The province’s Centre for Health Information, at its annual general meeting, had last year’s cyberattack on health systems high on the agenda.

Board chairman Kris Aubrey-Bassler lauded staff for working around the clock to rebuild and restore databases within months following the hack. But beyond that, no details were shared regarding the attack itself.

Aubrey-Bassler also credited staff for its work in the early days of the pandemic, especially the move to consolidate COVID data from the four health authorities into one.

He says that helped make it possible to establish, in real time, where outbreaks were occurring so that proper health restrictions could be applied quickly to reduce spread. He says that, in large part, was why this province was able to contain the virus so well compared to other countries in the Western world.

Aubrey-Bassler says establishing that single point for data also aligns well with the objectives of the health accord, and the eventual move to one health authority for the entire province.

The AGM also touched on the value and increased importance of virtual care, along with work on IT systems for the new Corner Brook hospital and mental health facility in St. John’s.