Infoway helps (more) Canadians to Click+Book appointments

e-Booking Initiative wave two launches October 15

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - Nine in ten Canadians want to be able to e-book health care appointments and clinicians are listening! Licensed physicians and nurse practitioners who signed up for the Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) e-Booking Initiative between April 2, 2014 and June 30, 2014 care for nearly 700,000 Canadians. Based on the success of the original e-Booking Initiative, Infoway is launching wave two on October 15, 2014. 

E-booking offers Canadians the ability to book medical appointments online or with a mobile device, manage those appointments and receive appointment confirmations and reminders electronically. The e-Booking Initiative offers clinicians financial support to offset costs associated with implementation and participation in the e-Booking Initiative.

"The exceptional response to the e-Booking Initiative underscores the appetite among clinicians and patients to use e-booking in Canada," said Michael Green, president and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. "We are committed to accelerating digital health adoption in Canada and this Initiative is doing just that - putting valued tools in the hands of even more Canadians."

According to an Infoway white paper: Exploring the value, benefits and common concerns of e-booking and an HEC Montreal benefits evaluation report: Adoption, Use and Effects of an e-appointment System: Results of a Quebec Showcase Project, e-booking offers significant benefits to clinicians and patients including reduced no-show appointments, increased productivity, and enhanced patient and staff satisfaction.

The HEC Montreal report examined the adoption, use and effects of implementing an e-booking system in seven clinics in the Montreal area over a two year period. During that time, 92 per cent of patients said they never forgot an appointment after using an e-booking system, up from 82 per cent, and patient satisfaction was high.

About the e-Booking Initiative 

Launching on October 15, 2014, the Infoway e-Booking Initiative wave two encourages eligible licensed physicians and nurse practitioners in community-based or ambulatory care settings to implement an e-booking solution of their choice. Qualifying participants that meet reporting and adoption milestones will receive financial support to offset costs associated with implementation and participation in the Initiative.

The registration period is open from October 15, 2014 through December 15, 2014 (3:00 p.m. ET). To learn more, or to access information and resources to support implementation, visit www.infoway.ca/ebooking.

About Canada Health Infoway

Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government.

SOURCE: Canada Health Infoway

Dan Strasbourg, Director, Media Relations, Canada Health Infoway, Tel: [phone], [email protected]