Lung screening in Canada, 2023-24
Information technology (IT) systems to support lung screening
Five provinces have provincial IT systems for lung screening. Of the five jurisdictions that have a provincial IT system, four have integrated the IT system with other screening programs and use it to support operationalizing the lung screening program and as a data repository.
Information technology systems to support lung screening
| P/T | Program has a provincial IT system for lung screening | IT system is integrated with other screening programs (e.g., colon, cervical, breast) | IT system is integrated with other health data systems (e.g., Hospital EHR, RIS, Population Registry) related to lung screening | IT system is used for operationalizing the lung screening program (e.g., to send reminders, recall, follow-up, etc.) | IT system is used as a data repository (e.g. storage and reporting) | Where is the IT system hosted (e.g., cloud-based, on local server)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NT | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NU | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Local server |
| AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Alberta Health Services (AHS) Connect Care — Epic Provincial Clinical Information System | |
| SK | Detailed IT system requirements under development | |||||
| MB | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ON* | ✓ | Cloud-based | ||||
| QC ^ | ✓ (RedCap) | Local server | ||||
| NB~ | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NS | ✓ | ✓ | IT system receives population registry information weekly | ✓ | ✓ | Local server |
| PE** | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Cloud-based |
*ON: Screening sites have their own HIS systems to collect data and are required to submit monthly data files to Ontario Health for evaluation and reporting purposes. In the future as part of program expansion, a provincial data submission portal will be implemented as the new data collection tool.
^QC: Currently working on establishing a single IT system for all cancer screening, including lung cancer screening.
~NB: Planning underway to expand NBCN’s existing cancer screening IT system to include capacity and functionality to support lung screening activities.
**PE: Investing in best options. Considering a locally built and supported program database for colorectal and cervical screening.