Provincial laboratories are testing digital tools and innovative solutions to support more rapid diagnostic services to improve access to testing for people living with diseases, such as cancer, throughout B.C.

Teams of researchers will explore the ability to securely share high-quality images across a common platform for pathologists in other locations in B.C. to perform diagnoses and provide secondary consultations. Implementing digital tools and a provincial cloud solution will support more rapid diagnostic services and the ability to use artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative algorithms to improve health service delivery to people in British Columbia.

Through B.C.’s Integrated Marketplace, delivered by Innovate BC, the Province and PacifiCan are contributing up to $2.65 million that will support three projects through a new testbed hosted by Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services (PLMS), a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). By testing the critical parts of a secure end-to-end digital pathology solution, the project teams will help reshape how pathology services are delivered in B.C.

“The Integrated Marketplace is about scaling up technology to help B.C. companies grow and provide jobs, while providing real-world solutions to big challenges,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “These new projects have the potential to strengthen our economy and contribute to a stronger health-care system that will improve people’s lives.”

Testing new digital tools will help integrate and strengthen existing digital pathology services used by B.C. health authorities and improve service delivery in rural and remote areas. Sites that will test elements of an integrated provincial system that reflects their own case-use and system requirements will include labs in Northern Health Authority, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer – Vancouver Centre and St. Paul’s Hospital.

“By harnessing the power of innovation and partnerships, the Integrated Marketplace is creating a dynamic environment where B.C. companies are testing and developing the technologies of tomorrow,” said Harjit S. Sajjan, federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan). “This new project will provide solutions to challenges faced by health-care providers in B.C. and around the world, ensuring critical care for British Columbians.”

“We recently marked one year since the release of B.C.’s 10-year Cancer Action Plan and the work we’re announcing today plays an important role in the delivery of that plan to improve on diagnostic pathways for cancer and modernize our system,” said Dr Kim Chi, executive vice-president, BC Cancer, PHSA. “I’d also like to acknowledge the driver behind this project – Innovate BC. Their mandate to accelerate the growth and success of B.C. companies is a key component of this work. Without their foresight, we wouldn’t be in a position to advance cancer diagnoses in the province and develop digital pathology capabilities to benefit patients.”

Results from the projects will be used to inform the future investment in an integrated digital pathology system. The new PHSA testbed is part of the Province’s Integrated Marketplace, which works to link a group of strategic buyers with local companies to implement, scale up and export B.C. technology solutions. It is part of B.C.’s Industrial Blueprint and is supported by PacifiCan.

“The digital pathology testbed project at BC Cancer is revolutionizing cancer diagnosis by enabling instant and remote pathology review,” said Dr. Gang Wang, BC Cancer pathologist and lead for the BC Cancer testbed node. “Our partnership with northern B.C. hospitals is crucial, as it ensures timely and accurate consultations, bringing advanced diagnostic services to underserved regions and improving patient outcomes across the province.”

This announcement is part of the Government of B.C.’s investment of as much as $11.5 million, and the Government of Canada’s investment, through PacifiCan, of as much as $9.9 million in the Integrated Marketplace.

Clean and Competitive: A Blueprint for B.C.’s Industrial Future lays out the Province’s work to drive new investment, create new jobs and seize new opportunities in growing clean energy and sustainable industries. Leveraging B.C.’s strengths to create good jobs and opportunities in every community will improve quality of life, while strengthening B.C.’s diverse economy.

Quotes:

Adrian Dix, B.C. Minister of Health –

“Innovative digital tools have the potential to revolutionize health care and, ultimately, achieve better health outcomes for patients and save more lives. Through the testbed, potential solutions can be found, such as the ability to share and consult on diagnoses around the province helping health-care professionals access data and analyses more quickly and reducing wait times for patients. This is a significant project that will help strengthen B.C.’s health-care system now, and in the future.”  

George Heyman, MLA Vancouver-Fairview –

“It’s incredible to see the technology and health-care sectors working so closely together in Vancouver. The projects you are testing through the Integrated Marketplace program have the potential to changes lives all over B.C. and around the world. I look forward to seeing the results from the work underway and how this will help create a stronger health care system in B.C.”

Peter Cowan, president and chief executive officer, Innovate BC –

“The Integrated Marketplace enables some of our region’s most significant sectors, including transportation, and now health care to collaborate with local innovators to de-risk technology adoption and enhance their operations. I am excited to see that, through this partnership with Provincial Health Services Authority, B.C. companies have the opportunity to work hand in hand with health-care experts to enhance pathology services across British Columbia and grow to offer these solutions beyond our province, as well.”

David F. Schaeffer, head, department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Vancouver General Hospital –

“Vancouver General Hospital Anatomical Pathology is building on the research expertise of the team to assess the deployment of several AI algorithms to aid in the routine work of pathology assessment. There’s tremendous potential in B.C. based technology to create better access to care for patients.”

Dr. Kamran Azar, medical lead, laboratory services, Northern Health –

“Upon full implementation of digital pathology, patients in Northern Health will be able to access the same level of care in tumor diagnosis, both in terms of accuracy and turnaround time, as they would in a tertiary centre in the Lower Mainland.”

Dr. Daniel Holmes, head, department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Providence Health Care –

“The Digital Pathology Testbed project is a tremendous opportunity for B.C.'s medical and technical laboratory personnel to collaborate on one of the most ambitious technological initiatives we have seen our laboratory medicine careers. At Providence, our specific testbed project is in kidney pathology. With a fully digitized kidney pathology service, no matter if our patient is in Bella Coola, Barrière, or Burnaby, we will be able to collaborate with their kidney doctors and local laboratory specialists to achieve rapid and accurate kidney disease diagnosis. It will help bring equity in kidney care to all corners of our province.”

Mahdi Mobini, managing director, Daric Cloud Solutions –

“As a B.C. small business, involvement in this project has allowed our team to gain extensive experience in cloud-based digital pathology technology – and on a large scale, impactful solution. We have enjoyed collaborating with experts across B.C. health authorities and globally recognized specialists and companies. The knowledge and expertise we acquired in this project will be shared and utilized in future initiatives in B.C. and other parts of Canada.”

Quick Facts:

• There are more than 4,200 publicly funded diagnostic tests available in B.C. that result in more than 96 million tests annually that need to be analyzed and diagnosed.
• Up to 70% of clinical decisions, including treatment plans, are based on laboratory test results that are stored in systems managed by Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services.

Learn More:

Learn about the Integrated Marketplace: https://www.innovatebc.ca/programs/integrated-marketplace

For more about Innovate BC: https://www.innovatebc.ca/

Learn about Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services: http://www.phsa.ca/our-services/programs-services/provincial-laboratory-medicine-services

Learn about Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/technology-innovation/life-sciences-biomanufacturing

Read the Year One Progress Report outlining the actions taken to support the Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/technology-industry/life-sciences-biomanufacturing/bc-jedi_lsbm-2024progreport_web.pdf

Learn more about Clean and Competitive: A Blueprint for B.C.’s Industrial Future, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Clean_and_Competitive.pdf

Learn more about PacifiCan: https://www.canada.ca/en/pacific-economic-development.html

Learn more about the StrongerBC Economic Plan, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/economic-plan