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Health technology leaders in Saskatchewan say they have answers to some of the province’s most pressing health care challenges, but require more collaboration from the government to advance their innovations.
The half-dozen technology founders and innovators shared their perspectives with the province’s health minister on the benefits of working with Saskatchewan leaders in the sector at a panel event for Saskatoon Startup Week on Tuesday.
“One of the big differences between a company in Saskatchewan and a multinational company is we can build solutions very quickly and tailored to the problems that we have in this province,” Mike Wesolowksi, founder and CEO of Luxsonic Technologies, told reporters following the panel discussion.
The panel discussion, which followed “Chatham House Rules,” prohibiting media from recording or publishing specific quotes from the conversation, touched on streamlining procurement, improving virtual health care models and sector regulations that present barriers to entry and extra costs for startups.
“There are regulatory hurdles, and that’s because we’re dealing with patient safety and patient data, and so we have to make sure that, you know, we can trust people and companies that are, you know, working to find solutions with very sensitive patient data,” said Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill following the panel.
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As for improving the procurement process, Cockrill said there are opportunities to better tap into Saskatchewan-made innovations at home.
“Focusing on more of an attitude of partnership rather than just procurement. Obviously, we’re dealing with taxpayer dollars. We need to be responsible with that and find the most efficient use,” he said.
Cockrill also said he wants to explore ways to improve engagement with the tech sector so that when they offer a solution to a problem it can better reach government than the typical request for proposal process.
“How do we create that single doorway for you so that you can come in, work with the government, work with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, work with affiliate partners like Emanuel Health to action that, implement that, and improve lives for patients,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the health care sector, Cockrill welcomed the opportunities artificial intelligence offers, saying it can help speed up processes so more patients can be seen by doctors.
“The opportunity is endless,” he said.
“We just have to make sure that there are safeguards around that and that patients can trust how their information is being used and stored,” he said, adding that it also is a matter of making sure data is stored in Canada rather than in an “unfriendly power around the world.”
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