$2 million gift funds AI hub at The Ottawa Hospital

OTTAWA – Through a $2-million donation from TD Bank Group (TD), The Ottawa Hospital will create the new TD Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Hub that will accelerate the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. AI has the potential to transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, cancer, heart disease, and brain conditions.

It could be a game-changer for patients not only in Ottawa but also across Canada and around the globe.

Dr. Doug Manuel (pictured), senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and distinguished professor at the University of Ottawa, will lead this innovative project. Dr. Manuel explained the TD AIM Hub will build on their world-leading experience developing mathematics models or algorithms to not only improve diagnosis and treatment but also predict potential issues and outcomes.

“From a simple technology perspective, complex data and algorithms currently take nine months to three years to develop and implement. We are proposing an aligned model in which this cycle will take only days,” said Dr. Manuel.

Traditionally, this has been a huge gap, with the vast majority of AI innovations never progressing beyond the earliest stages of research. Dr. Alan Forster, executive vice-president, chief innovation and quality officer, and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital explained how this platform would help bridge this gap.

“The TD AIM Hub will engage patients and their loved ones directly in the development of AI tools from the earliest stages to ensure the patient experience is front and centre,” commented Dr. Forster. “It would be a collaborative effort between patients, physicians, scientists, and programmers. Importantly, we will evaluate the impact of the AI tools to improve outcomes that matter most to patients.”

“At TD, we are thrilled to provide funding to The Ottawa Hospital to help extend innovative AI technology capabilities and advance quality healthcare in the region,” said Tara-Lynn Hughes, senior vice president, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank’s corporate citizenship platform, this important initiative will help patients living with cardiac conditions, cancer, and other chronic diseases access equitable and personalized care.”

The TD AIM Hub will ensure that our hospital is ideally positioned to take advantage of the incredible potential of artificial intelligence, according to Dr. Duncan Stewart, executive vice-president, research and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital.

“In the past, it has been a challenge to implement increasingly complex algorithms into practice,” he said. “This new virtual Hub will revolutionize our ability to use AI to transform the practice of medicine. I am thrilled that TD has had the foresight and generosity of spirit to support this innovative initiative to harness complex data to improve healthcare.”

The TD AIM Hub will have three capstone chronic disease projects including multiple chronic disease prevention, end-stage renal disease, and degenerative neurologic conditions. This platform will build on The Ottawa Hospital’s track record of world-firsts, including the first and largest hospital data warehouse in Canada, the first hospital-wide “synthetic” data program in Canada, and one of the most comprehensive sets of health calculators and predictive algorithms in the world, with more than 2 million users in 200 countries.

About  The  Ottawa Hospital
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex healthcare challenges. Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Focus on learning and research leads to new  techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care. We are the Regional Trauma Centre for eastern Ontario and have been accredited with Exemplary Standing for healthcare delivery – the highest rating from Accreditation Canada. We are also home to world-leading research programs focused on cancer therapeutics, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, chronic disease, and practice-changing research. Backed by generous support from the community, we are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones. For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit ottawahospital.on.ca.