We Need to Talk About Digital Health

Canadians asked to join the conversation during digital health week, November 14-20

TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - During Digital Health Week (November 14 to 20, 2016), dozens of health care organizations from across Canada want Canadians to join the conversation about how digital health use is improving the patient experience.

"Over the last two years, the number of Canadians who personally have access to digital health has more than doubled," said Michael Green, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway, the federally-funded organization advancing Canada's digital health efforts to help improve the health of Canadians. "Digital Health Week is the ideal time to celebrate patients and caregivers becoming more empowered through innovative digital health solutions." 

Halifax mother Michelle Hébert Boyd is among the many Canadians who have experienced the benefit of digital health firsthand.  She recently had a health scare with her 10 year- old son Elliott, whose care is managed with the help of a personal health record. 

"Elliot has had many tests and visits with specialists, and the great thing is that it's all there in the personal health record and I can access it anytime and share it with his teachers or whomever else needs to be in the loop," she said. "There's such a difference between his experience with health care and the experience I have with my doctor, who doesn't have this technology. I still get great quality care, but there's a dimension that's missing because I don't have the same access to information."

The contrast between Michelle's patient experience and that of her son is among the topics that will be discussed during Digital Health Week, along with recent advances and anticipated growth. 

"Three quarters of Canadian physicians have switched from paper to electronic medical records, and more than half of Canada's health care professionals are now accessing digital patient information from other organizations," added Green. "Meanwhile, we expect the availability of consumer health solutions like e-booking, e-visits and e-viewing of patient records will continue to climb because it's something Canadians overwhelmingly want." 

The conversations during Digital Health Week will help inform digital health in Canada and support Canadians in moving from patients to partners in managing their health. Events are taking place throughout the week, which is designed for learning and sharing. 

Among the calendar of activities, a Digital Health Week education forum will be held on Tuesday, November 15 at 1:00 pm ET.  It will feature a presentation from Canada Health Infoway on the State of Digital Health in Canada. Registration for the webcast, sponsored by Orion Health, is now open. 

To learn more, visit www.betterhealthtogether.ca.

About Digital Health Week

Digital Health Week (November 14-20, 2016) was created by leading health care organizations to recognize how digital health is transforming care, helping to improve delivery of care across the country and increase awareness about both the value and benefits of digital health for all Canadians.

For more information about digital health and activities taking place throughout Digital Health Week, visit BetterHealthTogether.ca.

Digital Health Week Supporting Organizations

All the provinces and territories and the federal government are working together with a number of Supporting Organizations to increase awareness of digital health, including:Accreditation Canada

• Accreditation Canada
• The Arthritis Society
• BC Health Information Management Professionals Society
• CADTH
• Canada Health Infoway
• Canadian Association of Radiologists
• Canadian Cancer Society
• Canadian College of Health Leaders
• Canadian Diabetes Association
• Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement
• Canadian Home Care Association
• Canadian Medical Association
• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Canadian Nurses Association
• Canadian Nursing Informatics Association
• Canadian Ophthalmological Society
• Canadian Patient Safety Institute
• Canadian Pharmacists Association
• Canadian Physiotherapy Association
• Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists
• COACH: Canada's Health Informatics Association
• Cystic Fibrosis Canada
• Heart and Stroke Foundation
• ITAC Health
• JDRF
• MedicAlert Foundation Canada
• Mental Health Commission of Canada
• National Institutes of Health Informatics
• Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada
• The Lung Association - Ontario
• Ontario Telemedicine Network
• Patients Canada
• Patients for Patient Safety
• Rick Hansen Foundation
• Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario
• The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Digital Emergency Medicine
  

Friends of Digital Health Week 2016

Thank you to our Digital Health Week sponsors including:

• Allscripts
• Canadian Institute for Health Information
• COACH: Canada's Health Informatics Association
• GE Healthcare
• Gevity Consulting Inc
• Health Information Technology Services (HITS) eHealth Office at Hamilton Health Sciences
• IBM
• IHTSDO
• IMO-Intelligent Medical Objects
• Intelerad
• Mental Health Commission of Canada
• MiQare
• Novari Health
• OntarioMD
• Ontario Telemedicine Network
• Orion Health
• Philips
• ThoughtWire
• Wolters Kluwer

SOURCE Canada Health Infoway

or to arrange an interview with a digital health subject matter expert or a patient who uses digital health: Dan Strasbourg, Director, Media Relations, Canada Health Infoway, Tel: [phone], [email protected]