TORONTO, May 9, 2017 /CNW/ - The second round of Ontario's $20-million Health Technologies Fund (HTF) is now accepting applications. This groundbreaking program provides grants to support the implementation of Ontario-based health technologies. HTF reflects the values of Ontario's Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care by connecting patients with the right care closer to home, improving the quality of care, and bringing value to the healthcare system.
"The Health Technologies Fund drives collaboration across the health system between health service providers, health technology innovators and patients," says William Charnetski, Chief Health Innovation Strategist for Ontario. "Through the Fund, 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."
Fifteen projects were selected to receive grants in the first round, including new tools to: provide self-care management to youth with mental health challenges, provide breast cancer patients with easy-to-access information about upcoming tests, manage appointments and treatment recommendations and, help patients who have undergone cardiac and vascular surgery receive continuous vital sign monitoring in the hospital and at home.
"This round of funding from the Health Technologies Fund will encourage more exciting collaborations between technology innovators and health service providers," says Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "By supporting new health innovations, we will improve the flow of information, create jobs, and improve patient care."
The second round will focus on pre-market evaluation and early adoption of market-ready technologies. The Fund is being delivered by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's Office of the Chief Health Innovation Strategist (OCHIS).
"The Health Technologies Fund puts patients first by accelerating evaluation and adoption of health technologies and also through supporting faster adoption, scalability of innovation and diffusion in the province's healthcare ecosystem," says Tom Corr, President and CEO of OCE. "Improving care and supporting Ontario-based health technologies is of benefit to us all and an initiative that OCE is proud to participate in."
Application information is available through OCE's Health Technologies Fund website.
About Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc.
OCE drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario's global competitiveness. In doing this, OCE fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario's industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research, OCE invests in sectors such as advanced health, digital media and information communications, advanced manufacturing and materials, and cleantech including energy, environment and water. OCE is a key partner in delivering Ontario's Innovation Agenda as a member of the province's Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE). Funded by the Government of Ontario, the ONE is made up of regional and sector-focused organizations and helps Ontario-based entrepreneurs rapidly grow their company and create jobs.
SOURCE Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.
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