We are in a new era of virtual learning. The next session in our Virtual Infoway Partnership Series takes place on October 19, with the theme Prescribing Excellence.

Over the last eighteen months, we’ve turned increasingly to technology to socialize, to shop, to work — and to access health care. According to a recent survey conducted for Canada Health Infoway and the Canadian Medical Association, 94 per cent of Canadian physicians are currently using virtual care, with the majority planning to continue doing so after the pandemic ends. And as virtual care use grows, e-prescribing has claimed a vital place in clinicians’ toolkits.

It’s been an unprecedented time for health care, and innovation has helped support Canadians and the health system through COVID-19 and its challenges. Technology has played an important role in ensuring that Canadians can continue to access the care they need — and now, we need Canadian innovators to help us drive innovation forward across the country.

World Patient Safety Day is observed every year on September 17. According to the World Health Organization, its objectives are “…to enhance global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in health care safety, and promote global action to prevent and reduce avoidable harm in health care.” This year’s theme is “Safe Maternal and Newborn Care.” 

As another school year begins and the summer winds down, many Canadians are checking in on their mental health. Infoway research has found that fewer Canadians self-reported “Excellent” or “Very Good” mental health status after the pandemic’s onset, and the most recent Mental Health Index from LifeWorks shows that Canadians’ mental health continues to remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Virtual care is here to stay. According to the 2021 National Survey of Canadian Physicians, 94 per cent of respondents are currently using virtual care, and almost all of them plan to use virtual care after the pandemic ends. What’s more, 64 per cent say they will maintain or increase their use. 

PrescribeIT^® is Canada’s national e-prescribing service. It integrates seamlessly between an electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS), enabling prescribers to digitally send prescription data directly to a patient’s pharmacy of choice. In this occasional blog series, we’ll explore some of PrescribeIT’s features and functionalities in-depth. This installment explores the onboarding process for pharmacists.

2021 marks Infoway’s 20th anniversary — a significant milestone for our organization. While we have made tremendous progress in digital health over the past 20 years, there is still more work to be done to ensure that Canadians have the health system they want and deserve. We are committed to continuing that work and to collaborating with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and all other health system stakeholders, including clinicians and patients.

Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) collaborated with Canada Health Infoway to develop a resource to support mental health clinicians and clients in introducing digital mental health tools into their care practice. This resource provides clinicians with tools that can support the integration of digital mental health into interactions between clients and clinicians.

Underpinning digital health adoption and implementation is a substantial amount of digital health research. At Infoway, we conduct research into the value of digital health tools and services and the resources that help enable them. This work helps raise awareness of policy gaps and informs decision-making.

The COVID-19 pandemic has concretely demonstrated the impact that social factors can have on health and health equity. Health inequities occur when a person experiences poorer outcomes and quality of care based on who they are, where they live or what they have. The new Social Determinants of Health Working Group on InfoCentral will explore how to incorporate social determinants of health (SDOH) concepts into digital health systems.

PrescribeIT^® is Canada’s national e-prescribing service. It integrates seamlessly between an electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS), enabling prescribers to digitally send prescription data directly to a patient’s pharmacy of choice. In this occasional blog series, we’ll explore some of PrescribeIT’s features and functionalities in-depth. Let’s begin by examining the onboarding process for prescribers.

June is Canadian Men’s Health Month. Established by the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, this month recognizes the importance of men’s health. This year’s theme is Move for Your Mental Health, encouraging men to get active to improve their physical and mental health. This initiative also helps to raise funds to support men’s mental health.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed rapid change in how Canadians engage with health care professionals. According to an Infoway survey, as of April 2021, 36 per cent of all patient-reported routine visits were conducted virtually, compared to 15 per cent pre-pandemic. With more health services being provided digitally, and more Canadians turning to virtual care on a regular basis, digital health literacy is becoming increasingly important to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of digital health for both providers and patients.

As digital health tools and services play an increasingly large role in Canadians’ lives, how we think about models of care delivery is changing. In some cases, health care is moving out of the four walls of the hospital and into the home. Recently, we invited Dr. Michelle Grinman and Dr. Shauna Tierney to the Digital Health InfoCast , Infoway’s podcast, to discuss hospital at home care and their new InfoCentral community.

Our world is changing, and health care is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a swift pivot towards digital health tools. Secure messaging, virtual videoconferencing, remote patient monitoring platforms and other digital health technologies are being integrated into health care journeys across the country. With Canadians increasingly using and expecting digital health tools in their daily lives, it no longer makes sense to rely on handwritten and faxed prescriptions.

National Nursing Week occurs every year during the week of May 12: the birthdate of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. It celebrates the nursing profession and recognizes the dedication and contributions of nurses across Canada. This year’s theme is #WeAnswerTheCall, recognizing the many roles that nurses play in the health system and in patients’ health care journeys.

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t just threatened Canadians’ physical health. It’s impacting mental health as well. According to Infoway research, mental health needs are increasing, with 21 per cent of Canadians reporting fair or poor mental health last year, compared to 17 per cent in 2019.

In a recent Infoway study, 80 per cent of respondents were interested in having their health provider send a prescription directly to their pharmacy, without receiving a paper prescription. With 40 per cent of primary care visits now occurring virtually, e-prescribing is becoming an increasingly important tool for clinicians.