About Us

Equitable Access to Digital Health

To Support First Nations to Advance their Digital Health Capacity, Wholistically and Inclusively

Community Based, Community Paced and Following the Seven Grandfather Teachings

FNDHO’s approach to digital health navigation starts with listening. Our Digital Health Leads work directly with First Nations Health Teams to better understand the challenges they’re facing with digital health and the community’s broader hopes and goals for health and wellness. From there, we help assess where the team is on its digital health journey and offer hands-on guidance to support the next steps. That might mean identifying practical ways to strengthen digital health foundations, offering advice on technology options, or connecting teams with opportunities that match their needs – like funding streams, new initiatives, or one-time grants. We build strong, trust-based relationships and walk alongside each team as they shape their own path forward in digital health.

Many First Nations Health Teams lack the foundational capacity needed to plan, adopt, and sustain digital health systems. Limited connectivity remains a significant barrier, and few teams have dedicated staff to manage the technical and operational demands of modern digital health environments. Cybersecurity and privacy requirements add complexity, with many health teams struggling to maintain secure systems while juggling day-to-day care responsibilities. Access to expert guidance and funding is often limited, leaving teams to navigate these challenges in an ad hoc way, without the support or resources that provincial counterparts take for granted.

To address these deficits, FNDHO works side by side with First Nations Health Teams to build the confidence, skills, and capacity needed to make digital tools part of everyday care. We offer hands-on coaching, help with getting new systems up and running, and online courses that cover key topics like privacy, cybersecurity, and health information management. Teams can also join peer learning groups – like communities of practice for privacy and virtual care leads – where they can share ideas and learn from others. We also help teams strengthen their privacy practices and meet PHIPA requirements with tailored training and advice. Whether it’s supporting individual learning or building the clinic-level capacity needed for transformation, our goal is to make sure teams feel prepared to use digital tools in ways that are practical, safe, and sustainable

FNDHO supports First Nations communities and Health Teams in making the most of digital health to create real, long-lasting improvements – helping care teams work better and making it easier for community members to access care. That could mean cutting down on paperwork, improving how information is managed, connecting EMRs to provincial systems so providers have what they need at their fingertips, or helping community members use tools such as virtual care, patient portals, or online mental health supports. Together, we create digital health transformation plans – clear roadmaps that guide these kinds of changes over time and help make sure digital tools deliver transformational change aligned with community-values and priorities.

FNDHO works to make sure First Nations voices, priorities, and values are reflected in how digital health strategies are developed, funded, and delivered. We bring people together to plan, solve problems, and share ideas. We also support the adoption of First Nations–centered approaches by creating tools, templates, and onboarding resources that reflect community realities and help teams engage with new systems more successfully. Our team keeps things coordinated across the system – by supporting shared planning, offering guidance on privacy and security, and ensuring digital health efforts reflect how First Nations understand health and wellness. Through this work, FNDHO serves as a trusted resource and point of coordination – bringing a more wholistic, community-led approach into digital health planning so that First Nations aren’t just included, they’re helping lead the way.