Getting started
Why are we conducting this survey?
The Survey on the Use of Digital Technologies by Health Care Providers (SUDTHCP) collects data from health care providers on their use of digital health systems, including whether they send and receive patient clinical information electronically and barriers to using digital health tools. The SUDTHCP also collects information on health care providers’ knowledge of digital health systems to measure their digital health literacy.
Results from this survey will be used to identify areas of improvement in modernizing the health care system and improving health care services for Canadians as set out in the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan.
Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.
Although voluntary, your participation is important so that the information collected is as accurate and complete as possible.
Other important information
Authorization and confidentiality
Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
Record linkages
To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.
Contact us if you have any questions or concerns about record linkage:
Email: infostats@statcan.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-877-949-9492
Mail:|
Chief Statistician of Canada
Statistics Canada
Attention of Director, Centre for Population Health Data
150 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
Demographics
Are you [First name] [Last name]?
- Yes
- No
- No, my name has changed
What is [your] date of birth?
- Year
- Month
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Day
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
What is [your] age?
What is [your] gender?
Gender refers to an individual’s personal and social identity as a man (or a boy), a woman (or a girl) or a person who is not exclusively a man (or a boy) or a woman (or a girl), for example, non-binary, agender, gender fluid, queer or Two-Spirit.
Is it:
- Man/Boy
- Woman/Girl
- Or please specify
Employment
Were you a health care worker in Canada at any time between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]
Select "Yes" if you worked at least one day between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]:
* for pay (wages, salary, etc.)
* in self-employment.
Select "No" if you:
* were away from work for the entire period for retirement, sick leave, parental leave, training, sabbatical, etc.
* did not have a job and were not self-employed
What was your occupation during the period between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]?
If you had multiple occupations, select the occupation in health care for which you worked for the most time between [January 1 and December 31, 2025].
- Nurse practitioner
- Registered nurse, registered psychiatric nurse, or nursing coordinator or supervisor
e.g., nurse clinician, public health nurse, clinical nurse specialist, etc.
- Physician: family physician or general practitioner
Include residents in training to become a family physician or a general practitioner; or family physicians with advanced training
- Physician: specialist
Include residents in training to become a specialist physician
- What is your specialty?
Specify your medical specialty
- Pharmacist
- None of the above
As [a nurse practitioner/a nurse/a general practitioner or family physician/a specialist physician/a pharmacist], did you provide direct patient care at any time between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]?
Direct patient care is to have physical or virtual contact with patients for the purpose of prevention, assessment, diagnosis, monitoring of their physical and mental health and treatment, including dispensing medication.
Job environment
The following questions refer to your experiences as [a nurse practitioner/a nurse/a general practitioner or family physician/a specialist physician/a pharmacist] at your primary practice setting between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]. Your primary practice setting is the specific health care facility where you worked the most hours between [January 1 and December 31, 2025].
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], what was your primary practice setting?
* if you worked at multiple settings as [a nurse practitioner/a nurse/a general practitioner or family physician/a specialist physician/a pharmacist], please think of the setting at which you worked the most hours and provided patient care
* if you practiced at multiple settings equally, please think of the practice setting you provided patient care on the last working day you had
* if you worked virtually for most of your practice, select the corresponding virtual practice.
- Primary care or family medicine office or clinic
Include nurse practitioner-led office or clinic
- Specialist office or clinic
Exclude offices or clinics located in a hospital
- Hospital setting
Include in-patient care or ambulatory clinics in a hospital or specialized medical or health facility that has in-patient care, e.g., rehabilitation centre, mental health or addictions treatment centre, cancer centre or birth centre
- Community or public health centre, clinic or unit
Include centres that provide primary health or health promotion services to individuals, families or communities, such as community health centres or local community service centres (CLSC)
- Long-term care facility, nursing home, seniors' residence or retirement home, or special care home
- Homecare establishment
Include establishments for home-based nursing care or home-based palliative care
- Laboratory or diagnostic clinic
- Pharmacy
- Other
What was the province or territory of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
If you worked in a fully virtual setting, select the province or territory in which you provided care.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
What was the postal code of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Refer to your primary practice setting's postal code.
- Postal code
Example: A9A 9A9
Patient clinical information
The following questions refer to your experiences working as [a nurse practitioner/a nurse/a general practitioner or family physician/a specialist physician/a pharmacist] at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting].
Patient clinical information could include prescriptions, consultation and clinic notes, hospital discharge summaries, medication summaries, allergies and intolerances, immunizations, procedures or surgical history, medical devices, lab and diagnostic results and requisitions, referrals, vital signs and other types of clinical information.
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], did you have access to any patient clinical information at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Sharing patient information
The following questions refer to your experiences working with digital health systems at the [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting] between [January 1 and December 31, 2025].
Digital health systems are internal or external applications, platforms or software that allow for documenting, sending or sharing patient clinical information.
Some examples of digital health systems include Electronic Medical Records (EMR), provincial or territorial Electronic Health Records (EHR), Hospital Information Systems (HIS), Clinical Information Systems (CIS) and Pharmacy Management Software (PMS). Specific examples may include MEDITECH, Epic, Cerner, CristalNet, Open Architecture Clinical Information System (OACIS), ClinicalViewer, Dossier Santé Québec (DSQ), Netcare. For the purposes of this survey, faxes, electronic faxes (e-fax), standard email, video conferencing platforms or telephones are not considered digital health systems.
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], did you have access to one or more digital health systems at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems.
The following question is about the use of a digital health system between [January 1 and December 31, 2025].
Which of the following methods did you use to send or share patient clinical information with health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems and patient clinical information.
Select all that apply.
- Entering or updating patient clinical information in a system that allows access by health care providers
- Flagging or sending a notification that patient clinical information is available to health care providers
- Sending or sharing patient clinical information through a digital health system via secure email or secure messaging
- Sending or sharing patient clinical information through a digital health system via fax or e-fax
OR
- I was not able to send or share patient clinical information using the methods above outside of my primary practice setting
OR
- I did not need to send or share patient clinical information outside of my primary practice setting
For the following questions, only consider sending or sharing patient clinical information electronically through a digital health system. Please exclude fax or e-fax even if sent through a digital health system.
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], how often did you use a digital health system when sending or sharing patient clinical information to health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Exclude fax or e-fax even if sent through a digital health system.
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems and patient clinical information.
- Always
- Often
- Sometimes
- Rarely
To which of the following health care settings did you use a digital health system as the primary method of sending or sharing patient clinical information?
Exclude fax or e-fax even if sent through a digital health system.
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems and patient clinical information.
Select all that apply.
- Primary care or family medicine office or clinic
Include nurse practitioner-led office or clinic.
- Specialist office or clinic
Exclude offices or clinics located in the hospital.
- Community or public health centre, clinic, or unit
Include centres that provide primary health or health promotion services to individuals, families, or communities, such as community health centres or local community service centres (CLSC).
- Long-term care facility, nursing home, seniors' residence or retirement home, or special care home
- Homecare establishment
Include establishments for home-based nursing care or home-based palliative care.
- Laboratory or diagnostic clinic
- Pharmacy
- Hospital setting
Include in-patient care or ambulatory clinics in a hospital or specialized medical or health facility that has in-patient care, e.g., rehabilitation centre, mental health or addictions treatment centre, cancer centre or birth centre.
- Other
OR
- Did not use a digital health system as the primary method of sending or sharing patient clinical information
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], which of the following barriers did you experience that limited or prevented you from sending or sharing patient clinical information to health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting] using digital health systems?
Select all that apply.
- Digital health systems did not have the ability to send or share patient clinical information electronically to health care providers that work outside of my practice setting
e.g., digital health system can only share using fax or e-fax
- Insufficient training on use of digital health systems
- Reluctant to share patient clinical information because of privacy concerns
- Available digital health systems did not meet my clinical practice needs
- Insufficient integration between different digital health systems
e.g., cannot send information directly from one digital health system to another
- Required equipment was not available
e.g., workstations, mobile devices
- Lacked the required permissions to access digital heath systems
- Time-consuming or multiple sign-ins required to access digital health systems
- Non-user-friendly digital health systems
e.g., complicated interface, very complex system
- Systems or networks weren't available or reliable
e.g., data disappearing or unstable internet connections
- Insufficient IT support to use the digital health system
- Other
- Please specify the other barrier to sharing information
OR
- Did not experience any barriers to sending or sharing patient information using digital health systems
Using patient information
The following questions are about patient clinical information that you have received or is available to you through a digital health system from other health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]. This may include internal or external systems to which you have access.
Which of the following methods did you receive or access the patient clinical information through a digital health system?
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems and patient clinical information.
Select all that apply.
- Accessing patient clinical information that has been entered or updated in a system by health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]
- Receiving a flag or a notification that patient clinical information is available by health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting] for the care of your patient
- Receiving patient clinical information via secure email or secure messaging through a digital health system from health care providers that work outside of your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]
- Receiving patient clinical information via fax or e-fax that is scanned or copied into your digital health system
OR
- Did not receive or access patient clinical information through any of these methods
For the following question, only consider patient clinical information that you have received or is available to you directly through a digital health system. Please exclude patient clinical information received via fax or e-fax that was scanned or copied into your digital health system.
For the following question consider limitations in the digital health systems that may have limited the frequency in which you accessed this information. For example, time-consuming or multiple sign-ins required to access systems, insufficient integration between different systems, non-user-friendly systems, etc.
Thinking about patient clinical information available to you from other health care providers through a digital health system, were there any times that you did not access the information due to the digital health system limitations?
Note: Press the help button (?) for more information on digital health systems and patient clinical information.
How often did you not access the information due to limitations?
- Always
- Often
- Sometimes
- Rarely
Between [January 1 and December 31, 2025], which of the following barriers limited or prevented you from accessing patient clinical information you received through a digital health system?
Select all that apply.
- Insufficient training on use of digital health systems
- Insufficient integration between different systems
e.g., I could not open the patient clinical information delivered to my digital health system
- Required equipment was not available
e.g., workstations, mobile devices
- Lacked the required permissions to access digital health systems
- Time-consuming or multiple sign-ins required to access systems
- Non-user-friendly systems
e.g., complicated interface, very complex system
- Systems or networks weren't available or reliable
e.g., data disappearing or unstable internet connections
- Insufficient IT support to use the system
- Other
- Please specify the other barrier for accessing patient clinical information you received or had access to
OR
- Did not experience any barriers accessing patient clinical information received through a digital health system
Digital health literacy
The following questions are about your eHealth or digital health skills and experiences, such as the use of digital health technology and other technologies related to health that involve patient care. Answer the questions based on your experiences with digital health technology during working days between [January 1 and December 31, 2025] at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting].
Questions are part of the e-Health Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ Staff version). The eHLQ is copyrighted, access and use of the questions are only available with permission from the authors. Copyright © 2018 Richard Osborne (r.osborne@latrobe.edu.au) and Lars Kayser (lk@sund.ku.dk)
Thinking about digital health technology please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
Please respond to the following statements based on your experiences with IT systems between [January 1 and December 31, 2025] at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting].
Technology represents all devices that can be used to access data or handle information digitally. Technology is also the digital services offered by the health care system. Examples are internet, website, health apps, sensors, monitoring machines, computers, laptops, mobile phones, smart phones, tablets and smart watches.
For the following questions digital health systems means IT systems that you encounter during the working day. Examples are online health records, health apps, Medicare website and apps, private health insurance websites, health care provider's website and prescription apps.
Services are any type of care provided to patient with the purpose of prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of their physical and mental health.
- I am sure that the patients' health data are being used only by those who are supposed to use it
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Technology makes the patients feel actively involved with their health
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Information about the patients' health are always available to those who need it
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- At my workplace, services are available that I can access through technology
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- The patients' electronic health care data are being stored safely
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I have a clear understanding of how health care providers use data
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- The patients' health data are available to me wherever I am
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I find that technology helps me to assist the patients in taking care of their health
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I am sure that only authorized people can access the patients' health data
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- All the digital health systems I use work together
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I find that patients receive better services from health professionals when technology is used
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Technology improves my communication with the patients
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Most of the health care providers can be accessed through technology
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I am confident that health care providers use the patients' data appropriately
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I have access to digital health systems that work
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- I find technology useful for monitoring the patients' health
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
Province
In which province or territory were you living during the majority of your time working as a health care provider between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]?
Consider the place you lived in for the longest period of time between [January 1 and December 31, 2025]?
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Labour market activities
Were you an employee or self-employed between [January 1 and December 31, 2025] at your [office or clinic/hospital/center or clinic/residential care home/homecare establishment/laboratory or diagnostic clinic/pharmacy/center or clinic/primary practice setting]?
Select "Employee" if you worked:
* for pay (wages, salary, etc.).
Select "Self-Employed" if you worked:
* for your own business or professional practice
* as an independent contractor, health care provider, etc.
How many years have you been working as [a nurse practitioner/a nurse/a general practitioner or family physician/a specialist physician/a pharmacist]?
Include years of residency if applicable.
Number of years
- Less than 1 year
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20 or more
Administrative information
To avoid duplication of surveys, Statistics Canada has signed agreements to share the data from this survey with provincial and territorial ministries of health. Provincial ministries of health may make the data available to local health authorities. Data shared with your ministry of health may also include identifiers such as name, address and telephone number. Local health authorities, would receive only survey responses and the postal code. These organizations have agreed to keep the data confidential and use it only for statistical purposes.
To avoid duplication of surveys, Statistics Canada has signed agreements to share the data from this survey with provincial and territorial ministries of health and the Institut de la statistique du Québec. The Institut de la statistique du Québec and provincial ministries of health may make this data available to local health authorities. Data shared with your ministry of health or the Institut de la statistique du Québec may also include identifiers such as name, address and telephone number. Local health authorities, would receive only survey responses and the postal code.
These organizations have agreed to keep the data confidential and use it only for statistical purposes.
Do you agree to share the data that you have provided?
