Plugathon Overview
A new addition to the pan-Canadian Projectathons from 2022 and 2023 is the Plugathon! The Plugathon is a less formal counterpart to the rigorous Connectathon testing, encourages open exploration of emerging technologies and IHE profiles. The event is structured around dedicated tracks that cater to specific areas of interest, offering participants an opportunity for dynamic exchange of ideas and knowledge, bridging the gap between user needs, vendor solutions, existing standards and harvesting industry innovations!
There will be five tracks offered at the Plugathon, one of which is focused on Canadian Interoperability. You can learn more about the other four tracks offered at the Plugathon here.
During the Canadian Interoperability track you will have the opportunity to collaborate with Canadian architects and standards experts on key national interoperability challenges, with the potential for these profiles to evolve into international standards. Your expertise will directly influence the future of healthcare interoperability in Canada!
Plugathon Specifications
The specifications that will be highlighted at the Plugathon are listed in the table below.
- To access the specification documentation, click on the corresponding specification link in the Version column.
| Specification | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| pan-Canadian eReferral / eConsult | CA:eReC v1.0.2 DFT | Central Model |
| pan-Canadian FHIR Exchange | CA:FeX v2.1.0 DFT-preBallot | |
| pan-Canadian Care Service Delivery | CA:CSD v1.0.0 DFT-preBallot | |
| pan-Canadian Core FHIR Profile Set | CA Core+ v0.3.0 DFT-preBallot | |
| Health Application Lightweight Protocol (HALO) | Coming soon | |
pan-Canadian Shareable Health Links (CA:SHL), contained within the Reference Architecture, in relation to the patient-mediated access use case (UC-05) contained within the PS-CA v2.0.0 DFT-Ballot | RA v0.2.0 DFT-preBallot | CA:SHL currently resides within the RA specification. Future releases may be stand-alone. |
Plugathon Topics for the Canadian Interoperability Track
Plugathon 2025: Unlocking the Future of Interoperability
Discover, Learn, and Shape the Future of Digital Health
The Canadian Track of the Plugathon is your opportunity to dive deep into Canada’s digital health interoperability efforts, provide thought leadership, and collaborate on cutting-edge initiatives. Through interactive sessions, demonstrations, and collaborative discussions, you’ll gain valuable insights from your fellow attendees and contribute to the frameworks, standards, and systems shaping the future of healthcare.
Why Attend?
- Hands-On Learning: Engage directly with key interoperability standards.
- Real-World Insights: See live demos, hear success stories, and explore challenges and solutions.
- Collaborative Networking: Connect and collaborate with healthcare leaders, developers, and innovators.
- Shaping the Future: Contribute to discussions that influence Canada’s digital health roadmap.
Program Highlights
1. Pan-Canadian Digital Health Interoperability Roadmap Highlights and Insights
Get the big picture! Discover how the interoperability roadmap incorporates interdependent building blocks like PS-CA, CA:FeX, and CA Core+ to create a unified healthcare system.
2. Patient-Mediated Access and Demonstration with PS-CA & CA:SHL
Explore the use of CA:SHL for patient-mediated access, how it’s evolving into Verifiable Health Links, and how it enables patient-centric data sharing. Witness a live demonstration showcasing how patients can securely access and share their health data through Sharable Health Links, with insights into deployment challenges, benefits, and lessons learned.
3. Regulated APIs and Framework Refinement with CA:FeX
Dive into the “recipe” for crafting compliant, secure, and interoperable APIs in healthcare. Real-world examples from vendors, such as Venuiti, will inspire innovative thinking as we jointly consider potential improvements that can launch CA:FeX into an international approach.
4. Data Management with CA:eReC & CA:CSD
Explore how to manage large datasets, maintain real-time data accuracy, and standardize queries for seamless system interoperability. Learn best practices for data maintenance, bulk exports, query parameters, and have a role in evolving the future of the pan-Canadian eReferral/eConsult specifications.
5. Testing Readiness and Gap Analysis with CA Core+
Prepare for system validation with a focus on testing tools, workflows, and environments. This session will identify interoperability challenges and provide actionable steps to enhance conformance and functionality.
6. HALO Sessions
Delve into key elements of an innovative interoperability approach that can reduce the design and development burden on vendors and accelerate connected care. See British Columbia’s implementation of HALO in action and support further development of the specification, covering practical applications and innovative developments in digital health interoperability.
Who Should Attend the Plugathon?
- Developers and product managers involved in digital health.
- Business analysts and standards experts focused on interoperability.
- Leaders shaping healthcare technology strategy.
- Facilitators and QA teams preparing for conformance programs.
Plugathon Registration Link
Make an Impact
Join us at Plugathon 2025 to connect, collaborate, and contribute to Canada’s digital health future. Register before January 17, to secure your spot!
Plugathon Schedule
Schedule for Plugathon
| Quarters | Time | Day 1 (Feb 5) | Day 2 (Feb 6) | Day 3 (Feb 7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM | Pan-Canadian Digital Health Interoperability Roadmap Highlights and Insights | CA:eReC & CA:CSD: Data Management and Querying | British Columbia and Ontario HALO Implementation |
| 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM | CA Core+ Overview | |||
| Q2 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM | CA Core+: Gap Analysis and System Testing | CA:FeX Uncovered: Exploring Solutions, Gaps, and Innovations with Venuiti
| Final Recap (45 min) |
| Q3 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM | CA Core+: Debrief and Next Steps | HALO: Business & Technical Overview | |
| Q4 | 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM | CA:FeX: Crafting Regulated APIs | CA:eReC: Roadmapping the Future |
Plugathon Session Details
| Session Name | Description |
| Pan-Canadian Digital Health Interoperability Roadmap Highlights and Insights | This session provides a high-level overview of the Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap, setting the stage for the Plugathon. Attendees will get insights into key specifications—PS-CA, CA:FeX, CA Core+, CA:eReC, CA:CSD, and CA:HALO—and how they align with national interoperability goals. This session will frame the discussions and hands-on activities, helping participants understand each spec's role and how they interconnect within the broader digital health landscape. |
| CA:FeX: Crafting Regulated APIs | This session dives into CA:FeX and the framework for creating regulated APIs in healthcare. Participants will explore the standardized approach ("recipe") for designing and implementing APIs that ensure compliance, security, and interoperability across healthcare systems. |
| CA:FeX Uncovered: Exploring Solutions, Gaps, and Innovations with Venuiti | Dive into CA:FeX as we explore potential alternatives and identify key gaps in its implementation. This session will also feature a showcase from Venuiti, highlighting innovative approaches and solutions to enhance CA:FeX capabilities and address interoperability challenges. |
| CA:eReC & CA:CSD: Data Management and Querying | This session covers essential aspects of CA:eReC and CA:CSD, focusing on Bulk Export, Data Maintenance, and Query Parameters. Participants will explore how to manage large datasets, ensure real-time data accuracy, and standardize query parameters for seamless interoperability across systems. |
| CA:eReC: Roadmapping the Future | This session outlines the short, medium, and long-term roadmap for CA:eReC. Participants will explore strategic goals, upcoming developments, and key milestones, shaping the future of eReferral/eConsult specification to enhance interoperability and align with evolving healthcare needs. |
| CA Core+: Overview | This session kicks off the CA Core+ track, focusing on testing objectives and preparation. Participants will review the testing environment, tools, and workflows, ensuring readiness for system validation and interoperability assessments throughout the Plugathon. |
| CA Core+: Gap Analysis and System Testing | This session focuses on system testing against the CA Core+ specification, identifying interoperability challenges and potential gaps. Participants will validate their systems and collaboratively discuss areas for improvement to enhance conformance and functionality. |
| CA Core+: Debrief and Next Steps | This session provides a debrief and recap of key findings. Participants will review testing outcomes, identify remaining gaps, and discuss actionable next steps for improving system interoperability and compliance. |
| CA:SHL: Roadmapping the Future | This session explores the progression of CA:SHL towards Verifiable Health Links, incorporating key learnings from related tracks. Participants will discuss how to enhance the CA:SHL framework to support verifiable, patient-centric health data sharing, and explore solutions for future interoperability challenges. |
| HALO Business / Technical Overview | This session will include an interactive panel featuring representatives from British Columbia and Ontario to share their requirements, experiences, and goals in developing HALO, along with insights gained during the creation of their respective initial HALO applications—British Columbia leveraging SoF and out-of-the-box FHIR servers, and ON utilizing SoFA. |
| British Columbia and Ontario HALO Implementation | In this session, British Columbia will demo and provide a technical overview of their HALO Patient Summary App, including sequence diagrams, a code walkthrough, a review of Keycloak OAuth integration, and a SMART on FHIR launch demonstration. Additionally, Ontario will present a more detailed technical overview of their planned HALO solution. |