Canada's Health Infostructure

Chronology

History

April 1994 to 1997

Information Highway Advisory Council established to study how best to develop and use the information highway for the economic, cultural and social advantage of all Canadians

October 1994 to 1997

National Forum on Health established to advise the federal government on innovative ways to improve Canada's health system and the health of Canadians

September 1995

Information Highway Advisory Council final report identifies health as one of four key areas for the strategic application of information technologies to enhance the quality of life in Canada and envisions many potential benefits of a national health information infrastructure

January 1997

Office of Health and the Information Highway established to address new and evolving issues and to develop a long-term strategy regarding Canada's Health Infostructure

February 1997

National Forum on Health final report "Canada Health Action: Building on the Legacy" recommends the rapid development of an evidence-based health system as well as the creation of a nationwide population health information system

February 1997

Budget 1997 provides $50 million over three years for a Canada Health Information System

August 1997 to February 1999

Advisory Council on Health Infostructure established to provide advice and recommendations on the development of a comprehensive Canadian health infostructure

September 1997

Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE) vision paper "Towards a Canadian Health Iway" envisions a virtual information centre providing health information to both professionals and public

February 1998

National Conference on Health Info-Structure co-hosted by federal and Alberta Ministers of Health emphasizes the importance of a health infostructure in modernizing the health system

February 1998
to June 1999

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Chief Information Officers Forum recognizes benefits of intergovernmental collaboration on information management and information technology within Canada's health system

March 1998 to December 2000

Health Infostructure Support Program (HISP) established to provide funding to innovative health information technologies and applications projects developed by communities across Canada

August 1998

Tele-homecare Consultation Workshop co-hosted by Health Canada and CANARIE calls for a national home care program that is networked, integrated, flexible and client-centred

September 1998

Advisory Council on Health Infostructure (ACHI) interim report "Connecting for Better Health: Strategic Issues" outlines Council's progress and calls for feedback on its interim conclusions

October 1998

Workshop on Citizen Engagement and Accessibility in Relation to a National Health Infostructure organized by Health Canada's Office of Health and the Information Highway to consider how to empower health consumers and the general public

October 1998

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Workshop on Privacy hosted by Health Canada in order to develop a strategic security framework to allow the transfer of personal health information across Canada

November 1998

Information Technologies Serving Health: Consultation Workshop with Emergency Room Staff in Quebec Region to consider how to better utilize information technologies in managing and organization care in emergency departments

February 1999

Budget 1999 provides $328 million to further develop health information systems in Canada and $190 million to address the health care needs of First Nations and Inuit

February 1999

Advisory Council on Health Infostructure (ACHI) final report "Canada Health Infoway: Paths to Better Health" affirms the significant potential benefits of establishing a nationwide health information highway

June 1999

Proposal to Develop a Network of Health Surveillance in Canada was endorsed by the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health.

June 1999

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Chief Information Officers Forum evolves into Advisory Committee on Health Infostructure to develop national strategies to enhance the utility and use of information, and information technologies, in the health sector

November 1999

Canadian Health Network launched to provide Canadians with easy, online access to trustworthy information on health promotion, disease prevention, self-care and the performance of the health system

1999

National Health Surveillance Infostructure series of projects launched that promote access to, and the transfer of, health information using the Internet enabling health surveillance professionals to do their jobs more efficiently

1999

First Nations Health Information System created to provide timely access to health information for improved case management, program planning and health surveillance on First Nations reserves

January 2000

Vision 2020 Workshop on Children's Health Care organized by Health Canada's Office of Health and the Information Highway to explore the role of information and communications technologies in children's health care

February 2000

Budget 2000 provides $366 million over four years for health information and information technologies

March 2000

Vision 2020 Workshop on Information and Communications Technologies in Health Care from the Perspective of the Nursing Profession organized by Health Canada's Office of Health and the Information Highway to explore the role of information and communications technologies in nursing

March 2000

Vision 2020 Workshop on Information and Communications Technologies in Health Care from the Perspective of Health Administrators organized by Health Canada's Office of Health and the Information Highway to explore the role of information and communications technologies in health care administration

May 2000

Vision 2020 Workshop on Information and Communications Technologies in Health Care from the Perspective of Physicians organized by Health Canada's Office of Health and the Information Highway to explore the role of information and communications technologies in medicine

June 2000

Canada Health Infostructure Partnership Program (CHIPP), a 2-year, $80 million funding program to support national implementation of information and communications technologies in health care delivery, particularly in telehealth for rural and remote residents, and in electronic health records, was launched. It funded telehealth and EHR pilot projects in all provinces and territories and ran until 2002.

September 2000

First Ministers reach agreement on a vision of health, principles, an 8-point action plan including health information and communications technologies, and accountability. The Canadian federal government announces investment of $500 million in an independent corporation mandated to accelerate the development and adoption of modern systems of information technology in health care.

October 2000

On October 22-24, 2000, the Office Health and the Information Highway, Health Canada sponsored the Canada E-Health 2000: From Vision to Action" conference. Almost 400 key health stakeholders came together in Ottawa to discuss progress in developing a national infostructure and the challenges, priorities and directions for the future. More than 65 Canadian and international experts shared their work, thoughts and "lessons learned" and provided advice to conference participants on how to achieve success.

May 2001

Request for proposals for Knowledge Development and Exchange Applied Research Initiative to support applied research to address the policy issues related to the implementation of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in health and health care in Canada was launched. Fourteen projects were subsequently funded.

2002

Canada Health Infoway Inc. (Infoway) was announced in 2002, as the result of an announcement in September 2000 by the Canadian federal government to invest $500 million in an independent corporation mandated to accelerate the development and adoption of modern systems of information technology in health care. Infoway's initial priority was to foster and accelerate the development and implementation of effective, interoperable Electronic Health solutions.

February 2003

On February 18, 2003, in support of the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal, the 2003 budget announced the provision of an "additional $600 million to Canada Health Infoway to accelerate the development of EHRs, common information technology standards across the country, and the further development of telehealth applications, which are critical to care in rural and remote areas."

March 2004

Budget 2004 provides Canada Health Infoway with an additional $100 million to support the development of a pan-Canadian health surveillance system.

July 2004

The former Office of the Health and Information Highway (OHIH) was reorganized. The Privacy Policy section moved to Health Canada's Policy Branch, and the remainder of OHIH joined the Department's Corporate Services Branch.