Canadian Armed Forces to benefit from a new and improved electronic health record system

October 28, 2024 - Defence Stories

On April 8th, 2024, the Government of Canada unveiled the Defence Policy Update, “Our North, Strong and Free- A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence.” As a part of this update, Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) has embarked on a journey to modernize its electronic health record system. 

The update from the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) current Canadian Forces Health Information System (CFHIS) to the new and improved Electronic Health Record Platform (EHRP) will be a seamless data migration. During the transfer, patient health information will remain secure and private, and there will be no disruptions to patient care. This transformation will deliver major benefits for both patients and clinicians while maintaining the security and privacy of each patient’s private health information.

By transforming the entire Department of Defence (DND)/CAF digital healthcare delivery system into a modern platform, the Electronic Health Record Platform (EHRP) will put CAF members at the centre of their personalized healthcare journey. Like civilian healthcare system capabilities, this update will allow members to view and contribute to their health record via a secure online patient portal. Additionally, the EHRP will incorporate streamlined, fully integrated clinical decision support tools and AI-enabled charting apps, allowing clinicians to spend less time inputting notes and freeing them to spend more time with their patients than ever before.  

The EHRP will also extend its capabilities to HMC    Ships and deployed units, including to the point of injury in battle or other circumstances. Integration with NATO and other allies’ electronic health records, as well as CAF/DND’s civilian healthcare partners, will be a crucial capability in improving the seamless care of CAF members when they are treated outside of the CAF healthcare system by virtue of electronic referral processes and standardized electronic patient summaries that accompany the patient. 

Advanced healthcare analytics (analyzing current and historical health data to predict trends, improve outreach, and manage the spread of diseases) capabilities will permit senior healthcare authorities to uncover healthcare patterns and pivot as necessary to modify healthcare delivery and preventive programs to best serve CAF members. By late 2028, the first step, a complete replacement of the current electronic health record system, will have been accomplished. By 2031, all the advanced capabilities are planned to be integrated and delivered. At that point, the CAF/DND will have a modern, patient-centred, digital healthcare delivery system that meets or exceeds provincial, territorial, and defence partner standards.