Canada Health Infoway Becomes First Canadian Recipient of Prestigious, Global Project Management Office (PMO) of the Year Award

Also becomes first government-funded recipient in the world

(Toronto) – Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) today was recognized for its efforts to ensure accountability for taxpayer dollars, becoming the first Canadian company and first government-funded organization in the world to win the prestigious, international Project Management Office (PMO) of the Year award, announced Richard Alvarez, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway.

With more than 700,000 members in nearly every country in the world, the Project Management Institute is the world's largest not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession. Each year, it selects one team as recipient of the PMO of the Year Award.

"Our Government is committed to fostering research and innovation that will help make health care more efficient and more effective," said Health Minister Rona Ambrose. "Congratulations to Mr. Alvarez and the entire team at Canada Health Infoway for receiving this award."

Founded in 2001, Infoway is a federally-funded, not-for-profit organization whose role is to help improve health and health care by collaborating with every province and territory to propel Canada's move from paper to digital health.

From 2007 to 2012, an estimated $8.6 billion in benefits accrued to Canadians and the health care system as a result of investments in electronic medical records, telehealth, drug information systems and diagnostic imaging solutions alone.

"Infoway uses a phased and gated funding model, which allows for the release of funding only when pre-set milestones are met," said Richard Alvarez, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. "Our project management office is central to ensuring transparency and accountability remains at the forefront of every project we invest in."

"Delivering improved health care solutions across a country as vast as Canada, particularly under such tightly controlled regulations, is a monumental task," said Mark A. Langley, president and CEO of PMI. "Canada Health Infoway's role and its business model make it a unique organization within Canada and possibly the world, and its PMO is a clear demonstration of how organizations can – and should – successfully implement their strategic initiatives. Organizations can, and should, learn from Canada Health Infoway's success and mirror its best practices to achieve their own success."

About Canada Health Infoway

Funded by the federal government, Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians.

About Project Management Institute

PMI is the world's largest not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession. Our professional resources and research empower more than 700,000 members, credential holders and volunteers in nearly every country in the world to enhance their careers, improve their organizations' success and further mature the profession.

PMI's worldwide advocacy for project management is reinforced by our globally recognized standards and certification program, extensive academic and market research programs, chapters and communities of practice, and professional development opportunities.

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For more information:

Haley Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications and Public Relations
Canada Health Infoway
647-713-9459
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