Read the latest news regarding Canada’s transforming health tech industry.

Ministry of Health, Ontario: Bill 188 Schedule 6 PHIPA received Royal Assent on Wednesday March 25, 2020
TECHNATION recently raised questions with the Ontario Ministry of Health regarding Bill 188 Schedule 6 PHIPA, which received Royal Assent on Wednesday March 25, 2020 – specifically:

• Were these PHIPA changes deemed critical to the current COVID-19 pandemic?
• Are you contemplating to make further updates to the ACT while the pandemic responses are in progress?

Section 6 related to PHIPA Modernization included 15 amendments and new sections.

The Ministry answered accordingly:

The short answer is yes, after close consideration the PHIPA changes were deemed necessary to support the COVID response. The legislation necessitates regulations being in place in order for them to take effect, Ministry is interested in pursuing that where appropriate and needed. As for any other changes in principle COVID is the focus and anything that is done needs to clearly demonstrate relevance to that.

Read the full details on the specific amendments and additions to the PHIPA legislation, Bill 188 and the PHIPA updates. If you have further questions on this privacy related content, please contact Susan Anderson at sanderson@technationcanada.ca.

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Healthcare Information Management & Communications Canada

PHIPA Modernization – TECHNATION Health Members Feedback Summary – Feb 21, 2020

TECHNATION Health members shared their combined perspective regarding the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) Modernization content with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) in Ontario. This response included the collective input from privacy subject matter experts and leaders within our member organizations across Canada.

Building on a successful first pan-Canadian Projectathon held in March 2022, Infoway in collaboration with provinces and territories invites vendors to participate in the next Projectathon. This event will once again bring together public and private sector implementers to demonstrate live interoperability of solutions in conformance with pan-Canadian specifications.

Click here for the recorded information session, hosted by TECHNATION Health, for an overview on how to prepare and participate in Infoway’s March 2023 Projectathon.

For more details and information, see Canada Health Infoway’s website.

• With the support of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, lead our renewed commitment to work in partnership with and increase funding to provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health system, ensure health care workers are supported and recruited across the country and advance an integrated, comprehensive and patient-centric strategy, harnessing the full potential of data and digital systems, including by:
• Investing in supporting initiatives that will help to speed access to care for critical services;
• Supporting provinces and territories to hire new family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners;
• Expanding virtual care, helping to cover digital infrastructure and other system improvements so that Canadians can access virtual medical consultations or remote monitoring;
• Expanding the number of family doctors and primary health teams in rural communities and working to give rural communities greater access to a full suite of health and social services professionals;
• Strengthening compliance with and modernizing the interpretation of the Canada Health Acton matters of extra billing for publicly insured services; and
• In consultation with provinces and territories and a broad range of partners, expediting work to create a world-class health data system that is timely, usable, open-by-default, connected and comprehensive.

To read the full Minister of Health Mandate Letter – click here

• Sustain improved access to virtual mental health services with Wellness Together Canada;
• Work with the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth to ensure mental health supports are accessible to children and youth as they recover from the impact of the pandemic. https://pm.gc.ca/en/mandate-letters/2021/12/16/minister-families-children-and-social-development-mandate-letter
• Support the Minister of Public Safety to continue advancing Canada’s first-ever National Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries, including additional investment to support the health and well-being of first responders. https://pm.gc.ca/en/mandate-letters/2021/12/16/minister-public-safety-mandate-letter
• Support the Minister of Veterans Affairs to ensure Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans have access to adequate mental health resources, services and training programs tailored to their specific needs. https://pm.gc.ca/en/mandate-letters/2021/12/16/minister-veterans-affairs-and-associate-minister-national-defence
• With the support of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, explore pathways to increase the accessibility of mental health services in rural areas. https://pm.gc.ca/en/mandate-letters/2021/12/16/minister-rural-economic-development-mandate-letter

To read the full Minister of Mental Health and Additions, and Associate Minister of Health Mandate Letter – click here.

• Work with the Minister of Health to continue demonstrating leadership in public health by strengthening surveillance and capacity to detect and act on public health threats, strengthening the security of medical supply chains, working with colleagues to advance the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, and investing in the study of the long-term health impacts of COVID-19, including the effects of “long COVID” on different groups, notably vulnerable populations and children. https://pm.gc.ca/en/mandate-letters/2021/12/16/minister-seniors-mandate-letter
• Lead the creation of a new fund to pursue moonshot research into high-impact illnesses where a vaccine may be possible.

To read the full Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Mandate Letter – click here.