Halton Healthcare wins digital transformation award

TORONTO – Ontario-based Halton Healthcare was recognized for digital transformation excellence last month during the ITWC 2020 Digital Transformation Week conference. Halton Healthcare was presented with the top Digital Transformation Award in the Large Public Sector category in recognition of its use of novel patient-centered technologies that integrate clinical functionality.

It’s an impressive feat, but it doesn’t mean the process is over, says the healthcare centre’s chief information officer, Sandy Saggar (pictured). Halton Healthcare is rooted in smart technology to make a “frictionless” healthcare experience, and is now laser-focused on modernizing electronic medical records system and advanced clinical functionality, he says.

As one technological advancement, Halton Healthcare introduced a single sign-on and persistent computing solution. On a typical day, a physician will sign into 15 to 20 computers, while working across four or five different applications. The new single-sign-on solution allows physicians to be more mobile and to look after their patients in different areas, says Dr. Allen Lee, Halton’s medical chief information officer.

These automation devices are part of the already installed 700 phones and 15,000 devices, which have decreased hospital costs of $600,000 per year, according to Halton Healthcare. “This helps to reduce the alert fatigue for nurses,” he said. “But it still helps keep our patients safe.”

“This is a sterling example of what a healthcare organization can do when it places an equal priority on providing top-quality care, end-user experience, and innovation,” said ITWC president Fawn Annan. “Halton Healthcare’s example is raising the bar across an entire industry.”

Other finalists in the category were:

• Saskatchewan Government Insurance
• City of Brantford
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
• City of Toronto
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
• Defence Construction Canada
• Toronto Catholic School Board
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

The Digital Transformation Award program was launched in 2017 to find successful case studies for organizations looking for examples to follow in their own transformation journey. The program receives nominations from companies and public sector organizations coast to coast. An independent panel of industry experts judges the award winners based on a number of key considerations.

About Halton Healthcare
Halton Healthcare is an award-winning healthcare organization comprised of three community hospitals and numerous community-based services in the growing urban and rural communities of Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville, Ont.