WELL Health Technologies Corp, a prominent player in the Canadian healthcare technology sector, has announced the approval of a $44 million project to advance AI-powered technology for care providers. This initiative, known as Health Compass II, is the largest digital project ever awarded in Canada.
WELL Health, in collaboration with ORX, HEALWELL AI, Tali AI, Phelix, and Simon Fraser University, will lead the Health Compass II project. The consortium has secured $15.3 million in funding from DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies. This funding represents the largest single investment by DIGITAL, emphasizing the Canadian government’s strong commitment to healthcare innovation.
Health Compass II aims to transform the healthcare industry by enhancing interoperability and leveraging AI to reduce the administrative burdens on healthcare providers. Building on the success of the initial Health Compass phase, this project will introduce a suite of four AI-driven modules integrated through an EMR-agnostic mobile app. These modules are designed to engage patients, automate administrative tasks, assist healthcare providers with documentation, and enhance clinical decision-making.
The Decision Compass by HEALWELL AI is a clinical decision support tool that identifies opportunities for earlier diagnosis and improved care for rare and complex diseases. The Patient Compass by ORX is a user-friendly virtual agent module that enhances patient engagement by 30%. The SMART Inbox by Phelix is an automation tool that reduces manual administrative efforts by over 50%. The Voice Assistant by Tali is an AI assistant that captures medically relevant information from conversations using ambient sensing technology, allowing providers to focus more on their patients.
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, highlighted the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, stating, “Artificial intelligence presents a transformative opportunity for healthcare professionals to innovate and enhance patient experiences, and Canada is at the forefront of this pivotal field. Our government is proud to champion the Digital Technology Cluster as it collaborates with industry partners like WELL Health to reshape the delivery of healthcare services for Canadians.”
Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, also praised the initiative, noting, “From helping health professionals take notes and assist in recording their diagnoses to streamlining administrative paperwork and facilitating the patient care experience, this innovative project is using AI to build a better future for Canadians. The government looks forward to the success of the Health Compass II project and other made-in-Canada innovations that will unlock social and economic benefits for everyone.”
Health Compass II is set to transform the way healthcare providers practice by replacing traditional exam room workstations with a clinician’s preferred smartphone device, automating the majority of day-to-day tasks without the need for a computer. This initiative is expected to achieve a 25% reduction in healthcare delivery costs for clinics and a 20% improvement in patient satisfaction within the first two years post-implementation.
WELL Health will not only serve as the lead commercialization partner and first customer but will also continue to build standards-based API interoperability, giving a competitive advantage to each SME AI module developed. The consortium will leverage WELL’s extensive network, including its Provider Solutions platform, which supports more than 3,400 clinics and over 34,000 healthcare providers. This includes the distribution channels of OceanMD (a WELL Health company) and its EMR assets, as well as WELL’s own clinic network across Canada, which includes over 175 clinics and more than 1,600 healthcare providers.
Hamed Shahbazi, CEO and Founder of WELL Health, expressed his excitement and gratitude for the project’s approval, stating, “This is a monumental milestone, and we are honoured and grateful to DIGITAL and Minister Champagne’s office for their commitment to supporting healthcare innovation and responsible AI research. At WELL, we are committed to leveraging technology to empower healthcare providers and reduce burnout by equipping them with responsible AI and other tools to assist in providing quality care and ultimately improve patient outcomes.”
