e-Health26 brought together Canada's digital health community in Halifax for one of the country's most important conversations about the future of healthcare. More than 1,400 healthcare leaders, clinicians, policymakers, technology providers, and innovators gathered to explore how data, interoperability, AI, governance, and emerging technologies can improve health and healthcare delivery across Canada.
Members of the Stratford team, including Sarah Ormon, Rana Chreyh, Asiya Shams, and Cassie Frazer, attended this year's conference to learn from the organizations and individuals shaping digital health across the country. Beyond the packed agenda and sold-out exhibit hall, what stood out most was the energy surrounding the event. Halifax embraced the conference, and attendees embraced Halifax in return. The atmosphere reflected a shared sense of optimism about the future of healthcare, despite the significant challenges that remain.
While the sessions covered a wide range of topics, several common themes emerged. We have collected our observations below, along with a few insights that may be useful for organizations navigating their own digital health initiatives.
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achieving meaningful interoperability requires a stronger foundation of common data standards, shared frameworks, and enabling legislation that supports the secure and consistent exchange of health information across jurisdictions.
While significant progress has been made, there was broad recognition that organizations must continue to "double down" on these foundational elements to create a truly interconnected health system. Without consistent standards and governance, even the most advanced technologies cannot deliver seamless information sharing or the coordinated care that patients and providers expect.
The message was clear: interoperability is not solely a technology challenge. It is a shared commitment to creating the policies, standards, and partnerships that allow data to move securely and effectively where it is needed most.
From Custodianship to Stewardship
Another recurring theme was the growing emphasis on data stewardship. Rather than viewing organizations as custodians responsible primarily for protecting data, many speakers described a shift toward stewardship models that balance privacy and security with the responsible use of health information to improve care, advance research, and support innovation.
This evolution recognizes that trusted data sharing is essential to realizing the full value of Canada's health data. Effective stewardship creates the governance, accountability, and public trust needed to enable collaboration across organizations while supporting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
One particularly thought-provoking session, Data for Good, featuring representatives from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Genomics England/NHS, and Verosource, explored how organizations should approach connecting health data.
The discussion centred on an important question: should organizations begin by connecting data and then identify opportunities for its use, or should they first define the problems they are trying to solve and connect only the data required?
The panel offered complementary perspectives. One emphasized leading with clearly defined use cases to ensure data initiatives deliver measurable value, while another noted that advances in AI are reducing the cost and complexity of connecting data, creating opportunities to uncover new insights and use cases that may not have been anticipated.
Perhaps the most important takeaway was that these approaches are not mutually exclusive. Organizations will need both a clear understanding of business value and a stewardship model that enables data to be shared responsibly, securely, and with the flexibility to support future innovation.
The Real Challenge Isn't Technology
Taken together, these conversations pointed to a broader realization: technology is no longer the primary challenge. Topics such as interoperability, data stewardship, workforce challenges, digital transformation, and health system modernization have been on the healthcare agenda for years.
The conversations were important and strategic, but many attendees acknowledged a common challenge: progress often slows during implementation. Technology solutions continue to evolve, yet translating priorities into measurable outcomes remains difficult.
Success will depend on the ability to move from vision to execution through sustained follow-through, clear accountability, and coordinated action across organizations. Ambitious strategies require practical roadmaps, stakeholder alignment, and the operational discipline to maintain momentum over time.
Looking Beyond Borders
One way organizations can accelerate execution is by learning from jurisdictions that have already solved similar problems.
Another standout session explored international approaches to developing core data standards for interoperability. Speakers from Canada and Australia shared how countries are working together to understand differences in their approaches while advancing common goals around data exchange and interoperability.
The session reinforced an important lesson: healthcare organizations do not need to solve every challenge independently. Valuable insights, proven frameworks, and successful models already exist around the world and can help accelerate progress here at home.
Our Take
e-Health26 demonstrated that healthcare organizations have no shortage of ideas, innovation, or technology. The opportunity now is turning those ideas into measurable outcomes that improve patient care, strengthen health systems, and create lasting value.
At Stratford, many of the conversations we had reinforced the importance of bridging strategy and execution. Whether through strategic planning, governance, organizational alignment, change management, or implementation support, organizations continue to seek practical ways to move important initiatives forward.
Events like e-Health provide valuable opportunities to learn from healthcare leaders across Canada and around the world. We left Halifax encouraged by the momentum, collaboration, and commitment we saw across the sector. The path ahead will require focus, partnership, and sustained execution, but the conversations taking place across the country suggest that meaningful progress is possible.
If we connected at the conference, we would welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation.
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