HALO set to expand its services Canada-wide

TORONTO – H.A.L.O. Tele-Monitoring Inc. (HALO Inc.), a made-in-Canada innovation that is transforming how hospitals provide constant observation for vulnerable patients, is now expanding across Canada. The new company, spun out of University Health Network (UHN), was launched to scale a remote patient observation solution initially developed, de-risked and integrated into clinical practice at the hospital.

HALO Inc. will build on its current adoption across more than two dozen hospitals and long-term care homes in Canada – including UHN where the technology was first developed.

The HALO solution was created at UHN through the investment of time and knowledge of hundreds of cross-functional staff committed to ensuring patient safety and creating positive patient experiences.

The team included Marijana Zubrinic (pictured left), a nurse practitioner at UHN’s Toronto General Hospital and Dr. Shaf Keshavjee (pictured right), a thoracic surgeon and current chief of innovation at UHN who co-led the initiative in response to the growing need for more sustainable and efficient approaches to patient safety and continuous observation.

Traditional in-person monitoring models continue to place strain on hospital resources. The HALO (Human Attended Live Observation) technology consists of a two-way audio-visual device that securely streams a video feed to a centralized patient observation center where specially trained employees provide real-time oversight.

When a safety risk arises – such as a potential fall or other high-risk behaviours – a technician appears on display and attempts to redirect the patient. In the event redirection is unsuccessful, on-site staff are immediately alerted using pre-established workflows.

“Continuous monitoring is essential to patient safety, yet conventional, resource-heavy approaches are no longer sustainable,” said Shiran Isaacksz, VP, medical solutions, UHN. “HALO was created to enable timely intervention, reduce staff burden, and offer a scalable way to maintain safety in the face of staffing challenges and increased need for fiscal responsibility.”

“What sets HALO apart is its high-touch service model, designed by clinicians to integrate seamlessly into care workflows,” added Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, who in addition to his role at UHN, is chief medical officer of HALO Inc. “Since 2017, UHN has been improving and developing the clinical protocols behind HALO, resulting in a positive impact for over 7,000 Canadian patients to date.”

Learn more about HALO Inc. at www.halotelemonitoring.com.