How is Healthcare Data Driving Smarter Decisions Across Canada? Anne Forsyth x SCALE Community

How is Healthcare Data Driving Smarter Decisions Across Canada? Anne Forsyth x SCALE Community
Description

Summary

Canada’s healthcare system operates through 14 independent health plans—with no single national digital health strategy. Yet, that very fragmentation may be what’s driving some of the most innovative thinking in healthcare data and digital transformation.

In this episode of Analyzing Healthcare, host Jason Schifman sits down with Anne Forsyth, Director of Clinical Applications at Women’s College Hospital and former Manager of Data Standards at the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Together, they explore how Canada’s decentralized model shapes digital health strategy, the critical role of CIHI in national data collection, and the growing movement toward interoperability and standardization.

Forsyth also shares case studies from her work at Women’s College Hospital, including how workflow redesign and patient engagement tools are reducing no-show rates and improving data quality. She closes by emphasizing the need for digital literacy and collaboration across government, providers, and technology partners to achieve better healthcare outcomes.

What You’ll Learn

✅ Why Canada operates 14 separate healthcare systems—and how that impacts digital innovation

✅ How CIHI collects and analyzes healthcare data to inform national policy decisions

✅ Why real-time data and interoperability are the next frontiers for Canadian healthcare

✅ How Women’s College Hospital is driving digital transformation in ambulatory care

✅ Why data literacy and standardization are essential to improving care delivery

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Timestamps

  • (00:00) – Intro | Meet Anne Forsyth, Director of Clinical Applications, Women’s College Hospital
  • (01:21) – Why Canada Has No National Digital Health Strategy
  • (04:56) – Inside the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
  • (09:21) – Data Collection, Usage & Policy Applications
  • (11:46) – Case Study: Real-Time Data & the Opioid Crisis
  • (16:33) – How Canada Compares Globally in Healthcare Outcomes
  • (19:14) – Women’s College Hospital: Digital Innovation in Ambulatory Care
  • (22:00) – Standardizing Workflows & Reducing No-Show Rates
  • (27:13) – Bridging Gaps Between Government, Providers & Tech
  • (29:25) – The Urgent Need for Digital & Data Literacy in Healthcare
  • (31:09) – Closing Thoughts on Canada’s Digital Health Future

Key Takeaways

  • 💎 Canada’s decentralized system creates challenges—but also sparks regional innovation.
  • 💎 CIHI is one of Canada’s greatest assets, centralizing healthcare data for national use.
  • 💎 Workflow standardization and patient engagement can drive measurable outcomes.
  • 💎 Real-time, interoperable data is the next leap for healthcare improvement.
  • 💎 Digital literacy across clinicians and administrators is essential for progress.

Resource Links

Guest: Anne Forsyth –linkedin.com/in/akankshaforsyth

Host: Jason Schifman – linkedin.com/in/jasonschifman

Organization: www.scale-healthcare.com

Podcast Hub: Analyzing Healthcare by SCALE Community

Guest Bio

Anne Forsyth serves as Director of Clinical Applications at Women’s College Hospital, leading digital transformation and data standardization initiatives. Previously, she spent nearly a decade at the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), where she helped define data standards across Canada’s healthcare system. Her work bridges government, providers, and technology to create a more connected and data-driven future for Canadian healthcare.

SEO Keywords

Canadian Healthcare System, Digital Health Strategy, CIHI, Healthcare Data, Interoperability, Women’s College Hospital, Healthcare Innovation, Value-Based Care, Data Standardization, Roy Bejarano, SCALE Community, Digital Transformation, Public Health Policy, Health Information Systems, Data-Driven Healthcare, Canada Health, Healthcare Technology, Healthcare Podcast, Healthcare Trends and Innovations, Healthcare Strategies, Leading Healthcare Stakeholders, Thought Leaders in Healthcare, Healthcare Industry Insights, Healthcare Thought Leadership, SCALE Healthcare, Jason Schifman

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