activation
program 03.

community engagement

inclusion, diversity, equity, + accessibility (idea)

program leads

Tara Leah Klassen

Alberta Health Services

Jo-Louise Huq

University of Calgary

purpose

A-MEDICO’s AP3: Community Engagement, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) is dedicated to fostering respectful and effective community engagement within Alberta’s medical device innovation ecosystem. Through this initiative, we aim to:

  • Build capacity and skills that support meaningful interactions between innovators and communities.

  • Develop an IDEA Framework tailored to the needs of medical device innovation.

  • Establish a network of engagement experts to enable user-centered solutions.

  • Promote awareness of best practices for inclusive engagement in medical device development.

By prioritizing these efforts, A-MEDICO seeks to bridge the gap between researchers, developers, and end users—ensuring that medical devices are designed with real-world needs in mind, increasing their adoption and impact.

upcoming
plans

  • Community Engagement Workshops (Fall 2025) – Hosted in Calgary and Edmonton, these workshops will bring together researchers, students, and stakeholders to explore best practices, skills, and challenges in medical device community engagement.

  • IDEA Framework Development (2026-2027) – A structured approach to integrating inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in medical device innovation, with testing and validation in selected A-MEDICO projects.

  • Ongoing Research Projects – Supporting initiatives like Embracing Memories, a VR-based dementia care project, and a Foundational Curriculum for graduate students to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship in medical technology.