Blog

Canada’s health care system is a source of pride for most Canadians. We see health care in Canada as a reflection of who we are as a country, embodying our aspirations of innovation, fairness, caring, efficiency, equality, professionalism and standards...

When you’re feeling unwell, the last thing you want is to venture out on multiple errands. As we continue to stay home and implement physical distancing measures, I’m reminded of a story a patient recently related to me.

The zeitgeist of 2020 has already been well documented by many wise individuals. But suffice it to say, this has been a year like no other in recent memory, and one that has left an indelible mark on the health care landscape.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed Canadians’ daily lives. Whether they’re staying masked or staying home, Canadians are making choices to protect their health and the health of their communities.

Have you been wondering if e-prescribing is right for you? Are you curious about the details and impact on your workflow? With Ask a Peer , we’re connecting you with health care professionals who have already begun their e-prescribing journey. Recently,...

The 2020 agreement between SNOMED International and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is an opportunity to highlight the clinical work of nursing. The ICN is a federation of more than 130 national nurses’ associations worldwide. Under the...

I think it’s fair to say that 2020 hasn’t been what anyone expected — particularly for health care. But while this year has brought immense challenges to the health system, it has also served to highlight the progress we’ve made in implementing digital...

This week, I’m proud to join Canadian health system leaders in celebrating Digital Health Week — a time to recognize how digital health is transforming the delivery of care. When I think of the changes brought about by this pandemic, the “overnight”...

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve brought your prescription to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist wants to ask your prescriber a question about it. Unfortunately, the fax machine isn’t cooperating, and the phone line is busy.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care changed overnight. Old processes and business models were tossed out; our every assumption had to be questioned. While no one would ever wish for such an unprecedented public health emergency, there...

As the COVID-19 pandemic upends Canadians’ daily lives, a surge in opioid-related overdoses continues across Canada. Nearly 15,400 Canadians died from an opioid-related overdose between January 2016 and December 2019. While 2020 data continues to be...

Fall is often a time when we think about new starts and new beginnings. Like many parents, I have a stepson starting university. As a security professional, I worry about an online world that has become even more “virtualized” as a result of COVID-19....

World Standards Day (October 14) recognizes the collaborative efforts of experts across the globe to develop the standards underpinning our work in digital health. This year, the fragility of our human, health and environmental systems feels...

Whether you’re a physician sending diagnostic imaging across the country or a patient checking lab results on a smartphone, it’s essential that different health information systems and devices can talk to each other. This mutually intelligible flow of...

Nurses comprise the largest proportion of Canada’s health care providers. The most recent data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)’s Nursing in Canada, 2019 survey reveals that the regulated nursing workforce grew by 1.9 per cent...

If there is a universal truth about health care, it’s this: there are a lot of forms. However, not all of them are created equal. Often, the data captured is static — it can’t be independently shared or queried.

A new school year can be exciting — and stressful. Academic anxieties, bullying, romances and peer pressure add up to considerable weight on young shoulders. Heading back to the classroom during a pandemic only heightens that stress, for kids and...

Physical distancing, social circles, contact tracing, R0 numbers…over the past few months, we’ve adapted quickly to a wide range of new terms and concepts in order to stay healthy. For many Canadians, this information is largely new, the COVID-19...

Archimedes said it best: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. For physician Dr. Jeffrey Steed, this is all too true when it comes to prescribing. Based in Coaldale, AB, his clinic was looking for more efficient ways to get...

Growing up is hard to do, especially online. Adolescence has always brought challenges, but the COVID-19 pandemic has added substantial stress to the lives of youth and young adults across Canada. Physical distancing, uncertainty around schooling and...