Page 1
BC Place – Session 2, Monday, May 29, 2006 from 14:00 – 15:30
Abstract Title: Public Health Communicable Disease and Immunization Surveillance Systems
Presenting Author:
Tim Beasley
Program Director, Health Surveillance
Canada health Infoway/Inforoute Santé du Canada
#1308 – 150 King Street
Toronto, ON M5H 1J9
Presenting: Lisa M. Zetes-Zanatta
Surveillance Epidemiologist
BC CDC
On Secondment to BC Ministry of Health
Additional Authors:
Clyde Macdonald
Executive Director, Health Information Technology
BC Ministry of Health
7th Floor, 1515 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC V8W 3C8
Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments have launched a unique program, working with Canada Health Infoway, to develop and implement a new generation of public health communicable disease and immunization surveillance systems. This program represents a unique opportunity to enhance the scope, quality and consistency of communicable disease analysis and supporting information, by applying the best available information technology tools.
This presentation will be co-delivered by Clyde Macdonald, Executive Director, Health Information Technology, British Columbia Ministry of Health, and Tim Beasley, Program Director, Public Health Surveillance, Canada Health Infoway. The key points to be addressed include:
• The background and origins of the program and Canada Health Infoway;
• The program’s objectives and scope;
• The overall program plan and progress to date;
• The Pan-Canadian Surveillance solution system – scope, architecture and key constituent technologies;
• Projected implementation of new solution system in Canada’s provinces and territories.
By implementing multiple instances of the same solution system in Canada’s provinces and territories, the Pan-Canadian solution system will provide them with the capability of collecting, analyzing and exchanging information electronically on communicable diseases and immunizations. Terminology and electronic messaging standards will be used to ensure interoperability of these systems supporting certain public health functions, as well as its integration with other domains of electronic health information.
This session should be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with minimizing communicable disease morbidity and mortality, and with progressing the state of automated information management in public health.