Empower Clinics and MedX Health to Pilot World-Class Teledermatology Screening Platform at Select Ontario Integrated Health Centers
Empower Clinics Inc. (EPWCF) has announced a partnership with MedX Health Corporation to pilot the DermSecure™ Screening Platform at select locations in Ontario. This initiative aims to enhance teledermatology services, providing virtual assessments within 72 hours to address the shortage of dermatologists in Canada. The pilot is expected to serve around 13,500 patients over four months, with potential expansion across North America depending on the outcomes. The collaboration highlights the need for early melanoma detection amid rising diagnosis and mortality rates in Canada.
- Partnership with MedX Health to pilot DermSecure™ Screening Platform, enhancing teledermatology services.
- Projected reach of approximately 13,500 patients during the four-month pilot program.
- Potential for broader market rollout following successful pilot outcomes.
- Dependence on the success of the pilot program for future expansion.
- Current shortage of dermatologists in Canada leading to long wait times for patients.
Leading Virtual Diagnostic Tool to Be Offered Network-Wide Pending Pilot Outcome
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 10, 2021 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CBDT:CSE) (EPWCF:OTCQB) (8EC:Frankfurt) ("Empower" or the "Company") an integrated healthcare company - serving patients through medical centers, telemedicine platforms and a high complexity medical diagnostics laboratory processing thousands of COVID-19 specimens and MedX Health Corporation (TSX-V: MDX) are pleased to announce a Memorandum of Understanding between the companies to pilot MedX's leading-edge DermSecure™ Screening Platform at two select Empower Clinics locations in Ontario with plans for a broader market roll-out pending the completion of a successful pilot.
"Empower exists to make testing, screening and diagnostics as convenient as possible for patients," said Steven McAuley, Chairman and CEO of Empower. "Providing our patients with easy access to quality virtual services like teledermatology compliments our current COVID-19 testing amid the ongoing pandemic. MedX is an ideal teledermatology partner, as their screening platform is second to none. We look forward to the results of this pilot and making the platform more widely available throughout our network."
Teledermatology is a subspeciality of dermatology that offers safe and effective virtual care-patient screening, assessment and diagnosis - eliminating the need for in-person appointments with a dermatologist. Unlike other teledermatology screening tools available, MedX's DermSecure™ Screening Platform features high-resolution image capture technology for moles, lesions and other skin conditions, providing a complete, virtual dermatological assessment by a certified dermatologist within just 72 hours.
"With only about 500 dermatologists available to serve over 37 million Canadians, the wait times to see a specialist in-person can be anywhere from five months to one year," said Mike Druhan, President, Dermatology Services, MedX Health Corp. "The COVID-19 pandemic has nearly doubled the average wait period. We know that early detection of melanoma greatly increases the patient's survival rate and reduces the cost to the health-care system. Partnering with Empower allows us to dramatically grow our patient base, and ultimately save more lives."
According to the Canadian Dermatology Association, last year an estimated 8,000 Canadians were diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer and approximately 1,300 Canadians died of the disease. With mortality rates increasing by as much as
The pilot program will be in place for four months, reaching an estimated 13,500 patients. Pending the pilot's successful completion, the MedX DermSecure™ Screening Platform will become more widely available Empower's health center network across North America.
This press release is available on the Empower Clinics Verified Forum on AGORACOM for shareholder discussion, questions and engagement with management https://agoracom.com/ir/EmpowerClinics
ABOUT EMPOWER:
Empower is an integrated healthcare company that provides body and mind wellness for patients through its clinics, with digital and telemedicine care, and world-class medical diagnostics laboratories. Supported by an experienced leadership team, Empower is aggressively growing its clinical and digital presence across the US and Canada. Our Health & Wellness and Diagnostics & Technology business units are positioned to positively impact the integrated health of our patients, while simultaneously providing long term value for our shareholders.
ABOUT MedX:
MedX, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is a leading medical device and software company focused on skin health with its SIAscopy™ on DermSecure™ telemedicine platform, utilizing its SIAscopy™ technology. SIAscopy™ is also imbedded in its products SIAMETRICS™, SIMSYS™, and MoleMate™, which MedX manufactures in its ISO 13485 certified facility. SIAMETRICS™, SIMSYS™, and MoleMate™ include hand-held devices that use patented technology utilizing light and its remittance to view up to 2 mm beneath suspicious moles and lesions in a pain free, non-invasive manner, with its software then creating real-time images for physicians and dermatologists to evaluate all types of moles or lesions within seconds. These products are cleared by Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Conformité Européenne for use in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Brazil and Turkey. Visit https://medxhealth.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Steven McAuley
Chief Executive Officer
CONTACTS:
Investors:
Steven McAuley CEO
s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com
604-789-2146
Investors:
Tamara Mason
Business Development & Communications
t.mason@empowerclinics.com
416-671-5617
DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the expected
benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the acquisition of Kai Medical Laboratory; the transaction terms; the expected number of clinics and patients following the closing; the future potential success of Kai Medical Laboratory, Sun Valley's franchise model; launch of new healthcare centers and the occurrence thereof; that the Company can bring healthcare to millions of Canadians; that new healthcare services can be added and that the Company will be positioned to be a market- leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2020 and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including: that the MedX Health pilot program will be successful; that Empower will place the MedX Health teledermatology product in health centers in North America; that the Kai Medical Laboratory acquisition may not be completed on the terms expected or at all; that the Company's products may not work as expected; that the Company may not be able to expand COVID-19 testing; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed transaction; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.
SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc.
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FAQ
What is the DermSecure™ Screening Platform being piloted by Empower Clinics?
How many patients will the pilot program for the DermSecure™ Screening Platform reach?
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Why is there a need for teledermatology services in Canada?
