IDENTOS transforms digital identity expertise into personalized health service recommendations

When Southlake Health wanted to enhance how patients and providers could navigate and access health services across the York and South Simcoe regions, they knew exactly who to call. Mike Cook’s Toronto-based company IDENTOS had spent a decade building expertise in digital identity and secure health care data sharing. Cook realized they could pair this knowledge with AI to solve the navigation problem—helping patients and providers find the right care at the right time. IDENTOS had the foundation, but needed AI expertise to make it happen.

Finding the right partner

That’s where Vector Institute’s HealthSpark program came in. “We are technology and digital trust experts who are only starting our journey into AI application,” explains Mike Cook, CEO and co-founder of IDENTOS. “The partnership with Vector accelerated our learning and helped us apply AI to benefit our clients directly.”

Over four months, IDENTOS collaborated with Vector’s AI experts to develop a novel AI-powered navigation tool designed initially for Southlake Health in Newmarket. The solution leverages generative AI and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to deliver personalized, location-aware recommendations that help both patients and health care providers access services across the region.

Instead of forcing users to select categories or tick boxes when they don’t know exactly what they need, the tool allows people to describe their situation in their own words, before sharing what services would be most useful. The tool draws from Ontario’s 211 data set but goes beyond a static directory, factoring in both location and individual circumstances. Working with Vector, IDENTOS developed this intelligent tool, connecting people with community services for housing, mental health, and social supports while ensuring serious medical situations are appropriately directed to emergency care.

“Through HealthSpark, our team collaborated with top AI minds and health data experts to enhance our solutions that simplify how Ontario patients and providers access care,” says Cook.

Real business results

IDENTOS now has a client-ready solution they’re working to deploy, plus tangible business wins: five full-time science and technology jobs created or preserved, four staff members equipped with new AI expertise through Vector’s mentoring, and new intellectual property.

“We expect this work to scale across our portfolio,” says Cook. “Driving sales and revenue for our growing company and helping end users better navigate their health journeys.”