Patients dealing with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) can rest easily knowing they’re going to be well taken care of due to the institution’s latest technological upgrade.
On Monday, Vitalhub Corp. (TSE: VHI) (OTCMRKTS: VHIBF) successfully implemented its SHREWD, regional patient flow and whole-system visibility platform for the WRHA.
SHREWD helps the authority pull data from a wide range of information systems across its health network. By combining this data, SHREWD gives the WRHA a clear view of system pressures at a glance.
It’s improving patient flow and supporting quality improvements across acute facilities, with plans to include three hybrid facilities soon. Since 2015, the WRHA has relied on VitalHub’s Oculys suite for patient flow and operational visibility. Now, SHREWD is taking things to the next level by integrating systems and boosting regional visibility to make patient care even smoother.
The platform delivers an operational solution for whole-system visibility, serving as a single source of truth in real-time. It also leverages existing Health Information Systems to provide intelligent insights, enabling key decision-makers and clinicians to take timely, informed actions.
“Collating real-time demand & volume and providing an ability to view data across multiple facilities within a single place makes SHREWD a powerful tool to have at our disposal,” said Katherine Graham, Executive Director of Acute and Community Care Coordination at WRHA.
“The increased whole-system visibility into pressures across the Winnipeg region lets us see what’s coming our way so we can plan appropriately and take action, further supporting our ability to take a more proactive approach to regional patient flow.”
Read more: Robotic-assist and other tech spark demand in lung cancer surgery market
Read more: Artificial intelligence proven to help in cancer screening
Vitalhub has sent SHREWD to England
The WRHA serves over 750,000 people, including residents of Winnipeg and the rural municipalities of East and West St. Paul. It also supports healthcare needs and provides specialty referral services to nearly 500,000 Manitobans outside its boundaries, as well as residents of northwestern Ontario and Nunavut who rely on its expertise and services.
As one of Manitoba’s largest employers, the WRHA and its associated entities employ around 18,000 people. With an annual operating budget of USD$2.2 billion, the WRHA stands as the province’s largest health authority, operating or funding more than 200 health service facilities and programs.
The WRHA and Shared Health Manitoba are now part of a group that includes organizations like England’s National Health Service (NHS), which uses SHREWD to run its System Coordination Centres.
SHREWD also powers the NHS’s National Urgent & Emergency Care Coordination Centre, giving local, regional, and national teams access to patient flow information from all over the country. This supports a fully connected and integrated health and care system.
“We’ve learned that when a bottleneck exists in one part of a health care system, it doesn’t take long for that bottleneck to negatively impact upstream services and other supports around it,” said Niels Tofting, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, North America at VitalHub.
According to MarketsandMarkets, the healthcare IT market, including operational management solutions, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13-15 per cent through 2028. This growth is driven by advancements in interoperability, the rising demand for real-time analytics, and the need for efficient system integration across healthcare networks.
.
joseph@mugglehead.com
