Canadian undergraduate students will have the chance to design an app and win $10,000 via the “Kiss My App Contest”, being run by the William Osler Health System (Osler). Osler is seeking ideas that will help the organization improve the care experience for patients and their families.
Launched this week, the contest will span almost six months. Students can work alone or in teams, and have from September to November to develop a written proposal about their app. Osler will shortlist the top five ideas and from December to January and the selected teams will move forward into design, development and testing.
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to work with students across the country on ideas that could positively impact the care experience at Osler hospitals in so many ways,” said Osler CEO Matthew Anderson. “From seniors’ health to maternal/newborn care to wayfinding, the field is wide open for students to unleash their out-of-the-box thinking and creative potential for the benefit of our patients and their families.”
In March 2014, the teams will present a fully functioning app to a review panel consisting of Osler staff and community members.
The contest website asks students “Do you think in code? Are you a stickler for clean and slick UI? Do you want to make a difference in health care?”.
“Develop an app for iOS and make an impact on thousands of patients who come through our hospital’s doors every year. Get your app noticed by industry professionals. And make a cool ten grand while you’re at it,” it reads. “William Osler Health System is running a nation-wide mobile app contest and we want your ideas. Tell us how we can make the biggest impact on our patients.”
William Osler Health System is a hospital system ‘Accredited with Exemplary Standing’ that serves 1.3 million residents of Brampton, Etobicoke, and surrounding communities within the Central West Local Health Integration Network. Osler’s emergency departments are among the busiest in Ontario and its labour and delivery program is one of the largest in Canada.
