The Pulse
Aug. 3, 2023

A young Edmonton startup has received a $250,000 grant from Pfizer Canada to test a product that compresses years of patient history into a more digestible visualization.

Theragraph, founded by Edmonton gastroenterologist Brennan Walters, is working on a medical data aggregation and display software for healthcare providers. The grant from Pfizer will support a pilot to test the tool later this year at two gastrointestinal clinics — at Walters's practice in Edmonton and at another one in the greater Toronto area.

While the company was incorporated just last year, Walters came up with the idea for Theragraph about five years ago while working with patients with ulcerative colitis — an inflammatory bowel disease.

About a third of a physician's day is spent on chart review, evaluating or analyzing a patient's medical record, Walters said. With the tool Theragraph is developing, he hopes to reduce that time by automating the process.

"I realized that there was a significant need to look at compressing data into manageable formats," he told Taproot. "There's been a significant escalation in the type of information that we need to make effective clinical decisions."

Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a chronic condition characterized by periods of relapsing and remitting inflammation of the digestive tract. A 2023 report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada states that 322,600 Canadians live with inflammatory bowel disease.

Because it's a chronic condition, patients with ulcerative colitis have 10 to 20 years of medical history that a physician needs to go through, Walters said. On top of that, he said up to 40% of patients with ulcerative colitis have other chronic conditions that can overlap with one another.

Patients with the disease often require the use of biologic drugs made from living cells that have large, complex molecular structures. And due to the complexity of biologics, Walters said a physician needs to work with a pharmaceutical company's patient support program to get a patient on the drug.

"I've spent years looking into this," he said. "There are some dashboards, for example, that have been developed in this specific area of ulcerative colitis, but also in other areas, but there's nothing that does what this does, what this tool does."

• Reducing crime requires immediate investment in social services and a reevaluation of how we approach the issue, said Dan Jones, chair of justice studies at NorQuest College. Jones, who is a retired police officer, said the Edmonton Police Service is struggling to retain officers, and their mental health is suffering. "The police services are dealing with the acute and that's all they can deal with right now," Jones told Postmedia. Chief Dale McFee called for more officers this week, citing Statistics Canada's latest crime statistics report, although the total crime severity index in Edmonton dropped 15% between 2018 and 2022.
• Repairs to the Talus Dome will begin Aug. 8, said the Edmonton Arts Council. Emergency crews removed one silver ball from the infamous structure in early April after a man became trapped inside. It was revealed after the rescue that the Talus Dome has a maintenance hatch. The council said insurance will cover the repairs.
• The Edmonton Female Hockey Alliance, a new organization aiming to create competitive opportunities for women and girls from U7 to U21, introduced its three divisions in front of a Rogers Place audience on Aug. 2. The divisions are Edmonton Ice (elite), Edmonton Storm (community), and Edmonton Flurries (introductory). The association plans to absorb the Edmonton Girls Hockey Association and bring all female minor hockey players in Edmonton under its umbrella within a year. It is also partnering with United Association Local 488, a union for piping professionals, which will provide $60,000 for team uniforms in the fall.
• The Edmonton Elks unveiled a new Indigenous logo created by Métis artist Conrad Plews and inspired by a design by student Izaiah Masuskapoe. The Elks will wear the logo on their helmets at the Aug. 10 game against the Winnipeg Bombers, which will feature the national anthem performed in Cree and a halftime performance by Dancing Cree. Plews also owns Black Market Tattoo.
• A driver experiencing a medical episode crashed into the parkade wall at the departures entrance at the Edmonton International Airport on the afternoon of Aug. 2, RCMP said. The driver did not need to be hospitalized; the parkade was damaged, but officials said the support structure is OK, and airport operations were unaffected.
• Coun. Michael Janz offered a free e-bike ride to Edmonton Sun columnist Lorne Gunter in response to what he called a "really wacky" column criticizing him for advocating for secure storage in a Taproot story on electric bikes.
• Premier Danielle Smith's mandate letter to Dan Williams, minister of mental health and addictions, asks him to increase mental health support for youth. It also asks him to work with partners to develop "compassionate intervention legislation" to support facilities and legal processes that "save the lives of those that are a danger to themselves or others." The wording echoes Smith's mandate letter to Justice Minister Mickey Amery. Passing legislation that would allow a family member, police officer, or doctor to pursue a treatment order for someone against their will was among the UCP's campaign promises.

Here are some opportunities to offer your input on various issues of civic interest, including land use and a cookbook in Leduc County, Street Labs in Edmonton, and a design contest to decorate traffic control boxes.

• Land Use Bylaw review — Leduc County has been engaging the public about updates to its land use bylaw since March 2021. Phase 2 of public participation is coming soon. The county is hosting an open house to share its vision and gather input on Aug. 9.
• Made in Leduc County cookbook — Leduc County is soliciting recipes from county residents for a cookbook to celebrate its agricultural producers and food operators. The book will be shared in the fall. The deadline to submit a recipe is Aug. 31.
• Wellington Street Lab and Mayfield Street Lab — The City of Edmonton is engaging residents of Wellington in the northwest and Mayfield in the west end to explore traffic-calming measures. Surveys for both neighbourhoods close Aug. 31.
• Vibrant Streets Art Contest — The City of Edmonton is inviting residents of all abilities, backgrounds, and ages to submit designs for decorative traffic control boxes. The contest is part of the city's new Vibrant Streets program. To be considered, designs must be submitted by Sept. 29.

More input opportunities

• By Aug. 8: Laurel Street Lab
• By Aug. 8: Newton Street Lab
• By Aug. 14: Secondary Suite and Garden Suite survey in Strathcona County
• By. Aug. 21: 103A Avenue and 99 Street Streetscape and Pedway
• By Aug. 23: Parkview Street Lab
• By Aug. 31: Edmonton Business Census
• By Oct. 1: Pop-up Dog Parks Program Evaluation
• By Dec. 31: Public Engagement Feedback Survey

Photo: This decorative traffic control box in Edmonton, one of many across the city, is at the corner of Kingsway and 102 Street by the Royal Alexandra Hospital. (City of Edmonton)