Short-listed companies announced for provincial Diabetes Registry Project

TORONTO , Oct. 21 /CNW/ - eHealth Ontario and Infrastructure Ontario today announced the three companies short-listed to submit proposals for a chronic disease management system that will be used initially to establish a Diabetes Registry for Ontarians and an eHealth Portal framework.

    
    The three short-listed companies are:

    -   CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants Inc.
    -   TELUS Health Solutions GP
    -   xwave, a Division of Bell Aliant Regional Communications, LP
    

The companies were selected based on their experience, their product and its ability to be implemented quickly for use by health care professionals, and their financial capacity to deliver a health care IT project of this size and complexity. The short-listed companies will be invited to respond to a request for proposals (RFP) later this fall.

"Diabetes management is one our top clinical priorities since we know that more than 900,000 people in Ontario have diabetes and this number is expected to grow to 1.2 million by next year," said Rob Devitt , eHealth Ontario's Interim President and CEO. "I would like to thank the vendors who demonstrated an interest in this project and I look forward to the next stages of this process."

The online Diabetes Registry is part of Ontario's Diabetes Strategy to improve health outcomes for the growing number of Ontarians living with diabetes and reduce health care costs. It will be an interactive, real-time information system designed to track the care of diabetes patients in Ontario against evidence-based guidelines. It will track the dates of important tests and lab results to help clinicians and patients better manage their care.

The companies responded to a request for qualifications (RFQ) issued this summer. Following a process that involved demonstrations and reviews by evaluation committees, the three short-listed companies were selected.

eHealth Ontario plays the leading role in harnessing technology and innovation to improve patient care, safety, and access in support of the government's health strategy. The organization published its first ehealth strategy in March 2009 , which is focused on providing a comprehensive, patient focused, secure and private electronic system. eHealth Ontario will drive the transformation of Ontario's health care system, building toward an electronic health record for all Ontarians by 2015.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are delivered on time and on budget.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca or www.ehealthontario.on.ca for more information.

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For further information: Media Contacts: Jennifer Sclisizzi, Infrastructure Ontario, [phone]; Heather Brown, eHealth Ontario, [phone]