Brightshores adopts new nurse-call system

OWEN SOUND, Ont. – Brightshores Health System is introducing a new digital call bell system designed to make it easier for patients to communicate with their nursing team and help nurses respond to the most urgent needs first.

Developed in Waterloo, Ont., this technology replaces the traditional one-button call bell with an easy-to-use app. Patient requests are automatically sorted and prioritized, giving nurses quick, useful information at a glance.

“Clear communication is foundational to high-quality care,” said Ann Ford (pictured), president and CEO, Brightshores. “With this app, patients can easily express what they need and care teams can respond more effectively. Delivering patient-centred care is important to us, and PatientCompanion helps us to do this while better supporting our staff.”

Brightshores tested PatientCompanion in 2025 in the Women and Child Care Unit at the Owen Sound Hospital and the Medicine/Surgical Unit at the Southampton Hospital, gathering feedback from both patients and staff.

“We designed PatientCompanion to improve the experience on both sides of the call bell,” said Christy Lee, co-founder of PatientCompanion. “Seeing this project translate into procurement is incredibly meaningful, because it means more patients are receiving better care, and nurses are better supported, every day.”

The project was supported by the CAN Health Network and led at Brightshores by its Office of Research and Innovation. Later this spring, the app will return to Southampton’s Medical/Surgical Unit, with additional testing to follow in other Brightshores’ hospital sites and departments.

“This project shows what is possible when healthcare providers and Canadian entrepreneurs work together to improve care in practical, measurable ways,” said Dante Morra, founder and CEO, CAN Health Network. “By modernizing something as fundamental as the call bell, Brightshores is improving the patient experience and supporting frontline teams at the same time.”

The app can be accessed using patients’ personal smartphones or a hospital-provided tablet. The platform also supports multiple languages and can be customized to different units and the different types of patients in a hospital’s care.

This collaboration reflects the CAN Health Network’s mandate to help healthcare operators identify priority challenges, evaluate Canadian-made solutions in real-life environments, and support evidence-based procurement decisions.

About Brightshores Health System
Brightshores Health System operates six hospitals within the Grey Bruce Region, serving a large rural region that is home to 175,000 residents, thousands of seasonal residents and over 2 million short-stay visitors. Supported by over 2,100 dedicated staff, 250 physicians and 1,000 volunteers, Brightshores is committed to build healthier communities one patient at a time. Learn more at www.brightshores.ca.

About PatientCompanion
PatientCompanion is a Canadian healthcare technology company dedicated to improving the work experience for nurses while enhancing patient care. Their platform streamlines communication between patients and healthcare providers, enabling nurses to prioritize and distribute requests more efficiently. Patients can easily make requests through intuitive icons or voice-to-text functionality, receive real-time updates, and communicate in their preferred language – reducing unnecessary interruptions. With a focus on simplicity, accessibility, and innovation, PatientCompanion is redefining the standard of care for both nurses and patients. For more information, visit patientcompanion.ca.

About CAN Health Network
The Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network is a federally supported, not-for-profit organization that works with health care operators across Canada to identify challenges, validate Canadian innovations in real-world settings, and support procurement and scale. Since its launch in 2019, CAN Health has supported commercialization projects with more than 100 Canadian companies, helping strengthen health care delivery while driving economic growth.