Radiology

Deep River hospital joins diagnostic imaging network

DEEP RIVER, Ont. – The Deep River and District Hospital has joined the Northern and Eastern Ontario Diagnostic Imaging Network (NEODIN). NEODIN is one of four Ontario diagnostic imaging repositories (DI-r) for medical images and associated diagnostic reports. Once complete, it will allow electronic transfer of images and reports between more than 60 diagnostic imaging departments in Northern and Eastern Ontario.

The NEODIN DI-r eliminates the need for patients to transport images and reports between doctors on CDs, films, or by fax. It also allows specialists at one facility to access the reports for images acquired at other hospitals, allowing for faster and more convenient information sharing between doctors.

“This initiative allows us to further our mission. It enhances our ability to provide care closer to home and it allows us to continue being early adopters of innovative healthcare technology,” said Terry Corbett, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging at Deep River and District Hospital.

“The DI-r will give our local physicians easier access to specialist consults from the larger hospitals and for specialists to view diagnostic imaging results ahead of time if we need to transfer a patient from our emergency,” said Corbett. “This is something our hospital is very proud to provide for our patients.”

According to Corbett’s colleague, Pierre Turenne, patients who have had imaging done elsewhere will also benefit from the technology. “For example, if a patient goes to Pembroke for a CT scan, our physicians in Deep River will be able to view the test result without waiting for the files to be picked up or sent to Deep River by courier allowing our clients to have faster, even more reliable results close to home.”

The project is funded by eHealth Ontario and Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) and is part of the Ontario government’s e-health agenda and the pan-Canadian electronic health record vision of Infoway.

“We are proud to be a funding partner on an initiative that advances health care delivery and benefits to Ontarians,” Greg Reed, President and CEO, eHealth Ontario. “This project illustrates how collaboration within the health care system can deliver improved patient care.”

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record projects in Canada.

“The electronic exchange of diagnostic images and reports is a significant step forward in the way medical information is shared throughout our health system,” said Richard Alvarez, President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. “Connecting to the NEODIN network means patients of the Deep River and District Hospital are part of a system that will one day join with all of Ontario, ensuring superior access to health care no matter where you are being treated.”

Deep River and District Hospital is the first hospital in Renfrew County to implement the technology to integrate to the NEODIN repository, and the sixth hospital overall in the Ontario region. Hospitals in Pembroke, Renfrew and Barry’s Bay are expected to complete their integration by early summer, enabling regional sharing of diagnostic data. Ultimately, NEODIN will connect a large portion of Ontario. When completed in 2011, hospitals from eastern and northern Ontario, servicing almost two million people across 840,000 square kilometers, will be able to seamlessly share patient images and reports.

From an operations perspective, the NEODIN DI-r will help eliminate costly disaster recovery and redundancy currently managed by each hospital. A great deal of effort has been put into ensuring the security of the system. “The system is very secure,” explains Garry Hartlin, Manager of Information Technology at Deep River and District Hospital. “Information is housed in two redundant data centres in Ontario’s north and is transferred over the province’s secure ehealth network infrastructure. The security measures that are in place are leaps and bounds ahead of the old days when film were stored in large filing racks and moved between hospitals in film bags.”

For more information about the this initiative related to the Deep River and District Hospital’s participation please contact Terry Corbett, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging 613-584-1266 ext. 158.

Posted May 6, 2010