Canadians are Certifiable too!

The following crossed my desk a couple of days ago. Canada went down the certification pathway some time ago. What is different here (I just spent five days in Canada), is that the certification path includes reuse of existing testing activity (e.g., IHE connectathons). What is similar is that in order to access this market, you will need to have certified product, and spend a good chunk of money (e.g., Around $25K (CAN) for a DIR to obtain the certification).

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Infoway Certification Services expands to include Diagnostic Imaging, Drug Information Systems

'Infoway Certified' assures products meet pan-Canadian standards
July 5, 2010 (Toronto, ON) – Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) has added diagnostic imaging and drug information systems to its pre-implementation Certification Services. Health information technology vendors can now receive certification for seven classes of technology.
Receiving the 'Infoway Certified' mark gives vendors of health information technology products an advantage in the marketplace by signalling to potential healthcare customers their commitment to pan-Canadian standards and industry best practices, and their leadership in contributing to interoperable health information for Canadians.
"When a vendor solution bears the 'Infoway Certified' mark, the buyer can have confidence the solution will meet the standards of interoperable health information technology in Canada," says Richard Alvarez, President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. "It signals to the Health IT sector both nationally and internationally that the product meets pan-Canadian standards and best practices related to privacy, security and interoperability.”
Infoway is the only organization in Canada certifying health information technology systems against pan-Canadian electronic health record (EHR) standards. Having produced national interoperability standards and a technology framework for the sustainable development of an interoperable EHR system across Canada, Infoway is ideally positioned to ensure current and emerging products provide required privacy and security and can interoperate with all EHR systems being implemented throughout the country.
The seven pre-implementation certifications currently available include:

• Diagnostic Imaging – New!
• Drug Information Systems – New!
• Consumer Health Platforms
• Consumer Health Applications
• Client Registries
• Provider Registries
• Immunization Registries

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record projects in Canada. Fully respecting patient confidentiality, these secure systems will provide clinicians and patients with the information they need to support safe care decisions and manage their own health. The ability to access this vital information quickly is helping to foster a modern, sustainable health care system for all Canadians.
For more information, please see the Certification Services Backgrounder.