The OntarioMD Digital Health Conference, a gathering of the digital health community in the province of Ontario in Canada, returned in-person for the first time since the pandemic. The conference was well attended and featured notable Canadian healthcare author + journalist Andre Picard as the opening keynote.
Canada Healthcare May See Significant Benefit from AI
In his opening speech, Picard focused on the role artificial intelligence (AI) may play in Canada’s healthcare system. He made a convincing argument that Canada may see significant benefit from AI given the country’s unique access challenges.
Picard, was particularly impressed with ambient clinical voice technology. He spoke at length about recent demonstrations of automated physician documentation based on “listening” to the doctor during a patient encounter.
“This technology is not science fiction, it’s here,” said Picard. “It has the potential to eliminate all the after-hours documentation that physicians are having to do today – especially physicians in primary care.”
Anything that can reduce the burden on Canadian physicians is needed, according to Picard. Partly to prevent more physicians from leaving their Canadian practices (either to the lucrative US market or losing them from healthcare entirely due to burnout) and to ensure more Canadians have access to a physician when needed.
Picard also pointed to AI as a potential solution to optimize the usage of Canadian healthcare resources. He could see a day when AI would be deployed broadly to triage patients and direct them to the most appropriate level of care thus reducing the burden on the country’s overcrowded ERs and hospitals.
Picard’s best quote: “I can’t wait for the downfall of the clipboard industry in healthcare.”
Study Coming on where AI can be Effectively Deployed in Healthcare
To help Ontario healthcare organizations make smart investments in AI, OntarioMD is working to secure funding and partners for an in-dept study of AI. This study will look for practical ways that AI can be deployed in various healthcare settings and may include pilot implementations that will put AI theory into action.
Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer of OntarioMD, shared details of this study in an interview with Healthcare IT Today (interview coming!)
AI Prominently on Display at OntarioMD Conference
The exhibit hall at the OntarioMD Conference featured many interesting startups alongside digital health veterans. Most of the exhibitors were touting their use of AI technology.
- AI powered chatbots and patient automation was on display by Phelix
- Ambient voice for clinical documentation was being demonstrated by Tali.ai and Well Health (who OEMs Tali’s solution)*
- Automated patient communication based on AI interpreting doctor’s notes for follow-up was being shown by WaiveTheWait
- AI analysis for optimal billing was highlighted by DoctorCare
AI and Digital Health Alive and Well in Ontario
Overall, the 2023 OntarioMD Digital Health Conference (#OMDDHC23) conference did a good job at showcasing the innovative work being done in Ontario. Despite a tough economic environment and a slowdown in the adoption of new technologies by Ontario based healthcare organizations, companies and health teams are finding ways to push innovation forward.
Hopefully they can maintain this momentum into 2024.
*Disclosure: Colin Hung advises Tali.ai through ventureLAB, a non-profit Canadian innovation hub.
