Digital Health and Canada-U.S. Trade: New Report Outlines Recommendations for Improved Cross-Border Cooperation

ARLINGTON, VA September 25, 2017 – Digital health technologies help patients access care more efficiently, delivering services where the patient is located, when they need it, and in a manner that is conveniently available. In an effort to transform healthcare delivery in Canada and the U.S. through the best use of information technology, leading stakeholder groups today released a report highlighting opportunities for improved cross-border partnership.   

The report by the Cross-Border Health Foundation (CBH) in partnership with the Healthcare Information Management Systems and Society (HIMSS) North America and the Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance), captures proceedings from the Canada-U.S. Connected Health Workshop. The event assembled interested stakeholders and government officials from the U.S. and Canada to identify common goals and foster greater regulatory harmonization in mobile health.

“Canada and the United States have a long history of working closely together on a wide range of policy issues, and this report identifies collaborative opportunities to realize the enormous potential of connected health technologies for patients,” says Tom Leary, Vice President, Government Relations at, HIMSS. “While our health systems may seem dissimilar on the surface, many of the challenges associated with delivering better quality care are the same. By aligning regulatory approaches and fostering greater cooperation in areas such as privacy protection and cybersecurity, Canada and the United States can encourage the adoption of innovative technologies to the benefit of patients.”

Among the recommendations for enhanced collaboration between the two countries:

• Add health information technology topics to future work plans under the Regulatory Cooperation Council to harness the potential of new technology, while also striking a balance with safety and security concerns.
• Establish a Canada-U.S. Health Privacy and Security Forum to promote knowledge exchange, regulatory consistency and help establish a common front on health privacy protection in a digital age.
• Pursue a joint Memorandum of Understanding to govern the storage, handling, and sharing of data for the purposes of research.

The full report can be found here.

“We live in a mobile age, where individuals expect to access digital technology – including health technology – everywhere and anywhere.  The mobility of individuals crossing the Canada-U.S. border demands a consistent regulatory approach that involves government, industry and the broader health sector,” says Dani Peters, Co-Founder of the Cross-Border Health Foundation.  “Special considerations for digital health should be added to the Canada-US agenda, in areas that include the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council.”

CONTACT:

Gina Cella, PCHAlliance

857-239-9198 / ginacella@comcast.net

Dani Peters, Cross-Border Health Foundation

202-744-9083/ dpeters@crossborderhealth.org

About the Cross-Border Health Foundation

The Cross-Border Health Foundation is a U.S. based organization dedicated to bridging dialogue between Canada and the United States around common health priorities. Cross-Border Health is focused on improving health and healthcare by leveraging Canada and the United States’ close, continuing relationship in many sectors by bringing together government, patients, health professionals, administrators, and industry so that both countries can benefit from this strategic partnership and promote health and well-being for all. For more information, visit https://www.crossborderhealth.org/.

About Healthcare Information Management Systems and Society (HIMSS) North America

Healthcare Information Management Systems and Society (HIMSS) North America, a business unit within HIMSS, positively transforms health and healthcare through the best use of information technology in the United States and Canada. As a cause-based non-profit, HIMSS North America provides thought leadership, community building, professional development, public policy, and events.  HIMSS North America represents 64,000 individual members, 640 corporate members, and over 450 non-profit organizations.  Thousands of volunteers work with HIMSS to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness, access, and value of healthcare through IT. For more information, visit http://www.himss.org/.

About the Personal Connected Health Alliance

The Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance) aims to make health and wellness an effortless part of daily life. The PCHAlliance, a non-profit organization formed by HIMSS, believes that health is personal and extends beyond healthcare. PCHAlliance mobilizes a coalition of stakeholders to realize the full potential of personal connected health. Members are a vibrant ecosystem of technology and life sciences industry icons and innovative, early stage companies, governments, academic institutions, and associations from around the world. To support its vision, PCHAlliance convenes the global personal connected health community at the annual Connected Health Conference, the premier international event for the exchange of research, evidence, ideas, innovations and opportunities in personal connected health. PCHAlliance publishes and promotes adoption of the Continua Design Guidelines, recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as the international standard for safe, secure, and reliable exchange of data to and from personal health devices. PCHAlliance accelerates technical, business, policy and social strategies necessary to advance personal connected health through its Healthy Longevity initiative to promote lifelong health and wellness. For more information, visit http://www.pchalliance.org/.