NHS Camden CCG enables joined-up care with an integrated digital care record

The province of Alberta is using Orion Health Amadeus Clinical Portal to build momentum for Information Sharing as a first step in population health management, as the advancement of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has become a priority for healthcare organizations in Canada.

The Customer

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is Canada’s first and largest province-wide, fully-integrated health system, responsible for delivering health services to the over four million people living in Alberta and some residents of Saskatchewan, B.C. and the Northwest Territories. Programs and services are offered at over 650 facilities throughout the province, including hospitals, clinics, continuing care facilities, cancer centers, mental health facilities and community health sites. The province also has an extensive network of community-based services designed to assist Albertans maintain and/or improve health status.

The Challenge

The advancement of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has been a priority for healthcare organizations in Canada. It is well documented that an electively managed EHR implementation is a key enabler in improving quality of care while optimizing available resources. A critical component to success is the ability to connect separate silos of information in a cost effective and scalable way to deliver cross-functional benefits, from the physician’s office to the acute care community. In 2006, a Canadian integrated health services provider was among the first to explore the concept of expanding EHR access to multiple stakeholders. Through the strategic use of data transformation and portal technologies, and the participation of key stakeholders, the organization has made exemplary progress in expanding data sharing capabilities across various healthcare communities. With the technology and process foundations in hand, and a proven methodology in place, it is continuing to explore opportunities to expand the reach of clinical data information sharing with multiple stakeholders.

Single aggregation point for patient health information province-wide offers significant business and clinical benefits, from the health system level to the frontline circle of care.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI) is a provincial crown agency that supports the development of data and technical standards, maintains key health databases, prepares and distributes health reports, and supports and carries out applied health research and benefts evaluations.

The Customer 

In collaboration with the Provincial Government, the province’s four regional health authorities and Canada Health Infoway, NLCHI is also responsible for the development, implementation, adoption and ongoing governance of initiatives to support the transformation of healthcare province-wide. To date, these have included, the Pharmacy Network, the provincial Client and Provider Registries, the first provincial Picture Archiving & Communications System (PACS) and most recently an Electronic Health Record (EHR).

The Challenge

Through the efforts of Canada Health Info-way, it has become widely accepted that the Holy Grail in Canadian healthcare is a pan-Canadian EHR – a single, secure and comprehensive health record for each citizen that is accessible by any authorised care provider across the country who is part of a patient’s circle of care. NLCHI is now well on its way to meeting that goal within Newfoundland and Labrador, through the implementation of HEALTHe Newfoundland and Labrador (HEALTHe NL). HEALTHe NL is a provincial electronic health record based on the pan-Canadian EHR vision described in the Infoway EHRS Blueprint. When fully implemented, the EHR will provide a single, consolidated repository for a broad spectrum of patient information, including: drug prescription and medication records; lab test results, such as from blood tests; medical images and radiology reports; care plans and discharge summaries; clinical and mental health reports; and much more. Through this multi-year initiative, HEALTHe NL will improve information access and decision-making by authorised clinicians, thereby enhancing patient care and safety.

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North Dakota Health Information Network

Background

North Dakota Health Information Network (NDHIN) has created a secure statewide medical record sharing network for providers and consumers. NDHIN’s extensive exchange capabilities encompass ADT messages, medical documentation, lab results, immunizations and much more. It currently maintains 1.2 million patient IDs. In a typical month, over 1,700 users access 11,000 records. Among the wide spectrum of participating organizations are:

• Nearly all of the state’s hospitals
• Specialty clinics and practices
• Pharmacies
• Dialysis centers
• Rehabilitation facilities

Strategic Objectives and Directions

Following a strategic review several years ago, NDHIN has embraced advanced, interoperable technology to exchange information in service of care coordination, analytics, and population health management. “Harnessing technology to serve citizens throughout North Dakota’s rural and urban communities is a major priority,” said Shila Thorson, Director of North Dakota Health Information Technology. “We are enhancing statewide data connectivity to more thoroughly understand patients’ conditions, allowing for up-to-the-minute decisions and faster diagnoses.” Like most HIEs, NDHIN is also pursuing sustainable growth.