About Canada Health Infoway
Imagine walking into a clinic to see a doctor you have not met before. With your authorization, the doctor can obtain your essential health care information, such as medications, X-rays and the names of the other clinicians who have cared for you.
Imagine you’re the doctor. With this information, you will have a better understanding of your new patient’s health care needs and be better equipped to make informed decisions about treatment and subsequent self-management of the patient’s own health.
This relationship between doctor and patient is just one aspect of Infoway’s vision for the future of health care in Canada: a future that’s unfolding now thanks to the creation of a network of electronic health record (EHR) systems, enabling health care providers to share, access, manage and safeguard the essential health care information of you and millions of other Canadians.
As a not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, Infoway works with the jurisdictions to foster and accelerate the development and adoption of pan-Canadian electronic health information systems. Once these technology systems are up and running, health care professionals will have ready access to accurate and complete patient information. And Canadians will be able to access and manage their own health information electronically. What this means is better communication between health care professionals and a clearer understanding of what patients need.
Thanks to the growing implementation of EHR technology, many Canadians are already realizing some significant benefits such as faster, more accurate diagnosis, shorter wait times for treatment, safer prescriptions and better access to chronic disease management.
Learn more about Canada’s EHR progress, view a map of the projects underway across the country, or read what people are saying about Infoway. Download Infoway's 2010-2011 Business Plan, Unlocking the clinical value of health information systems.