Health care in Ontario is an enormously complex system that depends on information. At the most fundamental level, it is used by doctors to decide on the best possible treatment options for their patients. It is also used at a system level, where decisions about the management and delivery of health care services are made. The data that health care providers across the province collect about patients is studied and analyzed to identify trends in population health, such as the incidence of stroke and obesity. This evidence is then used to plan for and make decisions about which health care services will be provided where.

Over the last decade, advances in technology have dramatically increased our capacity to collect, store and analyze health-related data. The reality is that collecting all this data is placing a considerable burden on many health care providers. With close to 100 separate health information databases in operation, health care planners, researchers and analysts are finding it more and more difficult to access the information they need. When system planners and managers are attempting to evaluate how the system is performing, the data itself is coming up short. Key pieces of information are missing to evaluate basic things like the overall quality of care.

The Ontario government has committed to breaking the cycle of ever-escalating health care costs by instilling a culture of accountability and improved outcomes – one that is tied to results. It needs accurate and comprehensive information to measure performance and provide a clear indication of the health system’s performance overall.

Additionally, through major government initiatives, such as the Wait Times Strategy and the E-Health Strategy, new patient-level data is being generated and collected to track wait times and to enable the creation of electronic patient records. This data will need to be integrated into the provincial information management system. With the proposed creation of Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and the Ontario Health Quality Council (OHQC), new information needs are emerging.

The establishment of Ontario’s first Local Data Management Partnerships is a step in the right direction for Ontario’s commitment to an accurate and accountable Information Management system.

Many other initiatives are underway, as part of the Information Management Strategy. The objective is to produce more reliable data, not necessarily more data, but data that is of better quality and about what matters in health care. The Information Management Team, in collaboration with partners in the field and in the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, is also looking at how things can be done more efficiently by bringing together different data collectors, as well as how to provide better access to the people who use data in their day-to-day jobs. This will help to reduce waste, cut down on duplication and minimize the time it takes to get information. Finally, tools are being developed to measure how good a job is being done in meeting Ontarians’ health care needs.

The better information we have, the better the decisions we can make. Once they have the evidence they need, health system planners and decision-makers will be able to use it to determine whether the health system is delivering appropriate health care to patients. They can then plan for further improvements in patient care and make decisions that are in the best interest of patients – based on objective, timely and accurate information.

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