Infectious Disease Simulation Tool
Infonaut is working with Peel Public Health, under funding from the federal GeoConnections program, to build an emergency preparedness Geographic Information Systems (GIS) modeling tool. 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.
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. 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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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. 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. |
Hospital Intelligent Tracking
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 responding to this crisis.
SSMIC completed a case study in 2006 showing the efficacy of GIS in dealing with hospital infections, specifically demonstrated on "superbug" diseases such as C. difficile. Together 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. Hospital Intelligent Tracking leverages radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and geomatics software, mapping hospitals and showing spatial relationships such as distance, connectivity and directional relationships: leading to more efficient and accurate response strategies, targeting the specific hospital equipment, patients, and staff involved in and affected by an outbreak. Read on in our Media Watch section below and online for more on this increasingly serious health and safety issue. Keep watching or contact us for more information on Hospital Intelligent Tracking. |
"Superbug in hospital outbreak 'has same death rate as smallpox' " The Scotsman (June 15th, 2008) "Experts fear the strain of Clostridium difficile that has killed eight people at the Vale of Leven Hospital, and been involved in the deaths of eight more, is as deadly as smallpox. The strength of the 027 strain is under investigation, but the rate of fatalities in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospital, in West Dunbartonshire, has horrified bacteriologists." "Why the delay on C. difficile?"
Toronto Star editorial (May 30, 2008) "A deadly new strain of a superbug called C. difficile is gaining a grip in Ontario hospitals and causing patients to worry that being hospitalized could literally be a cure worse than their disease... So it is good news that Health Minister George Smitherman has finally acted on the warnings. Smitherman earlier this month said he would require hospitals to report outbreaks of C. difficile by the end of the year. Then, after days of relentless questioning by the opposition at Queen's Park, Smitherman this week moved that deadline up to Sept. 30." |
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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'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. |
Infonaut’s map-based solutions share critical, health-related information in a way that is easy-to-use, easy-to-implement, and cost-effective. Infonaut brings together the unique capabilities of Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis and presentation with health, census, and your organization's information. Thought leaders, system managers, practitioners, providers, and the public should see integrated healthcare from ‘10,000 feet’. For more information please visit us at www.infonaut.ca or call 416-607-6260. |
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Showcase Ontario GIS: Shaping Global Health ESRI Regional User Conference OHA Health Achieve ESRI Regional User Conference ESRI Regional User Conference |
Country Codes of the World
At the end of every URL and email address is a top-level domain (TLD). Although .com is the world’s most popular TLD, it is far from alone. There are more than 260 TLDs in use around the world, most of which are country code top-level domains. Check out this map of the world made up of nothing but TLDs.
Each ccTLD is sized relative to the population of the country or territory, with the exception of China and India, which were restrained by 30% to fit the layout. At the other end of the spectrum, the smallest type size used reflects those countries with fewer than 10 million residents. Read this and other stories on the Infonaut Blog. |
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Infonaut Headquarters Toronto: (+1) 416-607-6260 |
