Lisa Heath

Yesterday we hosted a webinar with over 50 pharmacy executives across US and Canada to talk about the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of pharmacy. Join us next month as we’re doing it again! Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding or explore new applications in healthcare, this session will provide you with actionable insights to optimize your organization’s AI strategy. 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: OCT 02, 2024 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: 12 - 1PM EST 𝗤&𝗔: 1 - 1:30PM EST 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Online via Zoom 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽: https://lnkd.in/gAvKgb5V 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: 🔹 Gain a deep understanding of generative AI, including its key differences from traditional AI and its historical development. 🔹 Explore technical concepts such as Large Language Models (LLMs), fine-tuning, and multimodal AI, along with their applications and challenges in healthcare. 🔹 Learn how to assess your organization's readiness for AI adoption and understand the process of building AI products, including cost considerations and vendor selection. 🔹 Understand the regulatory and ethical landscape of AI in healthcare, and strategies to build trust with clinicians and patients. 🔹 Develop a strategic, long-term vision for integrating AI into your organization. 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀: https://lnkd.in/gKhxvm9Y

70

How to tackle the challenges of appointment scheduling in infusion therapy? Interesting to see some answers in Ontario Health | Santé Ontario's recommendation report: “Optimizing ambulatory systemic treatment models of care”.  Here are the key points. I’ll add the link to the full report in the comments. #AIforCancerCare #CancerCareOps #SystemicTherapy #GrayOS

26

3 Comments

Billions of Canadian tax dollars have been spent on proprietary medical software, leading to inefficiencies and high costs in the healthcare system. This has resulted in longer wait times and difficulties in accessing medical care for many Canadians. A new study suggests that adopting free and open-source software (FOSS) could save millions and improve healthcare by eliminating redundancy and promoting interoperability across provinces. Unlike proprietary software, FOSS can be shared and improved upon by anyone, which increases innovation and reduces vendor lock-in. Implementing FOSS in Canada’s healthcare system could lead to significant cost savings and better patient care, freeing up resources for doctors, nurses, and hospital infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/e96RvHz7 How do you think the adoption of open-source software could impact the quality and accessibility of healthcare in Canada? #HealthcareInnovation #OpenSourceSoftware #MedicalTechnology #CostSavings #PatientCare

2

🗣️What does the future of healthcare need? An integrated approach. In our most recent CONNECT Communications Collaborator series video with Famida Jiwa of Osteoporosis Canada, we talked about Canada’s aging population and the needs of that cohort as they continue to age. To watch the full video, visit https://lnkd.in/gDKcZU_y #CONNECTCollaboratorSeries #BridgeMedicalCommunications #HealthcareCollaborators #OsteoporosisCanada

9

1 Comment

The size of Canada combined with the geographic distribution of health conditions make the country ideal for multi-channel healthcare (e.g., Telehealth). Despite the significant demand for healthcare broadly, those business models haven't been able to achieve exponential growth or ideal unit economics just yet -- they've certainly grown and many are profitable, but millions of Canadians still lack primary care. It's a problem that's on the cusp of being solved (e.g., AI, integrated care) and could unlock significantly more access to care for Canadians. 

19

Observations & Predictions (Top 10) Three biggest telecom giants have ceased to exist as telecom companies as they have reinvented themselves! As 2024 ends and 2025 begins - Another sign that we live in an era of software defined industries (SDI). I would go further and say it is a Software Defined World. I borrowed this term from SDV (Software Define Vehicles). This world is marked by millions and zillions of IOT devices in cars, human wearables, warehouses, energy plants, transmission systems, in house smart devices and plethora of sensors ...(the list goes on and on across every industry/vertical i can think of) everywhere around us transmitting data streams in realtime. It is a great relief that some companies like Telus are trying to transform healthcare for people (even though charging us) saving us from an excruciating dysfunctional system teetering on the edge of complete collapse. My observations & predictions going into 2025: 1) All the business domains (better phrase than "verticals") will end up re-inventing themselves. 2) This re-invention will be characterized by CX focussed value streams more than traditionally defined verticals. For example there will be convergence of new businesses that will straddle retail, CPG, supply chain all at once to bring efficiency of scale with digital first in mind. 3) These new companies will straddle digital, physical and virtual seamlessly and effortlessly. 4) All these companies will have a backbone based on a robust customer data platform designed to support - products and apps eco-system that work extremely well with each other while focussed on specialized value streams for specific segments. 5) Competitors will partner with each other while competing in core areas. The CDP platforms will create monetization mechanisms that will make these opportunities impossible to ignore. 6) Every successful company (irrespective of vertical/domain) will actually become custom software platform and product development company working intensely on 1-2 year roadmaps. The competition will be won or lost in software factories that produce, innovate and scale the quickest quarter after quarter. 7) For CIOs & CDOs choice of cloud will become increasingly less relevant as compared to cloud based service characteristics. 8) This is why AI integration into the factory will be critical. This will give businesses unprecedented speed and cut the time between strategy and GTM. The reaction time will be realtime. 9) Future COOs will be technologists with deep understanding of platform architectures, cloud and online service charging mechanisms. This is where massive efficiencies will be gained or lost for all. 10) All the big monolithic ERPs & packaged softwares will slowly become irrelevant. Just like AS-400 & S-390 mainframes; they will be everywhere but will be relevant nowhere sitting in enterprise basements with minimal focus/spending. #techblocks #transformation #SDI #SoftwareFactories

25

Where else are you going to see the best in MedTech Innovation and have a curated play list to rock out to? Well, read below and learn more!

6

Great article by Amina Zafar reflecting on how siloed patient data leads to disastrous outcomes for patients and families. Recent proposed legislation on connected care is a welcome step toward unified heath data in Canada, but realistically this will take years to implement fully, even once public policy comes onside. The fragmented nature of our healthcare data systems presents significant challenges to effective, seamless patient care. At ElderPRIME, we believe that patients shouldn’t have to wait. Our solution empowers individuals to be the central hub of their health information, enabling them to share crucial data easily with their family, caregivers, and all healthcare providers—bridging gaps between appointments and across care settings. With our PrimeHealth platform (https://lnkd.in/gJbbnheE), patients and their loved ones are empowered with a comprehensive view of their health that they can share with the click of a button, streamlining communication, enhancing care coordination, and ultimately improving outcomes. The future of connected care is within reach, and with PrimeHealth, we can start achieving it today. Let’s continue to push for progress and make patient-centered, accessible data flow a reality now. #connectedcare #digitalhealth

5

Today, 95% of physicians use electronic records for clinical documentation, up from 87% in 2021 and a dramatic rise from 39% in 2010 (pan-Canadian Trendlines Dashboard). That represents a substantive transformation, especially in family medicine, with 97% adoption of electronic records. This progress has been accompanied by gradual uptake of complementary functions like decision support and sourcing patient information such as test results. In contrast, digital tools that facilitate connected care, enabling clinicians to share patient information within the circle of care, have been slow to gain widespread adoption. According to the 2024 results, only a minority of physicians report sending referrals or clinical summaries electronically, while 73% cite system fragmentation and lack of integration as significant barriers. These disconnected systems that often require multiple logins and cumbersome workarounds limit the potential benefits of digital health.

2

1 Comment

🌟 EXCITING NEWS -- Introducing Tuktu Care Inc. "Check-In" – a beautifully simple solution to a complex problem. If you've ever worried about a loved one feeling lonely or isolated, especially those who live far away, Check-In is here to bring you peace of mind. Check-In is all about ease and empathy. It’s designed to seamlessly connect with your loved ones regularly, ensuring they feel loved, engaged, and part of your life, no matter the distance. In this service, a Tuktu care companion calls or virtually meets with your loved ones as often as you choose, engaging them in personalized conversations, understanding their needs, and analyzing any risks or issues. We then use our AI technology to analyze these interactions, providing you with detailed summaries and actionable insights to ensure their well-being. We understand it's not easy being away from those we care about. Check-In acts as your caring bridge, making sure that no matter where life takes you, the emotional bond remains strong and your loved ones are never truly alone. To get started, simply visit our app or website, set up your loved ones by sharing some information about them, and we’ll handle the rest. For just $19/month, let us help you keep the conversation going and the spirits high. Discover more about how Tuktu is redefining care and companionship for our community. It’s the simple, effective way to show you care. #tuktucare #seniorcare #lonlinesssolution #AIHealthcare #FamilyCare #AginginPlace

49

5 Comments

I've been spending a lot of time going deep into something called "integrated dispensing" in Canadian healthcare -- essentially studying how Doctors and Pharmacies are working together to drive patient outcomes and create business efficiencies within the constraints of the public system. Three things I've noticed, with a prediction at the end: 1) Agreement structure is crucial, and compliance gets overlooked a lot... lots of illegal structures out there that just haven't had their time in the sun yet. 2) Agreement structure matters significantly less than operational implementation, where results can really vary (enrollment rates have huge variance from 5%-90%) 3) Lots being left on the table-- Many doctors already work with pharmacies and vice versa, they're just unaware of the potential for operational tie-ins Prediction: There's a reason the vast majority of successful telehealth startups in the last 5 years have some sort of pharmacy tie-in. I think the rest of the industry will soon catch-up.

23

As I prepare to join you all this Tuesday, June 18, at the Pharma Brand the Age of AI, by Propeller Events and the Ontario Pharmaceutical Marketing Association Summer Party that follows, I wanted to reflect on my take on AI, given its rapid growth over the last 18 months. 1) Productivity ChatGPT has established itself as the logical evolution of the digital tools at our disposal, becoming both our personal assistant and an extension of our office tools, resulting in improved productivity. Its popularity has made it the number-one choice for many of us. We have learned how to interact with it effectively, bringing back the art of the brief (yes, what a great idea!)—context, parameters to consider, target audience, and expected results, among other things—to guide it for the best outcomes. Some of us even nickname ChatGPT, reflecting our inclination to humanize it. 2) Proprietary We have also come to understand the ethical issues surrounding AI usage, such as intellectual property protection and the risks of misuse like fraudulent use of our images or voices, or as a tool for spreading news—true or false. It is therefore crucial to understand that data quality, protection, and curation will be the cornerstone of the most effective AI systems. See my post on the topic at a recent The PMCQ event: https://lnkd.in/eqRGiAGc 3) Discerning Human beings—homo sapiens (more often a wish than a reality)—must live up to their aspirations for wisdom. In this sense, the great ancient philosophers are making a significant return to remind us of the importance of developing critical thinking, avoiding the traps of biases, and steering clear of intellectual laziness. Our hunger for knowledge and curiosity should not be satisfied with pre-digested thoughts from a machine, no matter how amazing AI can be. Jonathan Cogan, our Toc Toc Communications Toronto Business Lead and I look forward to discussing this topic with you. Photo taken today on the way from Montreal to Toronto. My name is Arnaud Lavenue and I'm a senior partner at Toc Toc Communications. I'm passionate about bringing pharmaceutical brands to life to their full potential so that they can help the patients who need them most.   Thank you for liking, sharing, commenting, or following. #AIRevolution #EthicalAI #ProductivityBoost #CriticalThinking #FutureOfWork #PharmaBrands #PharmaMarketing #MyPMCQ #TocTocCommunications

54

11 Comments

#AI is always a hot topic - Tim Murphy and Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia's insights into the topic were fascinating. Wonder what we'll talk about next? Subscribe to the "Digital Health in Canada" podcast and find out! Another episode drops at the end of the month! Katie Bryski Digital Health Canada #digitalhealth

3

I am watching, learning, taking it all in, particularly as some refer to the fast-pace of available information as 'intoxicating'. This article reinforces the need for both fascination and healthy skepticism when using AI in healthcare. It highlights how machine learning algorithms can predict a patient’s race from X-rays and CT scans, a capability beyond even highly trained radiologists. The risk is that AI models could base predictions on a patient’s race rather than the underlying cause of disease. As MIT’s Celi and Ghassemi caution, "The machines learn all sorts of things that are not true." Read more: https://lnkd.in/gscmp8zf #AI #Healthcare #MachineLearning #MedicalData #Bias #Ethics

3

1 Comment

This made my Friday! Canada is joining the U.S. and Europe in legislating access to our health data. "This Act outlines Canada's plan to enable a modern, connected care system" Zamplo is building a person-centered connected health platform that will go beyond your hospital record and allow you to own and share your whole health record—data you created and that of all providers. It's ambitious. It's crazy. This legislation is another step in the system's movement toward the future we see. #digitalhealth Zamplo Research https://lnkd.in/dWpAVc76

35

2 Comments