News Release
1999-16
February 3, 1999
Advisory Council on Health Infostructure issues major recommendations in its final report
OTTAWA- Health Minister Allan Rock today received the final report of the Advisory Council on Health Infostructure, a report on how improved health information and new technologies can be used to build a better health care system for the new millennium.
The Advisory Council report, entitled Canada Health Infoway - Paths to Better Health, makes recommendations on opportunities to improve the quality, accessibility, portability and efficiency of health services along with ways to give Canadians greater control over their health through access to better information.
"Council members have painted an exciting, positive future vision for Canada's health care system in this report," said Mr. Rock. "This is a vision that is people-focused, progressive and dynamic. It is a vision I both share and endorse."
According to the 24-member Advisory Council on Health Infostructure, which includes representatives from a wide range of stakeholders in the health sector, Canadians are concerned about health services and are seeking more control over their own health.
"They want to take more responsibility for their own health and are demanding greater accountability from government and health providers," explained Co-chairs Dr. Tom Noseworthy, Professor of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, University of Alberta, and Alan Nymark, Associate Deputy Minister, Health Canada. "The report is a roadmap to improved health care for Canadians through better use of health information and technologies."
In their report, Council members identified four main goals for the new infostructure:
- support Canadians, as health consumers, in making better informed decisions through access to reliable information on health topics, treatment options and other areas of interest;
- strengthen and integrate health care services in every region of Canada;
- respond to the growing demand for electronic access to the latest information of interest to health care professionals, providers and caregivers, health managers and policy makers; and
- strengthen protection of individual privacy and health information
In receiving the Council's final report, Mr. Rock emphasized that he does not foresee that health information services and systems will develop into a single massive structure.
"I see it as building on the foundation provided by provincial, territorial and federal health infostructure initiatives already being designed or implemented. Each will retain their identity and integrity," said the Minister.
"What this system will do for Canadians is allow seamless delivery of patient care from one institution to another and from one geographic area to another."
A key foundation of the Canada Health Infoway will be achieving greater consistency and harmonization of provincial, territorial and federal privacy legislation for privacy protection in the health sector. The implementation of fair information practices and privacy-enhancing technologies throughout the health sector will also be a priority. While enabling patients to access critical information in their health records, 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, this system will involve strict and explicit controls. There will be fuller assurance of confidentiality than can be provided today with a paper-based system. The Canada Health Infoway will also permit quick access to personal medical histories by health care professionals and providers on a need-to-know basis. This will ensure safe, effective treatment while avoiding expensive, unnecessary and sometimes risky tests.
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