Latest news with #CanadaHealthInfoway
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
AI ‘scribes' in use at Manitoba doctors' offices
Manitoba doctors have started using artificial intelligence-powered note-takers to tune in to appointments and transcribe in real time. 'It allows me to be more present with the patient and get more of the patient's issues dealt with in a smaller amount of time,' said Dr. Nichelle Desilets, a family physician in Neepawa. An 'AI scribe' made both a noticeable dent in her workload and streamlined her workflow on Friday. The president of Doctors Manitoba said the new technology allowed her to start more appointments on time and treat several walk-ins because she didn't need to do extensive documentation after every visit. Canada Health Infoway has recruited 400 local primary-care providers to pilot its AI Scribe Program, an initiative involving 10,000 physicians and nurses across the country. The mandate of the federal government-funded organization is to integrate new technologies into hospitals and other health-care settings to improve productivity and patient outcomes. Desilets is among those who've signed up for a one-year licence for Empathia AI — marketed as 'a mindful charting assistant — via Infoway. She has also experimented with Heidi AI and another similar tool that is built into her clinic's electronic medical record system. Infoway launched a new initiative last month after a review of AI tools to ensure it was only endorsing programs that are aligned with Manitoba's Personal Health Information Act and counterpart legislation from coast to coast. Spokesman Abhi Kalra said the goal is to use 'ambient technology' to reduce administrative burden in a field where there is a lot of tedious manual labour. 'There is a tremendous amount of productivity to be tapped, safely using AI tools, but it has to be done in a thoughtful manner,' the executive vice-president of connected care said. AI scribes are creating high-quality, structured summaries of patient visits, he said, noting they are not yet being used to assist with diagnosis or treatment decisions, although that is likely on the horizon. Doctors Manitoba's 2025 workforce survey found only six per cent of members were actively using an AI scribe as of February. Seven in 10 of all 1,324 respondents indicated they had tried it at least once or were interested in trying it. (The response rate for the latest annual membership poll was 39 per cent, which translates into a margin of error of plus or minus two per cent.) The professional advocacy organization has since created a guide to learn more about the ethical use of AI tools and hosted a webinar that attracted more than 350 attendees in late June. Earlier this summer, upon arriving at his dermatologist's office, bioethicist Arthur Schafer was asked if he consented to the use of an AI scribe during his appointment. Patients have the right to opt out, but the founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba said he gave it. Family physician Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president of Doctors Manitoba, in her Neepawa clinic. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun files) 'A lot of people will initially feel some unease… because there is a certain amount of technophobia, a certain amount of anxiety about artificial intelligence, generally,' Schafer said. He recalled there was also initial skepticism when doctors transitioned from pen-and-paper to digital record-keeping. That pivot has ultimately proven beneficial for patients and health-care professionals alike, Schafer said, noting that poor penmanship caused serious accuracy and communication problems. Infoway's stakeholder consultations found that early adopters of AI scribes were often unsure about how their data was being used or where it was stored. Kalra said the absence of formal guidance for the sector and related privacy concerns prompted his team to do a deep dive. Infoway has purchased 10,000 one-year licences from nine 'pre-qualified vendors' that are headquartered in Canada. They were evaluated on their respective cybersecurity practices and how they support secure data-sharing, among other things. Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. Schafer said he's optimistic that there is a pilot to assess the benefits and drawbacks of AI tools, and that it's being run by a not-for-profit. While noting 'the stakes are high' when it comes to protecting confidential health information, he said AI tools have immense potential. The bioethicist added: 'If we can have the right kinds of safeguards and controls then, potentially, family doctors — of which we have a great shortage in Canada — will be able to see many more patients.' Doctors Manitoba members who were using AI scribes this winter reported the technology helped them save four to six hours of note-taking per week. Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Cision Canada
10-06-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Canada Health Infoway Launches AI Scribe Program: Enrollment Now Open for Primary Care Clinicians Français
TORONTO, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada Health Infoway ("Infoway") is proud to announce the official launch of the AI Scribe Program, a national initiative designed to reduce administrative burden, improve documentation workflows, and support more connected, patient-centered care through the power of artificial intelligence. Enrollment is now open for eligible primary care clinicians across Canada. The program provides up to 10,000 fully funded, one-year licenses for AI-powered documentation tools to support eligible primary care clinicians in delivering more efficient and focused care. Eligible clinicians include family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses in remote communities, and pediatricians providing longitudinal, community-based care. These innovative tools help automate time-consuming tasks such as clinical note-taking, appointment preparation, and follow-up documentation, giving clinicians more time to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. "The launch of the AI Scribe Program represents a powerful step forward for Canada's healthcare system," said Abhi Kalra, Executive Vice President of Connected Care at Canada Health Infoway. "By enabling clinicians to access AI-powered tools that reduce documentation time, we're not only improving their day-to-day experience, but we're also laying the groundwork for better data quality, improved patient outcomes, and a more connected care journey. AI scribes are just the beginning, and getting this right is key to building a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable health system for the future." Eligible primary care clinicians can now begin the registration process by visiting Infoway's national AI Scribe Program website, selecting their province or territory to determine eligibility and access to the tools available in their area. Program implementation is delivered in close collaboration with provinces and territories, with availability, access, and execution varying by jurisdiction. This ensures the program supports the realities of care delivery across Canada while maintaining alignment with national goals. Announced in May 2025, a pre-qualified group of trusted vendors is available through the program, selected through a rigorous national procurement process based on their ability to meet national standards and unique regional needs, support secure data sharing, meet clinical practice requirements, and align with the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap. The AI Scribe Program supports not only the introduction of a transformative digital solution, but it also signals a broader shift in how Canada equips clinicians with the technology they need to reduce administrative burden, streamline documentation, and deliver more connected, sustainable care. If you are a primary care clinician interested in learning more or participating, visit: A Pathway for AI in Clinical Workflows The AI Scribe Program is the first step in a broader effort to integrate similar technologies into Canada's healthcare system. The AI Scribe Program introduces a maturity model that supports a structured framework for advancing interoperability, progressively enhancing AI scribes' integration with digital health systems. It defines a clear vision for improving data quality and interoperability by aligning AI scribe adoption with pan-Canadian standards, ensuring these tools seamlessly connect within the broader health ecosystem. Future phases aim to explore scalability, incorporate discrete data elements coded to national terminologies, and AI-assisted decision support, ensuring AI-powered tools remain trusted, secure, and effective for Canadian clinicians now and into the future. To learn more about the national AI Scribe Program, please visit us here. If you have questions, please contact us at: [email protected] About Canada Health Infoway At Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) we believe a more connected and collaborative system is a healthier system, and one that leads to better health outcomes for all Canadians. By leveraging digital technologies and innovations, we're working with governments, healthcare organizations, clinicians, and patients to advance connected care across the country. This improves care coordination, empowers patients to have a more active role in managing their health, and equips care providers with information and insights to support better care both at the point of care and throughout their patients' health journey. Most importantly, it modernizes our health care system towards a future with patient-centered care at its heart. We're an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government and accountable to our Board of Directors and Members of the Corporation (Canada's 14 federal, provincial and territorial deputy ministers of health). Infoway is led by a team of seasoned professionals who are specialists in their respective fields, including health care, administration, information technology and privacy. Visit us online at MEDIA INQUIRIES Haley Armstrong Senior Director, Communications and Public Relations Canada Health Infoway 519-939-9549
CBC
25-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Don't have a copy of your medical record? You're not alone. Health experts say it should be an election issue
Social Sharing When a cyberattack took multiple hospitals in southwestern Ontario offline for weeks, Kale McMurren's cancer treatment had to move to another health-care centre two hours away. The October 2023 attack meant that McMurren's digital health records through Windsor Regional Hospital were unreachable. In order to get his medical history to the hospital in London where he was being transferred, McMurren says hard copy files were faxed over. If McMurren had his own copy, he could have brought the files himself to London. "I agree that having [my] medical records would help me in [that] situation," he said. At the time, the five hospitals targeted in the cyberattack told hundreds of thousands of patients that with systems down, doctors might not have past records or medical history, a person's current list of medications or reports from other clinicians involved in their treatment. A cyberattack is just one example where giving patients access to their medical records can be helpful. There was legislation in the works before the federal election was called that would have enshrined that access into law — but it was effectively thrown out with Parliament prorogued. Advocates and experts hope the issue, and re-introducing the legislation, will be a priority for the next elected government — but there's been little mention of the issue throughout the federal election campaign. "[It] is not a sexy topic, but it is the foundation for the future of the health-care system," said Flavie Laliberté, a patient partner at McGill University Health Centre who advises on digital health improvements. Majority of Canadians still don't have access While a growing number of Canadians have been able to digitally access some of their medical information in the last five years, the majority haven't. Early survey data shared with CBC News from Canada Health Infoway, a government funded organization that is working on a connected cross-country health-care system, reports 47 per cent of Canadians accessed some of their medical information in 2024. That's up from about 27 per cent in 2020, the organization reports. Depending on where you live in the country, you could have more or less access — that's because each province and territory has been creating its own patient portals. The goal of Canada Health Infoway is to help digitize, standardize and connect the systems across the country, says Abhi Kalra, the organization's executive vice-president. For example, Kalra says, a patient's prescription information might be sitting in pharmacies, their vaccination record might be in a provincial information bank and then their family doctor would have a separate system with notes from those appointments. Bringing all of that data together to create a "comprehensive real-time view of your health record," for health-care providers is the next step, says Kalra. Why does this matter? Comprehensive health records not only make the system more efficient, but can help empower you to be informed and engaged with your health care. Currently, the sharing of scans or tests between doctors and specialists is fragmented across the country, which reports show can increase the likelihood of medical errors and harm to patients. Patient adviser and advocate Laliberté says it's like a game of hockey. "The health patient data is the puck and the clinics, the pharmacists, the hospitals, those are the players," she said. "And the players need to be able to share that data to be able to score, in order to improve efficiency, improve access [and] avoid errors." Dr. Tara Kiran, a family doctor at St. Michael's hospital in Toronto, knows the problem well. "All too often actually ... I don't have all the pieces of information of where a patient has been in the healthcare system and the different tests they've had," she said. She added that making legislation that ensures Canadians have access to their medical records could help speed up the process. "I feel like if we take that step in Canada, it will actually force many of the players, or all of the players, to step up and make the changes needed," she said. Legislation in limbo Last summer, then-federal Health Minister Mark Holland put forward Bill C-72, the Connected Care for Canadians Act. The bill would have allowed patients to securely access their personal health information and allow health-care providers to share it, such as between specialists at hospitals and doctors or pharmacists working in the community. It also would have required technology companies to make their health information software compatible with each other. "Bill C-72 will actually legislate the sharing of information and that's significant," said Shelagh Maloney, CEO of advocacy organization Digital Health Canada. But since Parliament was prorogued before the bill passed, it's technically been thrown out. If it's a priority for the next government, it will need to be reintroduced once Parliament resumes. Why is Canada so behind? When asked why Canada isn't farther along in this process, Toronto doctor Kiran said, "we haven't put patients first." "Instead, I think we've often put the interests of individual provider organizations or companies ahead." Other countries like Denmark and Spain, she says, have had legislation and more technologically advanced systems in place for years. Maloney from Digital Health Canada agrees that patients haven't been at the forefront, and says changing that culture is one of the challenges. She also points out that legislation can limit the ability to share information between provinces. Canada Health Infoway's Kalra says one of the key challenges is that parts of the system are still shifting from paper to digital — like prescriptions and referrals. But he repeatedly said that because this is a priority across the health sector, Canada will get there — it's just unclear when. What do the parties plan to do? None of the online platforms from Canada's four main parties directly mention the Connected Care for Canadians legislation. In an email, a spokesperson for the Liberal Party directed CBC News to their online platform, which says a Liberal government will table legislation to "ensure Canadians can securely access their health care data." Meanwhile, an NDP spokesperson said in an email that the party "strongly" supports better access to patient information and blames the Liberals for delaying the legislation. "Canada needs a legislative framework designed to enhance the timeliness and security of access to health information for both patients and healthcare providers," reads part of the party's statement. In an email to CBC News, Guelph Green Party candidate Anne-Marie Zajdlik, a physician and "advocate for equitable care," commented on behalf of the party. She said the Greens would revisit Bill C-72 and that the party supports legislation that "enshrines the right of every Canadian to access their health records," and would bring Canadian governments together to "develop secure, interoperable digital health systems."
