A Newfoundland and Labrador company is changing the game for women’s health in 28 countries and counting.
Granville Biomedical, founded by Christine Goudie and Crystal Northcott in 2019, manufactures anatomically accurate pelvic models for physician training and patient education.
“When we started the company, it was important for us to not just create another product. We wanted to make the best possible type of product that represents the human body as accurately as possible,” Goudie told the CBC’s St. John’s Morning Show.
“So we created a tool that was able to accurately test organic tissue versus composite or simulated tissue,” she said.
They formulated various products to accurately represent skin, fat and muscle to provide “the most lifelike training possible for healthcare trainees.”
The models they produce — from pelvic exam models to suturing training kits — are used by pelvic floor physiotherapists, medical students, oncologists, and nurse practitioner students.
They can be used to demonstrate procedures from IUD insertions to pessary use and menstrual cup and tampon insertions.
“These models are such a great way to create dialogue and actually help patients understand what the practitioner is talking about,” Goudie said.
It also helps patients make sound decisions about their own bodies.
The goal
On a 2018 Team Broken Earth trip, Goudie met her co-founder Crystal Northcott and talked about disparities in women’s health care in Canada. That conversation sparked an idea for a project, which quickly grew into a full-blown company.
“We decided to not only just design one product, we designed a suite of different products based on very specific market feedback about what was missing in women’s health education,” Goudie said.
And now, they’re expanding into more digital technology, working on an app that’s expected to launch later this year and AI technology to improve their health care products.
“We’re looking at how to implement sensor technology into our products, as well, so that the palpation can be measured and accurately analyzed.”
Global and digital expansion
Through funding from Mitacs, Angel Investment, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Business Development Bank of Canada, Granville Biomedical has been able to expand their team, research, and product development.
Goudie said there has been a market uptick in use of their products in the province by the health authority for Eastern Newfoundland, as well as private clinics.
Granville Biomedical expanded distribution to the United States first, and through social media and communications, moved into other international markets.
Now, they’ve expanded operations to include distribution in 28 countries over five continents, from the United States to Australia.
Australia, Goudie said, was a breakthrough market because of the funding provided for women’s health in that country.
And though the operation is still small, Goudie said when it comes to women’s health, “Crystal and I are just happy to continue contributing in whatever kind of small way we can.”
All of Granville Biomedical’s products are made in Canada.
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