OCI announces new Innovating Digital Health Solutions (IDHS) Program

TORONTO, June 22, 2023 – Today, the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, announced the Innovating Digital Health Solutions (IDHS) program to encourage applications from Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and other health service providers to work in collaboration with Ontario based SMEs in evaluating, adopting, and implementing digital health technologies. This program aims to address Ontario’s health system priorities and to drive collaboration to improve patient outcomes, optimize the impact of investment in health innovation and support Ontario-based health innovation companies.

“Our plan to deliver connected and convenient health care options closer to home will require leveraging of new technologies and better ways to deliver care,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “The Innovating Digital Health Solutions program will help find new opportunities to ensure people connect with the health care they need, when and where they need it most.”

The Ministry of Health uses the program to prioritize health goals and focus on innovative solutions that target specific health outcomes. The health priority areas for IDHS have been determined through Challenge Statement Workshops that brought together health system stakeholders with a shared vision of digitally-enabled integrated care delivery.

“Ontario is home to a remarkable cluster of world-renowned research institutions, innovative start-ups, researchers, developers and manufacturers,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Building on the over $3 billion invested in Ontario by biomanufacturers and life sciences companies over the past two and half years, the Innovating Digital Health Solutions program will strengthen our life sciences sector by fostering more economic opportunities, leveraging our thriving STEM talent, and driving ground-breaking developments across the province.”

Projects must be led by a one or more Ontario Health Team(s) (OHTs) or other Health Service Providers and include a response that supports one of the challenge statements that arise from the Challenge Statement Workshops.

“The Innovating Digital Health Solutions Program supports the development of made-in-Ontario health technologies by accelerating evaluation, and adoption in the Ontario health system. OCI is grateful to the Government of Ontario and the Ministry of Health (MOH) for their support on programs that impact the Ontario Health system, focusing on better patient outcomes,” said Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO of the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI).

Program information can be found online at: Innovating Digital Health Solutions

About the Ontario Centre of Innovation:
The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) brings industry, academic, and government partners together to invest in collaborative R&D, technology development, and commercialization opportunities that generate the highest return on innovation for Ontarians. As an ecosystem connector, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops, and manages successful industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly skilled talent. OCI drives economic growth and job creation through investments in the development, commercialization, and adoption of advanced technologies. For more information: https://www.oc-innovation.ca