OTTAWA, JANUARY 29, 2021 – Health Standards Organization (HSO) and the CIO Strategy Council (CIOSC) are pleased to announce their partnership, aiming to further cooperation on the development and use of data governance and virtual health care standards in Canada.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated Canada’s adoption of virtual health care and highlighted the need for accurate, quality health care data. This raises critical questions about how health and social services organizations can ensure data privacy and cybersecurity.
HSO and the CIO Strategy Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) strengthening national cooperation between accredited standards development organizations. The MoU outlines priorities and objectives to optimize the use of resources and collective expertise in the development of data governance and virtual healthcare standards. Both the CIO Strategy Council and HSO are National Standard Development Organizations (SDOs), accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).
Based in Ottawa, the CIO Strategy Council provides a forum that invites Canada’s Chief Information Officers and Executive Technology Leaders to collectively engage and transform the Canadian information and technology ecosystem.
Also based in Ottawa, HSO works with leading experts and people with lived experience around the world to develop evidence-based standards, assessment programs and quality improvement solutions dedicated to improving health and social services. HSO is the only SDO in Canada solely focused on developing evidence-based health and social service standards.
“We look forward to working closely with Health Standards Organization to advance data governance and virtual healthcare standards to protect and secure Canadians’ health data,” says Keith Jansa, Executive Director at the CIOSC. “We are excited to complement our joint expertise in health and social services, cyber security and data governance.”
“HSO is delighted to continue exploring and advancing opportunities for the development of future joint data governance and virtual healthcare standards,” says Kaye Phillips, Executive Director at HSO.
About the Health Standards Organization
Health Standards Organization (HSO) builds world-class standards, assessment programs and quality improvement solutions, used by accreditation bodies, governments, associations and others in Canada and around the world. Our standards are designed in partnership with clinicians, policy makers, technical experts and patients to ensure they provide people-centered, safe and reliable care. www.healthstandards.org
About the CIO Strategy Council
The CIO Strategy Council is Canada’s national forum that brings together the country’s most forward-thinking chief information officers and executive technology leaders to collectively mobilize on common digital priorities. Cutting across major sectors of the Canadian economy – public, private and not for profit – the Council harnesses the collective expertise and action of Canada’s CIOs to accelerate Canada’s digital transformation. In 2019, the Standards Council of Canada accredited the CIO Strategy Council to develop National Standards of Canada supporting the data-driven economy. www.ciostrategycouncil.com
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For more information:
Katie Gibson
Vice President, Strategy and Partnerships
CIO Strategy Council
katie.gibson@ciostrategycouncil.com