Draft Pan-Canadian Health Data Content Framework : Data Content Standard

Canada’s health data landscape is complex and fragmented. Historically, the digitization of health data (having a way to capture data electronically) has been a priority, but sharing this data (e.g., among facilities, organizations and health systems) has not been a focus. As such, the information that exists cannot be shared due to a lack of standardization in data collection and a lack of communication between different health care systems.

To address this challenge, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) developed the Pan-Canadian Health Data Content Framework, which defines, standardizes and models the health data required to enable connected care in Canada.

As part of Health Canada’s Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) is implementing the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap. This roadmap envisions modern, person-centric health care that is digitally connected and privacy-protected by design. In support of achieving connected care, CIHI and Infoway are working together to modernize information flow as set out in the roadmap. This collaboration has 3 goals:

• To enable the uninterrupted exchange of timely and accessible health information;

• To ensure that data carries the same meaning between health care providers and clinical systems across Canada; and

• Most importantly, to ensure that data benefits patients.