CAN Health Network and Quebec-Based DIAGNOS Announce Life-Changing Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Program Partnership
Innovative diabetic retina screening service resulting in earlier intervention, better care, and savings to the Canadian healthcare system.
MONTRÉAL, March 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network is excited to announce that leading vision care company, DIAGNOS, is the first Quebec-based organization to join the Network. Through their strategic partner, Labtician Ophthalmics Inc, a Toronto-based company with Eyecare Specialist customers across Canada, DIAGNOS’ CARA solution will help health care professionals in their day-to-day screening of diabetic patients by allowing them to monitor ocular health, ultimately helping to prevent vision loss in their patients.
Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness, and early detection has been identified as the best preventative measure and solution. Patients who require these critical screenings often come up against barriers resulting in non-compliance, high costs, or a missed diagnosis, leading to potentially life-altering vision loss. In particular, DIAGNOS’ solution will help professionals identify patients who are overdue for a screening, ensuring Diabetic Retinopathy is caught early. This low-cost, non-invasive state-of-the-art technology involves the use of a simple rear eye camera image, which quickly and effectively screens patients. Assessment results are then returned within a few minutes; saving both time and health care costs.
“DIAGNOS, a publicly traded company on the TSX Venture Exchange, is pleased to be part of the CAN-Health Network,” said André Larente, CEO, DIAGNOS. “Our solution for screening diabetic patients uses Artificial Intelligence. The CARA application is approved by Health Canada and is in use today in hospitals and primary care clinics. This new local screening program will give accessibility to all patients in Canada to a fast and low priced medical test.”
Funded by Government of Canada, the CAN Health Network works with health care providers to identify their biggest challenges, and matches them with Canadian-made technology solutions. This Integrated Market model allows Canadian innovators to gain access to the healthcare market, and rapidly validate and scale their solution across the country, and internationally.
“The CAN Health Network has been focused on accessing the Quebec marketplace to ensure a truly national scope and economic prosperity for all of Canada. Adding DIAGNOS and Labtician to the Network is another great step in ensuring all Canadians have access to the best home-grown innovative health care technologies,” said Dante Morra, Chair, CAN Health Network.
“We are pleased to be working with CAN Health Network and DIAGNOS, a Canadian company based in Quebec, in addressing growing needs in the monitoring of diabetic patients,” explains Labtician President, Polydor Strouthos. “For over 60 years, we’ve been introducing innovative eye care products, solutions, and resources for eyecare professionals and their patients in the Canadian marketplace. Through our extensive network, we commercialize our high-quality value add eyecare products as well as those of our forward-thinking partner companies in Canada and worldwide. We help companies through the complexities and nuances of Canadian and international markets, from prelaunch assistance and obtaining regulatory approval, to securing commercialization, and distribution channels.”
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ABOUT DIAGNOS
DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical health problems based of its FLAIRE Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform. FLAIRE allows for quick modifying and developing of applications such as CARA (Computer Assisted Retina Analysis). CARA’s AI-based image enhancement algorithms provide sharper, clearer and easier-to-analyze retinal images. CARA is a cost-effective tool for real-time screening of large volumes of patients. CARA has been cleared for commercialization by the following regulators: Health Canada, the FDA (USA), CE (Europe), COFEPRIS (Mexico) and Saudi FDA (Saudi Arabia). DIAGNOS works with AI Distributor, Labtician Ophthalmics (Labtician).
ABOUT CAN HEALTH
The CAN Health Network is a Canada-first approach to technology adoption. It helps break down barriers to scaling in the health care system and provides an environment for companies to scale to their full potential. Currently operating in Ontario, Western and Atlantic Canada, the CAN Health Network will soon be expanding into Quebec and the North. The Network has received a total of $12.45 million in funding from the Government of Canada to build a national platform that harnesses the purchasing power of health care organizations. To learn more about the CAN Health Network, visit canhealthnetwork.ca.
CONTACT: For more information: Mr. Polydor Strouthos, President Labtician Ophthalmics Inc. Tel: 905-829-0055 ext. 227 pstrouthos@labtician.com Mr. André Larente, President DIAGNOS Inc. Tel: 450-678-8882 ext. 224 alarente@diagnos.ca Natasha Zelinski, Communications Coordinator CAN Health Network natasha.zelinski@thp.ca
