TORONTO, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - West Park Healthcare Centre broke ground today on a massive new construction project that will redefine how nature can effectively be integrated into rehabilitative health care.

The project, with a contract value of $1.2 billion, will include construction of a new six-storey hospital overlooking the Humber River valley. The new hospital, scheduled to open in 2023, will feature 80 per cent of the beds being in single-patient rooms, with each inpatient having a private three-piece washroom for improved infection control. There will also be a significant increase in outpatient care space to serve double the current patient volume.

"The work that happens at the West Park Healthcare Centre is incredible," said Premier Doug Ford.  "For more than a century they've made a huge difference for countless patients and their families.  Our government is proud to support West Park and its healthcare staff."

"This is a very proud moment after a decade of careful planning and extensive consultation, including valuable input from our patients," said Anne-Marie Malek, West Park's President and CEO. "We can now envision welcoming patients in our new, world-class hospital facility and helping them get their lives back."

The West Park development will amplify the role of the 27-acre campus' natural surroundings through terraces on every floor, many outdoor therapeutic spaces as well as numerous trails and gardens. Research shows that connecting and engaging with nature supports the psychological and emotional well-being of patients and their families.

"The redevelopment represents our opportunity to create a new integrated campus of care where nature and healing intersect – inside and out," said Malek.

"The new West Park Healthcare Centre is an important project that will support patients and families in Toronto by providing access to therapeutic spaces for generations to come," said Christine Elliott, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "This unique hospital will offer specialized rehabilitative and complex care while focusing on bringing peace of mind to patients rehabilitating from a life-altering illness or injury. I look forward to the opening of this new building in the beautiful Humber River Valley."

West Park Foundation has launched the $80 million Get Your Life Back Campaign – the largest fundraising endeavour in the history of West Park – to support the capital costs of the new hospital. Phase 1 of the Campaign will raise $50 million by 2023, with the Foundation providing an additional $30 million dollars in support to the new hospital over the next 30 years.

To date, more than $21 million has been raised, representing 42 per cent of the Phase 1 goal.

"We are proud to partner in West Park's bold transformation. The Campaign will ensure that the new hospital is a leading-edge facility, and a match for the courage of our patients and the commitment of our staff," says Joanne Cole, CEO of West Park Foundation.

"Our government is committed to making life easier for families, seniors, businesses and students," said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Infrastructure. "That means making smart investments in reliable infrastructure like the new West Park Healthcare Centre, a facility that will improve care for people in our community."

"We are extremely proud to celebrate today's groundbreaking with all of our public and private partners," said Ehren Cory, President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario. "Our approach to delivering large, important public sector projects like West Park also delivers value for money on government priorities such as health care."

EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare (EllisDon) has been awarded the fixed-price contract to design, build, finance and maintain the new hospital. The contract is valued at $1.2 billion, which reflects the payments made during construction, the substantial completion payment, and the facility maintenance payments over 30 years.

About West Park Healthcare Centre:
West Park Healthcare Centre helps patients get their lives back by providing specialized rehabilitative and complex care after a life‐altering illness or injury such as lung disease, amputation, stroke, and traumatic musculoskeletal injuries. West Park is building a new hospital and transforming its 27-acre site into an integrated campus of care, enabling the hospital to evolve its rehabilitative programs to meet Ontario's future healthcare needs.

• Manufacturing facility in Ottawa, Ontario, to be expanded to support increased manufacturing of point-of-care analyzer

OAKVILLE, ON, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - Siemens Healthineers has announced that its Ottawa, Ontario manufacturing facility that manufactures the epoc® blood analysis system will be expanded by 5000 square feet to support new manufacturing lines and accommodate growth of the healthcare business worldwide and in Canada.

The epoc system is a handheld, wireless solution that enables comprehensive blood analysis testing at the patient's side on a single room-temperature test card, with results in less than a minute.

"This investment is a critical step toward enabling the growth of our medical technology business in Canada and Ontario by ensuring we have the manufacturing capacity in place to support continued development," said Eric LaFleche, General Manager of Siemens Healthineers in Canada. "We are proud that the skills and experience of staff are recognized, and Canada continues to be known for its technology, skills, and favourable innovative business environment."

The 5000 square-foot expansion is expected to be complete by June 2021, and will complement the company's other point-of-care operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and India.

The point-of-care testing portfolio from Siemens Healthineers includes several solutions designed to provide immediate, convenient, and easy-to-use diagnostic testing. From the emergency department to the physician's office, clinical management decisions can be made immediately and result in improved patient safety, clinical outcomes, and overall patient satisfaction. The Ottawa facility is focused on the manufacture of the epoc blood analysis system, which provides critical caregivers with real-time, laboratory quality test results at the patient's bedside.

The epoc blood analysis system can be used for a wide range of tests including: blood gas, which measures the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood that can indicate the presence of certain medical conditions such as kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes, hemorrhage, chemical poisoning, a drug overdose, or shock, among others; electrolytes and metabolytes, which indicate kidney health, blood sugar levels, and levels of electrolytes such as potassium and sodium; lactate that tests for sepsis; creatinine, which indicates kidney function; and blood urea nitrogen that reveals information about how well the kidneys and liver are functioning.

More information on the Siemens Healthineers epoc blood analysis system is available online.

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Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving patient experience and digitalizing healthcare. A leader in medical technology, Siemens Healthineers is constantly innovating its portfolio of products and services in its core areas of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging and in laboratory diagnostics and molecular medicine. Siemens Healthineers is also actively developing its digital health services and enterprise services. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens Healthineers generated revenue of €13.7 billion and adjusted profit of €2.5 billion and has about 48,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com.

TORONTO, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - Trillium Gift of Life Network, the government agency responsible for organ and tissue donation and transplant, has developed a new metric to measure Ontario hospitals' performance in organ donation: the eligible approach rate.

A hospital's eligible approach rate measures the number of families approached to discuss the potential of organ donation for their loved one against the total number of cases where donation was a possibility, and a family could have been approached. This new hospital donation performance metric was developed to increase opportunities for Trillium Gift of Life Network to approach families about donation.

"Trillium Gift of Life Network is dedicated to ensuring that when donation is an option, families have the opportunity to consider giving the gift of life," said Ronnie Gavsie, President and CEO, Trillium Gift of Life Network. "Families often tell us that donation brought them comfort in their grief. We must ensure that the choice to save lives is made available to all families of potential donors."

Ontario is the only province to publicly report on hospital performance in organ and tissue donation. This practice has contributed to higher donation rates, making Ontario the leader in Canada.

From April 1 – June 30, 2018, 55 Ontario hospital corporations collectively achieved an eligible approach rate of 82 per cent. A hospital's eligible approach rate is affected by a variety of factors, including the extent to which hospitals have donation policies to facilitate timely referrals to Trillium Gift of Life Network.

Since 2013, Trillium Gift of Life Network has reported on two other performance indicators: routine notification rate and conversion rate.

Routine notification rate measures the frequency at which hospitals notify Trillium Gift of Life Network of a patient death or imminent death. Without this critical first step, precious life-saving opportunities are lost. From April 1 – June 30, 2018, 69 designated hospital corporations in Ontario collectively achieved a 96 per cent routine notification rate.

Conversion rate measures the percentage of potential organ donors that became actual organ donors. During the same reporting period, 55 designated hospitals corporations together achieved an average of 60 per cent conversion rate.

Quick facts

• Only two to three per cent of hospital deaths occur in circumstances that permit organ donation.
• Donation performance data including eligible approach rate, routine notification rate and conversation rate, by hospital, is available at www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/publicreporting.htm.
• One donor can save up to eight lives and enhance up to 75 more through tissue donation.
• Register or learn more about donation at www.BeADonor.ca.

Trillium Gift of Life Network is the Government of Ontario agency responsible for planning, promoting, coordinating and supporting organ and tissue donation and transplantation across the province and for continually improving the system so that more lives can be saved.

New, game changing category of exercise offers live and on-demand boutique studio classes in the home environment

TORONTO, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - The future of fitness is about to cycle its way into homes across Canada. According to a new survey by Ipsos conducted in October about the exercise habits of Canadians, it should be welcome news: three quarters of Canadians aged 25 to 64 say making time to get to an exercise class is difficult and that it's more convenient for them to exercise on their own schedule. The launch of US fitness sensation Peloton this week offers Canadians an entirely new way to work out, without ever leaving their homes.

If the Peloton brand sounds familiar, it should: since the launch of its at-home connected bike in 2014, the leading global technology company has become the go-to exercise regimen for everyone from high profile celebrities and CEOs to busy parents who need a more convenient way to exercise.

Dubbed by US media as 'the Netflix of fitness,' Peloton has created an entirely new category of fitness by bringing live and on-demand boutique studio classes to the convenience and comfort of the home environment. All content is produced in the brand's state-of-the-art NYC studio, run by award-winning television producers with world-class instructors leading the pack. Viewed as an industry disruptor, the company uses technology and design to connect the world through fitness, empowering people to be the best version of themselves anywhere, anytime, while allowing their community to feel the rush and competitive nature of a studio.

The company, which has more than doubled its size each year since inception, was founded by entrepreneur John Foley.  Foley, and his wife Jill -- boutique fitness studio enthusiasts -- found it difficult to attend classes after becoming new, time-strapped parents.  Peloton was the solution they imagined filling an immediate need for busy individuals.  To date, the company has raised almost $1 billion in financing and is valued at $4 billion.  Peloton enters Canada following its UK launch in late September, which marked the company's first foray outside the US market.

To kick off the much-anticipated Canadian launch, the brand is opening a retail showroom in Toronto for guests to try the category-creating Bikes, Peloton Toronto, located at 130 Bloor Street West, will open October 12^th, and will offer the ultimate cycling experience, where guests will get to test ride the Bike, get a personalized tutorial and learn more about the Peloton experience.  Beyond the Bloor Street showroom, the company will also open a Yorkdale Shopping Centre location (Toronto) later in October and two stores in Western Canada in November (West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, CF Chinook Centre, Calgary). Bikes will also be available to purchase directly online at www.onepeloton.ca. The Canadian expansion plans to see another 10 showrooms open in the next 12-18 months.

"Technology has changed everything, from the way we watch television to the way we travel – fitness is the next industry going through a revolution and Peloton is excited to be at the forefront of this movement," said Kevin Cornils, International Managing Director, Peloton. "Clearly, Canadians want to work out -- but the reality is that 80 percent want to work out on their own time, when they're available, not on someone else's schedule. Our mission at Peloton is to change the fitness game by bringing the energy of studio-style, group fitness classes to homes around the world, one Bike at a time."

Using its revolutionary indoor Bike, Peloton streams 14 daily live – and 10,000+ on-demand – immersive cycling classes, so users can enjoy the intensity and excitement of classes taught by the world's best instructors without leaving the house.  The Peloton Bike retails in Canada for $2,950 (including Delivery & Setup) plus $49 per month for access to Peloton Digital's unlimited class subscription, which includes cycling, as well as "Floor" workouts such as running, bootcamp, strength, stretching and yoga.

Interview Availability:

Managing Director Kevin Cornils is in Toronto and available for interviews Thursday October 11th and Friday October 12th.  Please contact Rob Loschiavo to arrange an interview rob@pomppr.com or 647-229-8412. 

Survey Highlights

• 75% of Canadians agree that making time to get to an exercise class is difficult, led by 81% of Ontarians
• 77% say it's more convenient for them to exercise at home than go the gym
• 70% say they'd work out more if they could do it from the convenience of their own home
• 84% want to work out on their own time, when they're available, not on a schedule, this number rises to 89% among 35-54 year olds
• 40% of Canadians get less than 30 minutes of activity per day
• Most Canadians (73%) prefer to engage in physical activity on their own vs. 27% who prefer doing so with other people
• One in six (17%) incorporate spinning (indoor cycling) into their exercise or physical activity
• Time (40%), laziness (29%), scheduling (25%), are the top three barriers Canadians report to getting exercise. In particular, men are more likely to cite not enough time (45%) and not fitting with their schedule (30%) as barriers. 42% of those under 35 say they're too lazy
• 64% say working out with others motivates them to work harder, led by BC residents (68%)
• 62% say they get bored easily when working out, including 70% of those aged 25-34 and 67% of Ontarians

The survey was conducted by Ipsos in October 2018, among a sample of 1,000 Canadians aged 25-64 with a household income of at least $60,000. The results are considered accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

How to book a trial of the Peloton Bike at Peloton Toronto:
Sign up to book your ride at toronto.onepeloton.com

About Peloton
Founded in 2012, Peloton is reinventing fitness by bringing live and on-demand boutique-style studio classes to the convenience and comfort of your own home. Our immersive fitness content, taught by Peloton's roster of elite instructors, features real-time motivation and curated playlists of your favorite artists. The Peloton experience can be accessed through the Peloton Bike, the Peloton Tread, or Peloton Digital, an iOS app that offers an all-access pass to a full slate of fitness offerings, anytime, anywhere. Peloton is changing the way people get fit through a comprehensive and socially connected experience that makes every workout both efficient and addictive. The company has a growing number of retail showrooms across the US and, starting this fall, in Canada and the UK. For more information, visit www.onepeloton.ca.