ePrescribing

A national ePrescribing standard in Canada refers to a shared, pan-Canadian set of technical, clinical, and security requirements that define how prescription information is created, structured, exchanged, and understood electronically across health systems.

Maintained by Canada Health Infoway, in partnership with provinces, territories, vendors, and other health system partners, the standard provides a common foundation that enables different electronic medical record systems, pharmacy systems, and digital health solutions to exchange prescription information in a consistent, secure, and interoperable way, regardless of vendor or setting.

The national ePrescribing standard is not a centrally operated service or technology platform. Rather, it is a standards-based framework that supports safe and trusted data exchange while allowing provinces and territories to implement ePrescribing in ways that align with local policies, clinical workflows, and system readiness.

This standards-based approach reflects Infoway’s broader Connected Care mandate and aligns with the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap, which emphasizes national consistency combined with jurisdiction-led implementation.

The national ePrescribing standard is publicly available to jurisdictions and vendors across Canada, enabling them to continue advancing ePrescribing in ways that align with local priorities, readiness, and implementation approaches.

To access the national ePrescribing standard, please join the ePrescribing Standards Working Group and follow the instructions outlined in the “Gaining Access to the Draft ePrescribing Standard” document found under the documents tab.