In early June, Ontario's northeast hospitals officially adopted a new electronic health records system – marking an important and transformational way in which hospitals in the region access and share records. With 23 hospitals on board, thisachievement marks the largest group of independent Canadian hospitals to collaborate on a regional, shared system.
The ONE initiative includes a diverse mix of hospitals, ranging from small community hospitals to larger academic health centres, across both acute and outpatient settings. Participating hospitals include Health Sciences North, Chapleau Health Services, Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre and the North Shore Health Network, among others. The hospitals cover more than 400,000 kilometres and serve a population of over half a million people.
The new system will improve the delivery of health care through the creation of a single electronic health information system (HIS), with the main goal of enhancing safe, evidence-based care. Physicians will also benefit from having real-time access to information to make more informed care decisions.
Improving Patient Care and Experience
While the new system will support staff through access to standardized order sets, nursing and physician documentation templates, drug administration times, medical directives, and dictionaries, it also brings many benefits to the patient experience.
The system's enhanced integration coordinates communication between various health care providers through a single, secure web-based portal. This means if patients are already in the system, their information will be readily available across different care settings. The result is less time downloading their medical history to providers and more time receiving quality care.
Better management of care journeys also means health care providers can spend more time focused on improving health outcomes and quality of life for their patients.
Looking to the Future of Care
Overall, one health information system will improve system integration and coordination, patient care, and system navigation. It will enable a more holistic approach to care for patients that access multiple care providers for their needs.
“This project is part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest quality patient care, research, teaching, and learning in our region," said Mark Hartman, Health Sciences North senior vice president of patient experience and digital transformation and the ONE Health Information Technology Service Chairperson. “Expanse is delivering the technology to take us to the next level of care and is laying the foundation for future advancements."
As Ontario's population continues to grow and age, it's anticipated that there will be more patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs. This improved system will be especially beneficial to health system users that see multiple care providers to manage such conditions. Physicians and clinical staff will be able to access detailed health records from other providers, reducing the risk of errors and duplication in care. This means that care will be quicker, safer, and tailored to individual needs.