Saskatchewan creates patient health portal

REGINA – eHealth Saskatchewan is launching a new pilot program that will allow residents from across the province to view their personal health information online through a secure website.

Health Minister Dustin Duncan (pictured) officially launched the Citizen Health Portal Pilot (CHIP) which will include up to 1,000 participants. During the six-month trial period participants will be able to view their personal lab results, immunization history, pharmacy and hospital visit history from anywhere in the world.

“Our government is excited to announce a new program that empowers the people of Saskatchewan to take a more active role in their own health care,” Duncan said. The minister noted that CHIP is one of the first comprehensive electronic systems of its kind in Canada.

Nova Scotia has also been testing a provincial patient health portal, and Alberta has one in the works.

CHIP participants will not only be able to access their files through what the government calls a highly secure, personalized login, but also be able to add medical information to their personal profiles, such as health metrics or reminders to take your medication.

“eHealth’s vision to empower patients and enable care continues to shape and inspire innovative programs like CHIP,” eHealth Saskatchewan CEO Susan Antosh said. “eHealth thanks all of the CHIP participants for their interest in the program, as it could help to shape the future of healthcare in Saskatchewan.”

Through this pilot program, users will be asked to provide feedback about their experience which will help the province make future decisions about the program.