CHEO gives patients online access to their hospital records

OTTAWA – Patients and their families now have secure, online access to certain personal information stored in their electronic health records at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Called CHEO MyChart, the system puts direct, real-time access to their electronic health record at their fingertips, through a computer or using mobile devices.

“At CHEO we are leading the technological innovation of healthcare,” says Alex Munter (pictured), CEO. “CHEO MyChart connects children, youth and families directly to their personal health information and, ultimately, to their physicians and caregivers. Patients and their families are more informed and more involved in their care. This means the healthcare team can spend better quality time with the children and youth they care for.”

CHEO MyChart gives patients and families secure access to the following parts of a patient’s electronic health record:

• a list of the patient’s health issues identified in consultation with CHEO clinicians, including links to reliable medical literature
• patients’ allergies and current medications
• laboratory and medical imaging test results, with links to medical literature
• upcoming and past appointments, along with summaries of the visits
• growth chart information

CHEO MyChart has been piloted by a limited number of children, youth and families for more than a year. In response to two surveys, the CHEO MyChart users reported that the system is easy to use and makes it more convenient to access care and services.

Parents have used the mobile app to share information with healthcare providers outside the hospital. They also reported they are confident that their personal health information is secure and private. CHEO MyChart is accessed through an encrypted connection.

Nearly one in three users was able to avoid making a phone call to their healthcare provider because of the information available on CHEO MyChart. Almost one-half of users reported that CHEO MyChart enabled them to make the most of their next visit with a healthcare provider.

Physicians report that CHEO MyChart patients are arriving for appointments more educated and engaged in their care, which physicians say improves the quality of conversations and maximizes the benefits of clinic visits.

CHEO MyChart houses information that has been recorded since the hospital started implementing its electronic health record system October 2013. Health records from before this time may still be accessed by filling out a form in person at the hospital.

CHEO MyChart is part of Epic Systems Corporation’s electronic health records system licensed to CHEO-OCTC. Epic is a technology company focusing exclusively on the healthcare sector – providing software to respected hospitals and health systems around the world.

About CHEO and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC)

CHEO and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC) are the leading providers of specialized pediatric health services in Canada’s capital and recently amalgamated to become one organization. CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth each year in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and parts of Northern Ontario. As a world-class research centre and teaching hospital, CHEO has been changing young lives in our community for more than 40 years and, through innovation, is changing young lives around the world. For more than 65 years, OCTC has been providing specialized care for children and youth with disabilities, including cerebral palsy, complex needs associated with congenital conditions, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorders and brain injury. OCTC’s vision is to create opportunities today, while maximizing independence tomorrow.