Mackenzie Health signs $300M technology deal

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 12, 2015
By Kim Zarzour

Mackenzie Health has partnered up with a Netherlands-based technology company in what’s being hailed as the largest-of-its-kind agreement to supply and manage the hospital’s equipment.

The new collaboration between Mackenzie Health and Royal Philips was announced at an event in Richmond Hill Tuesday.

As part of the $300-million, 18-year alliance, Philips, a diversified technology company, will be Mackenzie Health’s prime medical technology partner, supplying and managing a broad range of equipment for the Richmond Hill hospital and future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital.

The hospital will have ongoing access to the latest Philips healthcare technology innovations, as well as expertise in patient-centric design.

Drawing on insights from existing partnerships with health facilities in New York and Georgia, Philips will work with Mackenzie Health to advance the healthcare facility’s “smart hospital” vision.

The company will act as advisor during the design and construction phase of Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital as it relates to equipment and service.

Altaf Stationwala, president and CEO of Mackenzie Health, said Tuesday he is ecstatic to partner with Philips “to bring our ‘smart hospital’ vision to life ... We know that we will not only be able to improve the quality and efficiency of care, but also enhance the patient experience”.

The first-in-Canada agreement will transform and improve health care for more than half a million residents across southwest York Region, Stationwala said.

“Industry needs to move away from acute and stand-alone industry decisions to preventive care and integrated technologies,” said Iain Burns, CEO of Philips Canada.

These public-private partnerships with industry leaders are the way of the future, he said.

“It’s the latest example of how we are building a new reality where medical technology suppliers and health organizations can work together to expand access to quality and innovative care that can improve patient outcomes.”

Under the partnership, Mackenzie Health will have early and ongoing access to the latest Philips healthcare technology innovations including access to Philips expertise in areas such as systems interoperability, diagnostic imaging equipment utilization, radiology practice management and alarm management.

As well, Mackenzie Health and Philips will look at ways patient informatics can be used to enable predictive, preventive, and population health interventions, helping to ensure continuity of care, reduced costs and improved outcomes.