Former Government of New Brunswick CIO to Lead Digital Health Company's Data Science Practice
Fredericton, NB (July 21, 2021) - VeroSource Solutions, Inc. is pleased to announce that Gerry Fairweather has joined its Executive as VP of Innovation and Analytics. Effective immediately, Fairweather will lead the digital health company's growing data science practice, building capability and capacity in data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more.
Fairweather brings a wealth of expertise to this role, having served in a number of senior leadership roles in healthcare IT and digital transformation over the past 20 years. Most recently, as CIO for the Province of New Brunswick, he was responsible for the strategic direction of provincial information and communications technology (ICT), digital transformation, cyber security, and privacy and information management across GNB. Prior to this role, Fairweather spent more than 10 years establishing enterprise architecture structure and standards for the New Brunswick Department of Health.
"Over the past decade, I've collaborated with the VeroSource team on a number of digital health and digital transformation-focused government initiatives," said Fairweather. "I now look forward to working more closely together-expanding their health analytics offering and continuing to pursue projects that make a positive impact in communities across New Brunswick and beyond."
"Artificial intelligence and machine learning, applied properly, will allow us to improve the way healthcare is administered by uncovering new efficiencies and by predicting outcomes such as early onset of diseases," said Mark McAllister, VeroSource's CEO. "We are so happy that Gerry is joining us to drive this facet of the business and contribute his vision for the future of health care and innovative expansion of our digital health platform."
In addition to mentoring and building VeroSource's data science team, technology and capabilities, Fairweather will also work with VeroSource's academic and research partners to further develop the company's intellectual property.
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About VeroSource Solutions
VeroSource Solutions Inc. is a digital health company established in 2014 to empower people and unlock the potential in Canadian healthcare. Its team of professionals has extensive experience in the full lifecycle of IT solutions and offers healthcare providers the technology and support needed to go digital. VeroSource's cloud-first multi-channel software securely connects people, data and systems to drive digital healthcare transformation. Founded in Fredericton, NB, VeroSource has grown to include team members across Ontario and the Atlantic Canadian provinces.
Home-based digital health assessments developed in partnership with the University of New Brunswick and Fredericton-based VeroSource Solutions
St. Stephen, NB (July 14, 2021) – Kindred Home Care, New Brunswick’s largest provider of home care services to seniors and individuals with disabilities, is on a mission to harness tech-driven solutions and real-time data to help clients remain safely at home for as long as possible.
Through the introduction of its Wellness Check Initiative (WCI), jointly funded by the Government of New Brunswick and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Healthy Seniors’ Pilot Project, Kindred is piloting a digital health solution for home-based health care assessments that tracks clients’ cognitive/mental and physical health, including blood pressure and other key indicators. This initiative is a recent example of Kindred’s broader tech-driven approach to home care, to improve the health outcomes of its clients.
Completed by trusted caregivers in the comfort of home, the digital health assessments proactively flag any changes in health before they become larger issues, including falls or unexpected hospitalizations. The WCI is based on the PITCH digital health platform developed by Professor Erik Scheme’s research team at the University of New Brunswick in collaboration with VeroSource Solutions, whose proprietary digital health platform forms the foundation of the solution. As such, the WCI supports a proactive, outcome-based approach to seniors’ health care, providing critical, real-time data to clients, their families and health care providers.
“When you think of home care, you don’t typically associate leading-edge technology,” said Billy English, CEO of Kindred Home Care. “The success of this pilot has proven our caregivers and clients are up to the challenge of innovating, especially when it directly contributes to better health outcomes for the seniors we serve.”
Since the launch of the pilot project in November 2019, more than 185 Kindred caregivers across New Brunswick have been trained to assess and track the health care assessment data through a secure, custom app on their smartphones. As of May 2021, more than 110 clients received assessments within the month. Pilot feedback from caregivers, clients and client families has been overwhelmingly positive as the data gives them better insight into the evolving needs of each client, leading to more informed treatment measures such as medication adjustments or additional physical supports to improve mobility.
“I chose to participate in (WCI) because, if there was something that could improve my clients’ lives, I wanted to be a part of it!” said Lily Fletcher, a Fredericton-based Caregiver and Capacity Support Coordinator, who has participated in the pilot since its launch. “One of the most rewarding aspects was being able to monitor one client’s blood pressure, pulse and weight with pre-existing heart issues…the WCI gave the client peace of mind since they could check their blood pressure more frequently at home. My client was able to successfully lose weight and lower certain heart medications with the help of his health care team. The best feeling was being thanked by his nurses and doctors as they believed WCI was a great motivator in this client’s situation.”
“Collaborations like this initiative with Kindred, UNB and VeroSource demonstrate how impactful technology can be on an individual’s health outcomes,” said Mark McAllister, CEO, VeroSource Solutions. “It’s gratifying for our team to see how day-to-day analytics can make a huge difference in improving one’s health over the long term. We believe this proactive, outcome-based approach is the future of health care.”
“To date, the WCI pilot is reinforcing the critical importance of proactive engagement, continuous monitoring, and prevention,” said Dr. Erik Scheme, Project Lead and Director of the Health Technologies Lab at UNB. “By assessing and tracking even the smallest of changes, individuals and their care teams can make more informed, data-driven decisions, ensuring health issues are managed in an efficient and cost-effective manner. As the study continues, we’re looking forward to seeing the value this adds to regular in-person interactions and to the healthcare system.”
The WCI pilot will continue until fall 2021, when program results will be further compiled and shared by the research team. Building on this project’s progress and key learnings, Kindred is continuing to explore additional proactive, tech-driven solutions to the benefit of clients and their care teams.
About Kindred Home Care
Kindred Home Care is New Brunswick’s largest private provider of home care services, helping seniors and adults with disabilities remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. It provides support to individuals and families in the areas of personal care, activities of daily living and home management. Kindred Home Care is committed to helping its clients remain safely at home through providing technology-driven solutions to outcome-based care. Visit kindredhomecare.com.
About VeroSource Solutions
VeroSource Solutions Inc. is a digital health company established in 2014 to empower people and unlock the potential in Canadian healthcare. Its team of professionals has extensive experience in the full lifecycle of healthcare IT solutions and offers healthcare providers the technology and support needed to go digital. VeroSource’s cloud-first multi-channel software securely connects people, data and systems to drive digital healthcare transformation. Founded in Fredericton, NB, VeroSource has grown to include team members across Ontario and the Atlantic Canadian provinces. Learn more at verosource.com.
About PITCH
The WCI is a pilot deployment of the PITCH digital health platform developed at the University of New Brunswick by a multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Dr. Erik Scheme. Encompassing research in digital health, healthy aging, data analytics, and cybersecurity, PITCH aims to promote and facilitate value-added client engagement as part of a regular and proactive health monitoring solution. Learn more or get involved at www.ece.unb.ca/escheme.
We are proud that our VeroSource technology made online access to Covid-19 test results possible in New Brunswick and Manitoba, as well as immunization records in Manitoba.
Read the full article at Canada Health Infoway here:
VeroSource, along with Shared Health Inc. and Canada Health Infoway, have released a new feature to the COVID-19 online portal in Manitoba. Citizens are now able to securely access their COVID-19 immunization history, in addition to their COVID-19 test results, using the VeroSource cloud service.
Read the full CBC article here:
We are proud to be supporting New Brunswick citizens with our cloud service.
FREDERICTON (GNB) – In an effort to help seniors, their families and caregivers during the pandemic, the Department of Social Development has launched Social Supports NB, a user-friendly website that contains information on government and community programs and services including for housing, health services and home care.
Read the full press release here:
New Brunswick is leveraging VeroSource Delegated Authority functionality to allow parents to access their children’s COVID-19 test results securely.
FREDERICTON (GNB) – Parents or guardians can now access a child’s COVID-19 test result online.
“The addition of children’s test results to the secure online web portal will provide greater access and relieve some stress for parents or guardians,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health.
MyHealthNB website, a secure web portal, enables eligible New Brunswickers to obtain access to their COVID-19 test results. Patients, including children, are given a MyHealthNB registration sheet with their name and registration code when tested for COVID-19 at assessment sites and emergency departments.
Read full press release here:
FREDERICTON, NB, June 4, 2020 /CNW/ - Citizens in New Brunswick and Manitoba are accessing their COVID-19 test results through a secure online portal enabled by technology from VeroSource Solutions. The rapid deployment of this service in two provinces in quick succession represents an important private-public collaboration between VeroSource Solutions (VeroSource), the New Brunswick Department of Health, Shared Health in Manitoba, and Canada Health Infoway (Infoway).
"VeroSource is a New Brunswick company born from the idea that as we empower Canadians with their personal health information, we can unlock value in the health care system," said Mark McAllister, CEO and Founder, VeroSource. "Our ability to quickly respond to provincial and citizen needs during COVID-19 has confirmed our purpose. We are proud to have played a small role to make a big difference for Canadians during this unprecedented time."
Read full press release here:
“We know that innovative technology is playing an increasingly vital role in health care. We are excited to be part of the transformation that is unlocking potential in Canadian health care. Our collaboration with Kindred Home Care and the University of New Brunswick ensures our technology addresses real-world issues and is backed by evidence-based research.”– Mark McAllister, CEO of VeroSource Solutions Inc.
VeroSource was recently featured for our innovative hiring practices in a Globe and Mail article entitled “Sign here: Why the increasing use of non-compete clauses is bad for employees, and the economy”.
Read Globe and Mail article here:
VeroSource Solutions Inc is pleased to welcome Kevin Hurley as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. He will focus upon building on the current success of VeroSource and maturing its product and service offerings.Kevin recently founded Newmarket Consulting Inc in May of 2018 and continued his role of ICT consulting. Previously, he was the COO of SwiftRadius where he led the Enterprise Consulting team of 40 highly skilled professionals within the Fredericton, NB, Saint John, NB and Charlottetown, PEI offices overseeing Business Development and Sales, Operations, and Finance functions. When SwiftRadius was acquired by Deloitte in January 2015, he became a Partner in the Technology Consulting practice.
Kevin has 30+ years of experience in the IT field with an emphasis on professional services operations management, project governance, program/project management, engaging multi-stakeholders, successful project delivery from initiation to closure and developing long lasting trusting relationships with clients. He is currently an Order member of the Wallace McCain Institute – Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and past Board Member of TechImpact.
“Kevin has decades of experience and a proven track record of taking technology companies to the next level. As our company continues to scale and evolve, I know that Kevin’s depth of knowledge and experience will be invaluable,” says VeroSource CEO Mark McAllister.
“I’m very excited to join such an exciting company and look forward to the tonnes of opportunity I see,” says Mr. Hurley.
VeroSource Solutions Inc. is dedicated to improving the lives of its customers through data analysis and communications. With a specific focus on improving patient outcomes in the Public Health sector, VeroSource has developed a number of products which aim to increase the efficiency and security of healthcare delivery on a large scale. VeroSource is led by a team of experienced Business and IT professionals which has gained a reputation for excellence.