Canada's electronic health record:
new technology, enabling better care
Imagine an innovation that will allow health care professionals to access essential patient health information, where and when they need it. Rather than searching for information in different files – some paper, some digital – on various systems, Canadian health care professionals will be able to access a patient's health information through electronic health records or EHRs.
Canada's EHR will be a secure, electronic record of a person's health history that can be accessed and shared via a network of client information management systems. With authorization from the patient, these systems will enable health care professionals to view and update essential patient data such as medications, X-rays and lab results.
Canada Health Infoway: Accelerating the use of EHRs
Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), a not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, collaborates with provinces and territories, health care providers and technology solution providers to accelerate the use of EHRs in Canada.
Infoway’s Clinician Peer Support Network is a pan-Canadian peer-to-peer program that promotes the active engagement of clinical practitioners – physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care providers – involved in the implementation of electronic health information systems across Canada.
Find out more about how the Network functions, learn more about Infoway or the EHR projects being implemented across Canada.
The circle of care in action: Assisted by EHRs
Meet Evelyn.
Evelyn is on several medications. Recently, she underwent tests and an ultrasound to diagnose why she is experiencing blurred vision.
Imagine if… Evelyn's essential personal health information was accessible to her health care providers, wherever she comes into contact with the health care system:
- Evelyn's pharmacist, once authorized, would be able to check her EHR and obtain details about her prescriptions, so she remembers when to take her pills.
- A radiology technologist would be able to use an EHR system to send Evelyn's physician a digitized image of yesterday's ultrasound.
- The nurse at the clinic where Evelyn goes to get her test results would be able to review Evelyn's EHR and ask key questions before the consultation.
- Evelyn's doctor, prepared with Evelyn's essential health information, would get a better understanding of Evelyn's situation in order to refer her to just the right specialist.
EHRs will enable collaborative care through access to secure, patient health information.
Find out how people are already benefitting from EHRs.
Watch and read EHR success stories.
If you are a health care professional…
Electronic medical records (EMRs) and EHRs will inform and streamline your work, enabling you to focus on what's important: your patient. Learn more on EMRs and how they relate to the EHR.
Find out more about:
- EHRs for physicians
- EHRs for nurses
- EHRs for pharmacists
- EHRs for allied health care providers
- Clinician Peer Support Network
Learn about the technical side of EHRs
The framework for interoperability
Infoway has developed a blueprint that serves as the framework for the design of health information systems, ensuring that Canada's network of EHR solutions will be secure, fast and interconnected. Sign in to KnowledgeWay to access detailed information about Infoway's EHR Blueprint.
Setting and maintaining standards
Across Canada, the Standards Collaborative is supporting and sustaining standards for electronic health information systems in Canada. Visit the Standards Collaborative section.
Access more information about the creation of Canada's EHR network.
Visit Infoway's Resource Centre.