In Ontario, real steps are being taken to reach EHR interoperability
March 3, 2023
Thanks to a series of innovative collaborations under way in Ontario, health records are starting to follow patients as they transition between hospitals – without the need to fax. It’s a lesson in interoperability that requires vendors, users and governments working together at multiple levels. The first goal is to achieve data sharing between hospitals that are using the same electronic health record; the next step is to facilitate widespread data sharing between the three leading vendor platforms – Epic, MEDITECH and Cerner – as well as between each health record and PointClickCare, the long-term care record widely used in the province. Read More
TORONTO and OTTAWA – In partnership with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital has launched one of the first electronic health record (EHR) integrations that enables the sharing of patient information between pediatric hospitals using the Epic and Meditech health information systems.
CANTON, Mass. – MEDITECH announced that its Expanse customers in Canada can now integrate directly with SeamlessMD, a leading digital-care platform. The collaboration will enable providers to monitor and engage their patients before, during, and after hospitalization using digital, evidence-informed pre-and post-care plans – such as for surgery, cancer, maternity, mental health, and chronic care.
TORONTO – MEDITECH customers in Ontario will be the first jurisdiction eligible to access Traverse Exchange Canada via the company’s subscription model, with other jurisdictions to follow. Once deployed, the solution will automatically present relevant patient information within a care network, without clinicians having to first ask the patient where they received care. Users will not be limited only to hospital data but will also be presented with patient information from a variety of sources, with the option to consume this data into their local EHR. Patients will also be able to download a comprehensive health summary into their personal apps, such as Apple Health.
TORONTO – After a successful commercialization project funded by the Coordinated Accessible Network (CAN) Health Network, Unity Health Toronto is implementing technology from Toronto-based digital health company, Verto, to help manage ambulatory patient flow, streamline consent management, and transform patient experience across dozens of ambulatory clinics.
EDMONTON and CALGARY – Patient care can be a complicated undertaking and getting patients to the right hospital – or community care centre – can be a challenge. Thanks to Integrated Operations Centres (IOCs) in Edmonton and Calgary, that’s happening more efficiently than ever before. “The idea of the Integrated Operations Centre is to provide kind of a mission control,” says Dr. Kirstie McLelland, acting zone medical director, Edmonton Zone. “Our goal is to get the patient to the right care as fast as we possibly can.”
HAMILTON, Ont. – Hamilton Health Sciences’ new Epic hospital information system has given doctors a ‘surefire’ way to get patients’ lab results instantly from the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) data base. OLIS is a central electronic storage site that gives authorized healthcare providers like HHS doctors access to lab test orders and results from hospitals, community labs and public health labs across the province.
CORNWALL, Ont. – Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH) has launched SeamlessMD, a digital patient engagement platform used by hospitals and health systems across North America, to improve the surgical patient experience. The hospital will implement SeamlessMD across several surgical service lines including Total Hip and Knee Replacement, Shoulder, Breast, Colorectal, and for all Emergent General Surgery.