AI-enabled clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSS) promise to improve clinical workflows, reduce administrative burden, and help clinicians apply evidence-based care at the point of care. Yet questions remain about their real-world value, integration with clinical workflows, and the legal and regulatory issues with AI-CDSS at this point in time.
This webinar presents findings from three complementary analyses conducted through the Evidence2Practice (E2P) AI Discovery initiative: a market analysis of the AI-CDSS ecosystem, an evaluation of the value proposition for primary care clinicians, and a legislative and policy review of the regulatory landscape in Ontario. Together, these insights offer a comprehensive view of the opportunities, risks, and practical considerations shaping the future of AI-enabled clinical decision support in Canadian primary care.
Presented by:
Dr. Ali Damji, Clinical Lead, Digital Implementation of Quality Initiatives at Ontario Health
Dr. Ali Damji is a Family Physician and Addiction Medicine Specialist with extensive expertise in quality improvement, care redesign, and performance measurement in primary care. His work focuses on advancing practical approaches that translate evidence into real-world improvements in clinical practice and patient outcomes, particularly through the integration of digital tools and innovative models of care.
Dr. Damji is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto, where he serves as the Primary Care Collaborative Partnerships Lead. In this role, he works to strengthen partnerships across health systems, academia, and clinical practice to support the implementation of high-impact primary care initiatives.
He is widely recognized for his leadership in implementing scalable solutions that improve care delivery, including the development and application of digital and data-informed approaches to support clinical decision-making and system improvement.
Valentina Gnanapragasam, Clinical Design Specialist at the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP)
Val Gnanapragasam is a critical member of the Centre for Effective Practice’s (CEP) clinical design team, collaborating with clinical experts, technical developers, and patient advocates to develop, design and implement digital tools and resources for both the Evidence2Practice Ontario (E2P) program and the Knowledge Translation in Primary Care (KTinPC) initiative. Since joining the CEP in 2021, she has supported the successful launch of over 15 E2P and KTinPC tools and resources. Prior to joining the CEP, she gained valuable sector experience as a Research Assistant at St. Michael’s Hospital and as an Outreach Coordinator at Toronto General Hospital. Val holds a Master of Health Informatics from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Health Studies from Western University.
Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at OntarioMD
Ariane joined OntarioMD as General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer in 2016. She is widely recognized for providing practical strategic advice on in the field of digital health and innovation. She is known internationally for her achievements in privacy and security. Ariane was awarded the 2023 Women in IT Award for Canada’s Security Leader of the Year. She has been recognized by Who’s Who as a global leader in technology law, privacy and data protection. Ariane provides OntarioMD with strategic and legal advice. Her current focus is on technology and legal issues with respect to use of Artificial Intelligence in Primary Care. Through her leadership, OntarioMD provides health system partners with a perspective on privacy and security from the lens of community-based physician practices. Ariane developed OntarioMD’s Privacy & Security Training Module for the Ontario health-care sector and a second Module focused on virtual care.
Ariane brings a wealth of experience in leadership, governance, and conflict resolution. She serves as a Board Director for the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (I.C.E.S.) and has recently joined the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario’s (IPC) Strategic Advisory Council for a 2-year term.
Prior to joining OntarioMD, Ariane supported global corporations with technology law advice as a Partner in Canada’s largest law firm and from her own practice. She worked as a Senior Ontario Court of Justice and as Constitutional Counsel to the Attorney General of Ontario. Ariane was part of the launch team for Richard Branson’s Virgin Mobile Canada.
Emily Ha, Research Associate at Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV)
Emily Ha is a Research Associate at the Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV), where she leads provincial and national evaluations of artificial intelligence and digital health technologies in primary care, including AI scribes and clinical decision support tools. Her work focuses on understanding how emerging technologies can improve healthcare access, provider workflows, and patient-centered care while supporting responsible and evidence-informed adoption across health systems. She collaborates closely with partners across Canada, including health system leaders, policymakers, clinicians, and patients to generate real-world evidence on the implementation and impact of digital innovations.
Earn One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) for attending this webinar.
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