Canada's Health Infostructure

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Advisory Committee on Health Infostructure

In June 1999, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Deputy Ministers of Health Conference created the Advisory Committee on Health Infostructure (ACHI). The Advisory Committee's mandate is to develop national strategies to enhance the utility and use of information, and information and communications technologies, in the health sector.

The Committee includes representatives from all jurisdictions, from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and Statistics Canada, as well as four external members. Representatives from Health Canada and Saskatchewan Health serve as co-chairs.

The Committee's working groups are actively examining issues related to the development and implementation of the Canadian Health Infostructure. The working groups are:

• Strategic Planning
• Protection of Personal Health Information
• Health Surveillance
• Electronic Health Record/Telehealth

The Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG) develops an annual Tactical Plan for a pan-Canadian Health Infostructure describing the initiatives necessary for a national health technical infostructure.

The Protection of Personal Health Information Working Group (PPHIWG) is working towards a harmonized framework for the protection of personal health information in all jurisdictions.

The Health Surveillance Working Group is coordinating activities towards the development of a vision for a network for health surveillance and public health in Canada.

The Electronic Health Record/Telehealth Working Group is working on policy and program issues which will have an impact on the development and implementation of the electronic health records in Canada. This work is being done in collaboration with Canada Health Infoway Inc.