OTTAWA, Ontario – A select group of complex-care patients in eastern Ontario will be cared for using new technology right in their own homes. Today, William Charnetski, the Chief Health Innovation Strategist for Ontario (OCHIS), is kicking off the deployment of aTouchAway by Aetonix Systems, in the Arnprior Region & West Ottawa (AROW) and Upper Canada (UC) Health Links.
This project is one of 15 that received funding in the first round of Ontario’s $20-million Health Technologies Fund (HTF). Administered on behalf of OCHIS by Ontario Centres of Excellence, the HTF is part of the OCHIS mandate to strengthen Ontario’s health innovation ecosystem.
“The Health Technologies Fund is already having an impact in the health system because of the collaborations it has created between health service providers, health technology innovators and patients,” says William Charnetski, Ontario’s Chief Health Innovation Strategist. “We are finding new ways to solve our greatest challenges by harnessing the power of innovation to provide better care while creating jobs in Ontario.”
The AROW and UC Health Links are partnering with both private and public organizations to deploy the innovative telehealth technology developed by Aetonix. aTouchAway is a communication platform designed for seniors and others with complex healthcare needs. It connects all of their healthcare providers and caregivers, including family members, on one secure, easy-to-use digital platform. Members of a patient’s circle of care can see, speak with, assess and support the patient directly through a tablet or smartphone application. aTouchAway provides one-touch secure video conferencing and treatment / care plan information-sharing.
In Ontario, five per cent of patients account for two-thirds of all healthcare costs.1 These are most often patients with multiple, complex conditions. There are 90 Health Links across Ontario that are providing a new service delivery model focused on coordinated care planning. Care coordinators work with each patient to develop individualized care plans. When the hospital, family doctors, community organizations, informal caregivers and others work as a team, patients receive better, more coordinated care.
“Health Links have allowed me to create, and enjoy, a new life,” notes one AROW Health Link client. “Everyone has been fantastic and I now have someone who looks after me where it’s most comfortable – my home. My care coordinator is my ambassador.”
The AROW and Upper Canada Health Links connect patients with more than 50 agencies, including hospitals, primary care teams and community service agencies.
“Enhanced connectivity will significantly improve the flexibility and capacity of our Care Coordinators. They can work with the care team to address each patient’s unique healthcare goals,” says Cholly Boland, CEO, Winchester District Memorial Hospital, which is the lead partner for the Upper Canada Health Link.
“Minister Hoskins is committed to integrated, accessible care closer to home and this is a great example of what is possible. Health Links focus on the most complex and vulnerable patients and this type of coordinated care will support them right in their own homes,” adds Eric Hanna, President & CEO of Arnprior Regional Health, which is a lead partner for the AROW Health Link.
The program is further enabled through financial and in-kind contributions by partners, including: Samsung Canada, Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., and the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI). The Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) is also leading the evaluation to see how effective the tool is at improving access to care for patients with complex needs. Total funding for the program is $1.2 million.
“Aetonix is so proud to be working with these health and technology partners to innovate in home healthcare and help Ontarians receive better care at home,” explains Michel Paquet, CEO and Founder at Aetonix. “We are offering Ontario’s Health Links a truly unique solution that will improve patient outcomes and experiences, while enabling efficiency.” Based in Ottawa, Aetonix is an Ontario-born virtual home care technology company whose mission is to revolutionize how families, healthcare professionals and caregivers connect a patient’s circle of care.
