Published on: February 7, 2025
Canada’s healthcare sector faces a significant challenge in achieving seamless health data interoperability across the nation. The federal bill that could provide a strong regulatory framework, known as the Connected Care for Canadians Act (Bill C-72), is now stalled. Despite this setback, Canada Health Infoway, a non-profit organization leading the effort to promote health data integration, remains hopeful about future progress in the healthcare technology landscape.
The Current Status of Bill C-72
Bill C-72 was introduced in June 2024 with a mission to establish national standards for the exchange of health data. The legislation sought to curb data blocking practices by health information technology vendors and provide a coherent regulatory framework to enhance healthcare collaboration. However, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proroguing Parliament last month, all active bills, including C-72, were effectively terminated.
Parliament is expected to resume in March 2025. However, several opposition parties have signaled their intent to trigger a federal election. This would push any further progress on health data legislation into uncertainty until the formation of a new government.
Canada Health Infoway’s Optimism
Despite these political hurdles, Attila Farkas, an AI strategy expert at Canada Health Infoway, expressed optimism. Speaking at the IHE North America Connectathon event in Toronto, Farkas noted that introducing Bill C-72 already marked a positive shift for the healthcare industry.
“I am actually very, very encouraged by the entire talk around Bill C-72, believe it or not,” Farkas shared. He emphasized that the bill’s introduction sent a clear message to the healthcare technology sector to prioritize interoperability.
According to Farkas, industry stakeholders now recognize that even without immediate legislative action, the groundwork for consistent and coherent data standards has already been set.
Market Benefits of Interoperability Messaging
Farkas highlighted how the legislative messaging around Bill C-72 influences market behavior positively. “Even if the bill is late or never passed, this directional lead puts some power behind focus,” he stated.
The drive for healthcare data interoperability is not a new initiative. In November 2024, a joint task force led by Canada Health Infoway, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), and other key medical bodies issued a report outlining barriers to health data integration. The task force’s recommendations urged an aggressive acceleration of legislative efforts like Bill C-72.
The Work Continues Across Different Levels
During his presentation at the IHE Connectathon, Abhi Kalra, executive vice-president of Infoway, emphasized that efforts towards interoperability are ongoing at multiple government and private-sector levels.
“The bill that was proposed was really around how to unlock the data within the systems and how to create and mandate standards,” Kalra explained. He noted that this groundwork would continue to support interoperability efforts in the coming months and years, regardless of the legislative pause.
While Kalra acknowledged that legislation could accelerate the adoption of health data standards, he emphasized that progress is still being made without it. "If you really need to gain speed, I think at some point there will be legislation that will help us fast-forward our journeys," he concluded.
Why Health Data Interoperability Matters
The concept of interoperability in healthcare refers to the seamless exchange of patient health data across various care settings, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and laboratories. Effective interoperability ensures that healthcare providers have timely access to a patient’s complete medical history, leading to:
- Improved Patient Safety: Reduced errors in diagnosis and treatment decisions.
- Enhanced Care Coordination: More efficient collaboration among healthcare professionals.
- Cost Savings: Lower administrative and operational costs.
Countries with robust data-sharing infrastructure have demonstrated significant gains in healthcare quality and efficiency. For Canada to achieve similar success, overcoming regulatory and technological barriers remains crucial.
Looking Ahead
Although the immediate future of Bill C-72 is uncertain, the optimism expressed by Canada Health Infoway signals continued momentum toward interoperability. Stakeholders across healthcare and technology sectors will need to maintain focus on creating scalable and standardized data-sharing solutions. As efforts persist at multiple levels, Canada may soon realize its vision of an integrated healthcare system where interoperability drives better health outcomes for all Canadians.
References
- Yun, Tom. (2025). Federal health data interoperability legislation in limbo, but Canada Health Infoway remains optimistic. The Medical Post.
- Canada Health Infoway. (2024). Recommendations from the Joint Task Force on Health Data Interoperability.
- IHE North America Connectathon. (2025). Presentations on interoperability progress in Canadian healthcare.
For more updates on healthcare technology and policy, visit Canada Health Infoway.