Evidence of meeting #29 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was infoway.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
Thank you for the question. As I mentioned, it's not an individual or a single group that makes those decisions; it's a decision that comes from the governance of the organization and the board. The decision to use an open standard was made in November-December 2025.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Who authorized the continuation of the program after December 2025?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
The process for transitioning from PrescribeIT to the open standards was approved by the board of directors at the same time.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
The board of directors continued to say that the program should continue even though it wasn't viable.
Is that correct?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
In preparation for moving towards an open standard approach, it was necessary to have an orderly wind-down of the e-prescribing service as we ramp up with an open standard approach. There was a notice period given to partners to allow them to make the adjustment from one technology to the other.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you. We've gone over time on this.
I'm now going to the second round. It's a five-minute round.
It's Ms. Konanz for five minutes, please.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Thank you, Chair.
First of all, I want to say quickly, Mr. Green, it's very important that you answer these questions succinctly and that you actually answer them. If you do not answer the questions the committee members ask, you will be asked to return. Answer succinctly, please, as I have five minutes.
Was Telus the lowest bid for PrescribeIT?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
Regarding the question of whether Telus was the lowest bid—
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
—I can't give you a complete answer to that, because it was based on—
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Can we table that, then? If you don't have the answer, you can table that.
For my next question, was the $250 million in tax dollars well spent?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
I believe that the money was spent appropriately and according to the governance of the organization, as well as that we have a valuable asset being put in place that will bear fruit in the future.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Thank you.
How widely was PrescribeIT adopted? Do you have the raw numbers, the percentage of prescriptions that went through?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
As you know, I mentioned the 95% uptake by vendors and pharmacies—
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
The figures of the prescriptions that went through are in the millions. If the committee would like to see a report of the figures, we can provide it.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Yes. Every question I ask is the committee asking, so yes, that's great. You're going to table those numbers. Thank you.
It was promised that PrescribeIT would be financially self-sustaining. Was it?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
The initial program was designed to become self-sustaining through a pathway of fees that were charged—
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
The goal was to be—the goal—but it never was...?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
At that stage, the throughput of the system didn't cover the cost—
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
That was the $250 million. Okay.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
—from a self-sustaining perspective.
Conservative
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
We know that you eventually developed a fee of 20¢ per prescription. How much did the federal government collect in total on the fee from health care professionals?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Health Infoway
The fee was levied against pharmacies, not health care professionals, and—
Conservative