ARCHIVED - Health Infostructure Support Program (HISP)

• Funded Projects
• Related Publication
  • Information and Communications Technologies for Better Health

The HISP was established in March 1998 and completed by December 2000. It supported efforts to test and assess the use of new information technologies and applications in the health field through pilot projects in areas such as public health, health surveillance, pharmacare, First Nations health, homecare and telehealth. It was open to non-profit, non-government groups and organizations in Canada.

The HISP was a shared-cost contribution program with support being provided on a matching, one-time basis not to exceed 50 percent of the total budget of each project, up to a maximum of $500,000.

Health Canada received 120 proposals seeking $31 million in financial support. These proposals underwent an initial screening by Health Canada officials based on mandatory criteria. Following this initial screening, a team of external reviewers evaluated the proposals according to other stringent criteria. Finally, an independent review board, made up of representatives from the health sciences and information technology sectors, then assessed the eligible proposals and recommended to the Minister of Health that 36 projects be funded.

These 36 pilot projects were conducted by 33 non-profit, non-governmental groups and organizations in the health sector. The federal government provided $8.7 million while private sector financial support in excess of $2.25 million was committed to the applicants. Private sector participants included IBM, Bristol Myers Squibb, Stentor, SaskTel and Videotron.

For more on the projects, please see the list or consult Information and Communications Technologies for Better Health, February 2000.