Brian Simmers Named President of PHC Ventures, Advancing Health Care Through Technology

“PHC Ventures is providing the missing ingredients to help companies and health innovators develop, derisk, and scale ideas within a health care setting,” says Simmers. “It also provides PHC with a way to bring cutting-edge health technology into its care delivery.” 

About PHC Ventures 

PHC Ventures focuses on: 

• Consulting, Engineering, and Commercialization Services: Offering these services to both internal and external parties. 
• Data Services and Access via the Integrated Health Informatics Datalab (IHID): Providing researchers and industry access to de-identified medical data to support innovative product development. 
• DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies: Leading PHC’s involvement and collaborations including the Postoperative Patient Management Platform (PPMP) and PressureSmart. 
• Ventures Fund: Investing in ventures aligned with PHC’s values and mission. 
• Incubation and Acceleration: Developing and accelerating ideas by providing access to data, expertise, capital, and intellectual property protection. 

 Simmers highlights the advantage of Ventures' close ties to PHC, providing secure access to their de-identified data, clinicians, researchers, and clinical facilities. When that’s boosted with Ventures’ entrepreneurial know-how and capital, great things can happen to improve health care, creating substantial value.  

Returns generated from fees, consulting services, capital gains from start-up sales, or royalty streams are reinvested into PHC to support future innovation, research and health care delivery. 

Strategic Investments  

Ventures primarily takes equity positions in early-stage companies based in BC, focusing on the artificial intelligence (AI), software, medical devices, biotech, and therapeutic sectors. 

 “Our tagline is, we are your ‘dream partner’,” explains Simmers. “Our approach and goals differ from strictly for-profit venture investors; we are there to support you and help your business develop.” To date, Ventures has invested nearly $1 million in seven early-stage companies. 

 Luke Harris, a perfusionist at PHC, operates a heart-lung machine that keeps patients alive during heart and lung surgeries. He noticed that the cannulas—tubes connecting blood vessels to the machine and then back to the body—were sometimes impeding blood flow to patients’ legs, potentially causing severe complications. To address this issue, Harris and his partners co-founded Total Flow Medical to develop a cannula that prevents these blockages. 

 “Perfusionists are very intertwined and connected to the technology they use,” says Harris. Ventures' support through an equity position was instrumental in the creation of Total Flow Medical.  

 “Providence Health Care Ventures has really followed the theme of support, community, and pride,” says Hillary Pierce, CEO of Total Flow Medical. “Wanting to build innovation in this part of Canada and for their patients, as well as for our future as a Canadian healthcare system—that has been incredibly supportive, inspiring, and invaluable to us as a small startup.” 

 Thrive Health, a Vancouver-based health technology company, also benefited from Ventures’ investment. 'It is exciting to see an organization like Providence Health Care [Ventures] innovating to improve care. They are willing to work with the tools and technologies we have available to find solutions and change how care is provided,' says Mark Nazemi, an executive at Thrive Health. 

Streamlining Health Tech Innovation 

Simmers’ 25-year background with safe-driving mobile apps, and use of AI in regulatory tech and multiple start-ups gives him perspective on the needs and challenges these companies are facing. Challenge number one is how to navigate the health care system as a start-up and get your ideas in front of the right decision makers.  

 “Healthcare can be like a brick wall to try to penetrate as a start-up,” says Simmers. Working with Ventures can streamline the often heavily bureaucratic process, open doors and help get early traction and results.  

 Simmers’ vision includes leveraging AI to revolutionize health care delivery. Ventures has already invested in AI firm SapienSecure, which uses de-identified data to improve health care and hospital workflow. Ventures also collaborates with major technology companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Change Health Care, and Clarius. These partnerships enhance PHC’s capabilities in delivering cutting-edge health care solutions. 

 Modeled to Fuel Future Innovation 

PHC Ventures, initially funded by St. Paul’s Foundation, has grown into a multi-million-dollar fund, generating significant revenue to support its activities. Simmers emphasizes that funds are derived from donations and revenue, not public health care funds, and are reinvested to fuel further innovation. 

 As the new St. Paul’s Hospital prepares to open in 2027, PHC Ventures will play an essential role in integrating innovative products and technologies, attracting the brightest minds in health care. 

 About Brian Simmers 

Brian serves as CFO and VP Health Informatics at Providence Health Care. He is also President of PHC Ventures, which is the for profit, commercialization and technology enablement arm of Providence. For over 25 years he has been dedicated to leveraging technology and applying innovative solutions to improve and transform organizations. Previously, Brian served as CFO & VP Client Experience at Technical Safety BC, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the organization into an AI-enabled regulatory authority. He also served as CFO of Aegis Mobility, a start-up provider of patented, distracted driving software for mobile devices. He was CFO & GM for Cityfone Telecommunications and oversaw its 5-fold growth and eventual acquisition by Rogers Communications.