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Ottawa, February 11, 2010 – A treatment-based
virtual reality simulator is coming to Ottawa thanks to a
partnership between the Canadian Forces Health Services Group
and The Ottawa Hospital.
This state-of-the-art virtual reality system will facilitate
exposure based therapy in treating soldiers where physical
and/or mental rehabilitation is required. While its priority
use will be for returning soldiers, patients at The Ottawa
Hospital Rehabilitation Centre will also benefit from this
leading-edge technology.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Canadian
Forces Health Services to bring this leading edge simulator
to The Ottawa Hospital,” said Dr. Jack Kitts, President
and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “Together we can now
meet the specific needs of Canadian Forces personnel and build
a stronger and more integrated system for the delivery of
world-class care in the region.”
Housing the simulator at The Ottawa Hospital will put the
Nation’s Capital on the map as one of only a handful
of locations in North America where such technology is available
for patient rehabilitation.
“This initiative is another example of the excellent
partnership the Canadian Forces Health Services share with
The Ottawa Hospital,” said Canadian Forces Surgeon General
Commodore Hans Jung. “We are quite proud of this cooperation.
Canadian Forces health-care providers will be able bring their
patients to this central location in Canada and have them
benefit from this state-of-the-art system to recover from
their injuries.”
The Canadian Forces Health Services will cover the cost of
the simulator, but The Ottawa Hospital Foundation will need
to raise $500,000 to house this new technology. The 2010 Hope
and Heroes event which takes place on February 23, 2010 will
kick off the fundraising drive to bring the simulator to The
Ottawa Hospital. Tickets for the event are $95 and can be
purchased through the Foundation web site at www.ohfoundation.ca.
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About the Virtual Reality Simulator:
The CAREN System (Motek Medical) is a versatile, multi sensory
system for diagnostic, rehabilitation, evaluation, and registration
of the human balance system. The system works in real-time
and combines 180 degree/room-size screens, rotating motion
platform, a computer controlled/dual belt treadmill, motion
analysis (Vicon), safety harness with ceiling mount, and 3D
software. This enables people to move within 3Dimensions.
www.motekmedical.com/caren_base.html
About The Ottawa Hospital:
The Ottawa Hospital is a multi-campus, academic health sciences
centre, serving 1.2 million residents of Ottawa and Eastern
Ontario, both in English and French. It provides care for
more patients than any other hospital in Canada, and boasts
specialty centres in cancer, heart, kidney, vision care and
women’s health, as well as rehabilitation services.
For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Web site at
www.ottawahospital.on.ca.
Media Contact:
Hazel Harding
Communications Advisor
The Ottawa Hospital
Email: hharding@toh.on.ca
Tel.: 613-737-8460
About The Ottawa Hospital Foundation:
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s mission is to inspire
and enable people to support the highest quality health care
at The Ottawa Hospital and lifesaving research at the Ottawa
Hospital Research Institute. For more information, visit The
Ottawa Hospital Foundation Web site at www.ohfoundation.ca.
Media Contact:
Ingrid Gingras
Media Relations and Marketing Officer
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
igingras@ottawahospital.on.ca
Tel.: 613-798-5555, ext. 18718
Cell: 613-218-1976
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