Measuring interoperable EHR adoption and maturity: a Canadian example

BACKGROUND: An interoperable electronic health record is a secure consolidated record of an individual’s health history and care, designed to facilitate authorized information sharing across the care continuum. Each Canadian province and territory has implemented such a system and for all, measuring adoption is essential to understanding progress and optimizing use in order to realize intended benefits. RESULTS: About 250,000 health professionals—approximately half of Canada’s anticipated potential physician, nurse, pharmacist, and administrative users—indicated that they electronically access data, such as those found in provincial/territorial lab or drug information systems, in 2015. Trends suggest further growth as maturity of use increases. CONCLUSIONS: There is strong interest in health information exchange through the iEHR in Canada, and continued growth in adoption is expected. Central to managing the evolution of digital health is access to robust data about who is using solutions, how they are used, where and when. Stakeholders such as government, program leads, and health system administrators must critically assess progress and achievement of benefits, to inform future strategic and operational decisions.