Hospitals and university join forces for 'Care Next Coalition'

A medical professional sits behind a microscope in this stock image. (Chokniti Khongchum/Pexels.com)

Grand River Hospital, St. Mary’s General Hospital, and the University of Waterloo are coming together for a new initiative.

Dubbed the Care Next Coalition, the latest effort will allow the hospitals and the universities to pool resources to support research. Clinicians, researchers, and entrepreneurs will work together to create education programming, create integrated care systems, and try out technological advances.

“The Coalition will equip our Region to emerge as a health innovation centre, ensuring the best possible experience for the communities we serve and the health care professionals who choose to work here,” Mark Fam, President of St. Mary’s General Hospital said in a release.

“We need to continue to innovate to meet the diverse and growing needs of the people we serve. I’m excited by the potential of the Coalition to engage new ecosystem partners and build a strong pipeline of new ideas that can enter into healthcare focused trials in our own communities,” Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo added.

The organizations have started the hiring process for a joint vice-president and chief health innovation officer for the project.

The initiative if funded through a legacy gift from the estate of Ralph and Dorothy Kraft.