Health data and information governance and capability framework

July 30, 2020 — In Canada’s health systems, governance of data and information is critical. Strong data and information governance ensures that data is timely, trusted and fit-for-purpose on a sustained basis.

To help health organizations get started on a data and information governance path, we’ve produced CIHI’s Health Data and Information Governance and Capability Framework and companion toolkits. These documents contain foundational knowledge, a checklist of capabilities and guides for performing internal and network-based assessments.

After completing these assessments, organizations can create a plan that, once implemented, allows them to better govern their data and information, both individually and collectively along data supply chains.

Organizations looking to share data and realize its strategic value can use the framework and companion toolkits to

• Evaluate their current health data and information governance capabilities through an organization or network self-assessment
• Gain context through questions on strategic planning and operational oversight
• Create a target or ideal state that will meet the needs of the organization now and in the future
• Develop an effective and practical action plan to achieve those targets, including prioritizing areas that need improvement
• Help networks of organizations understand where alignment is necessary to achieve common goals

The framework also provides a common language so that organizations can exchange leading practices and share lessons learned.