Health Committee on April 21st, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have 39 seconds.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Thank you.

Quickly, from this experience, given the low uptake, what would be your take-away and lesson learned to best support the future broader adoption of the technology?

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

One thing I could table is that we developed a white paper that identified certain recommendations, which we were calling “systemic barriers”, in terms of things that could be done based on international experience as well, when you look at other countries such as the United States and Germany and how they've helped with adoption activities related to e-services such as e-prescribing. That white paper is available. It outlines our thought leadership and recommendations in that regard.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Perhaps you can send it to the committee, please.

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

Yes, of course.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Yes, if you can. Thank you.

That's my time, I believe.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Yes, your time is up.

I will now go to Monsieur Blanchette-Joncas for two and a half minutes, please.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Batchvarov, you have confirmed two important things, which are that TELUS Health retains about 85% of the components, and that there is a structural dependence.

Can the government freely use what it funded without TELUS's authorization, yes or no?

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

The government is free to use the 15% share it funded, which belongs to Canada Health Infoway.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Are there any conditions in the agreement that will require TELUS Health to still give its approval before the government can freely use this data?

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

The government can freely use the intellectual property it has developed as a result of the partnership with TELUS Health.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

So there are no conditions attached to the use of the licence requiring TELUS Health to confirm in advance.

Is that correct?

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

Absolutely not.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Why do you think this program is going to end? I understand that you're shirking your responsibilities a bit by saying that you've delivered your deliverable and that's that, but not enough for us to keep it, ultimately.

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

From my perspective, I can't see it that way.

Again, if you look at our mandate, you'll see that it has been fulfilled. If you want technology capable of providing services to 40 million Canadians, you have it. The evolution or transition of the program under way as we speak is not up to us. It's up to the government.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

I understand, but if something is good, we keep it. Yet, in this case, we're not keeping your deliverable. What did we miss? That's what we're trying to figure out today.

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

At TELUS Health, we haven't missed anything, as I explained earlier. In terms of our deliverables, as technology subcontractors, we did exactly what was asked of us.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Were you consulted to try to find solutions and to try to convince stakeholders to continue the program?

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

Can you clarify what you mean by, “continue the program”?

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

The program is coming to an end. It won't be kept. I'm trying to understand you. You're saying that, from a technological standpoint, you've delivered your deliverables.

[Ratcho Batchvarov]

Yes, absolutely.

In 2024, Canada Health Infoway launched its process to find other operators for the program. At that time, Canada Health Infoway officials were very familiar with the results we had delivered, and they knew what it takes to run a program. So they had the necessary experience and expertise to be able to study the market. That's what they did.

The study was inconclusive, which I think speaks to the complexity of developing a national technology infrastructure that takes into account large-scale provincial differences.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'll now go to Mr. Strauss for five minutes, please.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Mr. Batchvarov, on what date was Telus notified that PrescribeIT would be terminated?