Press release

peopleCare Partners with OBIO® to Assess Ontario-made AI-based Wound Management Solution in Long-Term Care Settings

November 27, 2024

November 27, 2024 (Waterloo, Ontario) – Managing skin wounds and pressure injuries can be a complex and emotionally challenging process for long-term care (LTC) residents, particularly those with limited mobility. In the most severe cases, a broad range of interdisciplinary interventions may be necessary, and, at times, escalation to the emergency department is needed for specialized, acute care.

peopleCare Communities, one of Canada’s top 50 Best Managed Companies, is partnering with Skinopathy, one of Canada’s Top 20 Early companies, with support from OBIO’s Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, to assess a new AI-based solution that can help reduce the impact of complex wounds and pressure ulcers in LTC.

Skinopathy transforms the way wound care teams assess complex wounds and pressure ulcers by allowing them to capture images with a mobile device. This cutting-edge technology provides a visual assessment and suggests possible treatment options. This solution, with an integrated telemedicine platform, allows wound care teams to connect virtually with specialists and makes wound management for LTC residents more accessible and provide better healthcare outcomes.

The goal of this evaluation is to determine whether the use of advanced digital health tools with AI can better equip wound care teams while also reducing unnecessary transfers of resident to emergency rooms.

“Supporting residents’ health proactively within their own home is essential to their well-being and offers peace of mind for residents and their families,” says Jenn Killing, Vice President of Quality, Research, and Strategic Partnerships at peopleCare. “Skinopathy’s transformative technology will empower our teams to deliver consistent, high-quality care, keeping residents healthy and supported where they feel most comfortable.”

“LTC deserves the best technology and innovation,” says Keith Loo, CEO and Co-Founder of Skinopathy. “Collaborating with visionaries like peopleCare Communities allows us to bring AI solutions directly into LTC care settings, raising the bar for quality and efficiency in wound care.”

“Supporting Ontario companies developing cutting-edge AI-driven innovations is core to our LSCTC Centre of Excellence’s mandate,” says Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption at OBIO®. “This project, in partnership with peopleCare and Skinopathy, aligns with the Ontario government’s vision to ensure LTC residents get the right care in the right place.”

peopleCare and Skinopathy’s study has the potential to set a new standard in wound assessment, providing tailored, evidence-based treatment options and improving care for LTC residents.

About Skinopathy

Skinopathy is a Canadian medical AI company that helps dermatology patients get the right treatment at the right time by arming physicians, nurses, and pharmacists with digital health tools that enable them to screen, track, and manage skin conditions more effectively. Our work is already helping doctors provide better care for more patients; helping individuals control their own health; and helping researchers, including pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries, access compliant and interoperable health data. For more information, please visit: www.skinopathy.com.

About peopleCare Communities

peopleCare is a Canadian, family owned and mission-driven leading operator of senior living communities, with strong values and a 56-year history of service. We are committed to engagement and collaboration to create vibrant communities of care that deliver meaningful experiences, clinical best practices, engaging programs and integrated services that meet the changing needs of Ontario’s older adults. peopleCare’s innovation focus and leadership has earned Accreditation Canada Exemplary Status, Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum designation, and the single largest research grant from the Ontario Centres of Excellence, which funded our award-winning Clinical Pharmacy Model, a first-of-its-kind for long-term care in Canada.

About OBIO®:

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation and implementation of new solutions using critical technologies through its Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, supported by the Government of Ontario. OBIO® is 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.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X.

Media Contacts:

Keith Loo
CEO & Co-Founder
Skinopathy
keithloo@skinopathy.com

Sheena Campbell
VP, Communications and Engagement
peopleCare
scampbell@peoplecare.ca

Doriane Rey
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca

For any additional questions, please contact us.