For instance, the MIS Guidelines provide a common framework to collect and analyze data about a health care facility's costs and performance. These guidelines are now in use in most jurisdictions across Canada. Similarly, CIHI has recently coordinated national efforts to develop and endorse new standards for the classification of health service interventions, for collecting and reporting ambulatory care data, and for several other areas. The Partnership brings together leading health and health information technology experts from the public and private sectors. Already, Partnership members have adopted seven international or Partnership-developed standards for trial use.
Work is also in progress on the next wave of standards and related products.
While Canadians place a high priority on improved health information, they also greatly value privacy. The challenge lies in finding an appropriate balance between an individual's fundamental right to privacy and the personal and public interest in both improved health service efficiency and effectiveness and increased knowledge about health. Success in this endeavour will be key to the success of a Canadian health information infrastructure. In the past, most personal health information was collected for a single purpose by a particular healthcare provider or institution. In today's complex health system, multiple practitioners, healthcare providers, funding agencies, regulators, and others may collect and have legitimate needs for access to an individual's personal health information.