From reducing wait times to developing new technologies, Medtronic is here to help

It is undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Canada hard. With stories of hospital bed shortages, delayed medical care, overworked frontline staff, and rising death counts, Canadians have been in great need of support – some would argue more than ever before.

A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Medtronic has been relentlessly dedicated to alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending the lives of Canadians since establishing its mission over 60 years ago. In the midst of a viral pandemic, our commitment to healthcare remains as high of a priority for us as it was when we first set out 60 years ago.

SOLUTIONS: FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX

Upon hearing that intensive care units in Canadian hospitals were overwhelmed with patients and lacking the technical resources they needed, our technical service engineers worked tirelessly to support the delivery, installation and servicing of nearly 1,000 ventilators. In tandem, our clinical teams provided urgent training to nursing staff on this state-of-the-art technology to increase of the ratio of ventilators to ICU beds.

COVID-19 challenged hospitals in determining the need for various resources. Medtronic data science experts responded by developing simulation capabilities that aided hospitals in predicting their PPE requirements and incoming patient volumes – a contribution that will endure in the future to help hospitals with operational decisions.

Determined to support our customers and the healthcare system during the pandemic, one area of focus was on reducing exposure of high-risk patients to COVID-19 where possible. Medtronic established a drive-through pacemaker clinic, allowing hospitals to increase physical distance while caring for patients. In addition, we made it possible for healthcare providers to monitor Medtronic cardiac devices and Type 1 diabetes patients using our insulin pump and sensing therapies via our unique remote monitoring platform, CareLink™.

To address backlog and patients’ extended wait times for treatment – aggravated by the demands of the pandemic – we built an interactive dashboard for hospitals to manage their OR and ICU utilization, and our leading-edge cryoablation technology allows surgeons to treat up to 3x more atrial fibrillation patients per day without using more OR time.

Our ongoing partnerships and collaborations with provincial governments, health authorities and hospital sites have motivated us to ensure continued access to innovative technologies that support remote care and encourage safe delivery of surgeries.

MADE IN CANADA, SHARED GLOBALLY

We are honoured to have been able to help respond to the healthcare needs of Canadians this year. “We want to share our wealth of expertise, knowledge and technical skills to improve the health of Canadians. Our commitment to innovation as a response to COVID-19 is helping benefit Canadians from coast to coast,” says Neil Fraser, president of Medtronic Canada.

At Medtronic Canada, perpetual learning is our key to success. As the pandemic persists, we will continue to adapt and innovate to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.