The infraNET Project and 
Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research
University of Waterloo

present ...

Advancing Health Informatics

as a Profession

by

Neil Gardner

Chief Information Officer
Saskatchewan Health

April 22, 2009
3:00 - 4:30 PM EST
Davis Centre, Room 1302, University of Waterloo

Seminar Series Sponsors
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
McKesson Information Solutions - Smart Systems for Health Agency
Healthcare Information Management and Communications Canada

Seminar Series Supporter
ITAC Health

This seminar is free but you must register to attend.

Presentation Archive 2009

Abstract

Canada s strategic investments in e-health have allowed us to make great progress towards health system transformation, but we have only started. In fact, we will forever be building and operating the emerging e-health infostructure. Health system transformation, patient safety and many other matters have become increasingly dependent on this infostructure, significantly raising the visibility of what we do as professionals. In order to succeed, however, Canada must also invest HI human resources required to realize our e-health goals.  The community that comprises the HI human resources team includes professionals ranging from strategists and executives to clinicians and more. Despite diverse backgrounds, their shared core knowledge and experience is what makes HI professionals special and scarce resources. COACH: Canada s Health Informatics Association is our national association for HI professionals. To address the crucial need for competent human resources, COACH has developed a professionalism program and works with its vast network of members and organizational contacts to advance HI as a profession. In this presentation, I will talk about HI as a profession, what must be done to advance it, and what I have learned as a CIO about professionalism.

About the Speaker

As the Chief Information Officer for Saskatchewan Health, Neil Gardner has worked very closely with the health regions and professional groups in establishing the strategic plan, architectures and standards guiding health information technology developments in the province. Neil is a director of COACH (Canada s Health Informatics Association) and lead for their Health Informatics Professionalism initiative. In the past, he has served as a founding director for both the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Canada Health Infoway. His public sector experience, in addition to his participation on a number of provincial, national and international groups has provided Neil with the pertinent background for being an effective health CIO and leader.  He believes strongly in the need for a collaborative approach in successfully introducing IT and enabling change in health care delivery. Neil holds a Master in Public Administration (MPA) degree from Harvard University where he was distinguished in his academic achievements by being named a Littauer fellow.

For more information
Shirley Fenton
Managing Director, WIHIR
University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4074

Seminar Hosts
This seminar is hosted by the Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research (WIHIR) and The infraNET Project, University of Waterloo.

The infraNET Project, initiated by the University of Waterloo in 1996, is a partnership to advance Web and Internet technologies. Its founding partners were: LivePage (now part of Oracle), MKS, Open Text, RIM, Sybase (Waterloo) and Waterloo Maple.

We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Institute for Computer Research, University of Waterloo.