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Canadian Hospital Data Analytics 2026 — CIHI, Dashboards & Population Health Guide
Complete guide to Canadian hospital data analytics — CIHI data submission and benchmarking, executive dashboards, population health analytics, predictive analytics, provincial data systems, and analytics software.
CIHI collects DAD, NACRS, MIS, NRS, CORR data. Your Health System portal provides public reporting. AI analytics is growing. This guide covers Canadian data analytics.
Analytics Maturity Levels
| Level | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | What happened? | Dashboards, reports, CIHI data |
| Diagnostic | Why did it happen? | Drill-down, root cause analysis |
| Predictive | What will happen? | Readmission, deterioration, LOS prediction |
| Prescriptive | What should we do? | Decision support, resource optimisation |
| AI/ML | Automated insights | Sepsis prediction, image AI, risk stratification |
Key Dashboards
- Executive dashboard: KPIs — LOS, occupancy, ED, OR, financial
- Clinical dashboard: Quality indicators, safety, outcomes, CIHI PSIs
- Operational dashboard: Patient flow, bed management, staffing
- ED dashboard: CTAS, LOS, admission rate, left without being seen
- OR dashboard: Utilisation, on-time starts, cancellations
- Quality dashboard: CIHI indicators, Accreditation Canada ROPs
- Financial dashboard: Budget, cost per case, revenue, ABF tracking
- Population health dashboard: Disease prevalence, risk stratification, equity
CIHI Data Submission
| Dataset | Frequency | Content |
|---|---|---|
| DAD | Annual | All discharges — diagnoses, procedures, LOS |
| NACRS | Annual | All ED visits — CTAS, LOS, disposition |
| MIS | Annual | Financial, staffing, workload |
| Case costing | Annual | Detailed cost per case |
| NRS | Annual | Rehabilitation data |
| CORR | Annual | Dialysis and transplant data |
| Wait times | Quarterly | Surgical and ED wait times |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What data does CIHI collect from Canadian hospitals?
- CIHI collects: 1) DAD — all hospital discharges (diagnoses, procedures, LOS, disposition), 2. NACRS — all ED visits, 3. MIS — financial and staffing data, 4. Case costing — detailed cost per case, 5. NRS — rehabilitation data, 6. CORR — organ replacement (dialysis, transplant), 7. PSIs — patient safety indicators, 8. Wait times. CIHI publishes national reports, benchmarks, and Your Health System portal.
- What dashboards should Canadian hospitals have?
- Canadian hospital dashboards: 1) Executive dashboard (KPIs — LOS, occupancy, ED, OR, financial), 2. Clinical dashboard (quality indicators, safety, outcomes), 3. Operational dashboard (patient flow, bed management, staffing), 4. ED dashboard (CTAS, LOS, admission rate, left without being seen), 5. OR dashboard (utilisation, on-time starts, cancellations), 6. Quality dashboard (CIHI indicators, ROPs, PSIs), 7. Financial dashboard (budget, cost per case, revenue).
- How is AI used in Canadian hospital analytics?
- Canadian hospital AI analytics: 1) Predictive models (readmission, deterioration, LOS), 2. Sepsis early warning, 3. No-show prediction (outpatient), 4. Demand forecasting (ED, seasonal), 5. Resource optimisation (OR scheduling, staffing), 6. Population health risk stratification, 7. Image AI (radiology, pathology). AI must be governed, validated, and Health Canada compliant.