News Release
1999-112
September 17, 1999
Group led by Prince Edward Island organization establishes Atlantic operation of Canadian Health Network
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Lawrence MacAulay, Solicitor General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Cardigan announced today on behalf of Health Minister Allan Rock that the Eastern Co-operative Health Organization (ECHO), an Atlantic consortium, will receive funding to become the Eastern Regional Operating Partner of the Canadian Health Network (CHN).
"Atlantic Canadians are playing a vital role in helping to establish an information service that is truly national in its scope," said Minister MacAulay. "CHN will increase Canadians' access , no matter where they live, to the latest, best and most reliable health information."
"The CHN promises a new era in health information technology for the 21st century. It will offer Canadians access to timely and cutting edge health information, helping them make more informed and better decisions about their health," said Minister Rock.
In the February 1999 budget, the Government of Canada announced $328 million in funding over the remainder of 1998-99 and the following three years for a number of initiatives concerning information technology and health. The Canadian Health Network is one of those initiatives aimed at providing Canadians with the facts they need to make informed decisions about their health.
ECHO will also work closely with other CHN partners such as the Western Regional Operating Partner and various Affiliate partners. CHN Affiliates are organizations or consortia of organizations which provide leadership and knowledge in their areas of expertise. In Atlantic Canada, the  Newfoundland Society for the Physically Disabled, the New Brunswick Easter Seal March of Dimes and the Abilities Foundation of Nova Scotia are part of a consortium which has been selected to provide leadership in the area of people with disabilities.
Total funding to the Eastern Regional Operating Partner and the affiliate organizations located in Atlantic Canada is up to just over $1million this year. Each CHN Affiliate will receive up to $300,000 this year. As the Eastern Operating Partner, ECHO will receive up to $750,000 this year. Future funding will be reassessed on a yearly basis. The CHN vision is to build on the knowledge and expertise of existing health and health-related organizations across Canada.
The CHN is a national Internet-based service that currently provides information on health promotion and disease prevention. It will ultimately also provide information on self-care and the performance of the health system. As a CHN operating partner, ECHO will identify a network of health information providers in the region, and create links with existing provincial and local networks.
The consortium comprises the Community Health Promotion Network (Atlantic), the Canadian Environmental Network-Health and Sustainability Caucus and the Prince Edward Island Health Information Centre. As CHN's operating partner for Eastern Canada, ECHO will provide leadership in ensuring that CHN addresses particular regional health information.
"More and more, people are asking for information to help them maintain and improve their health, " stated Mildred Dover, Minister of Health and Social Services for Prince Edward Island, who participated in the news conference. "In Prince Edward Island, we are committed to making health information widely accessible through technology at our provincial Health Information Resource Centre. We are particularly pleased now to enhance this service even further with our partnership in this exciting initiative."
"In the Atlantic, we've done our best to build partnerships among different communities and to link up complementary networks. The work has been accomplished by people who are passionate about healthy and sustainable communities and this latest Regional Operating Partnership with CHN is an appropriate recognition of their dedication and commitment. ECHO looks forward to serving the health information needs of all clients in a helpful and transparent manner, " stated David Daughton, President of ECHO.
Other CHN partners will include organizations with expertise such as AIDS/HIV, cancer, environmental health, healthy eating, injury prevention, mental health, tobacco and violence. Others will focus on population groups like seniors, children, youth and women.
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Media Inquiries
Pat Brownlow
Health Canada
(902) 456-0655 (cellular)
Bryan Hayday
CEO
Canadian Health Network
(416) 408-4499 ext. 2237
David Daughton
President
Eastern Co-operative Health Organization
(902) 894-7232
Public Inquiries
(613) 957-2991
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