patient care by integrating evidenced-based resources into all components of care delivery. CLINT resources are available at point of care in a user-friendly, timely and comprehensive manner."

Neuromedical Systems' PapNet Testing System was recently cleared by Health Canada for its use in Canada in a primary screening mode for PAP smears.

As of August 1, 1998, the Northwest GTA Corporation serving the populations of Etobicoke, Peel and Georgetown, will become Ontario's largest community hospital corporation with 627 in-patient beds, a Medical Staff of 793 physicians, over 3,000 employees and an annual operating budget of over $170 million. Not only will the Etobicoke General, Peel Memorial and Georgetown & District Memorial sites remain open as full service community hospitals, they are expected to grow to meet the needs of the half million people served by the new organization. One of the keys to the Health Service Restructuring Commission's decision to have all three sites remain open is its recognition of the growth potential in the communities served by the Northwest GTA Hospital Corporation.

The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC), Toronto, has created a new Centre for Applied Genomics builds on more than 40 years of experience in genetics and focuses on activities that will allow Canada to benefit from the biological information being generated by the Human Genome Project, the worldwide scientific effort to decode the human genome. The Centre will accelerate will concentrate its research efforts in DNA sequencing and chromosome mapping, disease gene discovery, and the emerging science of bioinformatics. The Centre will initially cost $1.2 million per year to operate and is funded by grants obtained from the Medical Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Genetics Diseases Network, as well as individual investigators and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Additional funding for the Centre will be sought from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Challenge Fund, and the Medical Research Council of Canada through its renewed genome initiative.

TheSaskatchewan government has announced an approval-in-principle for a new health facility in La Loche, Saskatchewan which will replace St. Martin's Hospital. Planning for the new facility began in 1997 and has included input from community residents, health workers and other interested stakeholders. The new La Loche health facility is the third major health project undertaken in the north recently. The La Ronge Health Centre was officially opened in 1996 and a new health facility near Stony Rapids, which will serve the Athabasca region, is in the planning stages.

SpectRx has received regulatory approval to market the BiliCheckNon-Invasive Bilirubin Analyzer in Canada. The BiliCheck hand-held, non-invasive bilirubin analyzer is designed to replace the common and painful heel stick blood test for infant jaundice. The product will be distributed by Respironics. Distributors are currently marketing the product in 35 countries in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia/Pacific.

The BiliCheck tests for bilirubin by analyzing light from the infant's forehead. BiliCal Individual Calibration Tips are used with the BiliCheck to perform automatic calibration prior to each measurement ensuring accuracy comparable to the traditional blood test.

The following is a review of developments affecting health care in Canada

Healthcare in Canada - July 1998

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Send mail to stratcom@pagebleu.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Concept and Design Blue Page Productions
Copyright © 1996-1998 STRATCOM
Last modified: July 31, 1998