Seventh annual Quebec City Health Industry Forum - "Better Performance Through Innovation"

QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 31, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Under the theme of "Better Performance Through Innovation", the seventh edition of the Quebec City Healthcare Industry Forum (FISQ) will be held on December 4 at Espaces Dalhousie in Quebec City. Organized by Québec International, this major annual event draws 200 key actors from the healthcare sector. Based on true case studies, the program for the 2013 edition will emphasize how incorporating innovative solutions is essential to boosting efficiency and performance within the health and social services systems. Nicolas Marceau, Quebec's Minister of Finance and the Economy, is slated to deliver the closing address.

FISQ 2013 ties in with the inaugural Health Innovation Week, which features three additional events: the HTA and Innovative Technologies Forum, organized by the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS); Quebec Seeks Solutions (Health Edition), presented by Québec International; and the Journée Oser Innover an initiative of the Conseil québécois d'agrément (CQA). All these events share a common goal: to bring the benefits of innovation to the healthcare sector.

"For the past seven years, the FISQ has helped foster productive dialogue between stakeholders from the health sector, the scientific community and the health sciences industry. We are particularly proud to be holding this edition as part of the inaugural Health Innovation Week. This is an important step for us because it serves to strengthen dialogue while positioning Quebec City as a major health innovation hub," said Carl Viel, President and CEO of Québec International.

BRAND NEW FORMAT
The program for the seventh annual FISQ will give participants a unique opportunity to listen to high-level guest speakers in a brand new format designed to create a productive space for sharing best practices. Four case studies will be addressed by two presenters (one healthcare system representative and one industry representative). From these two different vantage points, the participants will discuss true case studies shedding light on issues surrounding innovation within the healthcare network and the benefits thereof. After each presentation, a panel of experts will discuss the issues raised by the guest speakers, along with the participants. The four case studies are as follows:

• Clinical itinerary: the real-time optimization of clinical processes
  David Bertrand (Hospitalis) and Lucille Juneau (Quebec City University Hospital Centre/CHUQ) will discuss how the real-time visibility of clinical processes has led to improvements in the continuity of care and to optimised resources based on patient needs.

• An Arctic-cold treatment!
  Bertil Laley (Medtronic) and Dr. Peter Guerra (Montreal Heart Institute) will discuss how extreme cold can be used to treat patients suffering from cardiac arrhythmia thanks to an innovative treatment developed and manufactured in Quebec involving a cardiac cryoballoon catheter.

• Home support services… at your fingertips!
  Josée Grégoire and Dr. André Garon (CHUQ), together with Michele D'Elia (Roche Diagnostics), will unveil a new homecare model based on a clinical decision-making tool (portable coagulometer).

• Integration of innovation: an international case that has gained a following
  Adrian Griffin (Johnson & Johnson), a member of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and Dr. Félix Couture (CHUQ) will discuss how an innovative partnership between NICE and Janssen-Cilag opened up access to bortezomib (Velcade®) for UK patients with multiple myeloma.

The participants will also have an opportunity to hear Prof. Fabrice P. Brunet, General Manager of Sainte-Justine University Health Centre and Chairman of the Quebec UHC Managers Roundtable. He will discuss the main conclusions of the International Forum on Health (held in October) concerning the outlook for technology integration in healthcare systems around the world.

QUEBEC CITY REGION: A MAJOR HUB FOR HEALTH INNOVATION
The FISQ and the other events held during Health Innovation Week cap off a banner year for the Quebec City region in the life sciences sector. In recent months, the region has played host to a number of events, while several major announcements have helped to position Quebec City as a life sciences innovation hub. Two other key events held in the region include BioContact and Genome Quebec's conference on personalized medicine. In addition, Laval University and its partners have founded the Health Alliance, while Hema-Quebec recently announced the construction of the C-LAVIE complex.

"Healthcare innovation is a driver of social and economic development in Quebec, and our region is well positioned as a leader in this field. We intend to continue promoting promising initiatives and productive partnerships in order to support the development of our life sciences hub," said Mr. Viel.

About the Quebec City Health Industry Forum (FISQ)
The FISQ is a forum of choice designed to facilitate networking and meetings between business people, health network managers, researchers and clinicians. The 2013 edition is made possible with the support of the following partners: Hospitalis, Pfizer, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Novartis, Genome Quebec, GlaxoSmithKline, Medtronic and Merck. For further information, please visit www.quebecinternational.ca/forumhealth.

About Québec International
Québec International contributes to regional economic development and promotes Quebec City's international standing. As the region's pre-eminent economic development agency, Québec International fosters business growth, supports key economic clusters and attracts talent and investment. For further information, please visit www.quebecinternational.ca.

SOURCE: Québec International

For further information:

Isabelle Gilbert
Senior Director, Communications and Economic Studies
Phone: [phone], ext. 254
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