Ottawa invests $15.3 million in the development of artificial intelligence in health

Photo: Spencer Colby The Canadian Press Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne calls the funding a “game changer” to improve the industry’s ability to serve patients.

The Canadian Press in Vancouver

Published at 7:27 p.m.

• Canada

Canada is investing about $15 million in the development of artificial intelligence in health care, which federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne calls a “new deal” to improve the capacity of industry to serve patients.

Mr. Champagne says the funding will be invested through the Vancouver-based ministry's technology cluster program in five medical technology companies, creating technology that automates certain tasks to improve care.

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< p>The AI ​​initiative, known as the Health Compass II project, will use the $15.3 million federal investment as leverage to secure additional investments from partners to support the budget total $44 million.

Technologies developed under the program include a “patient-facing virtual agent” that is expected to improve patient engagement by 30 percent, as well as automation that streamlines administrative tasks and clinical documentation.

Companies developing the technology say implementing AI automation can save doctors time each day to see more patients or take breaks to to maintain their well-being and service delivery.

Mr. Champagne says the latest investment builds on $3.1 million in initial 2022 funding for integrating AI into electronic health records under the original Health Compass program.

“This is technology that we can use today,” Champagne said at the investment announcement in Vancouver.

“I think that’s what people want to see, more efficient delivery, making sure their doctor has access to cutting-edge information, making sure they can look at the data, making sure we can help more people… that’s the game changer in how we’re going to deliver health care.”