Frequently Asked Questions about Certification
Q: What is Infoway Certification Services?
A:. Infoway Certification Services is comprised of a four-step process in which vendors demonstrate that their product can provide the privacy required to protect personal health information, grant secure access to authorized health care professionals and interoperate with the core elements of the EHRs being built by provinces and territories throughout Canada.
Infoway offers pre-implementation certification for the following technology classes:
- Client registry
- Consumer health application
- Consumer health platform
- Diagnostic Imaging (DI)
- Drug Information System (DIS)
- Immunization registry
- Provider registry
Q: Why should I consider applying for certification?
A: Infoway certification allows you to demonstrate your product’s conformance to pan-Canadian functionality, privacy, security, interoperability and management standards. The certification mark is a clear signal to potential buyers of health information technology solutions that certified products conform to these standards.
Q: How can I ensure my health information technology solution is likely to meet the certification criteria before I commit to the application process?
A: All of the assessment criteria against which your product will be assessed are available for review prior to making any certification commitments. Furthermore, Infoway will provide guidance to help you understand the self-assessment criteria and respond to any of your questions. If you decide to proceed, then you are required to complete a self-assessment as part of the Infoway application package. After completing the self-assessment you may decide to discontinue your application without incurring any penalty or cost.
Infoway wants you to be successful and encourages you to submit the application package, along with the non-refundable certification fee, once you are confident that your product complies with all of the stated criteria. Please keep in mind that 100 per cent compliance is required for certification.
Q: What are the criteria against which solutions will be assessed?
A: The standards used to create the Certification Service include:
- Functionality: Canada Health Infoway Electronic Health Record Privacy and Security Requirements.
- Privacy: Canada Health Infoway Electronic Health Record Infostructure (EHRi) Privacy & Security Conceptual Architecture; Government of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, (PIPEDA); The Canadian Standards Association’s Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information – CAN-CSA-Q830-03.
- Security: Canada Health Infoway Electronic Health Record Infostructure (EHRi) Privacy and Security Conceptual Architecture; The International Organization for Standardization’s Code of Practice for Information Security Management – ISO 17799:2005; The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems – NIST SP800-53; The USA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule.
- Interoperability: Canada Health Infoway pan-Canadian Standards and Conformance Profile Definitions for diagnostic imaging, laboratory, drug, shared health record and demographic information.
- Management: The IT Governance Institute Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT); The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
Q: How does the certification process work?
A: There are four steps involved in the certification process – apply, certify, assess and maintain.
Q: How long does it take to certify a product?
A: The certification process will be completed within 90 days of receipt of the completed Application Package.
Q: Are there fees involved?
A: Yes.
Infoway will charge fees for certification, recertification and reassessment. Fees are dependent on the technology class that is being certified.
Q: Does Infoway publish the names of the vendors that are going through certification?
A: The certification process is strictly confidential. Names of products and/or vendors are not published or otherwise made available by Infoway at any time during the process. Safeguards have been put into place such that the use and disclosure of all information submitted through the certification process including the product name, vendor, self-assessment and any supporting documentation provided during the process remains strictly confidential. In addition, the certification assessment team is bound by strict non-disclosure agreements. Infoway will only publish the names of products that have been successful in achieving certification.
Once a product has been certified details of that product will be posted on Infoway’s website.
Q: How do I demonstrate and market my certified product?
A: All certified products will receive a certification mark, which bears the Infoway logo. The certification mark can be used in marketing and promotional material related to the certified product. In addition, the product name will be posted on Infoway’s website.
Q: What products have been certified by Canada Health Infoway?
A: Certification Services was launched in February 2009. Certification is a 90-day process once an application (with a completed self–assessment) is received. Certified products are only listed on our website upon completion of the certification process.
Q: Where can I find further information?
A: Additional information will be supplied after registering your interest on the Infoway website at www.infoway-inforoute.ca/certificationservices. In addition, you may submit queries directly to certificationservices@infoway-inforoute.ca at any time.