Tania Tajirian is CHIO and Chief of Hospital Medicine at CAMH.
What is motivating you to join the CHIEF Executive Forum Advisory Committee?
With over a decade of leadership in health informatics, a strong commitment to innovation, and a proven ability to foster collaboration, I am motivated to continue contributing meaningfully to the CHIEF Executive Forum Advisory Committee as I seek a second term ( Public Sector). I bring a unique perspective through my dual roles as the inaugural Chief Health Information Officer (CHIO) and Chief of Hospital Medicine at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as well as my academic appointment as an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.
In my role as CHIO, I led the development of a clinically driven, research-informed strategy to reduce the documentation burden on physicians—a model that has since inspired national efforts to ease documentation demands for healthcare professionals across Canada. As Chief of Hospital Medicine, my work focuses on integrating physical and mental healthcare, leveraging informatics to drive system-level improvements, and advancing equitable healthcare delivery. I believe my experience and passion align closely with CHIEF’s mission to build a strong national digital health community, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue supporting this important work.
What unique skills, perspectives and contributions would you bring to the Advisory Committee?
At CAMH, I have been a driving force behind digital transformation, as the leading physician of the organization to achieve and maintain HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 accreditation—initially in 2017, with two successful revalidations since. My work has centered on strategically optimizing electronic health records (EHRs) to elevate the quality of patient care while reducing clinician burden, ensuring technology enhances rather than hinders clinical workflows. I also spearheaded the development of a Physician Engagement Strategy, which was nationally recognized as a leading practice by the Health Standards Organization (HSO), reflecting my commitment to building meaningful, sustainable clinician partnerships in digital health initiatives.
Internationally, I have contributed thought leadership through invited presentations at HIMSS and AMIA conferences and active participation in their working groups. These platforms have allowed me to shape conversations around digital health innovation, implementation, and evaluation on a global scale. As an Associate Professor at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and an Associate Scientist at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, I have consistently championed interdisciplinary collaboration with all stakeholders. My academic work focuses on embedding data-driven approaches into clinical care, improving outcomes, and advancing equity across diverse patient populations.
Further, I regularly engage with national stakeholders through presentations with Digital Health Canada, facilitation of CHIEF symposiums, and currently as Co-Chair of the CHIEF Advisory Group. I am also leading the current working group AI in Action: Insights on Clinical Adoption in Canada, where we aim to help guide the strategic national implementation of AI to ensure it is ethically, effectively, and equitably integrated into clinical practice.