Research Profiles – E-Health: Studying the Data
This is an exciting time in the evolution of health care. The world is becoming increasingly digitized, making it easier to aggregate and analyze different kinds of data. These technological advances have the potential to empower people to manage their own medical treatment and help health care providers make timely, evidence-informed decisions.
As a country, we are perfectly positioned to be leaders in e-health research. We have large stores of health data and the capacity to harness that data. And Canada’s thirteen health systems can serve as incubators of e-health innovation.
To capitalize on this potential, we need to bring together scientists, technology companies and end-users so that we can start to explore the right questions. What technologies work best for managing chronic disease? Can web-based programs connect patients with health care providers? And how can electronic health records and advanced forms of computing be used to identify problems such as disease outbreaks?
CIHR is funding research that explores these and many other questions. This month, we’ve profiled three researchers who are studying different applications of e-health in detecting and managing disease:
- The Right Algorithm for the Job: Dr. David Buckeridge and his colleagues are using a large computer simulation of Montreal’s water system to test different algorithms for detecting water-borne disease.
- A Different Kind of House Call: Dr. Sandra Jarvis-Selinger and her team are studying the use of home-based telehealth in chronic disease management.
- Timing is Everything: Dr. Linda Li at the University of British Columbia has developed a web-based program that will help new osteoarthritis patients incorporate more physical activity into their lives.
Dr. Robyn Tamblyn
Scientific Director
CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
