Blog: Infoway Connects

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Waldo Beauséjour

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.

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Ellie Yu

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.

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Katie Bryski

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.

Posted on May 19, 2021 by  Catherine Searles-Burke

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.

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Waldo Beauséjour

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.

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Ellie Yu

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.

Posted on April 27, 2021 by  Catherine Searles-Burke

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.

Posted on April 20, 2021 by  Daria Ilkina

Increasing use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the introduction of new contact tracing applications and discussions around vaccine passports, raised new and highlighted existing privacy considerations this past year. As the Federal Privacy Commissioner pointed out, the pandemic has accelerated the digital revolution — bringing both benefits as well as new challenges for privacy, and with it highlighting potential gaps in Canada’s privacy legislative framework.

Posted on April 7, 2021 by  Shelagh Maloney

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Each year, April 7 marks World Health Day. With the past year marked by the global struggle against COVID-19, the occasion has never been more significant. The pandemic’s impact has been devastating and swift; not one person or nation has escaped its effects. In particular, health systems have struggled to meet demand for services while keeping patients and providers safe.

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Brad Keates and Dr. Michele Mosca

Quantum computing no longer belongs to the realm of science fiction. It’s advancing to more practical, demonstrated applications and concepts. And while it’s still developing, it has present-day implications for health care.

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Nancy Gupta

COVID-19 has further exacerbated mental health concerns in Canada. In a recent study conducted by Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), fewer people reported excellent (18 per cent) or very good (31 per cent ) mental health status in 2020 compared to 2019 (24 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively). Similar findings were illustrated by the Canadian Perspective Survey Series conducted by Statistics Canada.

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Katie Bryski and Waldo Beauséjour

Nearly one year after the COVID-19 pandemic began, it is apparent that its effects have been disproportionately felt by Black and racialized Canadians. Research shows that Black people are more likely to contract COVID-19 than white people and are dying at higher rates from the virus. This high COVID-19 mortality rate in Black communities is mostly associated with prior poor health conditions resulting from diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, Black Canadians report worse health outcomes in general compared to white Canadians.

Posted on March 11, 2021 by  Shelagh Maloney

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As we acknowledge the one-year anniversary of the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, many of us will reflect on how this virus, that didn’t even exist eighteen months ago, has irrevocably changed our world. It’s astounding to think that every single person on this planet has been impacted by COVID-19.

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Seema Nayani

March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month, a yearly national campaign to celebrate pharmacists and their contributions to Canada’s health system. This year, the Canadian Pharmacists’ Association is shifting the event’s focus from “awareness” to “appreciation,” to better reflect pharmacists’ vital role in health care.

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Christine McGinley

As I enter my “prime” years of life (yes, the sixties), I find myself needing a few more prescriptions than in the past. At my last annual physical, my doctor gave me a handwritten prescription, which I quickly lost somewhere between the car and my home. Replacing it seemed like a huge hassle. I don’t know what shocked me more: the fact that I needed the prescription, the fact that I lost it, or the fact that it was handwritten, in our digital world.

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Jane Holden

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve often found myself grateful for the tools and technologies that have helped us to keep living our lives while grappling with this unprecedented health crisis. While we’ve remained apart, technology has helped us stay connected to our friends, our families and our health system. The experience of this pandemic has concretely demonstrated benefits associated with virtual care and other digital health tools. Does this mean Canadians are ready to embrace these new digital health technologies and models of care for the long term?

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Michael Green

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While the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of virtual care across Canada, there needs to be a concerted effort to ensure that it will be a viable alternative model of care well into the future. Canadians want virtual care, they like it, it’s safe, efficient and effective, and it saves everyone time and money.

Posted on January 26, 2021 by  Fraser Ratchford

Staying home and wearing masks is protecting our physical health — but it’s important to look after our mental health as well.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there is growing concern about Canadians’ mental health. According to a recent Infoway study, 21 per cent of Canadians reported a “fair” or “poor” mental health status in 2020, up from 17 per cent in 2019. Their use of digital mental health tools is increasing, too. In 2020, 16 per cent of Canadians stated that they’ve used an e-mental health service in the past, up from 12 per cent in 2019.

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Jamie Bruce

2020 was a year of immense innovation and resilience. From new partnerships with major retailers like Rexall and Shoppers Drug Mart, to supporting the adoption of virtual care, to new educational initiatives, the importance of PrescribeIT’s role as a national e-prescribing service has never been clearer.