This year marks a major milestone for Digital Health Canada: 50 years as a national leader in shaping the digital health ecosystem.

Since its inception in 1975, Digital Health Canada has been at the forefront of digital transformation in Canadian healthcare, advancing innovation, supporting professionals, and strengthening the digital health landscape. The organization connects people and ideas across disciplines, inspires members through education and advocacy, and empowers individuals and organizations to build a digitally enabled healthcare system. Whether through national conferences, certifications, or thought leadership and mentorship, Digital Health Canada has consistently created and supported spaces where innovation thrives and impact is accelerated.

About Digital Health Canada

Digital Health Canada is a member-supported not-for-profit professional association with approximately 7,000 members across the country. Members represent a wide range of sectors including healthcare, technology, government, academia, consulting, insurance, and startups. Together, they form a national community committed to improving health outcomes through digital innovation.

50 years of leadership. What’s next?

Over the past half a century, Digital Health Canada has helped define the digital health profession in Canada. It has convened stakeholders to shape national conversations, influenced policy through position papers and public engagement, and helped professionals build core competencies in health informatics.

Key accomplishments include:

• Shaping national policy through participation in advisory groups and position statements on digital health issues
• Creating educational and networking opportunities, including the annual e-Health Conference, Canada’s largest digital health conference
• Launching the CHIEF (Canada’s Health Informatics Executive Forum) community, a leadership hub for advancing system-wide solutions

Looking forward, Digital Health Canada’s top priorities focus on excellence for members, acting for equity, and leadership in the industry. Through their work, Digital Health Canada members are involved in:

• Promoting interoperability and data governance to improve system-wide coordination
• Nurturing an AI-literate workforce to enable the responsible integration of digital health technologies
• Advocating for equity and digital inclusion for providers and patients across Canada
• Supporting students and early career professionals with tools and networks to succeed in the industry

As CEO Shelagh Maloney says, “We’re not just celebrating 50 years of history—we’re building the foundation for the next 50.”

What skills are in demand in digital health?

As healthcare increasingly intersects with data science, engineering, and design thinking, the skills required to thrive in digital health are constantly evolving. Today’s digital health professionals need to be multidisciplinary thinkers who can navigate complex systems, solve real world challenges, be flexible, and lead through change. Some of the most in-demands skills in digital health include:

• Information management and data governance
• Health informatics and clinical systems design
• Project management and change leadership
• Cybersecurity, privacy, and ethical data use
• AI and machine learning literacy for healthcare applications
• Health systems knowledge with the ability to navigate policy, regulation, and healthcare workflows

These skill sets are not confined to one faculty or career path. Students in health sciences, engineering, computer science, public health, business, and even social sciences all bring valuable perspectives to the digital health table.

McMaster University and the MSc eHealth Program

One example of Digital Health Canada’s influence on education and workforce development is the MSc eHealth program at McMaster University. Founded in 2008 and modelled after the first iteration of Digital Health Canada’s Health Informatics Professional (HIP) Core Competencies, the program is uniquely interdisciplinary, co-facilitated by the Faculties of Health Sciences, Business, and Engineering.

From the start, the program’s curriculum, experiential learning, and evaluation methods have been informed by Digital Health Canada’s Core Competency framework. Students are immersed in practical projects that build fluency across clinical, technical, and business domains.

As Margaret Leyland, an alumnus and now staff member of the eHealth program recalls: “Attending Digital Health Canada conferences in 2003 and 2005 sparked my passion for this field. When McMaster launched the MSc eHealth program, I joined the first cohort— now, I help students apply those same competencies in internships supported by employer partners from all sectors, including start-ups, primary and community care organizations through to provincial and federal agencies.”

The impact of McMaster’s eHealth educational model and the real-world impact of Digital Health Canada’s vision is exemplified through the careers of some of its graduates:

• Nick Gnidziejko works at the forefront of healthcare innovation as the Director, Specialized Care at the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). He oversees a portfolio of complex projects aimed at modernizing how health data is managed, visualized, and delivered to stakeholders. Nick’s team has successfully launched cloud-based analytics platforms and reporting tools, helping drive strategic insight and decision-making at scale.
• Danika Voisin, VP, People & Corporate Services at Amplify Care, brings a hybrid lens of health science and informatics to digital transformation projects. Danika and her team lead transformative initiatives at local, provincial, and federal levels, helping to shape more connected, patient-centered healthcare systems across Canada.
• McMaster University researcher, educator and PhD candidate Rita Jezrawi is passionate about shaping the future of health systems through education and innovation while bridging the gap between research and policy. Her work focuses on strengthening reflective practice among students and helping future professionals connect clinical, technical, and human perspectives in digital health.

McMaster University maintains a Digital Health Canada Academic Membership, participates in Digital Health Canada conferences, and encourages students to present research at national events.

Why does it matter to you?

As one of Canada’s top research universities and a leader in health education, McMaster is uniquely positioned to prepare the next generation of digital health innovators and leaders. From the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Biomedical Discovery programs to Engineering, eHealth, and Health Policy, Mac students are already contributing to projects that transform how healthcare is delivered.

Digital Health Canada offers students a powerful platform to elevate that impact.

Digital Health Canada Student membership benefits include

•  Access to professional development, including webinars and online courses
• Networking opportunities with top professionals and organizations across Canada either in person at events or online in the Digital Health Community
• A national platform to showcase ideas, research, and early innovations

If you’re a student curious about healthcare and technology, now is the time to explore the possibilities.

Here’s how to start:

• Join Digital Health Canada as a student member for discounted access to events and resources
• Attend the annual e-Health Conference to hear from the leaders shaping the healthcare ecosystem
• Participate in digital health hackathons, many of which are open to students
• Take a course or workshop in health informatics or digital transformation
• Network with faculty mentors and alumni who are active in the field

Visit digitalhealthcanada.com to learn more, or talk to your program coordinator about how to get involved.

Looking ahead: the next 50 years might start with you.

Digital Health Canada’s 50th anniversary is a moment to celebrate and a call to action. Whether you’re on the frontline providing care, designing an app, analyzing health data, or reimagining access to care, your contributions matter. And with organizations like Digital Health Canada in your corner, you will be powered by purpose, collaboration, and innovation.

Happy Anniversary, Digital Health Canada. The future is in good hands.