Press release
AlayaCare Recognized with MaRS Grant and Files Patents to Push the Innovation Boundaries of Home Care
TORONTO, ON–(Marketwired – June 13, 2017) – AlayaCare, a leading provider of home care software, announced today that it has achieved two milestones for health innovation: MaRS’ Innovation Partnership – Procurement by Co-Design Grant; and the development of a patent pending in machine learning for home care.
As a leading provider of home care software, AlayaCare has a vision to improve health outcomes by employing advanced technology solutions, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and optimization to improve health outcomes, improve access to healthcare and bring efficiency of operations to providers of home care.
VHA and AlayaCare receive grant from MaRS to pilot a novel innovation procurement technique
Visiting patients and then commuting to the other side of town for the next scheduled visit; large gaps between patient visits; income insecurity caused by these large scheduling gaps…
These are common complaints of personal support workers (PSWs) in home care and a huge logistical challenge for the service schedulers who support them at VHA Home HealthCare (VHA), a leading Ontario home care provider. AlayaCare’s solution, which was one of four projects that received funds from MaRS’ Innovation Partnership: Procurement by Co-Design program, aims to solve some of these challenges by leveraging schedule and route optimization to reduce travel time and distance and more effectively match PSWs with patients requiring their skill sets.
The partnership between AlayaCare and VHA anticipates the workforce optimization solution will yield between a 10-20 per cent increase in PSW utilization.
“Virtually every home care provider struggles with lack of caregiver staff, compressed financial margins and inefficient scheduling operations. This project tackles all three,” says Adrian Schauer, CEO of AlayaCare. “We are excited about the positive impact this project will have on both home care services and the lives of personal support workers.”
“We are excited about the positive impact this project will have on both home care services and the lives of our more than 1,200 personal support workers,” says Drew Wesley, VHA’s Director of Information Management and Technology. “We’re confident that the solution AlayaCare and VHA Home HealthCare develop together to solve these challenges will be a game-changer in the home care industry.”
Machine Learning Patent
AlayaCare has taken active steps in tackling various home care challenges using advanced technologies in machine learning; using algorithms to “learn” from data in an iterative fashion and produce reliable, repeatable alerts to aid care workers in their decision-making processes. Jonathan Vallee, VP Engineering at AlayaCare is the inventor on a machine learning patent for predicting adverse events, such as re-hospitalizations of remotely monitored home healthcare patients. The patent pending solution calculates a dynamic risk score indicative of an adverse event occurring on a given day.
“We’re continuously searching for new and unique ways to create a better future for home care — we push boundaries and dig deep to help provide clients and patients with new solutions for their pain points,” Schauer adds. “We are honored to be recognized as innovators and thought leaders, especially in the hyper-competitive post-acute healthcare space.”
About AlayaCare
AlayaCare is a provider of revolutionary cloud-based home healthcare software. With a product spanning Clinical Documentation, Back Office Functionality, Client and Family Portals, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth and Mobile Care Worker apps, AlayaCare offers a platform for homecare providers to achieve better outcomes for patients and payers.
About the Innovation Partnership: Procurement by Co-Design Program at MaRS
A partnership between MaRS Discovery District and the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, the initiative offers healthcare service providers the opportunity to participate in the development of technology tailor-made to address the particular problems they face while complying with the Broader Public Sector (BPS) procurement guidelines.
This project is funded in full by the OntarioBuys program. OntarioBuys makes investments to support innovation, facilitate and accelerate the adoption of integrated supply chain, back-office leading practices and operational excellence by driving collaboration and improving supply chain processes in Ontario’s broader public sector.
About VHA
Since 1925 VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) — a not-for-profit organization — has provided compassionate home care — at home, in long-term care facilities or in hospitals. From nursing to personal support to homemaking programs and rehabilitation services, VHA supports Ontarians to live as independently as possible through the dedicated service of over 2,300 professionals. VHA proudly meets national standards of excellence in health care set out by Accreditation Canada and is a founding member agency of United Way Toronto. For more information visit: http://www.vha.ca/