NLCHI to implement eOrdering solution for tests

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI) announced it will soon launch an improved system to electronically order medical tests and procedures. The eOrder solution, built by Orion Health for NLCHI, will streamline the process for triaging images in the province’s vascular imaging laboratory – its sole facility for carotid artery and peripheral artery testing.

The eOrder system is designed to reduce the time it takes from order requisition submission to vascular testing and reduce the number of tests a patient requires.

“The modern healthcare environment requires innovative thinking and solutions to help improve patient care and outcomes,” said Stephen Clark (pictured), CEO of NLCHI. “Building on the foundation of one of the most comprehensive electronic health records in Canada, eOrder is the next step in our eHealth journey that is enhancing access to care, supporting timelier decision-making and creating efficiencies within the health system.”

The existing process requires medical orders to be submitted via fax machines and other traditional methods. With eOrder, physicians will be able to access a rapid electronic scoring system that independently assesses and validates order urgency and schedules appointments in real-time.

The system can save physicians’ time and improve patient safety and access to vital procedures. The implementation also uses healthcare Information technology to support the clinical process, without replacing clinicians’ autonomy and expert decision making.

“eOrder nurtures seamless connectivity across departments and balances end-user needs, capabilities and health information,” said Gary Folker, executive vice president of Orion Health. “It will help meet the needs of growing patient volumes, benefiting patients and their circle of care.”

This partnership between Orion Health and NLCHI is a win for the province’s eHealth strategy – which is mandated to integrate new solutions with the province’s existing EHR and EMR systems and maximize the value of existing foundational technology investments. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency provided funding to NLCHI to support implementation of the eOrder initiative.

While the project design and implementation are still in progress, NLCHI is collecting data and presented their solution at the annual e-Health conference in Toronto in May.

About Orion Health
Orion Health is a leading population health management company and is one of the world’s foremost providers of electronic health records (EHRs) and healthcare integration solutions to healthcare organizations. Worldwide, Orion Health solutions are used in 30 countries by more than 300,000 clinicians. In Canada, thousands of clinicians and hundreds of provider facilities and OEM partners rely on Orion Health to facilitate data exchange between hospitals, health systems and EHRs, resulting in improved care coordination, increased cost savings and efficiencies, and enhanced quality of care. More information can be found at http://www.orionhealth.com.

About NLCHI
The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health information is a Crown agency of the Provincial Government that supports improved health through quality health information. On a provincial level, NLCHI provides health analytics and evaluation support, delivers provincial eHealth solutions such as the electronic health record and is the lead on managing eHealth services across the healthcare system. For more information, please visit www.nlchi.nl.ca.