The recently-opened Canon Medical Arena addresses regional health inequalities by acting as a unique catalyst for well-being and society. Mark Hitchman, Managing Director, highlights proactive healthcare as one of the principal motivators for the arena.
A BLUEPRINT FOR PROACTIVE HEALTHCARE
Technology has come on leaps and bounds since Mark Hitchman, Managing Director of Canon Medical Systems UK (Canon Medical), started working in healthcare.
Innovation in diagnostics in particular has had a huge impact on the delivery of health services, whilst today, artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning algorithms within computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners are providing more detailed images than ever before by reducing noise and offering high definition.
AI is also being utilised to improve workflow efficiencies in diagnostics by supporting processes for accurate triage, worklist prioritisation, and treatment decisions.
“Given the strain the NHS is currently facing and the growing demand for patient diagnosis, these innovative solutions are needed now more than ever,” Hitchman emphasises.
A full range of medical imaging solutions, including CTs and MRIs, as well as diagnostic and interventional X-rays, ultrasounds, and mobile imaging, are offered by Canon Medical, who also provides a wide array of services and full suite of healthcare IT solutions to the industry.
In line with its ‘Made for Life’ philosophy, patients are at the heart of everything Canon Medical does.
“Our mission is to enrich every life we touch with solutions that support medical professionals across the NHS and private healthcare organisations, contributing to the health and well-being of patients worldwide,” outlines Hitchman.
“Our mission is to enrich every life we touch with solutions that support medical professionals across the NHS and private healthcare organisations, contributing to the health and well-being of patients worldwide”
Mark Hitchman, Managing Director, Canon Medical Systems UK
CANON MEDICAL ARENA
Complementing its head office in Crawley and branches in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the company recently opened the Canon Medical Arena, the UK’s first carbon-neutral built community facility.
It is located in Sheffield, the fifth-largest city by population in England, which is tackling considerable challenges including poor life expectancy, educational attainment, unemployment, and housing.
“The Canon Medical Arena was designed to equip Sheffield with an affordable and accessible location for local people to participate in sports, engage in events, and improve the overall accessibility of health within the community,” Hitchman informs us.
“Since opening, the arena has already helped to bring better healthcare to the local community with closer-to-home medical appointments, as well as improving access to health screenings and disease prevention to those who need it most.”
The arena’s Medical Diagnostic Centre, operated by The LivingCare Group, features advanced Canon Medical imaging systems including AI-assisted CT and MRI scanners, ultrasound and digital X-ray machines, and fluoroscopy equipment, along with consulting rooms and a minor surgery operating theatre.
It is also the permanent home of professional basketball teams, the Sheffield Sharks and Sheffield Hatters, and netball club, Sheffield Steel Netball, with three multi-purpose basketball courts and seating for up to 2,500 spectators.
Additionally, the arena houses the RESPECT programmes, which Canon Medical has sponsored since 2017 and continue to enrich the lives of young people through basketball-led initiatives, including workshops and sports sessions aimed at helping them break free from cycles of negative behaviour.
“Whether it’s building a multi-purpose arena, facilitating the learning and development for disadvantaged children through our RESPECT programmes, or sponsoring Support Dogs for people with autism and epilepsy, we do these things not because we have to, but because we want to for the greater health and well-being of our population,” Hitchman prides.
“The Canon Medical Arena was designed to equip Sheffield with an affordable and accessible location for local people to participate in sports, engage in events, and improve the overall accessibility of health within the community”
Mark Hitchman, Managing Director, Canon Medical Systems UK
PROACTIVE HEALTHCARE
The move towards proactive healthcare was one of the principal motivators for building the Canon Medical Arena.
In Sheffield, it is estimated that 20 percent of deaths per annum could be prevented by removing the direct cause factors of obesity, physical inactivity, and environmental pollution.
“We believe that the unique combination of the Medical Diagnostic Centre within a community sporting and events arena will help encourage people to lead a healthier lifestyle and increase physical activity, further supporting a proactive approach to healthcare,” Hitchman insights.
“This approach, alongside access to timely diagnostics, will also aid faster rehabilitation and improve life opportunities for individuals in the region.”
The healthcare industry needs to start being proactive rather than reactive as, ultimately, the early detection of disease leads to lower treatment costs, whilst also providing better care pathways and outcomes for patients.
For example, identifying some conditions or diseases early can enable the prescription of lifestyle shifts, such as diet and exercise, before invasive, complicated, and costly hospital interventions are required.
“We need to be able to get to a point where we can start examining people who are asymptomatic but have notable risk factors, such as those over the age of 50, smokers, and/or people with a family history of diseases,” affirms Hitchman.
“Being able to examine people ahead of any potential health issues means that medical professionals can be proactive in their treatment plans. I really do believe that early intervention can radically improve treatment outcomes and save lives.”
The Canon Medical Arena therefore serves as a potential blueprint for the way healthcare could be delivered in future.
As people live longer and the population continues to grow, the demands placed on healthcare are rising rapidly. However, hospitals can only treat so many patients a day, and with the number of diseases growing and becoming more complex, the treatment plans medical professionals provide need to be efficient.
“The arena is an example of how we can shift some of the growing demand for medical diagnostics away from hospitals to the local community, encourage a more proactive approach to healthcare, and add facilities to a community that foster health and well-being,” Hitchman states.
PERSONALISED PRECISION MEDICINE
In addition to its focus on proactive healthcare, Canon Medical is passionate and excited about the future of personalised precision medicine.
This utilises an individual’s health profile, including their genetic makeup, alongside environmental and lifestyle factors to guide the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease.
With a record 3.7 million workers in England projected to be living with major illness by 2040, driven by factors such as age, obesity, and addiction, this concept will act as a crucial component in the migration towards a smarter and more effective approach to healthcare.
“Today, the industry has more data about people, their habits, and their overall health than ever before. To maximise the true value of the information available, we need to bring together genomic, clinical, and diagnostic medicines, and lifestyle data,” notes Hitchman.
“It is the integration and analysis of this information that forms the powerhouse for personalised precision medicine and, in turn, better patient outcomes, with the added benefit of this coming in at a lower unit cost per patient.”
Innovation is evidently something that Canon Medical is known for, but being a caring organisation is equally as important and runs through the company’s DNA in line with its ‘Made for Life’ philosophy.
“As an ex-frontline healthcare professional myself, improving and often saving people’s lives is engrained in healthcare workers,” Hitchman shares.
“I always wanted to lead a company that would be the ideal partner for the people I was leaving behind in the NHS, and the healthcare industry in general, but also make a positive impact on society as a whole.”
Canon Medical is committed to attracting and retaining the very brightest people with creative minds and strong work ethics.
“How we are seen by our customers and employees is extremely important. I believe if you get that right, then it naturally leads to growth,” concludes Hitchman.
