Ivey Centre for Health Innovation & Leadership to Host Global Health
Innovation Conference

Experts bringing crucial innovation to health care

LONDON , ON, Nov. 19 /CNW/ - Canada's lacklustre pace in adopting health innovations and commercializing new products and processes is costing our health system. To tackle that challenge, the Ivey Centre for Health Innovation and Leadership is bringing together innovators and thought leaders to create solutions to facilitate greater health innovation.

The inaugural Ivey Global Health Innovation Conference will take place on November 24 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto , featuring a keynote address by Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Research In Motion (RIM). Mr. Balsillie will speak about the innovations he foresees in the future of mobile communications to deliver health information to patients and providers.

Dr. Pierre Coulombe , President of the National Research Council of Canada , will discuss the state of innovation and commercialization in Canada . Dr. Eric Meslin , Director of the Indiana University Centre for Bioethics, will present a lunch-time address "The Invaluable Role of Science Policy in Meeting our Ethical Obligations in Global Health."

The Honourable Deb Matthews , Minister of Health & Long-Term Care, will be the closing keynote speaker.

The conference will also feature four topical panel discussions: pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices; health service management; health financing; and information technology. Panellists include Dr. Anne Doig , President of the Canadian Medical Association; John Black , author of "The Toyota Way to Healthcare Excellence: Increase Efficiency & Improve Quality With Lean"; and representatives from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, AstraZeneca and Hewlett Packard Canada .

"The goal of the Centre and the Conference is to uncover the barriers to the adoption and commercialization of innovation facing global health systems and to identify practical solutions," said Dr. Kellie Leitch , Chair of the Centre and Director of Ivey's Health Sector MBA program. "We will support health innovation by encouraging, developing and training a new generation of entrepreneurial health leaders who, in turn, will help give Canada a competitive global advantage."

The Ivey Centre for Health Innovation and Leadership is a research and education centre at Ivey Business School dedicated to identifying, assessing and commercializing innovative technologies, systems and processes that will make real change for health-care providers, patients and the health-care system.

    
    Event:       Ivey Global Health Innovation Conference

    Location:    Fairmont Royal York, Toronto (100 Front Street West)

    Date:        Tuesday, November 24

    Time:        7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

    Keynotes:    Jim Balsillie, 8:15 a.m.; Dr. Pierre Coulombe, 9:15 a.m.;
                 Dr. Eric Meslin, 12:45 p.m.

    For more information, please visit: www.ivey.ca/ichil

    Media interested in attending, please contact Dawn Milne at 519-850-2536,
    [email protected]
    

About the Ivey Centre for Health Innovation and Leadership

The Ivey Centre for Health Innovation and Leadership (www.ivey.ca/ichil) at the Richard Ivey School of Business (www.ivey.ca) is dedicated to identifying, assessing and commercializing innovative technologies, systems and processes that will make real change for health-care providers, patients and the health-care system. The federal government has provided $5 million for the Centre as part of its Science and Technology strategy that aims to improve Canada's long-term competitiveness and quality of life. Bringing together expertise from business, health sciences and medical sectors, the Centre will provide a forum for private and public-sector collaboration to improve the commercialization and adoption of innovation in our healthcare system.

About the Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario

The Richard Ivey School of Business (www.ivey.ca) at The University of Western Ontario offers undergraduate (HBA) and graduate (MBA, Executive MBA and PhD) degree programs in addition to non-degree Executive Development programs. Ivey has campuses in London (Ontario), Toronto , and Hong Kong . Ivey recently redesigned its curriculum to focus on Cross-Enterprise Leadership - a holistic issues-based approach to management education that meets the demands of today's complex global business world.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

For further information: Dawn Milne, Richard Ivey School of Business, [phone], [email protected]