Ventripoint Diagnostics and Providence Health Care Ventures Announce Collaboration to Validate AI-Enabled Cardiac Imaging at St. Paul's Hospital

Executive Summary

• Ventripoint Diagnostics entered a collaboration with Providence Health Care Ventures to validate its AI‑enhanced echocardiography platform (VMS+™) at St. Paul’s Hospital, targeting reduction of cardiac MRI demand.
• The study will compare VMS+™‑derived measurements against MRI, assess workflow integration, potential MRI referral reductions, wait‑time impacts, and system‑level cost efficiencies.
• Validation work is slated to begin in November 2025 with implementation expected in early 2026, positioning VMS+™ for broader adoption across tertiary, rural and Indigenous health settings.

Key Details

• Collaboration Partner: Providence Health Care Ventures (PHC Ventures), the commercialization arm of Providence Health Care.
• Site of Validation: St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia – a leading cardiac program in Western Canada.
• Objective: Demonstrate that AI‑enhanced 2‑D echocardiography can provide MRI‑level cardiac volume and function measurements, thereby reducing reliance on cardiac MRI.
• Study Components:
• Direct comparison of VMS+™‑derived measurements with gold‑standard cardiac MRI.
• Evaluation of workflow integration within the hospital’s imaging pathway.
• Quantification of potential reductions in MRI referrals and associated wait‑time improvements.
• Analysis of system‑level cost efficiencies and impact on patient access, especially for rural/Indigenous communities.
• Technology Highlights:
• VMS+™ is FDA‑cleared and Health Canada‑licensed; operates on existing 2‑D ultrasound systems without need for new hardware.
• Prior implementations include Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto), Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (UHN, Toronto), and clinical studies at Mayo Clinic showing close alignment with MRI measurements.
• Timeline: Collaboration to commence November 2025; implementation phase beginning early 2026.
• Strategic Impact: Successful validation could expand VMS+™ adoption across Canada’s health system, improve access to advanced cardiac diagnostics in underserved areas, and create a pathway for reduced MRI utilization and associated cost savings.

Notable Quotes

• “This technology helps identify which patients truly need an MRI and which can be safely assessed using a standard echocardiogram.” – Brian Simmers, President of PHC Ventures.
• “MRI remains the gold standard for cardiac imaging, but it is not always within reach for every patient… AI‑enhanced echocardiography like VMS+™ could bring MRI‑level precision to a more accessible modality.” – Dr. Robert Moss, Physician Lead, Echocardiography, St. Paul’s Hospital.
• “Our vision is to make high‑quality cardiac imaging available wherever an echo machine exists.” – Hugh MacNaught, President and CEO, Ventripoint Diagnostics Ltd.