Cat Lake First Nation ᐱᔑᐎᓴᑲᐃ ᑲᓂᒃ Leads Health Transformation in the North – Partnering with TytoCare to Expand Access to Healthcare in Remote Indigenous Communities

Press Release

Cat Lake, ON — February 10, 2026 — TytoCare has partnered with Cat Lake First Nation ᐱᔑᐎᓴᑲᐃ ᑲᓂᒃ in Northern Ontario to help reshape healthcare delivery in one of Canada’s most remote Indigenous communities. The initiative introduces a community-led advanced diagnostic virtual care model designed to overcome severe access barriers in fly-in and ice-road-only regions, while prioritizing self-determination, cultural alignment, and clinical excellence.

TytoCare’s Pro Smart Clinic enables remote exams comparable to in-person visits. These include heart and lung exams (featuring a world first AI Lung Suite detecting abnormal lung sounds), throat and ear assessments, skin exams and body temperature measurements. By leveraging this technology, clinicians can diagnose and treat more conditions remotely, reducing the need for traditional in-office visits by creating unique pathways for faster access to care focused on improving health outcomes for patients.

Cat Lake First Nation — Indigenous Services Canada nursing staff and a local Community Health Worker preparing to launch the TytoCare Pro Smart Clinic system at the Cat Lake Nursing Station.

Cat Lake First Nation will deploy multiple TytoClinics across new and existing community care paths. Physicians from Sioux Lookout Regional Physician Services will deliver care remotely, supported in community by Indigenous Services Canada nurses. A rigorous three-phase evaluation—planning, implementation, and impact—is being led by the Centre for Digital Health Evaluation (CDHE) at Women’s College Hospital, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI) using the Canadian Network for Digital Health Evaluation (CNDHE) framework. This ensures alignment with national standards and positions the pilot for broader recognition and scale.

This initiative addresses urgent healthcare challenges in communities lacking permanent road access, where limited medical services often result in costly and disruptive medevacs. By introducing advanced diagnostic capabilities, the program shifts the focus from a standard primary care model to diagnostic care—improving continuity, reducing unnecessary evacuations, and ensuring patients receive high-quality treatment within their own community.

“This project reflects a fundamentally different approach to virtual care,” said Joe Brennan, VP at TytoCare. “It is community-led, clinically rigorous, and designed around the realities of remote Indigenous communities. Cat Lake First Nation and NAN are showing what is possible when technology supports local leadership.”

“With the support of regional medical professionals and TytoCare’s advanced diagnostic tools, Cat Lake First Nation is entering a new era of healthcare,” said Chief Russell Wesley. “By enabling direct physician communication and enhanced remote monitoring, we are moving far beyond traditional telehealth. For a remote community without year-round road access, this innovation does more than eliminate the burdens of medical travel—it makes high-quality local care a reality. We are building a foundation of wellness for future generations and demonstrating a sustainable healthcare model for other Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities.”

This partnership marks TytoCare’s first public sector project in Canada and represents a significant step toward expanding equitable access to healthcare in remote and underserved regions.

For further information, please contact:

Tammy Lehtinen | Cat Lake Health Transformation Lead |cell 807-700-3947 tammy@sedulousengagement.com

Mira Marcus | TytoCare PR | mira.marcus@tytocare.com

Background (Project, Cat Lake First Nation and TytoCare)
This collaborative initiative is driven by a forward-looking coalition of partners committed to Indigenous health equity. Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) provides strategic leadership, with critical insight and support from Boehringer Ingelheim’s PATHWAYS initiative. Clinical expertise and integration are led by the Sioux Lookout Regional Physicians’ Services (SLRPSI). Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). The project’s impact is measured and refined through the evaluation expertise of Women’s College Hospital Centre for Digital Health Evaluation and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI), all supported by Ontario Health to ensure regulatory compliance.

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