Digital Health Canada members from the Saskatchewan region gathered at the Delta Hotels Regina on Thursday, November 13 to discuss the importance of digital health innovation across Saskatchewan.

David Matear, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health, Government of Saskatchewan opened the day by sharing Saskatchewan’s Digital Health Strategy. The session highlighted the province’s bold vision for digital health, outlining priorities for building a system that is more patient-centered, integrated, and sustainable.

The keynote was followed by a Digital Health Executive Team Discussion featuring perspectives from multiple regional leaders with a focus on collaboration, culture change, and confidence in the new strategic direction. Participants includeed David Matear, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health, Government of Saskatchewan, Dr. Christo Lotz, Assistant Professor Department Family Medicine USASK, SMA Chair EMR Comanagement and family physician, Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), Michelle Mula, Vice President, Quality, Safety & Information and Chief Information Officer, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Dr. Jenny Basran, Deputy Chief Medical Officer – Quality, Safety and Information, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Kevin Belitski, Patient Family Partner, Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, Dr. Shazia Mahmood, Radiation Oncologist and Vice President Medical Services, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, and Zen Tharani, CEO, Xenex Consulting (Moderator).

Both the Opening Keynote and Digital Health Executive Team Panel were introduced by SK25 Title Sponsor representative, Elliot Desilets, Director Government Relationships, Petal Health.

After the morning session, one of the patient partners shared that they felt truly safe to speak up and that they have not been to a conference where the word “patient” was used so many times and with so much intention. That meant a lot and it captures the spirit of the work we are all trying to do. – Zen Tharani, CEO, Xenex Consulting

The Digital Health Executive Team Panel Discussion was followed by an interactive Engagement Session on Saskatchewan’s Digital Health Strategy that produced a signed Pledge to Deliver Activity and crowd-sourced lists of Headwinds and Tailwinds and Hopes and Dreams.

The afternoon opened with an exploration of how a provincial booking system can bridge the gap between patients and programs, creating smoother, more accessible pathways to care. Panellists in Digital Literacy & Patient Empowerment: Connecting Seamlessly Through a Provincial Booking System shared real-world lessons on digital literacy, equity, and the role of technology in building trust and confidence among patients. Participants in this session included Brenda Andreas, Patient Family Advisor, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Alison Hamilton, Co-Founder and Director, Humans.Inspired.Inc., Vince Salamon, Strategy and Innovation Specialist, Saskatchewan Health Authority, and Shelagh Maloney, CEO, Digital Health Canada (Moderator).

Events like these are a great way to share ideas, strengthen partnerships, and keep pushing forward on digital health transformation across the Prairies. – Jolanta Gronowski, QHR Technologies

Next, the afternoon keynote session, Partnering with Indigenous Communities to Advance Virtual Healthcare, explored innovative approaches that respect cultural values, strengthen partnerships, and create pathways toward more equitable, community-driven healthcare solutions. This session was presented by Stacey Lovo, Associate Professor and Director of Virtual Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, University of Saskatchewan and Virtual Health Hub, Briana Bowes, Program and Research Coordinator, Virtual Health Hub, and Elder and Knowledge Keeper Shirley Wolfe-Keller. The talk was moderated by Shelagh Maloney.

Days like this remind me how much potential we have to move digital health forward when policy leaders, clinicians, industry, and partners come together with a shared purpose. – Kevin Jones, CANImmunize

The afternoon closed with Practical Use of AI in Healthcare Settings, featuring a live AI scribe demonstration that captured doctor–patient interaction in real time. Speakers unpacked the learnings from this technology, explored other AI-enabled tools, and heard how AI is being scaled nationally. The panel included Dr. Ebenezer Adediji, Family Physician, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Dr. Jay Kalra, Professor, University of Saskatchewan and Royal University Hospital, Stephen Lee, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan, Trevor Tessier, Vice President of Business Development, BDM Healthware Inc. (Moderator) and Kaitlyn Hebert, Spark Advisory Collective (Moderator).