Using AI to Revolutionize Wound Care

Chronic wounds cost the Canadian healthcare system more than $4 billion annually and are involved in nearly half of all home-based and community healthcare.  

“Wounds are painful, expensive and disproportionately affect people who already face barriers to care in remote and underserved communities,” says Rob Fraser, Swift Medical’s Vice-President of Innovation, adding that without regular monitoring, wounds can become infected, leading to extended hospital stays, amputations or even death. Most clinicians receive fewer than 10 hours of wound care education during training, and the traditional tools for measurement — paper rulers, cotton swabs and subjective assessments — introduce error rates as high as 44%. 

Armed with AI algorithms, smartphone technology and a commitment to health equity, the Toronto-based company is helping wounds heal faster, with lower costs and improved patient outcomes, all while positioning Canada as a global leader in the treatment of a worldwide health issue. 

Building ‘a new standard of global care’ from Canada 

When Swift and DIGITAL launched the Telewound Care Canada project in partnership with SE Health, AlayaCare and other health organizations and academic institutions, the goal was to provide clinicians and patients with a mobile application for capturing clinical-grade wound images and supporting virtual consultations. 

In July 2021, Swift raised $44 million in Series B financing and added over a dozen IP assets, trademarks and patents to its portfolio through DIGITAL-supported initiatives. The company then launched Ray 1 — the world’s first hyperspectral wound imaging device small enough to fit in a clinician’s pocket. Ray 1 helped clinicians remotely track healing progress with immense precision. The results were a 50% reduction in hospital readmissions, 95% clinical accuracy, and monthly cost savings of more than $1,000 per patient.  

AI for Precision and Equity 

Swift and DIGITAL are now leading a second wave of innovation through the Advanced AI Wound Care Network. This $9-million initiative integrates three new AI technologies into Swift’s existing platform to enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes, as well as validating the clinical, operational and financial benefits in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada.  

SmartTissue helps clinicians determine whether wounds are healing or deteriorating by identifying wound tissue types. AutoDepth uses smartphone cameras to build 3D wound models, eliminating manual depth measurements and reducing patient discomfort, while HealingIndex forecasts the risk of non-healing wounds, supporting earlier and more targeted interventions. These new tools are particularly valuable for patients with darker skin tones, who have historically been underserved by conventional wound care methods developed primarily for lighter skin. 

“The second DIGITAL project is giving us the resources to accelerate development and modernize our platform,” Fraser says. “We’re now deploying these new tools three times faster, which is critical when scaling across healthcare networks.” 

Today, Swift’s platform has been adopted by over 4,000 healthcare facilities, supporting more than 200,000 patients and conducting over 33 million assessments to date.  

‘DIGITAL provides much more than funding’ 

Swift’s ability to scale its AI innovations is founded in part on DIGITAL’s model of co-investment and cross-sector collaboration. “DIGITAL provides much more than funding,” Fraser says. “They are helping us build relationships and have even facilitated introductions to global medtech players like Medtronic. Their network and strategic input have been game-changers.” 

Interested in learning more about how DIGITAL can help support your Canadian health technology or connect you to Canadian solutions providers? Get in touch with Jesse Coleman, Manager of Health Programs today!