Electronic health records (EHRs) play a prominent role in healthcare delivery within the U.S. However, EHR utilization is common outside of the U.S. as well. In Canada, the majority of hospitals have adopted an EHR system. Overall, EHR systems—also known as electronic medical record (EMR) systems— help healthcare organizations to securely and digitally manage patient data, resulting in more coordinated patient care across the healthcare continuum.
Below, we compiled a list of EHR vendors in Canadian hospitals. Read on to learn how the Canadian healthcare technology landscape compares to the U.S.’
What is an EHR vendor?
An EHR vendor is a company that provides an electronic health record (EHR) product. An EHR is a digital patient record. EHRs can be shared amongst healthcare providers and organizations. They often contain information such as medical history, medication, and immunizations, which helps physicians make medical decisions.
Top utilized EHR systems in Canada
| Rank | Vendor | Canada hospital EHR market share (%) |
| 1 | MEDITECH | 29.7% |
| 2 | Epic Systems Corporation | 23.6% |
| 3 | Oracle Cerner | 9.7% |
| 4 | Altera Digital Health, a Harris Company | 5.2% |
| 5 | Logibec | 2.2% |
| 6 | Purkinje | 2.0% |
| 7 | Telus Health | 2.0% |
| 8 | Harris | 1.6% |
| 9 | Proprietary software | 0.9% |
| 10 | Veradigm Inc. | 0.7% |
Fig. 1 Data from Definitive Healthcare via the Canadian Institute for Health Information and proprietary sources. Includes inpatient implementations. For this reason, some hospitals may be counted twice. Data accessed January 2024.
Which EMR systems are used in Canada?
MEDITECH is the leading provider of EHR systems in Canadian hospitals, with 165 installations and a 29.7% market share. Following in second is Epic, with 131 installations and a 23.6% market share. In third is Oracle Cerner, with 54 installations and a 9.7% market share.
Technology shortage in Canadian healthcare
Electronic health records (EHRs) have become a crucial tool in modern healthcare, and Canada is no exception. While most hospitals have adopted some form of EHR system in Canada, the landscape is still evolving with variations in deployment, user acceptance, and functionality. Interestingly, about 100 Canadian hospitals report no inpatient EHR system. This could be partially due to the high up-front costs of implementing one.
Canadian vs. American healthcare technology
The data representing EHR vendors in Canadian hospitals is quite distinct from the U.S. healthcare market. The leading providers of EHR systems in U.S. hospitals are Epic, which holds about 38% of the market share, followed by Oracle Cerner, with nearly 22% of the market share. MEDITECH holds about 13% of the EHR vendor market in the U.S., a far cry from the nearly 30% market share it holds in Canada. And, according to Definitive Healthcare data, MEDITECH outperforms Epic in the Canadian market.
Learn more
Want even more insights? Start a free trial now and get access to the latest healthcare commercial intelligence on hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
You might also be interested in...
