arthritis ideator awards celebrate canadian health innovation
winners included a virtual physiotherapy program, a machine-learning module to connect patients with clinical trials and a service that checks prescribed medication against a patient's dna.
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one winner was toronto-based firsthx, a medical intake platform designed to record a patient's health history before their medical appointment. getty
data platforms for better patient communication, dna analysis, and mobility aids were just some of the innovative businesses on show at the 2023 arthritis ideator awards. the ideator awards is an annual event held by the arthritis society of canada to recognize “practical solutions to transform the lives of people living with arthritis” and the creators behind them. this year, seven finalists pitched their products in various stages of development to panelists for one of three $50,000 grants from the arthritis innovation fund. a fourth people’s choice grant was awarded by online vote, also announced at the awards.
“the prevalence [of arthritis] is huge,” says chris o’connor, ceo of firsthx and one of the winners of this year’s awards. “twenty per cent of canadians have arthritis. it’s a chronic condition and there’s often significant delays between when people have their symptoms and when they get their diagnosis.”
in addition to firsthx, a medical intake platform designed to gather a detailed patient report before the medical appointment, winners also included heal mary, an online tool that uses machine learning to match patients with clinical trials, and pillcheck, a dna analysis tool to help patients find the right medication and dosage. joints on point, the people’s choice awards winner, is a mobile app and web platform offering educational and how-to videos on exercise programs for arthritis patients.
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arthritis is an umbrella term covering more than 100 different forms of inflammation in joints and connective tissue that lead to pain and loss of mobility. osteoarthritis (characterized by the cartilage between the joints breaking down) and rheumatoid arthritis (characterized by inflammation and breakdown of the membranes or tissues lining the joints, including ligaments and tendons) are among the most common forms of arthritis.
there is no cure for arthritis, however recent developments in medicine and technology can help limit pain and maintain mobility. biologics, for example, have had a significant impact for many patients living with rheumatoid arthritis.
editor’s note: read about one woman’s lifelong journey with rheumatoid arthritis.
for many contestants, the drive to assist patients with arthritis went beyond business to personal experience with arthritis. both parents of cassandra hui, ceo and founder of heal mary, live with arthritis, while stefan gertz, co-founder and ceo of cadence health analytics and finalist, lives with the condition himself.
and while not everyone could go home with a grant, contestants said they were grateful for the awards.
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“we’re a small, scrappy start-up company that’s having a lot of fun, so this is very exciting,” windsor native gertz told the windsor star before the event. “even if we don’t win, this has been so valuable for us … we’ve learned how to better communicate what we’re trying to do.”
submissions for the 2024 arthritis ideator awards will open in october 2023. finalists will be selected by a panel of clinician, research, and business leaders, based on potential impact, credibility, scalability, financial viability, and market/research validation.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on instagram and twitter @jonesyjourn.
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