Program directory · Health Canada
Digital Health
- Department
- Health Canada
- Program code
- BVG06 (H)
- Core responsibility
- Health Care Systems
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2022-23 · Appeared and later dropped
What it does
The federal government recognizes the importance of improving health care systems through the implementation of digital health technologies. The policy advice provided by Health Canada is instrumental in advancing the uptake of innovative health solutions. In addition, since 2001, the Government of Canada has invested a total of $2.45 billion in Canada Health Infoway to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health care across Canada. Most recently, investment in Infoway was made to expand e-prescribing and virtual care initiatives, support the continued adoption and use of electronic medical records, help patients to access their own health records electronically, and better link electronic health record systems to improve access by all providers and institutions. This funding will advance pan-Canadian collaboration on health innovation to encourage the adoption of new digital health technology to improve access, increase efficiency and improve outcomes for patients. Infoway will work with provincial and territorial governments, health care organizations, health professional associations, retail pharmacies, technology vendors, patients, and caregivers to advance the identified digital health priorities.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Health | This program | 2018-19 – 2024-25 | $364M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Spending $85.1M, against $64.1M in 2018-19 (+33%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Spending $38.5M, against $91.4M in 2021-22 (−58%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Planned spending $7.3M, against $38.5M in 2022-23 (−81%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | ≥ 40% | 2022 | — The Commonwealth Fund Survey collects the data every three years; last time data was collected was in 2019-20. New data is expected to be available in 2022-23. | No result reported |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 40% | 2023 | 36.3% Global supply chain shortages due to the pandemic meant that some vendors may have had limited access to hardware required to support the implementation of digital health technologies. Increased implementation is expected as supply chains return to normal. | Not met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
No indicators in the 2026-27 plan.
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $51.2M | $64.1M |
| 2019-20 | $76.2M | $85.1M |
| 2020-21 | $77.3M | $84.8M |
| 2021-22 | $85.8M | $91.4M |
| 2022-23 | $47.8M | $38.5M |
| 2023-24 | $7.3M* | — |
| 2024-25 | $5.2M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 11 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 12 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 2* | — |
| 2024-25 | 2* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $51,186,255 | $76,206,712 | $78,210,024 | ||||
| 2019-20 plan | $76,207,576 | $78,210,888 | $81,211,635 | ||||
| 2020-21 plan | $77,347,861 | $80,347,861 | $347,861 | ||||
| 2021-22 plan | $85,803,304 | $11,129,304 | $7,269,304 | ||||
| 2022-23 plan | $47,829,700 | $7,269,700 | $5,249,700 | ||||
| Actual | $64,111,580 | $85,061,511 | $84,763,922 | $91,409,138 | $38,515,515 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
