Pharma systems

Infoway signs drug information systems agreement

TORONTO – Canada Health Infoway has negotiated preferential pricing with DeltaWare Systems through a Preferred Solutions Agreement. The Canada-wide agreement, designed to accelerate the implementation of electronic health records, will make it simpler for provinces and territories to acquire Drug Information Systems, which help reduce medication errors.

Infoway has reached similar agreements with other drug information systems vendors, as well as with several diagnostic imaging solutions vendors and one client registry vendor.

“We’re pleased to benefit provinces, territories and health regions through these types of agreements. They help reduce the cost and risk of implementing tools which are key in transforming our healthcare system,” said Richard Alvarez, Infoway’s president and CEO.

Drug Information Systems give authorized healthcare professionals – such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists – secure, confidential access to the medication records of their patients. “These systems help healthcare professionals avoid drug interactions and duplications of therapy, effectively improving the quality and safety of care,” added Alvarez.

The technology also facilitates a team approach to health care – ensuring that specialists, GPs, nurses and other health care providers treating a patient have accurate and up-to-date information about the patient’s medication.

The systems have many benefits, but represent a significant investment, costing millions of dollars. Given their cost and complexity, provinces and territories are looking for ways to ensure the systems will meet their needs, deliver value and can effectively interoperate with other systems supporting electronic health records.

The Preferred Solutions Agreements show that participating vendors have an understanding of the requirements for the pan-Canadian electronic health record and a commitment to interoperability. These vendors will work with the eHealth Collaboratory, a leading-edge facility, to test the conformance of their solutions to pan-Canadian standards.

Infoway has signed Preferred Solutions Agreements with other technology providers in line with its mission to accelerate the development of electronic health records. While Infoway believes that these agreements offer significant value, the selection of specific vendors rests with the specific province or territory.

About Canada Health Infoway (Infoway)
Infoway is an independent not-for-profit organization that invests with public sector partners across Canada to implement and reuse compatible health information systems which support a safer, more efficient healthcare system. Fully respecting patient confidentiality, these private and secure systems provide healthcare professionals with rapid access to complete and accurate patient information, enabling better decisions about diagnosis and treatment. The result is a sustainable, healthcare system offering improved quality, accessibility and productivity.