Public Health Surveillance

Due to public concern about the ability public health authorities have to deal with emerging communicable disease threats, the federal government tasked Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) with facilitating the accelerated development of automated public surveillance solutions in partnership with the provinces and territories.

Canada Health Infoway is currently funding the development of a Public Health Surveillance system, named Panorama. BC was chosen to lead the development project on behalf of the provinces and territories. After a detailed procurement process and extensive consultation with public health experts from across the country, a vendor was selected as the systems integrator (developer) for the pan-Canadian solution. Public health professionals from across the country, including Saskatchewan, have been involved in the project and continue to work to ensure requirements are understood, and the project will deliver a system to meet Canadian public health needs.

Once the development is complete, Panorama will be available for use by all Canadian jurisdictions. The provinces have been working and learning collaboratively since the development project started and will continue to share experience and knowledge as each province undertakes its separate planning and implementation projects. Once Panorama is in use, jurisdictions will continue to work together to support and enhance the system.

When implemented in the jurisdictions, Panorama will enhance the ability of public health officials to work within and across multi-disciplinary teams, regions, provinces and territories in order to:

• improve health outcomes related to communicable diseases;
• identify, investigate and manage communicable disease cases and contacts;
• identify, investigate and manage communicable disease outbreaks and risks to the public's health related to communicable diseases;
• manage immunization programs efficiently;
• communicate important public health information related to communicable diseases through alerts and notifications;
• conduct research and analysis to support improved preparedness for future communicable disease outbreaks and risks to health related to communicable diseases.

Given the many benefits of the new system, Saskatchewan will begin to plan for the implementation of Panorama as an integral component of the province's electronic health record (EHR) strategy.