Health and Biosciences
Oshawa has witnessed the transformation of its local economy over the last decade where healthcare now represents the largest economic sector. The healthcare sector accounts for over 12,000 jobs in Oshawa and represents 17% of the City's employment base. This sector has grown by approximately 45% over the past decade.
The city is a centre of excellence in healthcare and a regional hub for education, training and clinical research activity. The health and biosciences sector encompasses a variety of business including medical research, the development of pharmaceuticals, digital health, precision medicine, development and manufacturing of medical health devices with technological elements such as artificial intelligence, and the healthcare system itself. The health and biosciences industry generates significant economic growth annually, representing 11% of Canada's annual G.D.P.
Assets
| Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (L.H.E.A.R.N.) |
| The LHEARN Centre is on the cutting edge of teaching health care practitioners the skills and knowledge they will need in order to succeed in the ever-evolving field of medicine. As Oshawa's largest employer, Lakeridge Health utilizes world-class training technologies to attract and retain medical talent in our city. High fidelity patient simulators mimic hundreds of real world pathologies. This innovative approach allows medical residents to practice unlimited clinical scenarios in a risk-free environment, which translates into better care for our city. Every year, Lakeridge Health welcomes nearly 2,000 students across a broad range of health disciplines as they pursue their studies in state-of-the-art facilities under the guidance of expert instructors. To date, Lakeridge Health has also been host to over 600 research studies and clinical trials across many clinical programs. |
| New Centre of Excellence in Robotic Surgery |
| The introduction of a regional, robot-assisted surgical program and the da Vinci Surgical System to Lakeridge Health Oshawa will transform the way Lakeridge will offer surgery in Durham Region, especially for cancer patients. The da Vinci Surgical System is a minimally invasive robotic tool that acts as an extension of the surgeon operating it. The surgeon, who sits within a console in the same room as the patient and equipment, uses real-time 3D-imaging to view inside the body via the da Vinci's camera arm. The four other arms of the robot are manipulated through hand-controls in the console that are directly linked to the equipment. The arms of the robot, which offer one surgeon the same access as two, operate in tiny, precise and controlled movements that are beyond the capabilities of a human hand. |
- The Oshawa Clinic Group
- Post-secondary programs supporting the Health Sector at Durham College, Ontario Tech University and Queen's University
Key Companies
Quick Stat
- About 40% of the world’s single-use medical devices, such as syringes, gloves, implants and surgical instruments, are irradiated and sterilized with Cobalt-60. Currently, Cobalt-60 is extracted from Durham Region nuclear reactors every 24 to 30 months. [Source: Ontario Power Generation]