OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network advances technologies to address pressing challenges in the healthcare system

Bruyère Hospital partners with Able Innovations to advance an
innovative patient bed transfer platform with support from OBIO

TORONTO, ON – October 25, 2021 –As Canada’s healthcare system continues to be impacted by the added burden of COVID-19, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO^®), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) to provide solutions. Through the EAHN, OBIO facilitated a partnership between Bruyère, an EAHN member located in Ottawa, and Able Innovations Inc., a Canadian medical technology company, to evaluate Able’s automated patient transfer system – the ALTA Platform™.

“OBIO recognizes the urgency of addressing challenges that the healthcare system is currently facing, and the need for advancing technology evaluations to provide meaningful solutions,” says Gail Garland, President and CEO of OBIO. “The EAHN was developed to evaluate and scale cutting-edge technologies that improve patient care while providing solutions to issues in the healthcare system that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as busy hospitals, staff burnout and shortages.”

The ALTA Platform solves what is a highly labor-intensive and repetitive task for hospital staff by enabling a single operator to perform patient lateral bed transfers, which will eliminate the source of numerous injuries, while creating a more dignified care experience for patients and care providers.

“The pandemic has really impacted hospitals and the entire healthcare system, and we see that technological advancements such as the ALTA Platform can help to address some of the increasing challenges we’re facing,” says Paula Doering, Senior Vice-President, Clinical Programs, Chief Nursing Executive and Allied Health Professionals. “We are happy to partner with Able Innovations to evaluate the ALTA Platform. We believe that with this type of technology we can improve the patient experience, reduce injury for our teams, and create more time in the day for our staff to focus on other aspects of patient care.”

The successful evaluation at Bruyère Hospital of the ALTA Platform will help accelerate technology uptake in healthcare settings – that’s why OBIO is expediting an EAHN Committee to review the evaluation findings and determine the value of innovative patient bed transfer technologies for all stakeholders, as well as to advance system-wide adoption and dissemination.

“It is our mission to make care-giving sustainable through technology. In Bruyère and OBIO we have found partners that share our values,” says Jayiesh Singh, CEO of Able Innovations. “We are excited for our partnership with Bruyère hospital and OBIO to serve as a launchpad for making our technology available to providers and patients across Canada and globally at a time it is needed the most.”

For more information about OBIO’s EAHN, or if you are interested in being part of the EAHN network, please contact Dr. Jeff Aramini at jeffaramini@obio.ca.

About OBIO
OBIO^®, founded in 2009, is a not-for-profit, membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

About Able Innovations Inc.
Able Innovations Inc. is solving the painful and labor-intensive process of patient transfers by developing technology that enables effortless, hands-free, safe and dignified transfers. Their ALTA Platform™, is capable of automated transfers of supine individuals who need to be moved laterally (ex. Bed to stretcher, imaging table) in healthcare facilities.

About Bruyère Hospital
Through the people it serves, the specialized care it provides and the research it conducts, Bruyère plays a critical role in the Ottawa region’s health care system. It offers a wide range of services in the community, from hospital programs to long term and primary care, and supportive and independent living for seniors and vulnerable populations. In addition, Bruyère is transforming care through strengths in research, education, collaboration, and innovation.

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