History

In 1994 six Ontario private sector laboratories collaborated in the formation of Inscyte Corporation for the explicit purpose of creating an advanced and automated computerized electronic medical record of cervical cancer screening test results and related information. The founding laboratories were:

• Dynacare Laboratories
• Excel Bestview Laboratories
• FML Medical Laboratories
• Gamma North Peel Laboratory
• MDS Laboratories
• Med-Chem Laboratories

Artificial Intelligence In Medicine Inc. (now Inspirata Canada), a Toronto based software engineering firm specializing in informatics for healthcare, was contracted to develop the information system, subsequently named "CytoBase". The conceptual design and specifications for the system were developed with the participation of experts from the laboratory industry, the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, legal advisors and the Ontario Ministry of Health. The initial designs were developed in 1994, full scale development commenced in 1995 and CytoBase become operational on June 1, 1996.

In 1998 Cancer Care Ontario (formerly the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation and now Ontario Health) became a member of Inscyte and has been actively interested in the epidemiological aspects of data stored in CytoBase and as well in the development and on-going support of the provincial cervical cancer screening program.

Since 1996 the consolidation of the laboratory industry has reduced the number of laboratories so that there are now three participants:

• Dynacare Health (formerly Gamma Dynacare Laboratories)
• Life Labs (formerly MDS Laboratories)
• Medical Laboratories of Windsor

These laboratories perform over 90% of cervical cancer screening tests in Ontario.