With mounting pressure from growing demand, staffing shortages, and changing patient expectations, health care organizations across Canada face a pivotal question: Are we equipped to lead change — or are we waiting to be disrupted?

Digital transformation is more than a technological upgrade — it's a fundamental reimagining of how care is structured, delivered, and sustained. It requires bold leadership, organizational alignment, and a workforce empowered to drive innovation from within.

“Technology alone doesn’t drive change — people do,” says Peter Carr, associate professor in the department of Management Sciences and Engineering at the University of Waterloo. “Our goal is to empower professionals with the tools and frameworks to lead that change, not just react to it.”

The pressure for change is growing

Canada’s health care system is navigating profound and persistent challenges. Long-standing structural issues — from fragmented data systems to inefficient workflows and health inequities — have been exacerbated by the pandemic and rising system strain.

Technology alone can’t fix these problems, but when paired with visionary leadership, strategic investment, and thoughtful implementation, it becomes a powerful catalyst for scalable change.

 

Where digital transformation is driving results

1. Reinventing the role of electronic health records (EHRs): The next generation of EHRs is focused on storing information and connecting care. Organizations are moving toward unified platforms that integrate patient histories, lab results, referrals, and decision-support tools across departments and institutions. When EHRs are truly interoperable, they enable clinicians to act faster and with greater confidence. What’s emerging is a more patient-centric architecture that empowers teams to collaborate and enables patients to take a more active role in managing their care.
   
   
2. Remote monitoring extends care beyond the clinic: Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is bridging the gap between the clinic and the home. For patients with chronic conditions, wearable tech and mobile health platforms now offer a continuous feedback loop — collecting real-time data on vitals and systems, which can trigger interventions long before a hospital visit is needed. This shift doesn’t just improve outcomes. It reduces strain on in-person resources, enhances conveniences, and supports care continuity for rural or aging populations.
   
   
3. The virtual-first future of health care: Telemedicine isn’t just a temporary workaround — it’s fast becoming a core mode of delivery — but true transformation means moving from basic video calls to integrated, end-to-end digital care experiences. This includes triage bots, digital intake forms, asynchronous messaging, and connected diagnostics, which eliminate friction for both patients and providers. In this new model, care isn’t a place you go. It’s a service that meets you wherever you are.

 

Digital transformation as a strategic imperative

True transformation doesn’t come from experimenting with tools and technologies. It comes from rethinking how value is delivered across the health ecosystem.

Organizations that view digital transformation as a purely technical project often miss the opportunity — and the impact.

When it comes to digital transformation, success demands:

• A shared vision for innovation across clinical, administrative, and executive teams.
• Robust change management that fosters engagement, adaptability, and iteration.
• A deep commitment to inclusion and equity in design and implementation.
• Ongoing investment in learning and talent development — so teams are confident leading change.
  

 

Bridging the transformation gap through upskilling

One of the biggest risks in digital health transformation is failure — and not because the tech doesn’t work. Most transformation projects fail because organizations aren’t prepared to manage change. Globally, 70% of large-scale digital projects underdeliver or fail entirely, often due to poor planning, siloed decision-making, or a lack of internal buy-in.

That’s why Canada’s digital health strategy must include a learning and development strategy. Practical, future-focused programming is required to equip health professionals with tools to lead successful transformation projects — not just survive them.

WatSPEED’s Digital Transformation in Canadian Health Care program is built around the strategic frameworks needed to manage complex change, providing hands-on tools for evaluating and implementing digital health initiatives. With a focus on real-world application, the program is designed to empower participants with the knowledge they need to bring innovation directly into their organizations.

“What’s different about this program is that it focuses not just on understanding the technology, but on the process of implementation — the people, the strategy, and the systems that need to change alongside it,” says Carr, who is also the course author and instructor for WatSPEED’s Digital Transformation in Canadian Health Care program. “We’re helping leaders move from awareness to action, so they can walk away not just with insights, but with a real plan — and the confidence to implement it.”

Whether you're a clinical lead, administrator, or executive, this program gives you the skills to make digital transformation work for you, your organization, and the patients you serve.

 

Building the health systems we need

Canadian health care is at an inflection point. The tools are available. The urgency is clear. What’s needed now is execution.

Digital transformation is not about doing more with less — it’s about doing better with smarter systems, designed to meet the needs of a modern, diverse population. It’s about building a health system that’s not just resilient, but agile and adaptive, so that it can scale, evolve, and lead into the future.

“Digital transformation isn’t just about new tools — it’s about rethinking how we deliver value,” says Carr. “When you understand the systems, the strategy, and the people involved, you don’t just react to change — you shape it.”

Across hospitals, clinics, and health authorities, Canada’s current and future health care leaders are already engaging with new technologies. What they need is the confidence, structure, and support to shape that change and ensure it delivers on its promise.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CANADIAN HEALTH CARE