Canadian Institute for Health Information

What Canadian Institute for Health Information does

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. It was jointly established and is funded by Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments to serve as the country's pan-Canadian steward of standardized health data. CIHI's core function is collecting, standardizing, and distributing health information across all Canadian jurisdictions, enabling comparative analysis of health system performance, population health, and health expenditures that no single province or territory could produce independently.

CIHI operates a portfolio of national databases including the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), Hospital Mental Health Database (HMDB), Canadian Joint Replacement Registry (CJRR), Home Care Reporting System (HCRS), National Rehabilitation Reporting System (NRS), and the National Health Expenditure Database (NHEX). These are complemented by analytical tools such as interactive dashboards, an Indicator Library, the Pharmaceutical Data Tool, and the Health System Performance Framework. CIHI also maintains the interRAI assessment suite and ICD-10-CA/CCI coding standards, and operates a Learning Centre with over 350 free education products and 120 courses for clinicians, data submitters, analysts, and policy planners. Recent strategic initiatives include the Canadian Core Data for Interoperability (CACDI), the Health Data Stewardship Framework, and inclusion in the federal government's AI strategy to lead the Health Sector Data Space.

CIHI's revenue model is government sponsorship through bilateral Base Plan agreements with provincial and territorial ministries of health. Most health facilities in Canada are subscribed to the Base Plan at no additional cost, and most education resources are free. Workshop fees for non-Plan subscribers range from C$370 CAD (Canadian health organizations and public sector) to C$740 CAD (commercial and international clients). Customer segments span federal/provincial/territorial governments (primary), healthcare providers and clinicians, health data analysts and researchers, and health policy planners. CIHI is recognized as a Forbes Best Employer for 2026 and employs 501-1000 staff. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization has no private equity, venture capital, or public-market ownership interests.

Name

Canadian Institute for Health Information

Legal name

Canadian Institute for Health Information

Website

https://cihi.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Canadian Institute for Health Information is a non-profit, government-funded organization that collects, standardizes, and distributes pan-Canadian health data and performance indicators for federal, provincial, and territorial governments, healthcare providers, analysts, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Information Services

NAICS

Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Statistics & Reporting (National/State/Local Indicators) (HLAJAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Governance, Standards & Interoperability (ICD, HL7/FHIR, LOINC, SNOMED) (HLAJAJAM), Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM)

Keywords

• Health data analytics
• Health information systems
• Clinical coding standards
• Health system performance
• Population health data

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit organization jointly established and funded by federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Revenue comes through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, with most health facilities in Canada subscribed to the Base Plan under these agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CIHI collects, standardizes, and disseminates pan-Canadian health data and information through a portfolio of national clinical databases (DAD, NACRS, CJRR, HCRS, NRS, HMDB, CMDB), interactive dashboards, indicator libraries, and analytical tools. It complements these data assets with a Learning Centre offering 350+ free education products on coding standards (ICD-10-CA/CCI), interRAI assessments, and health system performance measurement, serving governments, healthcare providers, analysts, and researchers across Canada.

Product overview

CIHI provides a comprehensive health information ecosystem comprising multiple interconnected data holdings (including the DAD, NACRS, CJRR, CMDB, HCRS, NRS, and HMDB), analytical tools (Dashboards, Indicator Library, Pharmaceutical Data Tool, Health Expenditure Data), and education resources (Learning Centre with 350+ products). The core offering centers on standardized health data collection, analysis, and reporting across Canada's health systems, complemented by professional development through eLearning, web conferences, and certification-focused courses on coding standards, assessment systems (interRAI), and health system performance measurement. Data flows are managed through national databases while users access insights via dashboards and reporting tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learning Centre CIHI's primary learning management system offering 350+ free learning products for clinicians, assessors, data submitters, analysts, decision-makers, policy planners, and researchers, including eLearning courses, live web conferences, job aids, reference guides, and learning pathways on coding standards and health system topics.
• Dashboards Interactive collection of indicators and measures used to assess health systems overall and specific sectors and populations across Canada.
• Indicator Library Comprehensive library of health system performance indicators and measures supporting comparative analysis and reporting across jurisdictions.
• Pharmaceutical Data Tool Interactive tool providing information on publicly funded drug utilization and spending in Canada, including drug program designs, payment structures, and formularies across federal, provincial and territorial public drug plans.
• National Health Expenditure Database (NHEX) National Health Expenditure Database providing detailed information on health expenditures in Canada, including real data from 2023 and preliminary estimates for 2024 and 2025, tracking $399 billion in total health expenditures for 2025.
• Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) National database capturing acute care hospitalization data including patient demographics, diagnoses, procedures, and outcomes.
• National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) Database capturing ambulatory care data including emergency department visits, outpatient clinics, and day surgery across Canada.
• Canadian Joint Replacement Registry (CJRR) Registry tracking hip and knee replacement procedures, prosthesis information, and outcomes across Canada.
• Home Care Reporting System (HCRS) System collecting standardized data on home care services across Canada.
• National Rehabilitation Reporting System (NRS) Database capturing rehabilitation care data to support quality improvement and system performance analysis.
• Hospital Mental Health Database (HMDB) Database capturing mental health inpatient admissions across Canada.
• Canadian MIS Database (CMDB) Database providing standardized framework for collecting and reporting financial and statistical data on day-to-day operations of health service organizations.
• interRAI Assessment Suite Suite of standardized clinical assessment instruments (Home Care, Long-Term Care, Contact Assessment) used across the health care continuum to support care planning and outcome measurement.
• Canadian Coding Standards for ICD-10-CA/CCI National coding standards for classifying diagnoses (ICD-10-CA) and interventions (CCI) used in Canadian health records.
• Cultural Safety and Indigenous-Specific Racism Indicators National, distinctions-based set of indicators co-developed with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders to support health systems in measuring change and strengthening accountability for culturally safe care.
• Health Inequalities Interactive Tool Interactive tool enabling health data analysts to navigate and interpret health inequality findings across populations.
• Insight+ Secure analytical tool allowing health care providers and analysts to dig deeper into indicator results; login required.

Quantifiable outcome

• 399 billion CAD in total health expenditures tracked in Canada for 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Government of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026CIHI was named as part of the Canadian government's AI strategy to create the Health Sector Data Space. CIHI will work with governments and health data organizations to create the Health Sector Data Space and drive innovation in health data stewardship and AI-enabled healthcare.
• University of Waterloo (WatSPEED program)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026CIHI developed its three-part AI in Health Care series in partnership with the University of Waterloo's WatSPEED program. The third course (1404E) focuses on ethical, legal, and trust considerations essential to responsible AI use in health care.
• Office of Joyce's PrinciplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026In January 2026, CIHI and the Office of Joyce's Principle signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing their collaboration grounded in respectful, meaningful and reciprocal partnership. The agreement advances their shared goal of making health care safe for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. CIHI is partnering with Indigenous leaders to co-develop a national, distinctions-based set of Cultural Safety and Indigenous-Specific Racism indicators to support health systems in measuring change and strengthening accountability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW): Australia's national agency for health and welfare statistics, providing comparable national data holdings, indicators, and reports. Closest international analog to CIHI in mandate, governance, and product mix.
• Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES): Ontario-based not-for-profit that uses population-level health data to produce evidence for the health system. Highly comparable in role and analytic depth, but scoped to a single province rather than pan-Canadian.
• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME): Independent population health metrics institute producing comparable global burden-of-disease estimates and forecasts. Comparable as a health metrics and indicators organization, though globally focused rather than domestic.
• Statistics Canada: Canada's national statistics agency operating a similar governance and federal-provincial funding model. Comparable as a peer national statistical authority that shares data standards and policy relationships with CIHI.
• NHS England (formerly NHS Digital): UK body that collected, standardized, and published national health data for the NHS, offering national indicators and dashboards. The closest European analog to CIHI's pan-national steward role.
• Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP): US initiative that produces standardized inpatient, emergency department, and ambulatory care databases and tools. Directly comparable to CIHI's DAD/NACRS holdings and indicator products.

Broad incumbents

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): US federal agency producing healthcare quality, safety, and utilization evidence and data (including HCUP). Comparable as a national health data and quality-measurement body, though embedded in a broader federal health portfolio.

Regional players

• Statistics Norway (SSB): National statistics bureau of Norway producing health and population indicators under a similar public-finance model. Comparable in stewardship role and methodology, not in competition with CIHI geographically.

Others

• World Health Organization (WHO): UN agency that sets global health data standards (ICD, classifications) and consumes national health statistics including those produced by CIHI. Comparable as an indirect downstream consumer and standards shaper, not a domestic competitor.
• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER): US private research organization producing working papers and datasets across health economics and policy. Comparable as a complementary health research/data producer, not a direct national-statistics competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIHI_ICIS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CIHICanada/playlists
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIHI.ICIS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-institute-for-health-information
• Instagraminstagram.com/cihi_icis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Institute for Health Information