Tackling healthcare challenges through innovative technologies: Northern Health systems integration framework and recommendations

The Canadian healthcare is facing a lot of challenges, due to a growing and aging population, an increasing burden of chronic diseases, and a rapidly increasing cost of healthcare. To address these challenges, healthcare organizations are coming up with new approaches for providing healthcare services. Capitalizing on its strong primary health care services, Northern Health is promoting integrated care through the Primary Care Home initiative. To support such an initiative, and improve health care services efficiency, an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure that support healthcare providers' collaboration needs to be put in place. This project provides a framework and recommendations for an IT infrastructure to support Northern Health's integrated care strategy. --P. iii.