Holland Bloorview is the first Canadian member of KidSights™, a data consortium that will accelerate pediatric innovation, enhance care and services and improve health outcomes
Press image
Children and young people with disabilities and developmental differences represent 10 per cent of the world's population. However, innovation in pediatric developmental health care - especially pediatric disability care -- lags behind the adult health-care sector. One factor is due to limited access to large-scale datasets that enable ground-breaking advances in care.
To address this gap, KidSights will use secure, privacy-enhanced technology to create de-identified, aggregated datasets. These datasets will be available to innovators, including pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and researchers around the world to propel research and accelerate new products, medical treatments, devices and drugs. The ultimate goal: advance the health and wellbeing of children and youth with complex needs.
"For far too long, pediatric disability health data have not been effectively aggregated and made widely accessible, which has led to a major innovation gap,” says Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO at Holland Bloorview. "The KidSights data consortium is a critical step in the right direction. By participating, Holland Bloorview expects to close that gap and speed up the development of personalized therapies and interventions to improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities, developmental differences and rare genetic conditions within and beyond our walls.”
Holland Bloorview is the first Canadian hospital to join KidSights, a subsidiary established in 2023 by Gillette Children's, a global leader in providing specialty care for children with disabilities, rare and complex medical conditions.
"In our long history of providing specialty care for children with complex conditions and rare diseases, we've consistently led and innovated clinical advancements that directly benefit the community we serve,” says Barbara Joers, president & CEO of Gillette Children's. "The launch of KidSights marks a transformative step forward in pediatric health. Gillette Children's looks forward to utilizing the data derived from KidSights to tackle enduring challenges and drive clinical advancements for the children who need them most.”
Learn more: www.hollandbloorview.ca/KidSights
About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital believes in creating a world where all youth and children belong. We are the only children's rehabilitation hospital in Canada focused on combining world-class care, transformational research, and academic leadership in the field of child and youth rehabilitation and disability. We are a top 40 Canadian research hospital that is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. Providing both inpatient and outpatient services, Holland Bloorview is renowned for its expertise in co-creating with clients and families to provide exceptional care and is the only organization to ever achieve 100 per cent in three successive quality surveys by Accreditation Canada. Holland Bloorview is a founding member of Kids Health Alliance, a network of partners working to create a high quality, consistent and coordinated approach to pediatric health care that is centred around children, youth and their families. Together we dream big. Together we champion a world of possibility.
For more information or to donate, please visit hollandbloorview.ca or connect on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the parent-blog BLOOM.
About Gillette Children's
Gillette Children's is a global beacon of care for patients with brain, bone and movement conditions that start in childhood. Our research, treatment and supportive technologies enable every child to lead a full life defined by their dreams, not their diagnoses. Founded in 1897, Gillette collaborates with patients, families and our partners in clinical leadership, research and advocacy to set the standard of care and opportunity for children with complex medical challenges. To learn more about Gillette, visit gillettechildrens.org.
Attachments
CONTACT: Suelan Toye
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
416-520-7953
