For Regina based Partner Technologies Incorporated (PTI), what began as a small repair and maintenance shop in 1989 has grown into Canada’s largest privately-owned company that manufactures transformers for distributing electricity. Employing 125 people in Regina, PTI has been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for seven years in a row.
A dedicated donor to Hospitals of Regina Foundation, PTI has purchased a mapping system for the Electrophysiology Lab at the Mosaic Heart Centre, and a new operating microscope for neurosurgery at Regina General Hospital.
Most recently, PTI committed $220,000 for an incredible robot, aptly named "PeTIr." This robot – also known as “remote presence technology” – is the newest member of the medical staff at the Regina General Hospital. “He” has a video screen for a head, a microphone and speaker for a mouth and a high-definition camera for eyes.
"Being able to help the Foundation improve healthcare in our province is one way PTI can give back," says George Partyka, CEO, PTI (pictured with PeTIr and his wife Janet). "Petir provides medical staff with a great mechanism to improve patients’ lives. PTI is proud and thankful to be in a position to be part of transforming healthcare in Saskatchewan."
Petir breaks down the barriers of time and distance between patients and doctors, offering doctors the opportunity to provide personalized care, either at a patient’s bedside or from another hospital thousands of kilometers away. It also offers the ability to consult with medical teams about a patient or in the operating room.
A doctor remotely drives Petir to a patient’s bedside or appointment, talks with a patient in real time, gets reports on vital signs like heart rate, connects with devices such as ultrasounds and stethoscopes, and makes decisions about a patient’s care even if the patient is in a different room, hospital, city or country.
Dr. Ivar Mendez, Chairperson, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, has spent the past decade pioneering the use of remote-presence robots for neurosurgery and primary care. He states, “Remote presence technology is important in the practice of medicine as it allows medical expertise to be available in real time regardless of the location of the patient. This is particularly important in Saskatchewan as we have many communities that do not have access to specialized healthcare.
“I am proud that our province is at the international forefront of implementation of this technology.”
The Foundation thanks George, Janet and PTI for their leadership in the community and for helping Regina's hospitals and the thousands of people who need them.
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