People

SAS Canada expands expertise in the west

CALGARY – SAS Canada announced that it is partnering with Brian Shorter (pictured), a healthcare consultant based in British Columbia, to further help local healthcare organizations and government departments leverage business intelligence and predictive analytics software to improve the delivery of healthcare services and operational effectiveness.

Mr. Shorter is the former Chief Information Officer for the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

SAS’s increased focus on healthcare in Canada builds upon the growing momentum in the industry to implement data management and analytic solutions to, amongst other things, apply predictive modeling techniques to identify high-risk patients, to proactively intervene and optimize care across populations and conduct clinical research and outcomes analysis to optimize clinical care.

“The partnership with Brian Shorter will provide us with better insight into the current state of the healthcare ecosphere in the western provinces,” said Pat Finerty, Vice President for Business Development and Alliances of SAS Canada. “Brian’s experience working within the industry on strategic information technology projects will allow us to effectively align our data management and analytical capabilities with the real issues across the healthcare system.

“We want to help organizations turn those issues into opportunities that will positively affect the quality and timeliness of healthcare service delivery in western Canada.”

Shorter’s recent consulting engagements include projects at the BC Provincial Health Services Authority, the Federal Healthcare Partnership, the BC Reproductive Care Society and the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN.

About SAS
SAS is a leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. According to the company, customers at 43,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. The Canadian subsidiary of SAS has been in operation for 19 years. Headquartered in Toronto, SAS employs more than 200 people across the country at its Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montréal offices. www.sas.com.