2008 Infonaut News Archives
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August 21, 2008: Infonaut Newsletter :: Summer 2008
Get Infonaut's newest news in our Summer 2008 issue. Find out about Infonaut North, see how we transformed hard-copy data to soft-copy information for Doorways to Care, meet our Director of Knowledge Management, and our COO's tiny protege.
It's all online here.
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August 18, 2008: Now Hiring: Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
As we continue to grow, Infonaut is looking for a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) to join our senior management group and lead our development team. We’re seeking an IT professional who has the experience to become an expert in our existing technology, and the vision to push it to the next level.
Qualified applicants will have extensive and well-rounded knowledge of GIS technologies, database management systems and system development across various technical environments. The ideal candidate will have a Masters or PhD in computer science, business administration or a related field.
An applicant who is Infonaut material is passionate about continuous learning, is able to work in development, management and technical spheres, and is looking for an opportunity to take a leadership position with a young, growing company.
We want to take our products further, and are willing to invest the resources necessary to build next-gen technology. We offer a flexible work environment where you’ll be supported by an experienced team.
Infonaut offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.
If you are up for the challenge, Infonaut would like to hear from you. Contact Matt McPherson at mmcpherson@infonaut.ca or 416-607-6260.
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August 14, 2008: New Director of Knowledge Management
Infonaut is pleased to bring Colin Furness on board as our Director of Knowledge Management. With Colin on the team, we’re accelerating Infonaut’s internal expertise in system design, and enhancing our ability to identify and take advantage of new networking technologies.
Colin is completing a PhD at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, studying predictors for the effective use of collaborative information systems for knowledge work. He has fifteen years’ experience in cognitive & social psychology, information systems analysis, interface design methods, usability and user-centred design, and the social impacts of technology.
Funding from the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) made this hire possible. Successful applicants to the OCE are provided grant funding to employ an academic researcher. This facilitates the exchange of ideas and experience between academics and industry, providing relevant practical knowledge to researchers while keeping industry informed and in touch with the latest academic advancements in their field.
Only one-third of applicants to the OCE program this year were successful in receiving funding. Companies must prove that they will make good use of an academic researcher's time, and that hiring the researcher enhances the competitiveness of their organization. We're pleased that OCE decided to make this funding available to Infonaut. We look forward to Colin's contributions to the Infonaut team, keeping our products and services on the cutting edge.
To get in touch with Colin directly, send him an email at cfurness@infonaut.ca.
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August 6, 2008: Andrew Bostelaar Joins Infonaut North
Infonaut continues to grow, and now in a new direction -- North. Andrew Bostelaar joined Infonaut at the beginning of August, and is supporting our team as a developer in the Sault Ste Marie office: our first Saultellite.
Bringing Andrew on board is another step forward in improving Infonaut’s ability to bring effective, timely solutions to market. Building our in-house development team allows us to be more responsive to innovation opportunities, to build topical prototypes and lightweight solutions, and to customize our products to meet our client’s needs.
Andrew's work will be central to Infonaut's future growth, as he assists with research and development on our Hospital Infection Control application, co-developed with the Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre.
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August 1, 2008: Infonaut North
Northern Ontario is well represented in many of Infonaut's projects, clients, and partners, and now we are there in person.
As part of our continued expansion and pursuit of new opportunities, Infonaut have opened a satellite office in the North. Infonaut services have been available virtually all across Ontario (and Canada) since 2003. But we're crossing over from the virtual to the concrete, and setting up a new branch office in Sault Ste Marie -- Infonaut are becoming Saulties.
Our downtown Toronto office will remain the same, operating in the centre of trendy Liberty Village in the King West area. So while we're still at 43.638039 by -79.425584, you'll also be able to find us at 46.5183 by -84.34793.
This expansion represents another joint endeavor with Infonaut's longtime partner, the Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC). Our Sault Ste Marie location will be specialized in the continued improvement and pursuit of excellence in applying GIS to hospital health decision-making. Development staff at this location will be engaged in the development of three GIS-based solutions: Community Pandemic Simulation, Live Syndromic Surveillance, and Hospital Intelligent Tracking.
Both of our offices are growing, and we're always looking for dynamic individuals to join our team. For a complete list of opportunities with Infonaut, visit us at http://infonaut.ca/about/jobs.html, or contact us at careers@infonaut.ca.
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July 19, 2008: CCAC Provider Mapping: Doorways to Care
From zero service coverage to redundant service delivery, Infonaut is working with the Central CCAC and community agency partners to track the locations, gaps, and overlaps of the health service providers within their region.
This project was based on previous efforts to create geographic information for the innovative service access initiative "Doorways to Care” (DWTC). DWTC involves the Central CCAC services and also the many community support provider agencies including: day programs, social work, recreation, transportation, delivered meals and home health.
Working directly with the service providers, Infonaut asked them to self-identify their delivery area.
The way this self-identification was done demonstrates the versatility of Infonaut’s solutions. Providers did not have to become familiar with any new technology, instead they were able to draw the boundary around their delivery area on a hard-copy version of the map. Literally outlining their service region with a coloured pencil.
Infonaut then translated the hard-copy maps into boundary files, digitally delineating the service area for each provider and service type.
Different service providers may use different methods to keep track of their geographic boundaries, but it all becomes consistent when you draw it on a map.
The process Infonaut used to make this data available to all of the twenty-one DWTC organizations (including the CCAC) in a GIS-format is very simple, easily replicable, and aligns existing data in dramatic way.
Infonaut will enable the Central LHIN’s DWTC network to understand when an under-populated area is receiving a higher than required level of service, when a heavily populated area is receiving a lower than adequate level of service, as well as all the combinations in-between. Overlapping service areas are immediately apparent, as are areas which are receiving no service at all.
Efficiency in the day-to-day operations of community agencies is also supported by this project. Using postal code data, the DWTC members can more efficiently match calls requesting service with the nearest service provider. This is especially useful for services which are targeted to elderly or disabled clients, where proximity may be a significant factor in how comfortable they are accessing the services, as well as influencing the "feel" factor -- how satisfied the clients are overall with their services.
In addition to the more obvious benefits, the maps have a number of bonus applications. DWTC agencies will now, for instance, have the opportunity to make their services more eco-friendly -- by using the geographic data to determine optimal routes within delivery areas. Improved efficiency on car-based services, such as the meals-on-wheels program, saves the volunteer drivers excess driving time, saves the program gas and depreciation expenses, and makes the program greener and more effective.
For details on how to create a similar service provider map for your area, contact Hugh Williams at hwilliams@infonaut.ca.
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July 2, 2008: Infonaut Newsletter :: Spring 2008
Catch up on the latest news and newest products from Infonaut in our Spring 2008 newsletter. Read about our Infectious Disease Simulation Tool, meet our new VP of Business Development, find out where you can see Infonaut live in the next few months, discover our Hospital Intelligent Tracking Tool, and much more.
Read it all online here.
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June 21, 2008: Hospital Intelligent Tracking
Infection control in Canadian hospitals has reached a critical point.
Outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant infectious disease in hospitals are more common and less well-controlled than Canadians think. In the last five years, 2000 people have died in Quebec from Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). Throughout Canada there are 8000 deaths per year directly attributed to diseases caught while in hospital. That's equivalent to the combined number of deaths caused by traffic accidents and breast cancer.
Responding to this emerging threat, Infonaut and our longtime collaborator the Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) are developing an intelligent hospital infection control application, one that will put actionable information in the hands of those managing this crisis.
This is especially timely as recent outbreaks of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) in Ontario hospitals are drawing public, and government, attention to this serious health and safety issue. So much so that, during his term as Ontario Minister of Health, George Smitherman made reporting on outbreaks of C. difficile mandatory by September 30th of this year.
But back in 2006, Infonaut's partner SSMIC had already begun addressing this problem. Following on an outbreak at the Sault Area Hospital (SAH), SSMIC completed a case study showing the efficacy of GIS in dealing with hospital infections, specifically demonstrated on "superbug" diseases such as C. difficile.
Infonaut and SSMIC are now working to translate this proof-of-concept project into a full-fledged GIS solution -- designed to help decision makers address this too often overlooked gap in health system safety.
Our Hospital Intelligent Tracking leverages radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and geomatics software, mapping hospitals in three dimensions and computing spatial relationships such as distance, connectivity and directional relationships between entities. This allows for the visualization of raw data and spatial analytic results within a 3D hospital map: leading to more efficient and accurate response strategies, targeting the specific hospital equipment, patients, and staff involved in and affected by an outbreak.
Contact us for more information on Hospital Intelligent Tracking.
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June 18, 2008: New Vice-President of Business Development
Infonaut is pleased to announce the addition of Hugh Williams to our team as Vice-President of Business Development.
Hugh is joining Infonaut from ESRI Canada, where he played an instrumental role in pioneering their health business as the first account manager dedicated to health and human services.
Having successfully built up ESRI's local and national accounts, Hugh is known throughout the health GIS community and will connect Infonaut's expertise and services to this network, taking our company to the next level.
Much of Hugh's early work at ESRI involved developing the go-to-market strategy and the supporting collateral: building awareness for the value of GIS systems and intelligence to the many aspects of the healthcare market. He has hosted annual “GIS in Health Executive Forums”; developed the Intelligent Platform concept for the use of GIS within healthcare; and created a training program for health clients new to GIS.
Hugh also brings a wealth of national and international information management experience to Infonaut, having worked on capacity building and food/ health security projects for clients in Canada, and with the United Nations. In his role with Dynamic Planet, Hugh created and published several atlases including the World Health Atlas, and the Africa AIDS Atlas in 2006. Hugh also worked in the Ontario provincial government for over 15 years in a variety of roles.
Hugh is the father of four children, and active in his community. He is on the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Etobicoke, and for “CameronHelps” a non-profit community organization.
With Infonaut, Hugh will be running our day-to-day strategic direction and marketing plans, as well as helping us pursue many of our business development opportunities. Hugh’s “Bring Data to Life” approach will fit in perfectly at Infonaut. If there's an opportunity for collaboration you'd like to discuss with Infonaut, please contact Hugh directly at 416-738-9583, or by email at hwilliams@infonaut.ca.
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June 17, 2008: Infonaut's New Website
If you've visited our site in the last few days (and why wouldn't you have), you may have noticed that Infonaut.ca has a new look. We've taken our classic content, added new components and ported it all over to a sleeker, updated interface.
This latest version of our website maintains and refreshes popular features like the Infonaut Blog, as well as improving our lines of communication to you, via our News area.
Take a look at our new Software page, which gives an at-a-glance view of our applications, and how they can help you. Visit Services and browse an overview of our in-house expertise: in GIS, and in our capacity as health system experts.
If there's something you need, in GIS, in health, or in both, but you don't see it listed in our Software or Services, just ask. We'd like to talk to you about it.
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June 12, 2008: Daphne June McPherson
The newest and littlest Infonaut addition: we're pleased to welcome baby Daphne June McPherson to the extended Infonaut team.
Weighing in at 6lbs 6oz, featherweight Daphne was born Thursday June 12th at 2:15pm. The proud parents, Infonaut COO Matthew McPherson and his wife Deb McCain, as well as her big sister Davis, are thrilled to meet this beautiful addition to their family.
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May 30, 2008: Infectious Disease Simulation Tool
With funding support from the federal GeoConnections program, Infonaut is working with Peel Public Health to build an emergency preparedness modeling tool using Geographic Information Systems.
This Infectious Disease Simulation Tool will let public health officials, emergency response professionals and other decision-makers visualize the dynamics of infectious disease outbreaks over time and space within their community – giving them the ability to better plan for and respond to urgent health-related matters.
Virtual pandemic simulation technology will represent a dramatic step forward in Ontario's emergency response planning capabilities. The Infectious Disease Simulation Tool will show the implications of an outbreak and display results in an impactful and instantly informative geographic model.
Peel anticipates the system will have many benefits, enabling planners & decision makers to:
- Visualize the dynamics of a pandemic, outbreak, or other emergency
- Simulate readiness and response
- Evaluate response times
- Quantify the costs
- Contrast effective and non-effective intervention strategies
The Infectious Disease Simulation Tool reduces the time required to prepare for and respond to emergencies, and ultimately, saves lives and property through better planning.
The project is a collaboration between Peel Public Health and Infonaut, with additional participation from Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Health Unit; Queen’s University Public Health Informatics; SAS, who are providing the project's analytical framework; and the University of Waterloo, where a spatial temporal modeling expert is advising Infonaut on how to best leverage current modeling techniques.
This spring, Infonaut completed the first phase of this project: clarifying the functionality and benefits with a large group of experts in the community. These stakeholders included epidemiologists, communicable disease surveillance and control managers, planners and frontline responders.
We're taking current and best practices in communicable disease surveillance, data custodianship, and intervention strategies and translating them into solutions.
For more information on the Infectious Disease Simulation Tool and Infonaut's other products and services, please contact us at info@infonaut.ca.
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March 26, 2008: Infonaut Partners with George Brown College
Starting in March 2008, Infonaut is participating in George Brown College (GBC)'s Innovation Internship program. In an arrangement which benefits both GBC and Infonaut, graduating students are given an opportunity to hone their skills in an applied, fast-paced, delivery-focused environment. At the same time, Infonaut gains greater access to the latest academic and technical advancements in a number of key areas.
We have been working with GBC for the past year to advance our research and development in the health GIS space. This GBC internship will be used particularly to further development on the RFID system within Infonaut's unique and innovative Hospital Intelligent Tracking tool.
Infonaut is pleased to offer students and faculty many interesting applied research opportunities, connecting industry experience to the academic environment, while serving as a conduit for greater learning and the commercialization of health-related solutions and services.
For more information on Infonaut’s products and services, please contact us at info@infonaut.ca.
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February 1, 2008: Stopping the spread of infectious diseases with spatial syndromic surveillance
The national funding initiative, GeoConnections, has awarded federal sponsorship to Infonaut and our partners, recognizing our innovative investigative GIS concept, and supporting development of a web-based real-time GIS disease detection and outbreak response application.
Working with Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFL&A PH), Queen's University Public Health Informatics (QPHI), the Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) & ESRI Canada, Infonaut is advancing GIS systems towards applied disease surveillance (“syndromic surveillance”) for respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions. Syndromic surveillance targets these conditions because of their rapid transmission rate and high burden on community health services.
Supported by data from seven area hospitals, the map-based surveillance and alert system being developed by Infonaut and KFL&A PH will use real-time anonymized respiratory and gastrointestinal patient information to improve response to disease outbreaks.
Many public health departments do not currently use geospatial information in their disease surveillance, but a growing body of knowledge proves that spatial data can help predict, track and stop the spread of these diseases. With Infonaut’s assistance, KFL&A PH is building the type of decision support system that has the potential to predict and minimize pandemics, and supports the type of appropriate public health actions that can save lives.
Infonaut's map-based reporting allows for instantaneous information sharing and enhanced communications between the community and key public health decision makers, including the local Medical Officer of Health, doctors, hospitals and researchers, making Infonaut’s GIS-solutions ideal as a real-time disease control application.
For more information on Infonaut’s products and services, please contact us at info@infonaut.ca.
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January 15, 2008: Leading Business Intelligence Suites Harmonized and GIS-Enhanced
Infonaut's dynamic geospatial interface and location-based business intelligence are now more widely available to healthcare performance managers following our integration with ABS System Consultants' leading performance management application Metrics3D.
Through the SE CCAC, a strategic collaboration between Infonaut and ABS System Consultants has rapidly advanced both business intelligence tools, opening up Infonaut's GIS technology to ABS' extensive user base, and adding an in-demand GIS interface to ABS's comprehensive all-in-one performance suite.
The Metrics3D tool is developed explicitly for use in the public sector to report on metrics relevant to decision makers. Infonaut's GIS software furthers that goal by taking these metrics as input, and making them readily understandable using Infonaut's intuitive, easy-to-use and impactful geographic representations.
In integrating their applications, Infonaut and ABS worked with data from multiple CCAC legacy systems - extracting, cleaning, geocoding, georeferencing this important client and community information – before porting the information back to the new GIS/ Metrics3D system. This improved information set is enhanced with an automated monthly data refresh process. This final step ensures that the SE CCAC performance metrics in the GIS-enabled system are always based on the most current information possible.
For more information on how to extend your GovMetrics3D application with a GIS interface, contact us at info@infonaut.ca.
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January 10, 2008: Infonaut Partners with Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre
Infonaut is pleased to announce a formalized partnership with the Sault Ste Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC), world-wide leaders in community health geomatics and geo-spatial data warehousing.
Working with the Innovation Centre’s Community Geomatics Centre (CGC), Infonaut has signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a Location-Based Business Intelligence hospital application that utilizes GIS (Geographic Information System) and RFID (Radio Frequency ID) technology for real-time Hospital Performance Management, Infection Control and Patient Flow. SSMIC will play a key role in the development of a complete GIS hospital application.
SSMIC is a not-for-profit group that is focused on business incubation, support services, and market development projects with partners in information technology and companies in the knowledge economy to further economic development in Sault Ste Marie and the Algoma District. SSMIC’s award winning CGC provides managed and strategic GIS planning services to health and human services organizations as well as the municipal and utilities sectors.
As part of this exciting new partnership, Infonaut will be announcing shortly the opening of a development office in Sault Ste Marie to take advantage of a unique and specialized work-force, enable a closer working relationship with the CGC, and help the Innovation Centre with its goal to further develop and expand this important hub of innovation and IT expertise within Ontario.
For more information on the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, please visit their website at http://www.ssmic.com.
For more information on Infonaut’s products and services, please contact us at info@infonaut.ca.
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