This IDC study presents our forecast for the Canadian healthcare information technology (IT) market for 2008–2012. On an annual basis, Canada continues to spend a significant amount of money on healthcare — 10.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) and more than C$4,867 per person in 2007 — and this is expected to continue to increase. Hospitals account for more than 30% of this investment, and Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments are seeking ways to redefine delivery and funding models in order to improve patient care and reduce wait times while containing costs.

According to Jan Duffy, senior healthcare analyst, IDC Canada, "There are no significant healthcare IT investment inhibitors at the macroeconomic level, but the current environment does present some challenges. Radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless technologies, and Health 2.0 are making their mark in the healthcare space, but clinical information systems, electronic health record solutions, and patient and employee management systems are still considered to be of great importance. The healthcare marketplace can be a difficult one to penetrate and sell to successfully, but with the right partnerships, selling propositions, and of course products that support healthcare priorities, there is enormous potential for IT vendors to contribute to the healthcare transformation process."