Event Details
Details
- Date: March 19
-
Time:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm EDT
Venue
- Metro Toronto Convention Centre – South Building
-
222 Bremner Blvd
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2T6 Canada - View Venue Website
- MEMBER PRICE / NON-MEMBER PRICE
- $338.25 / $520.25
Registration fees shown include 5% GST.
Sponsorship
To inquire about sponsoring this event, contact Dino Falvo.
Cancellation
Registration cancellations received before 5:00 PM ET on February 14, 2026, will be eligible for a full refund. Registration cancellations received after 5:00 PM ET on February 14, 2026, are non-refundable. An alternate attendee’s name may be substituted until March 18, 2026, by sending a written request to info@digitalhealthcanada.com. Any registration transferred from a member to a non-member will be adjusted to the non-member rate.
Professional Development
Earn 4.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attending this event.
Digital Health Canada ON26
Details
- Date: March 19
-
Time:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm EDT
Venue
- Metro Toronto Convention Centre – South Building
-
222 Bremner Blvd
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2T6 Canada - View Venue Website
- MEMBER PRICE / NON-MEMBER PRICE
- $338.25 / $520.25
Join us in Toronto on March 19, 2026 for Digital Health Canada’s Ontario Conference. This annual conference (formerly UpOnDigital: The Update on Ontario Digital Health) is an important date on the Ontario digital health calendar and the best place to connect with Ontario public and private sector leaders and innovators as they present updates on their work and plans for the future. ON26 offers informative sessions exploring the issues that matter most to Ontario patients, caregivers, and digital health professionals; the latest in Ontario StartUp innovators; and multiple networking opportunities.
Early Bird registration for Digital Health Canada Members is $338.25 before January 31, 2026. Conference registration includes your ticket to the ON26 MeetUp at the Metro Toronto Convention Center immediately following the conference.
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Schedule
| 8:00 a.m – 9:00 a.m. |
Networking Breakfast + Registration OpensRoom 717AB |
| 9:00 a.m.–9:15 a.m. |
Opening RemarksRoom 718AB
|
| 9:15 a.m.–10:00 a.m. |
Opening KeynoteRoom 718AB
|
| 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. |
Transforming Care Through Collaboration: Innovation in Cross-Sector Transition and Technology-Enabled Patient JourneyRoom 718AB Discover how an Ontario regional referral program, spanning over 86 provider organizations, enables 200,000+ annual transitions of care. This panel brings together leaders from three unique perspectives – clinical, regional program delivery, and technology – to share innovative approaches to cross-sector collaboration. Panelists will discuss governance, infrastructure, and partnerships that support scalable success. Key metrics such as referral volumes, hospital and user participation, and system-level outcomes will be presented to demonstrate the scale and effectiveness of the program.
|
| 11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. |
Networking BreakRoom 717AB |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Digital Health Canada Strategic Planning Focus GroupRoom 718AB
|
| 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
Engagement Session: Audience Co-Design ChallengeRoom 718AB What would healthcare look like if it were truly designed around patients? In this interactive session, participants will explore what an ideal digital care journey could look like in the ten years from now. From virtual touchpoints and integrated data to human-centred technology, the discussion will focus on how digital health can better support patients across the continuum of care. Through collaborative dialogue and shared insight, the session will surface practical and forward-looking ideas that reflect both innovation and real-world feasibility. Whether you approach digital health from a strategic, clinical, or operational lens, this engagement session will offer fresh perspectives on how care can be delivered, experienced, and transformed. |
| 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. |
Networking LunchRoom 717AB |
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. |
Unlocking the Potential of Canada's Health Data – Modernizing Data for Infrastructure, Research and Innovation (Sponsored by CIHI)Room 716A International health systems are often described as “data rich but information poor,” and Canada is no exception (OECD, 2019). Unlocking the full value of Canada’s health system data requires that it be timely, connected and trusted. Alongside health jurisdictions and partners, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is working to accelerate the growth of the country’s health data ecosystem to drive more innovation and evidence-informed decisions. The goal: to realize the highest quality of care and the best health outcomes for Canadians. CIHI has several initiatives that aim to help Canada keep pace with digital modernization. This session will focus on two of these and the opportunities for their impacts to be felt in acute care and beyond. First, CIHI is co-designing common data content standards and architecture products that create the foundation for connected care, improve service delivery, and support economic growth and innovation—including AI—across Canada’s digital health sector. Second, CIHI is transforming hospital data through an integrated hospital data system that applies AI-assisted coding and modern data standards to deliver more timely and comprehensive insights, enable rapid responses to emerging system pressures, and reduce administrative burden. To support this work, CIHI and its partners are advancing health data stewardship to address the human and non-technical barriers that limit effective data sharing and use. These national initiatives collectively build a stronger foundation for future patient care, innovation, and decision-making across the country.
|
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. |
Unlocking Hidden Capacity: An Independent Study into the Ripple Effects of Patient Flow (Sponsored by Alcidion)Room 718AB Health systems across Australia, the UK and Canada face a shared challenge: hospital capacity constrained not by physical beds, but by the flow of patients through them. Emergency department overcrowding, ambulance offload delays and extended lengths of stay are symptoms of systemic flow inefficiencies that digital solutions can address. This session presents findings from an independent study conducted at Alfred Health, one of Australia’s leading academic health services. The research, undertaken by Monash University and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre, evaluated the implementation of electronic patient journey boards integrated with the hospital’s EMR and quantified their impact on patient flow, discharge planning and operational efficiency. The presentation contextualises these findings within the broader international evidence base on patient flow, drawing parallels to the capacity challenges facing Ontario hospitals. A panel discussion will then explore how these learnings translate to the Canadian context, considering factors such as EMR maturity, workforce constraints and the unique geography of regional healthcare delivery. Attendees will leave with practical insights on how digital patient flow solutions can release capacity, improve discharge planning and reduce adverse outcomes associated with patient boarding—without requiring wholesale system replacement.
|
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. |
Beyond hours and visits: Reimagining digital infrastructure for outcomes-driven home and community care (Sponsored by AlayaCare)Room 716B Home and community care in Ontario is being transformed under intense financial pressure, rising acuity, and growing expectations from families and providers. This panel explores how provinces across Canada are modernizing home care digital infrastructure, moving beyond legacy systems toward AI-driven platforms that support new models of care and generate real insight into outcomes, not just activity. Drawing on concrete examples from other jurisdictions, panellists examine the role of clinical outcomes, interoperability, and agentic workflows that automate and augment care coordination, enabling more decentralized decision-making while preserving system-level visibility, accountability, and governance. The discussion highlights what “best-in-class” looks like for family experience, opportunities to strengthen public–provider collaboration and quality assurance, and how digital tools help determine when to safely increase or decrease service intensity. Participants leave with a practical roadmap for building a digital ecosystem that improves provider and client experience, measures the system’s ability to keep people healthier at home, and ensures that every dollar invested in home and community care demonstrably reduces operational inefficiency and drives better outcomes.
|
| 2:25 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. |
Breaking Down Silos: How Interdepartmental Data Sharing Enabled an Economic Evaluation of New Brunswick’s Nursing Home Without Walls (NHWW) ProgramRoom 718AB As Canada’s population ages, there is a growing need for innovative, integrated models of care that allow seniors to age in place safely and with dignity. The Nursing Home Without Walls (NHWW) program, a collaborative initiative between Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC) and the Government of New Brunswick (GNB), is one such model. Moving from pilot to provincial spread, the program now supports over 4,980 participants and has delivered more than 126,000 services, using nursing homes as community hubs to deliver a range of health and social services to seniors in their homes. As integrated care models expand, our data analytics strategies must evolve in parallel. This session details the collaboration between GNB, HEC, and Edge Health Insights to evaluate the impact of the NHWW program by linking program, health, and social sector data. Presenters will outline the essential organizational, legal, and technical frameworks required to facilitate complex, multi-sectoral analytics projects. Attendees will learn how teams across GNB successfully dismantled data silos to demonstrate that social interventions drive positive outcomes across the healthcare system.
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| 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. |
Networking BreakRoom 717AB |
| 3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
Closing KeynoteRoom 718AB |
| 4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. |
Closing RemarksRoom 718AB
|
| 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
ON26 MeetUpRoom 717 Keep the conversations going beyond the conference or unwind after work at the official ON26 MeetUp on March 19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in room 717 located right next to the main conference room 718. Connect with fellow attendees while enjoying light snacks and a beverage. Conference attendees receive MeetUp access as part of their conference ticket. Not attending the conference? You can still take part for $36.75, which includes snacks and one drink ticket. Register here. |
Speakers
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Shelagh Maloney
CEO, Digital Health Canada
Read MoreShelagh’s career has been defined by a passion for digital health and its transformative ability to improve the patient and provider experience. In her previous national executive leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, Shelagh earned widespread recognition for her business development, relationship management, consensus-building, and communication skills. Shelagh was named as one of the Women Leaders in Digital Health (2017) and a Digital Health Canada Fellow (2023). A dedicated advocate for innovation and equity through digital health, Shelagh has shaped policy and practice through influential volunteer roles. She is currently Vice -Chair, Vision Loss Rehab Canada and has served as Vice Chair of SNOMED International, Board Chair of Digital Health Canada, and Board Director, Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Notably, she played a key role in hiring Digital Health Canada’s first CEO during her tenure as Board President (2006-2008). Shelagh holds a B.Sc. in Applied Health Sciences from the University of Waterloo and is a Certified Professional in Health Information & Management Systems (CPHIMS-CA).
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Rosary Spence
Supervisor, Cultural Services, Native Child & Family Services of Toronto
Read MoreRosary Spence – Piisimonapii Iskwew | Mushkego Cree, Bear Clan | Fort Albany First Nation
Rosary Spence is a traditional vocalist, designer, and Knowledge Keeper from Fort Albany First Nation on the western shores of James Bay. Singing has been a lifelong source of healing, guiding her work in performance, ceremony, and community teaching. Alongside her musical practice, Rosary is an accomplished beadwork artist, arts collaborator, and facilitator with extensive experience in Indigenous cultural production. Her professional background includes roles as an educator, social worker, and spiritual practitioner, grounding her work in community care, Indigenous languages, and land-based wellness. Deeply committed to cultural revitalization, Rosary believes in the power of ceremony, story, and traditional plant medicines to support balance and connection. Now based in Scarborough, Ontario, where she is raising her family, Rosary continues to weave together creativity, cultural knowledge, and healing within Indigenous arts and community spaces.Read Less -
Matthew Anderson
President and CEO, Ontario Health
Read MoreMatthew Anderson, President and CEO of Ontario Health, is committed to the organization's vision of health and wellness for all. This includes a focus on equity, diversity, anti-racism and inclusion in all we do.
Ontario Health was created by the Government of Ontario to connect, coordinate, and modernize the province's health care system. Working closely with partners, providers and patients, accountabilities at Ontario Health include overseeing the delivery and quality of clinical care services; managing funding and accountability for many parts of the health system; and focusing on building positive and collaborative relationships with patients and caregivers, system providers, partners and health care professionals across Ontario.
Prior to being appointed as the first President and CEO of Ontario Health in 2020, Matthew was the President and CEO at Lakeridge Health; President and CEO at the William Osler Health System - both large community hospitals; CEO at the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network; and Senior Vice-President, Technology and Performance at the University Health Network.
Matthew's education includes a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Health Science from the University of Toronto. Matthew's passions include family, travel, camping and his numerous pets.
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Deborah Richardson
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health
Read MoreDeborah Richardson became Deputy Minister of Health in March 2024.
Deborah, LL.B, BA, is a proud Mi’gmaq woman from the Pabineau First Nation in New Brunswick and is the first Indigenous woman to serve as a Deputy Minister within the Ontario public service.
Over the past nine years, she has held diverse Deputy Minister positions across the OPS, including Deputy Minister of Treasury Board Secretariat, Deputy Solicitor General, Correctional Services, and Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Deborah is a seasoned executive, business-savvy lawyer, and a change-maker with almost three decades of private, not-for-profit and public experience. She is known for her caring, collaborative style, and ability to nurture relationships, which has contributed to her reputation as an authentic leader and humanitarian.
As a forward-thinking and fiscally responsible leader, making a difference is extremely important to Deborah. In all her roles - including as Regional Director General for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Assistant Deputy Minister for the Aboriginal Relationships and Ministry Partnerships division, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Ring of Fire Secretariat at the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Deputy Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Business Banking Account Manager at the Royal Bank of Canada and Executive Director of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto—she has worked tirelessly to champion meaningful change through improving service delivery and implementing strategic initiatives to help combat social justice issues.
Deborah is also a breast cancer survivor and she and her husband, Bob, are the proud parents of five children. Her lived experiences bring an important perspective to her leadership.
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Beatrise Edelstein
Vice President, Humber River Health
Read MoreBeatrise Edelstein is the Vice President, Post Acute Care and Health System Partnerships at Humber River Health with over 20 years of progressive leadership experience in health care sector. She is a Certified Health Executive, Certified in Change Management with Prosci®, and received her Master of Health Science in Health Administration from the University of Toronto. In her role, she is responsible for planning, developing, leading and evaluating health system transformation initiatives across primary, acute, post-acute, community and long-term care sectors with the focus on stakeholder engagement and partnerships, leveraging the latest innovations and research through an equity-focused lens. Beatrise was the recipient for the 2022 Women Leaders in Digital Health Award, celebrating female visionaries who are harnessing the power of IT to transform health and health care in Canada. Beatrise contributions include publications in peer reviewed journals, conference presentations and speaker engagements.
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Peter Smith
President, Strata Health Solutions, A VitalHub Company
Read MorePeter Smith is a seasoned executive and strategic communicator with a track record of leading high-impact teams through transition, innovation, and growth. As President of Strata Health Solutions, he oversees senior leadership development, client engagement, and operational excellence—always with an eye toward morale, continuity, and results.
Known for his sharp wit and thoughtful leadership, Peter has worked on both sides of successful mergers and acquisitions. He’s a trusted voice in digital health strategy, having shaped product messaging and stakeholder alignment for solutions that improve patient flow and care coordination across health systems. He currently serves as an advisor to Spark Calgary and sits on the board of the Alberta Network for Health Information Exchange (ANHIX). Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.
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Alexis Villa
Executive Director, Connected Care & Altum Health, UHN
Read MoreAlexis strives to improve the way care is delivered and experienced using trusted relationships and partners, honed delivery skills and digital enablers. She has 18 years of healthcare leadership experience, developing strategies and delivering large-scale, transformational initiatives across the continuum of care. She currently holds a dual role, leading regional digital initiatives in support of provincial priorities and provides digital leadership at Altum Health, a rehabilitation division of University Health Network. Outside of work Alexis volunteers on several community boards and contributes to the learner community at the Institute of Health, Policy and Evaluation at University of Toronto.
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Michael Conn
Regional Sales Director, Canada, VitalHub Corp. (Moderator)
Read MoreMichael Conn is a senior digital health executive and the Regional Sales Director at VitalHub Corp., where he leads go to market strategy for Patient Flow, Operational Visibility, and Patient Journey Optimization solutions across complex hospital and integrated health systems. Michael works with cross functional teams to help clinicians and leaders improve patient experience and operational efficiency through real time visibility, coordinated information, and optimized patient movement. With more than two decades in health IT sales and business development, Michael is known for building high performing, collaborative teams and for driving results across new and existing business lines. He is passionate about leveraging digital health technologies that empower frontline teams and deliver safer, more responsive care. In addition to his role at VitalHub, he is an active voice in Canada’s digital health community, regularly engaging at industry events and sharing perspectives on health system transformation.
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Tanya Khan
Manager, Hospital Data Advancement & Engagement, CIHI, ICIS
Read MoreMs. Tanya Khan is the Manager of Hospital Data Advancement and Engagement at the Canadian Institute of Health Information. She has been with CIHI for nearly 15 years with experience across CIHI’s data holdings. Tanya is currently leading work related to CIHI’s Hospital Data Transformation initiative and also leads the development of analytical products on hospital care.
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Tetyana Maniuk
Senior Clinical Advisor, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and Emergency Medicine Physician, Queensway Carleton Hospital | University of Ottawa
Read MoreDr. Tetyana Maniuk is an emergency medicine physician and a graduate of the FRCPC-EM residency program at the University of Ottawa. She also holds a Master of Health Informatics from the University of Waterloo.
She currently serves as a Senior Clinical Advisor at the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), where she supports the development of national health data standards and provides clinical insight across a portfolio of strategic initiatives focused on advancing interoperability.
Dr. Maniuk continues to practice clinically at Queensway Carleton Hospital and contributes to undergraduate medical education at the University of Ottawa, with a focus on health informatics and curriculum improvement.
She brings a blend of clinical and informatics expertise to her work on digital health solutions across the Canadian health system.
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Shannon O'Connor
Manager, Data Standards, CIHI, ICIS
Read MoreShannon O’Connor has over 15 years of experience in digital health, health data analytics and data standards development. An enthusiastic, forward-thinking leader, Shannon is passionate about using data standards to advance interoperability and improve health equity. As the Manager of Data Standards at the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), she works collaboratively with federal, provincial and territorial partners to develop and advance digital health standards that help inform system-wide improvements that support better health outcomes for all Canadians. Shannon is a member of the Digital Health Canada Board of Directors, the HL7 Canada Council and is cochair of Canada Health Infoway’s Sex and Gender Working Group. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Queen’s University, a Master of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Ottawa and is a certified Prosci Change Practitioner.
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Ronald Dunn
Managing Partner and Founder, RLDunn and Associates Consulting Inc.
Read MoreRonald Dunn is a healthcare technology executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across Canada, North America, and Europe. As Managing Partner and Founder of RLDunn & Associates Consulting Inc., he advises health technology companies and healthcare organizations on strategy, growth, and operational performance.
Ron has held senior leadership roles at McKesson Corporation, where he led the Canadian health technology business with responsibility for customer operations, sales, marketing, and strategic planning. He serves as a strategic advisor to growth-stage companies and sits on boards in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. In recognition of his contributions to Canada’s health informatics sector, Ron received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He remains a committed advocate for Canadian health ICT innovation, actively supporting the sector’s development and international competitiveness.
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Tracy McClelland
Chief Clinical Information Officer, Alcidion
Read MoreTracy McClelland is the Chief Clinical Information Officer at Alcidion, providing clinical leadership across product strategy, pre-sales and delivery in the UK and Ireland. A former Oncology Nurse Consultant and Services Manager, Tracy brings deep frontline and operational insight including over nine years in senior digital health leadership. She has held senior global clinical advisory and consulting roles across a number of international healthcare software providers, most recently as UKI Chief Clinical Information Officer at Dedalus. Her expertise spans clinical workflow transformation, interoperable platform design and outcomes-driven digital change. Tracy holds TOGAF Business Architecture certification and is currently studying for a Master’s in Organizational and Business Psychology at the University of Liverpool.
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Nick White
Chief Marketing Officer, Alcidion
Read MoreNick White is the Chief Marketing Officer at Alcidion and co-author of Flow, a handbook on patient flow. With over 30 years of experience at the intersection of business and technology, Nick has built his career helping health systems navigate complex transformations across Australia, Southeast Asia, the UK and North America.
His background spans top-tier consulting with Deloitte and Accenture through to healthcare startups and software vendors, specializing in operating model development and the commercialization of technology-enabled healthcare solutions. Nick holds an Executive MBA from AGSM and is Lean Six Sigma certified.
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Aleem Bhangi
Market Leader, Canada, Alayacare
Read MoreAleem Bhanji is a senior leader at AlayaCare, adjunct faculty at the University of Toronto and National Health Fellow. With over 20 years of experience in executive leadership, digital health strategy, and project execution, Aleem currently serves as the Market Lead for AlayaCare’s Canadian market. This means that Aleem is responsible for developing AlayaCare’s Canadian strategy and aligning the company’s internal teams to meet the needs of its customers today and into the future, based on healthcare trends and technological advances. In a voluntary capacity, Aleem has been involved with nonprofit organizations, serving as a director on various Boards for over two decades. He also volunteers his time and efforts in establishing primary home-based care programs throughout Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Aleem has earned a bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics & computer science from the University of Waterloo, a master’s degree in health sciences from the University of Toronto and is a member of the Canadian College of Health Executives. In September 2024, Aleem was also recognized as a Canadian National Health Fellow.
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Oliver Blunn
Chief Operating Officer, Nucleus Independent Living
Read MoreWith over a decade of experience in health care administration, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Nucleus Independent Living, contributing to organizational leadership and strategic growth. Previously directed innovation, strategy, and performance initiatives within the same organization, strengthening its operational impact. Skilled in leadership, strategy, and fostering collaboration, aligning with the mission to empower independent living. Committed to driving innovation and delivering effective solutions that enhance care and service quality for diverse communities. Dedicated to fostering inclusion, adaptability, and forward-thinking approaches that support the organization's goals.
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Steve Paraskevopoulos
Senior Vice President ParaMed & Chief Technology Officer, ParaMed
Read MoreSteve has a broad leadership career spent in the senior living, life science, and telecom industries. Utilizing more than 25 years of deep technology and operations experience, he brings a progressive approach to the business. Steve has led large-scale transformations that are anchored in a strong focus on the customer while achieving business results. He is well known for building organizations with a positive team-oriented culture and a strong sense of partnership that is systems enabled. Prior to joining Extendicare, Steve was the Chief Technology Officer at Revera where he used innovative technology to drive value for both customers and employees. While at MDS Inc., Steve led product development and acquisitions to drive significant growth and transformation. Steve has a BSc (Hons) in Physics from McMaster University.
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Jennifer Connolly
Co-Founder/Lead, Canada, Edge Health Insights
Read MoreJennifer is a health economist and data scientist. She helps healthcare providers and planners in Canada and the UK improve patient outcomes by increasing operational efficiency, planning for the future, and evaluating new models of care. She has spoken about her work advancing data-driven healthcare at a variety of conferences internationally. Jennifer holds an MSc in Health Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BSc in Chemistry and Statistics.
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Stephanie Lagosky
Senior Program Lead, Healthcare Excellence Canada
Read MoreStephanie is a Knowledge Translation expert with over a decade of experience translating healthcare knowledge in a variety of settings. Currently, she works as a Senior Program Lead with Healthcare Excellence Canada, where she is responsible for the spread and scale of the Nursing Home Without Walls program across Canada. Prior to this, she worked in Knowledge Translation with systematic reviews, in supporting patient partnership and quality improvement, and promoting community based and women’s health research. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Health Professional Education from Western University.
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