Organ Donation and Transplantation
Modernizing Organ Donation and Transplantation Data Management
Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), in collaboration with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), has developed the Organ Donation and Transplantation initiative to transform the way organ donation and transplanation data is managed across Canada. By modernizing data collection, reporting, and analysis, this initiative aims to streamline processes, improve data quality, and enhance system-wide collaboration. Through improved interoperability and efficiency, the ODT initiative will help ensure timely and accurate information, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and a more effective, transparent organ donation and transplantation system in Canada.
About Organ Donation and Transplantation
What is the Organ Donation and Transplantation initiative?
This initiative is a leading a pan-Canadian initiative to modernize the way that Organ Donation and Transplantation (ODT) data is collected, managed, and reported in Canada. It aims to address longstanding challenges by improving data quality, operational efficiency, system interoperability, and performance monitoring across the country.
Why is the Organ Donation and Transplantation initiative important?
The modernization of ODT data management is essential to creating a more efficient, transparent, and data-driven system in Canada. Currently, fragmented data systems, manual workflows, inconsistent data standards, and delays in reporting create barriers to effective organ matching, performance tracking, and system-wide planning. By advancing how ODT data is collected, shared, and analyzed, this initiative will benefit patients, clinicians, jurisdictions and digital health vendors.
Benefits
The ODT initiative brings a variety of benefits aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness of Canada's organ donation system. Benefits include:
For Clinicians
- Streamlined workflows – Reducing administrative burden and manual data entry.
- Faster, more informed decision-making – Enabling clinicians to access real-timetimelier, standardized patient data.
For Patients
- Improved waitlist management – Timelier organ matching and reduced wait times.
- Better access to real-time ODT data – Enhancing trust and transparency in the organ donation process.
For Jurisdictions
- Data-driven system planning – Improved national and provincial reporting to support performance benchmarking and continuous quality improvement.
For Vendors
- Clear, standardized data requirements – Supporting the development of interoperable digital health solutions.
- Opportunities for innovation – Contributing to a modernized, technology-enabled ODT landscape.
Explore CanODT
Learn how CanODT is shaping organ donation and transplantation.
Additional Information
What is Infoway Doing to Enable ODT Data Management Modernization?
Infoway, in partnership with CIHI, is advancing system-level improvements by:
- Implementing industry-leading data management solutions – Supporting the adoption of modern digital tools in organ donation organizations and transplant centres nationwide.
- Developing common data standards and integrating key ODT systems – Ensuring high-quality, interoperable data and efficient workflows across jurisdictions.
- Establishing a pan-Canadian ODT data system: "CanODT" – A national platform that enables timely, public, and secure performance reporting, improving transparency and accessibility of ODT data.
- Providing governance support for provinces and territories – Assisting jurisdictions in selecting and implementing nationally interoperable ODT solutions tailored to their needs.