Canadians asked to join the conversation during digital health week, November 14\u201020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
November 10, 2016 (Toronto) \u2013 During Digital Health Week (November 14 to 20, 2016).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dozens of health care organizations from across Canada want Canadians to join the conversation about how digital health use is improving the patient experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOver the last two years, the number of Canadians who personally have access to digital health has more than doubled,\u201d said Michael Green, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway, the federally funded organization advancing Canada\u2019s digital health efforts to help improve the health of Canadians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDigital Health Week is the ideal time to celebrate patients and caregivers becoming more empowered through innovative digital health solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Halifax mother Michelle H\u00e9bert Boyd is among the many Canadians who have experienced the benefit of digital health firsthand. She recently had a health scare with her 10 year\u2010 old son Elliott, whose care is managed with the help of a personal health record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cElliot has had many tests and visits with specialists, and the great thing is that it\u2019s all there in the personal health record and I can access it anytime and share it with his teachers or whomever else needs to be in the loop,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s such a difference between his experience with health care and the experience I have with my doctor, who doesn\u2019t have this technology. I still get great quality care, but there\u2019s a dimension that\u2019s missing because I don\u2019t have the same access to information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The contrast between Michelle\u2019s patient experience and that of her son is among the topics that will be discussed during Digital Health Week, along with recent advances and anticipated growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThree quarters of Canadian physicians have switched from paper to electronic medical records, and more than half of Canada\u2019s health care professionals are now accessing digital patient information from other organizations,\u201d added Green. \u201cMeanwhile, we expect the availability of consumer health solutions like e\u2010booking, e\u2010visits and e\u2010viewing of patient records will continue to climb because it\u2019s something Canadians overwhelmingly want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conversations during Digital Health Week will help inform digital health in Canada and support Canadians in moving from patients to partners in managing their health. Events are taking place throughout the week, which is designed for learning and sharing. Among the calendar of activities, a Digital Health Week education forum will be held on Tuesday, November 15 at 1:00 pm ET. It will feature a presentation from Canada Health Infoway on the State of Digital Health in Canada. Registration for the webcast, sponsored by Orion Health, is now open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n