Terminal Tech Talks: using big data to fight COVID-19

The toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on daily life can’t be overstated. All of us have had to rapidly adjust the way we live and listen to the medical community to keep people safe. Scientists, researchers and medical professionals around the world are collaborating to find solutions or treatments to combat the virus.

In this talk, we bring experts to you so you can ask them anything, without leaving your own home. Dr. Andrew Costa is the chair of clinical epidemiology and research director at the school of medicine at McMaster University, Waterloo Region Campus. Dr. Costa and his team are passionate about using big data to help us solve the medical challenges of the future.

We will explore a number of key topics including:

1. Epidemiology and the current COVID-19 implications
2. Leveraging big data and real-time tools in healthcare
3. Using big data to solve problems in our modern world

About the speaker Dr. Andrew Costa

Dr. Costa is the Schlegel Research Chair in Clinical Epidemiology and Aging in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University. Dr. Costa also serves as the Research Director at the DeGroote School of Medicine, Waterloo Regional Campus. Dr. Costa is also the Research Director of The Big Data and Geriatric Models of Care Research Cluster, a collection of scientists and clinicians that use big data to inform and evaluate better models of care for older adults in communities across Canada. Dr. Costa’s research program promotes evidence-based care and health policy in seniors and geriatric care. Dr. Costa is an interRAI Fellow where he is engaged in the Network of Excellence in Acute Care (iNEAC) and leads the Emergency Department Working Group. He has received CIHR awards for his research in health services and policy.His program of research makes use of health information and technology to develop better models of care and decision support systems in home and community care, and emergency departments.

About the moderator Graham Campbell:

Graham completed his graduate work at the University of Waterloo, and has studied and written on a range of topics centred around the social impacts of health, immigration, and technology policy. His current areas of focus include qualitative health systems research, facilitating collaborative and interdisciplinary projects with partners across Canada, and exploring the leveraging of new technologies in safe, effective, and accessible patient care.