Canada Far Behind in EHR Goal

HDM Breaking News, June 30, 2009

Canadians have little to show after 8 years and $1.576 billion in spending to implement electronic health records in the nation of 33.5 million, according to a new report.

As of March 31, only 17% of residents have a core electronic health record, according to the annual report of Canada Health Infoway, the organization in charge of the national EHR initiative started in 2001.

The initiative's original goal was to have 50% of residents with a core EHR by 2009, a milestone that later was extended to the end of 2010. The new report still lists that goal as achievable.

The report downplays the 17% current level of EHR adoption, mentioning it once as an afterthought. Immediately afterward is a six-paragraph section touting communication gains to inform and educate the public. "Overall, Infoway media mentions totaled 1,560 in the 2008-09 fiscal year, a 31-per-cent increase over the previous year."

The full Canada Health Infoway report is available at www2.infoway-inforoute.ca/Documents/ar/Annual_Report_2008-2009_en.pdf.

--Joseph Goedert

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