Canada’s fragmented electronic health records harm patients and cost taxpayers billions: New research

In most Canadian provinces and territories, patient health information is siloed in separate software programs in different offices, designed by multiple vendors with differing standards. (Unsplash)

Canada’s health systems began shifting from paper charts to electronic health records decades ago. These records hold patients’ critical health information, including medications, diagnoses, clinical notes, test results, specialist consults and plans for care.

Our research, published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, raises major concerns about the state of these electronic health records nationwide.