IM, IT and eHealth at CCO

Key Initiatives

Ontario is leading the way in Canada and internationally in the use of information management (IM), information technology (IT) and eHealth to improve the safety and experience of cancer patients and the performance and accountability of the cancer system.

Through the innovative use of IM, IT and eHealth, which includes a sophisticated data warehouse, web tools, customized software, and business intelligence, Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) has successfully delivered on a wide range of initiatives:

Data quality and completeness

• Data collection standards (CCO’s Data Book) that support CCO and the Regional Cancer Programs’ quality improvement, accountability, and innovation efforts to improve the cancer system and services,
• Pathology Information Management System (PIMS) that automates the reporting of cancer pathology data across Ontario to improve the timeliness, completeness and quality of data and enable faster cancer case identification,

Access to information

• Instant access for planners and policy-makers to accurate provincial, LHIN, and facility-level cancer information through an online reporting tool (iPortTM),
• Access to near real-time wait time information through the Wait Time Information System that is reported to the public online at www.ontariowaittimes.com

Patient safety

• Computerized Physician Order Entry (OPIS/CPOE) system for chemotherapy that reduces drug order errors and supports adherence to best practices,

Patient self-care

• Interactive Symptom Assessment and Collection (ISAAC) tool that enables patients to track their symptoms over time and report them to their physician and care team.

IM, IT and eHealth at CCO

IM, IT and eHealth initiatives at CCO are led by the VP and Chief Information Officer (CIO Portfolio). The CIO Portfolio supports Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) and the Regional Cancer Programs (RCPs) through IM, IT and eHealth expertise, services and products in the following five key areas:

Operations and Program:

• IT Development and Operations
• Wait Time Information Program
• Screening Information Program
• Project Management Services

Business Intelligence

• Access to Care and Cancer Informatics
• Data Management, Analysis and Reporting
• Informatics Consultation, Business Analysis, & Data Modelling and Methods
• Enterprise Data Management and Reporting

eHealth Strategy and Partnerships

• Strategic Planning and Partnerships
• Business Development
• Strategic Alignment
• CIO Portfolio Communications
• Innovation
• Research, Knowledge Mgt & Dissemination

Risk Management, Resource Management and Business Planning

• CIO Portfolio Business Planning
• CIO Portfolio Performance Management
• IM, IT and eHealth Portfolio Management
• CCO Contract Management and Procurement

Chief Technology Office

• Strategic Technology Advice and Leadership
• System architecture and design
• Technical standards
• Security

Key Initiatives

CCO’s 2008-2011 Information Strategy sets out the strategic priorities for CCO’s IM, IT and e-health efforts for the next three years, including the following:

Supporting cancer screening

• Develop and implement a colorectal screening information system to support the Ontario colorectal screening program (ColonCancerCheck) through automatic invitations, recalls and reminders, and screening tools for primary care physicians

Enhancing data timeliness, quality and completeness

• Implement the College of American Pathologists (CAP) standards using electronic synoptic reporting at Ontario hospitals
• Capture collaborative staging information for all new cancer diagnoses in Ontario

Increasing online, on demand access to information

• Enhance the self-serve tools in CCO’s data warehouse reporting tool (iPort™)
• Enable web-access to wait times business intelligence information in near real time

Supporting the Regional Cancer Programs

• Enhance the Regional Cancer Programs’ ability to use information and technology to support the delivery of programs and services, through access to specialized tools, training and IM, IT and eHealth expertise

Increasing patient safety

• Increase the adoption of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) for chemotherapy across Ontario to 90%

Enabling patient self-care

• Expand the access to the Interactive Symptom Assessment and Collection (ISAAC) tool at cancer centres, general hospitals, and community care access centres (CCACs)

Supporting access to care

• Expand wait times reporting
• Help improve patient access to and efficiency of cancer diagnostic services
• Develop wait times indicators for the wait time between a patient’s diagnosis and first treatment (Wait One)

Supporting Research and Innovation

• Anticipate future IM, IT and eHealth needs and requirements