Canada Health Infoway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, federally-funded, not-for-profit organization that is accelerating the development of electronic health records across Canada. As a strategic investor, they work with Canadian provinces and territories with a goal to have an electronic health record (EHR) for 50% of Canadians by 2010. Infoway’s members are Canada's 14 federal, provincial and territorial Deputy Ministers of Health.

Development of a network of interoperable electronic health record solutions across Canada – linking clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and other points of care – will help improve access to health care services for Canadians, enhance the quality of care and make the health care system more efficient.

Since 2001, Infoway has approved more than 227 projects in these targeted program areas:

Diagnostic Imaging Systems
Drug Information Systems
Infostructure
Innovation and Adoption
Interoperable EHR
Laboratory Information Systems
Public Health Surveillance
Registries
Telehealth

The strategy for a new program area — Patient Access to Quality Care — is currently under development.

They are also involved in developing pan-Canadian electronic health information standards, leveraging the HL7v3 standard.

It is reported that as of December 31, 2007 there were 245 EHR projects under way in Canadian hospitals, other health-care facilities, pharmacies and laboratories, with an investment value of $1.332-billion from the Canada Health Infoway.[1]