A qualitative study of health information technology in the Canadian public health system

Kate Zinszer,David W Bates,Robyn Tamblyn,David L Buckeridge

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-509

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough the adoption of health information technology (HIT) has advanced in Canada over the past decade, considerable challenges remain in supporting the development, broad adoption, and effective use of HIT in the public health system. Policy makers and practitioners have long recognized that improvements in HIT infrastructure are necessary to support effective and efficient public health practice. The objective of this study was to identify aspects of health information technology (HIT) policy related to public health in Canada that have succeeded, to identify remaining challenges, and to suggest future directions to improve the adoption and use of HIT in the public health system.MethodsA qualitative case study was performed with 24 key stakeholders representing national and provincial organizations responsible for establishing policy and strategic direction for health information technology.ResultsIdentified benefits of HIT in public health included improved communication among jurisdictions, increased awareness of the need for interoperable systems, and improvement in data standardization. Identified barriers included a lack of national vision and leadership, insufficient investment, and poor conceptualization of the priority areas for implementing HIT in public health.ConclusionsThe application of HIT in public health should focus on automating core processes and identifying innovative applications of HIT to advance public health outcomes. The Public Health Agency of Canada should develop the expertise to lead public health HIT policy and should establish a mechanism for coordinating public health stakeholder input on HIT policy.

Highlights

The adoption of health information technology (HIT) has advanced in Canada over the past decade, considerable challenges remain in supporting the development, broad adoption, and effective use of HIT in the public health system
Importance of HIT policy for public health Despite their different disciplines, the informants were largely in agreement that HIT policy was highly significant for public health practice and that HIT policy should improve public health outcomes
It was felt that HIT is crucial for public health practice, which relies on data and information derived from clinical settings to support decision making

Summary

Introduction

The adoption of health information technology (HIT) has advanced in Canada over the past decade, considerable challenges remain in supporting the development, broad adoption, and effective use of HIT in the public health system. The objective of this study was to identify aspects of health information technology (HIT) policy related to public health in Canada that have succeeded, to identify remaining challenges, and to suggest future directions to improve the adoption and use of HIT in the public health system. Health information technologies (HIT) provide the potential for greatly enhanced public health surveillance and response capacities, but the fragmented nature of health data limits the potential for HIT to enhance public health practice. This fragmentation is a consequence of the inconsistent use of standards for data storage and transmission [1] as well as perceived and real legal and privacy barriers to data sharing.

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Discussion

Conclusion