What financial and political price will Quebec pay for its digital transformation?
Quebec is undergoing a significant digital transformation in its healthcare system, with a focus on implementing electronic health records. The project has faced challenges, including cost overruns and concerns about data sovereignty due to its partnership with a U.S. software provider. Despite these issues, officials believe that the new system could greatly enhance the efficiency and safety of patient care.
- ▪Quebec's digital transformation project has a budget of $1.5 billion and is expected to take 15 years.
- ▪The initial pilot project has already exceeded its budget, costing $402 million instead of the planned $265 million.
- ▪Concerns have been raised about data sovereignty due to the involvement of a U.S.-based company, Epic Systems Corp.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
ShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountThe media coverage afforded Quebec’s “digital transformation” is astonishing in both its breadth and breathlessness.“C’est un go!” exclaimed a Radio-Canada headline published just after 3:40 a.m. on May 9, when a couple of hospitals started cautiously using a new electronic health record system. “It’s almost like magic,” the Montreal Gazette reported in a front-page story noting that electronic health records are more efficient than paper files and fax machines. Quebec first announced plans to digitize patients’ health records back in 2001.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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