July 12, 2006 (Toronto, ON) - Canada's doctors are lagging behind other countries when it comes to using information technology (IT) in patient care, according to a recent study by a University of Victoria professor.
A review of IT use by general practitioners in 10 countries, prepared for Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) by Professor Denis Protti, from the School of Health Information Science at the University of Victoria, found that general practitioners in other countries are using IT in greater numbers.
"We need to stop running a 21st century health system using 19th century paperwork," said Richard Alvarez, Infoway's President and CEO. "Recent CMA/Infoway research shows that if Canadian physicians could improve the quality and efficiency of their practices and save time, they would adopt electronic health records. Clearly the challenge is to demonstrate that these benefits can only be achieved through the widespread use of electronic records in physicians' day-to-day operations," he added.
The review showed that in these 10 British, European, and Australasian nations, more than 90% of GPs are using computers for at least some element of caring for patients. The most common usage involves management of patient drug prescriptions, followed by receiving laboratory results online. In Canada, that number is around 20%.
The study was commissioned by Infoway to identify factors that have contributed to the success of the countries studied in achieving high levels of automation in GP offices over the last decade.
The Canadian Medical Association has also been working with Infoway to survey Canadian physicians about their attitudes toward technology and use of IT in their offices.
"The recent review of IT implementation shows general practitioners in (other) jurisdictions are often far ahead of their Canadian counterparts in using IT for at least some elements of clinical care," said CMA President Dr. Ruth Collins-Nakai. "The review provides valuable information on how we can advance the process of having GPs use IT to enhance patient care and their own practices in this country. However, physicians themselves must be involved in evaluating, selecting and implementing the types of electronic systems they will be expected to use in clinical care." Providing physicians with proper incentives and support is also critical, she said.
Alvarez added, "This study shows that while many challenges remain, many of the elements that have led to success in other countries, such as the establishment of a national health IT strategy and a unifying body (in this case Infoway), are already in place in Canada. We are on the right track."
About CMA
The Canadian Medical Association's mission is to serve and unite the physicians of Canada and be the national advocate, in partnership with the people of Canada, for the highest standards of health and health care.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway is an independent not-for-profit organization that invests with public sector partners across Canada to implement and reuse compatible health information systems which support a safer, more efficient healthcare system. These systems provide healthcare professionals with rapid access to complete and accurate patient information, enabling better decisions about treatment and diagnosis. The result is a sustainable, healthcare system offering improved quality, accessibility and productivity.
Infoway's mandate is to have an interoperable electronic health record (EHR) in place across 50 per cent of Canada (by population) by the end of 2009 by investing with public sector partners in compatible health information systems.
Copies of the studies can be downloaded from the CMA website.
- 30 -
For more information, please contact:
Carole Lavigne
Canadian Medical Association
Media Relations
Tel: 613-731-8610/1-800-663-7336 ext. 1266
Email: carole.lavigne@cma.ca
Kirk Fergusson
Canada Health Infoway
Director, Public Affairs
Tel: 416-595-3449, ext. 3059
Email: kfergusson@infoway-inforoute.ca