Canada's National e-Prescribing Service Launching Soon

Six provinces, 16 community pharmacy companies onboard with PrescribeIT™

TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada is well on its way to improving patient safety, convenience and reducing the harm and costs of opioid-related misuse as PrescribeIT™, the country's national e-prescribing service, readies for launch with a full roster of partners.

PrescribeIT (CNW Group/Canada Health Infoway)

Over the past several months, Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, has reached agreements with six provinces representing 61 per cent of the Canadian population, including Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. PrescribeIT™ is ready to launch in various communities in Ontario in the coming weeks, joined by Alberta in the fall.

"Canadians can trust PrescribeIT™ to protect their personal health information from being sold or used for marketing or other commercial purposes," noted Michael Green, President and CEO, Infoway. Importantly, Canada's doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and pharmacists can also be assured that PrescribeIT™ won't inappropriately influence their prescribing or dispensing decisions."

PrescribeIT™ is also working with 16 different community pharmacy companies, with local, regional and national reach, representing more than 2,600 stores in six provinces. Electronic medical record vendors and pharmacy management systems vendors have also been secured. Discussions with additional provinces and territories, pharmacies and technology providers are ongoing.

Over and above other electronic transmission services, PrescribeIT™ is changing the face of healthcare in Canada by:

Ensuring true patient choice of pharmacy for electronic prescriptions;
Safeguarding patient health data from commercial use;
Maintaining an influence-free prescribing and dispensing environment;
Continuing to be accountable to Canadians through their federal, provincial and territorial governments; and
Unifying patient health information.

About PrescribeIT™
Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT™. PrescribeIT™ will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) to the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice.

About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government.

SOURCE Canada Health Infoway

Revolutionary New Breast Imaging Technology Comes to Canada

St. Joseph’s Health Care London is the first medical centre in Canada to install the new Senographe Pristina from GE Healthcare, which allows women to control their own comfort level during a mammogram.

London, ON - On Tuesday August 15, St. Joseph's Health Care London will unveil the first Canadian installation of the Senographe Pristina, a groundbreaking new breast imaging platform from GE Healthcare, designed by women for women.

“The new Pristina mammography unit offers a totally different mammography experience for women. It’s a complete departure from the mammogram exam as we know it,” said Dr. Anat Kornecki, Medical Director, Breast Imaging, at the Breast Care Program located at St. Joseph’s Hospital, part of St. Joseph’s Health Care London. “I believe the innovative design of the Pristina will be more inviting for women and help us improve the screening rates so vital to cancer prevention.”

Women can take breast health into their own hands with the Pristina’s first in-industry patient-assisted compression tool, a remote that allows patients to personally control and adjust the rate of compression during the exam. Designed with a woman’s comfort in mind, all parts in contact with the patient's breasts have gentle, rounded corners designed to help reduce discomfort and anxiety. With more comfortable patients, technologists can focus on precise positioning, making the exam more accurate and efficient.

The Pristina also allows patients to enjoy a soothing ambiance with various scenes and music available.

Media are invited view the Senographe Pristina, talk with the first Canadian patients to use the unit, and interview St. Joseph’s and GE Healthcare leaders.

What: The first Canadian installation of revolutionary breast cancer technology, the Senographe Pristina.

Where: St. Joseph's Hospital | 268 Grosvenor St | London, ON | Diagnostic Imaging Centre, Zone C, Level 0, Room C0-200 (closest entrance is Cheapside Entrance 4)

When: Tuesday, August 15 | Interviews start at 3:30 PM | Tour of machine at 4:30 PM

Who: Interviews are available with:

Dr. Anat Kornecki, Medical Director - Breast Imaging, St. Joseph’s Breast Care Program, and Regional Breast Imaging Lead, South West Regional Cancer Program
Heather Chalmers, General Manager, GE Healthcare Canada
First Canadian patients to use Pristina

Experiences reflect unique DNA of Ontario travel destinations

Stratford, Bayfield and Elora & Fergus think outside the box to engage visitors

STRATFORD, Ont. (June 23, 2017) – Picture rappelling down a sheer rock wall to get to your table for a delicious dinner served on a beach beside a gorgeous winding river.

How about taking in a one-of-a-kind concert from world-class musicians playing a bell about the size of a transport truck that replicates the sound of a carillon?

Or maybe you’re the artsy type and want to get inspired by a stunning landscape — how about painting a sunset from a breathtaking perch on a bluff overlooking Lake Huron?

These are just a few of the incredible experiences visitors can enjoy this summer while exploring the tourism hotspot of southwestern Ontario, whether it’s on a day-trip from the Greater Toronto Area or a longer family vacation.

The communities of Stratford, Bayfield and Elora & Fergus have joined with the region’s tourism organization — RTO4 — as well as their local tourism partners to develop more than two dozen new activities designed to engage travellers and highlight the special qualities and attractions that make each of the three destinations unique.

“Today’s visitors are seeking out unique experiences that they want to share – often in real-time – with friends and family,” says David Peacock, RTO4 Chief Executive Officer. “The new experiences supported by the animation fund highlight each community’s unique assets and invite the visitor to participate in telling the story.”

Stratford, picturesque home to the world-renowned Stratford Festival, is hosting 15 new events and activities that capture its growing reputation as a cultural resort town. A small sample of the experiences include:

The Stratford Summer Music Carillon, organized by Stratford Summer Music. World-class carillon performers will play 14 free concerts from Aug. 5-13 on a massive musical bell.

Ladies of the CNR, a full-length play presented by the Stratford Perth Museum and Martingale Vintage. The play will be performed at city hall from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, featuring an interactive photobooth and newly curated CN exhibit.

Food for Thought Festival, hosted in collaboration by the Stratford Chefs’ School and the Stratford Writers Festival, Oct. 27-29. The festival creates literary and culinary experiences where food is matched to an author’s readings. There will also be workshops, such as how to write a cookbook and the art of food photography.

About an hour’s drive from the GTA, tourism operators in Elora & Fergus have created several experiences to celebrate the town’s heritage and idyllic natural setting. Among them are:

River is Calling, an experience hosted by the Elora Centre for the Arts that celebrates the natural beauty of the Grand River through two exhibits during June, July and August, a paddle painting workshop and will end with a collaboration with Riverfest which will see Brad Coppingcarry his mosaic canoe to the Grand River where he will paddle it, take it out of the water and suspend it above the Riverfest stage for an evening concert on Aug. 19.

Twilight at Templin Gardens, a free musical event at the historical Templin Gardens on Wednesday evenings through July and August, featuring a live musical performance with local artists performing and storytelling about their lives in Elora and Fergus. The finale of the evening will be a Piper piping down the sun on the candle lit Templin Garden Stairs built in 1920.

Festival Faire, a free family-friendly event to be held on July 8. The new event celebrates Canada's 150th anniversary, showcasing Elora and Fergus’ festivals and events, natural beauty, rich heritage, rural foundations, artists, artisans, entertainers, merchants, and local food and drink.

On the sandy shores of Lake Huron, about an hour’s drive of Stratford, visitors can discover the beautiful beach town of Bayfield. Several new activities developed this summer showcase the trendy town’s artistic side, as well as its incredible waterfront setting and marine heritage. Among them are:

Paint the Sunset, a way to celebrate the creativity of Bayfield, as well as its world-class sunsets, this experience will offer five activations throughout the summer providing the supplies and instructions for people to paint their own sunset keepsake. Four of the events will be painting on panels or rocks, and the fifth will be edible cookie painting.

Try #SUPRUNYOGA, a unique one-day event focusing on trying new activities, connecting to nature and growing a sense of a connected shoreline community. This event will also include local food vendors, product market and an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest stand-up paddleboard yoga session.

Projects in all three communities were developed through RTO4’s Destination Animation Fund. The initiative offers business operators matching funds to create new or enhanced tourism offerings that showcase the destination’s agreed-upon core DNA. Visitors are encouraged to share their experiences through social networks.

The initiative was first launched in 2016, providing $30,000 in matching funds for 10 projects in Stratford. Based on the success of its inaugural run, RTO4 and its tourism partners doubled the size of the fund to $60,000 in 2017 and expanded it to more communities to create experiences that reach an even wider audience. More information is available at www.animationfund.ca

About RTO4:

RTO4, one of 13 regional tourism offices established by the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport in the province of Ontario, provides leadership and support to a flourishing tourism economy in Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington. RTO4 has been called the “petri dish of tourism development in North America” by the Canadian Tourism Commission, specifically because of its innovative, analytical and non-traditional approach to growing tourism and economic development.

Experiences reflect unique DNA of Ontario travel destinations

Stratford, Bayfield and Elora & Fergus think outside the box to engage visitors

STRATFORD, Ont. (June 12, 2017) – Picture rappelling down a sheer rock wall to get to your table for a delicious dinner served on a beach beside a gorgeous winding river.

How about taking in a one-of-a-kind concert from world-class musicians playing a bell about the size of a transport truck that replicates the sound of a carillon?

Or maybe you’re the artsy type and want to get inspired by a stunning landscape — how about painting a sunset from a breathtaking perch on a bluff overlooking Lake Huron?

The Stratford Summer Music Carillon, organized by Stratford Summer Music. World-class carillon performers will play 14 free concerts from Aug. 5-13 on a massive musical bell.

Ladies of the CNR, a full-length play presented by the Stratford Perth Museum and Martingale Vintage. The play will be performed at city hall from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, featuring an interactive photobooth and newly curated CN exhibit.

Food for Thought Festival, hosted in collaboration by the Stratford Chefs’ School and the Stratford Writers Festival, Oct. 27-29. The festival creates literary and culinary experiences where food is matched to an author’s readings. There will also be workshops, such as how to write a cookbook and the art of food photography.

About an hour’s drive from the GTA, tourism operators in Elora & Fergus have created several experiences to celebrate the town’s heritage and idyllic natural setting. Among them are:

River is Calling, an experience hosted by the Elora Centre for the Arts that celebrates the natural beauty of the Grand River through two exhibits during June, July and August, a paddle painting workshop and will end with a collaboration with Riverfest which will see Brad Coppingcarry his mosaic canoe to the Grand River where he will paddle it, take it out of the water and suspend it above the Riverfest stage for an evening concert on Aug. 19.

Twilight at Templin Gardens, a free musical event at the historical Templin Gardens on Wednesday evenings through July and August, featuring a live musical performance with local artists performing and storytelling about their lives in Elora and Fergus. The finale of the evening will be a Piper piping down the sun on the candle lit Templin Garden Stairs built in 1920.

Festival Faire, a free family-friendly event to be held on July 8. The new event celebrates Canada's 150th anniversary, showcasing Elora and Fergus’ festivals and events, natural beauty, rich heritage, rural foundations, artists, artisans, entertainers, merchants, and local food and drink.

Paint the Sunset, a way to celebrate the creativity of Bayfield, as well as its world-class sunsets, this experience will offer five activations throughout the summer providing the supplies and instructions for people to paint their own sunset keepsake. Four of the events will be painting on panels or rocks, and the fifth will be edible cookie painting.

Try #SUPRUNYOGA, a unique one-day event focusing on trying new activities, connecting to nature and growing a sense of a connected shoreline community. This event will also include local food vendors, product market and an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest stand-up paddleboard yoga session.

About RTO4:

Richard Crenian joins 12th Annual Scotiabank Pro Am Alzheimer's Tournament in support of Baycrest

TORONTO, May 10, 2017 /CNW/ - This past weekend, Richard Crenian, president of ReDev Properties Ltd. participated in the 12th Annual Scotiabank Pro-Am Hockey tournament for Alzheimer's in support of Baycrest. The tournament is held in May each year and Crenian has regularly attended for the past decade. Participating teams drafted and were joined by 27 NHL Alumni players including Paul Coffey, Wendel Clark and Lanny McDonald.

ReDev Properties Ltd (CNW Group/ReDev Properties Ltd)

The tournament raised over $1.5 million for Baycrest Health Sciences this year. Coming in as the runner up for the most funds raised individually, Richard Crenian fundraised over $59,000 to support the cause. The team he played with, The Coop Architects were also runners up for most funds raised as a team with over $113,000 donated.

"I'm a big fan of hockey," says Richard Crenian. "But I'm also passionate about using a sport to bring the community together to support an important cause, such as funding for Alzheimer's research. That's a big reason why I continuously support this tournament."

Aside from partaking in the annual hockey tournament, Crenian decided in 2015 to increase his dedication to the charity and established a Match My Gift Campaign to further support Baycrest in Alzheimer's care and research. With the Match My Gift Campaign, every dollar a generous donor gives, Baycrest will receive double the donation through Crenian's support.

"The more I learned about Baycrest, the more impressed I became with the organization and the donor community," says Crenian. "I wanted to honour these donors by matching their generosity, and increasing our impact for the cause together."

Crenian's Match My Gift Campaign will again take place in fall 2017. Accept Richard's challenge this year and double your generous impact. For more information about the campaign please visit here.

About ReDev Properties

ReDev Properties Ltd. is a Canadian commercial real estate asset manager. Since 2001, the company has purchased and managed over 30 commercial real estate properties in Canada. ReDev Properties locates existing commercial real estate properties in markets that will ensure assets retain, and increase, in value for necessary stability and future growth. The company's founder and President, Richard Crenian has managed over two billion dollars in real estate assets since 1981.

For more information please visit:
http://www.redevgroup.com/

About Match My Gift Campaign

Richard Crenian has created a $100,000 Matching Gift Fund to support the Annual Campaign for Baycrest. Crenian will match your donation dollar for dollar. Gifts by you and other donors will have double the impact.

For more information please visit:
http://www.baycrest.org/give/ways-to-give/match-my-gift/

SOURCE ReDev Properties Ltd

New gluten-free food standards produced for the food service, hospitality sector now available to Celiac and gluten-free community

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 8, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Celiac Association, Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque, and Gluten-Free Food Program Inc. have joined forces to create and promote the new industry standard for the celiac community.

Gluten-Free Food Program company Logo (CNW Group/Gluten Free Food Program Inc)

The Gluten-Free Food Program Inc. (GFFPI) is pleased to announce the launch of its GF-Smart, GF-Verified and GF-Dedicated programs for the food service and hospitality industry. The Gluten Free Food Program (GFFP) has been developed with the endorsements from the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) and Québec-based Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque (FQMC); Canada's two authoritative voices for those living gluten-free. This program will serve to improve the dining-out options for those suffering from a gluten-related medical disorder, by arming the food service and hospitality sector with standardized professional training, management systems and best practices.

Over 2.5 million Canadians are affected by gluten and need a consistent hospitality sector standard. Operators serving food on a commercial basis may choose or be required to provide a gluten-free menu option. The GFFPI has developed professional standards to serve the gluten-free population, including restaurants, caterers, camps, hotels, convention centers, healthcare and educational institutions, cafés, and fast food outlets.

"Gluten-free diners are looking for dining options that are safe," says Anne Wraggett, CCA President. "They often fear eating out due to negative past experiences and lack of consistency throughout the hospitality sector, increasing the risks of consuming gluten accidentally. Our members will be excited to visit and support these outlets."

Although the term gluten-free is widely used in the food service and hospitality sector, it is often misunderstood, unpredictably executed, and thus an unreliable assurance of a safe dining experience. Until now, a national training standard that the industry in Canada could turn to has not been available. Now, and as part of their professional advancement, food handlers can learn about the importance of proper food handling and avoid accidental contamination of gluten-free food. For food service and hospitality operators, GF-Smart functions as a strategic business partner by standardizing food handler training, thereby improving customer service, fostering staff engagement and reducing the risk of negative publicity for those establishments who employ GF-Smart trained staff.

The Canadian Society for Nutrition Management (CSNM), the national association representing Food and Nutrition Managers across Canada, has adopted GF-Smart as part of their member curriculum. Dave Lebert, CSNM Continuing Education Chair, says "Gluten-free diets, procurement of safe food for these special diets, and, most critical, the teaching and providing direction to our staff who work with gluten-free clients, are among the many facets of responsibilities of which our members endure on a daily basis. We are thrilled to partner with GFFP to offer the GF-Smart program to our members, and even more excited to include this course as part of CSNM's Continuing Education program, worth one Continuing Education (CE) credit for our members."

GF-Verified and GF-Dedicated standards have been created to ensure a consistent approach to internal management systems. From the purchase of ingredients, food storage, preparation, cooking, service, and delivery of gluten-free meals, GF-Verified denotes an establishment that provides both regular and gluten-free meals. GF-Dedicated indicates that all meals provided within the establishment are gluten free.

Our logos for the GF-Verified and GF-Dedicated programs will be displayed to indicate to the gluten-free community that an establishment has achieved the GFFP standards and in doing so has been externally audited by an independent auditor.

About Gluten-Free Food Program (GFFP): The Gluten-Free Food Program Inc. is a privately held corporation which owns and operates the GF-Smart and GF-Verified and GF-Dedicated programs, developed and managed with the endorsement of the Canadian Celiac Association and Québec-based Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque, Canada's two authoritative voices for those living gluten-free. http://www.glutenfreefoodprogram.com

About Canadian Celiac Association (CCA): The Canadian Celiac Association is the national voice for people who are adversely affected by gluten, and is dedicated to improving diagnosis and quality of life. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, with chapters across the country, its mission includes advocacy, education, research and community support. http://www.celiac.ca

About Fondation québécoise de la maladie coeliaque (FQMC): The Fondation québécoise de la maladie coelique provides services and support to its members in the French language. Its mission is to improve the lives of people who are affected by celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity with information on the disease and the gluten-free diet.http://www.fqmc.org

SOURCE Gluten Free Food Program Inc

Canada's Minister of Health gets a healthy dose of hope and happiness

MARKHAM, ON, April 11, 2017 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Health, today visited Saint Elizabeth's corporate office in Markham, Ontario, touring the company's unique 'hope and happiness showcase' and meeting with health care staff, patients and family caregivers.

Saint Elizabeth CEO Shirlee Sharkey takes Minister Philpott on a tour of the organization's innovative showcase space. (photo: Vito Amati) (CNW Group/Saint Elizabeth Health Care)

Led by Saint Elizabeth CEO Shirlee Sharkey, the visit highlighted the important role of home care and social innovation in Canada's health system.

"It was a tremendous honour to host Minister Philpott – her passion for innovation, thoughtful approach and deep commitment to improving care for people and families is clearly evident," said Shirlee Sharkey, CEO of Saint Elizabeth. "We applaud the federal government for taking bold action to strengthen health care through targeted investments in home care, palliative care and support for family caregivers."

"I was pleased to visit Saint Elizabeth today and to engage with providers and patients who know first-hand the value of providing health services that allow Canadians to live independently. By improving home care, including home-based palliative care, we can help modernize our care system so that it can better meet the needs of Canadians. I am proud to be part of a government that is working to provide better health care, not only for aging Canadians but for all Canadians as well," said Minister Philpott.

During a private roundtable, staff, patients and family caregivers spoke to the Minister about new approaches to care at home including:

The use of Intelligent Care™ to deliver greater patient engagement and meaningful interactions with an empowered practice team
New ways to educate and support health care providers, from formal career training to continuing education, skills development, mobile learning and knowledge exchange
Saint Elizabeth's groundbreaking work and community benefit investments to improve access to end of life care

Since it opened in 2016, Saint Elizabeth's 'hope and happiness showcase' has attracted health care leaders, students and innovators from across Canada as well as the United States, the Netherlands, Norway, the Middle East and Australia.

About Saint Elizabeth
Saint Elizabeth is a diversified health care company that has been opening the door to new possibilities and care experiences for more than a century. Recognized as Canada's largest social enterprise, the not-for-profit organization employs 8,000 people and visits 19,000 clients a day, totalling 50 million visits in the past decade alone. Through its Research Centre, Health Career Colleges and Foundation, Saint Elizabeth is helping to make the future of health care brighter and stronger. saintelizabeth.com

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott participates in a roundtable discussion on home care with staff, patients and families (photo: Vito Amati) (CNW Group/Saint Elizabeth Health Care)

SOURCE Saint Elizabeth Health Care

Ontario Shores and Mozzaz to Launch Mobile Mental Health App

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) and Mozzaz are set to formally unveil their patient engagement mobile app which delivers personalized mobile interventions to patients.

Ontario Shores, a specialty mental health hospital in Whitby, Ontario, and Mozzaz, a digital health company based in Waterloo, Ontario, are engaged in a project that elevates the patient experience by providing a tool which engages patients in their care at their convenience.

The launch event will feature a demonstration of the mobile app along with remarks from Ontario Shores President and CEO Karim Mamdani and Rini Gahir, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Mozzaz.

Date:	Thursday, March 23, 2017

Time:	10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Place:	Main Lobby (Building 5, Level 2)
	Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences
	700 Gordon Street
	Whitby, Ontario

About Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences:
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) is a leader in mental health care, providing a range of specialized assessment and treatment services for people living with complex mental illness. Patients benefit from a recovery-oriented environment of care, built on compassion, inspiration and hope. Ontario Shores engages in research, education and advocacy initiatives to advance the mental health care system.

About Mozzaz:
Mozzaz is a digital health company specializing in patient engagement technology for individuals with complex care needs and the care teams that support them. With a versatile mobile intervention model, Mozzaz can support patient engagement programs for a wide range services including disabilities, behavioural and mental health, and chronic care conditions. Through personalized mobile care plans, Mozzaz can collect data to enable providers and health plans to connect, measure and predict clinical and financial outcomes of quality care keeping patients safe and supported.

SOURCE Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Positive Patient Experience Yields Health Care Benefits

e-Patient Services enhance patient experience leading to better health outcomes, productivity

When Canadians have access to their health information, they are better equipped to be an integral part of their health care team. Access to health information and other consumer e-services is leading to some important health care benefits for Canadians and clinicians according to a body of international and Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) research.

"Consumer digital health solutions, also known as consumer e-services, are designed to improve Canadians' access to their health information, encourage better communication with health care providers and empower them to be more involved in their care," explained Michael Green, President and CEO at Infoway. "Consumer health solutions are one of Infoway's priorities because we know that improving the patient experience improves patient health and will unlock value for the health care system."

Consumer digital health solutions, whether online or through mobile devices, include: e-booking, which enables Canadians to book and manage their appointments online; e-visits which provide the ability to consult healthcare providers via secure email/messaging or videoconference; e-prescription renewal or refill which gives the ability to request a medication renewal or a refill online; and e-views which provide access to a patient's health record including clinical information such as laboratory test results.

According to the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) report, Feeling Better? Improving patient experience in hospital, organizations with strong emphasis on providing high-quality patient experience have found that it is linked to better health outcomes and improved productivity and efficiency, which has been demonstrated in a number of Infoway projects.

Benefits for Canadians

Patients or caregivers who had access to their heath information through a patient portal felt:
- that knowledge of their health increased (78-94 per cent)^1,2
- more confident managing their health (78-95 per cent)^1,3
- the tools helped them feel more involved in their health care (77 per cent)²
- that access to their health information allowed them to have more informed discussions with their doctor (93 per cent)¹
- make better use of their time with clinicians (83 per cent)¹
Improve the relationships between patients and their health care providers ^1,2,9
Save travel time by seeing a doctor virtually (e-visits) (98 per cent)⁸
Avoid work absences through e-visits (87 per cent)⁸
Patients were more likely to renew/refill prescription on time by requesting renewal/refill through a secure online system (78 per cent)⁹

Benefits for Clinicians & the Health System

Clinicians reported an improvement in their therapeutic relationships with patients (60 -75 per cent)^{4, 9}
Clinic/Clinician productivity value
- Decrease in clinic call volume (73-90 per cent)^1,6
- Reduce requests for health information or health history information (61 per cent)⁵
- Decrease in no-show appointments (43 per cent)⁷

Canada Health Infoway continues to focus on investing in consumer digital health solutions that empower patients to better manage their health and improve access, communication, and collaboration between patients and their health care team.

Visit Infoway's website to learn more about Consumer Health e-Patient Services or Infoway's digital health investment projects nationwide.

About Canada Health Infoway

Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government.

1 Impacts of Direct Patient Access to Laboratory Results – Final Report
2 Nova Scotia Personal Health Record Demonstration Project - Benefits Evaluation Report
3 Epic EHR Program: MyChart Consumer Health Solutions Benefits Evaluation Report (Pilot)
4 Holland Bloorview: Connect2care Benefits Evaluation – Results and Final Report
5 Ontario Shores' HealthCheck Patient Portal Benefits Evaluation Report
6 Group Health Centre: myCARE Benefits Evaluation and Final Report
7 Adoption, Use and Effects of an e-appointment System: Results of a Quebec Showcase Project
8 Virtual Visits in British Columbia: 2015 Patient Survey and Physician Interview Study
9 Health Quality Innovation Collaboration (HQIC): miDASH, Consumer Health Solution Benefits Evaluation

SOURCE Canada Health Infoway

New Study Confirms Run to Quit helps to boost physical activity and cut down on smoking

Six months after Run to Quit completed its first year, an impressive 40 per cent of participants surveyed said they had quit smoking and 43 per cent said they were also running on average three times a week.

In addition, 91 per cent of participants who completed the program said they had cut back on smoking and 97 per cent reported Run to Quit helped them to exercise more.

Run to Quit is being studied by researchers from the University of British Columbia for its potential as a chronic disease prevention program.

“We saw participants shift in terms of the way they saw themselves; first as smokers and eventually to runners fully embracing the Running Room culture. Their confidence to both quit smoking and run increased as did their overall physical and mental health scores,” says Dr. Carly Priebe, a researcher at UBC.

Participants’ confidence to quit smoking grew from 67 per cent at the beginning of the program to 80 per cent by week three.

“Maintaining health behaviour change is really difficult, but 24 per cent continue to be engaged with Running Room walk and run programs,” reports Priebe.

Run to Quit is a unique program that pairs the quit-smoking expertise of the Canadian Cancer Society with Running Room Canada’s learn to walk or run 5 km clinics. The step-by-step program helps smokers cope with discomfort and cravings through its simple and encouraging approach to cutting down while they become more physically active.

“While quitting smoking is the biggest goal for most Run to Quit participants, we know that staying active is important to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. We were happy to see that participants really embraced exercise,” says John Atkinson, director, cancer prevention and tobacco control, Canadian Cancer Society. “Participants who continue to exercise are doing even more than the recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.”

In its first year, Run to Quit welcomed more than 1,000 participants in all three streams of the program – online, do it yourself, and in-store training. In-store training was offered in 21 stores in six provinces. This year, the program has expanded to include 50 stores in all provinces as well as online training options available three times per year. The program will continue to expand to more than 100 stores next year to reach as many smokers as possible.

“Run to Quit’s pilot program shows promising results in influencing measurable healthy behaviour and lifestyle change," said Dr. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health. "This innovative quit-smoking and active living program is a leading example of how government, the not-for-profit and the private sectors can work together to encourage healthier lifestyles for Canadians."

Emmanuelle Connelly was a smoker for more than 30 years. She started as a teen and tried to quit several times over the years, but it wasn’t until a routine mammogram gave her a health scare that she decided she really needed to quit urgently. Her aunt had suffered from cancer and Emmanuelle was determined to reduce her risk as much as possible.

“I have never been physically active and the thought of having to run in public intimidated me, even more than quitting smoking,” says Emmanuelle. ”But Run to Quit’s approach to quitting smoking and getting active was done in baby steps and the group kept me accountable. Once I overcame my first craving, I knew I could quit smoking and used the techniques I learned from the program. In the end, I quit smoking and I continue to run. It’s liberating to be able to lace up and run anytime I feel like it.”

Survey results show that 100% of participants who completed the program would recommend it to a friend who wanted to quit smoking.

“I am a former smoker, like so many of our Run to Quit trainers,” said John Stanton, founder and CEO of Running Room Canada. “It’s been a thrill and privilege to show people through Run To Quit how to identify as athletes and to commit to an athletic lifestyle with the help of our running and walking clinics. We look forward to welcoming current smokers to be lifetime athletes with the camaraderie and support of our running community.”

Additional information on survey results:

1000 participants joined all streams of Run to Quit in 2016
- 184 in-store clinics
- 71 online clinics
- 815 Do It Yourself program
83 participants were interviewed as part of the six-month follow up survey
- 40 per cent reported quitting smoking
- 28 per cent were successful at not smoking for six whole months (since the training program ended)
- 43 per cent per cent said they were also running on average three times a week.

Registration for Run to Quit is now open and available in all provinces across Canada. To register or for more information, visit runtoquit.com. Run to Quit is funded in part by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Thanks to quit partners NICODERM® and NICORETTE® all eligible participants will receive coupons for nicotine replacement therapy products to help them quit smoking.

Q&A to Researcher: Is the strength in this program the maintenance quit smoking rate and sustained physical activity rate six month after program completion? Or is the strength of the program that it gets people physically active while quitting smoking?
"I think that BOTH of these are huge assets of the program! We often don't see behaviour change maintained over time so the fact that we saw decent quit rates and a significant increase in physical activity and then saw this maintained is a really positive finding. It's also important to highlight that this program targets multiple health behaviours and therefore gives you more "bang for your buck" when it comes to health and a lifestyle change. Even if someone didn't quit, increasing physical activity is an important outcome. If you can do both (quit and increase activity), you're well on your way to numerous health benefits (in the case of quitting smoking, many of these health benefits are very immediate). In terms of bringing in the evaluation, our findings support that the program truly does target BOTH of these behaviours (smoking cessation and activity) and we saw significant changes in both."

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, the Society has the most impact, against the most cancers, in the most communities in Canada. For more information, visit cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333 (TTY 1-866-786-3934)