IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

EHealth Ontario has announced a $5 million investment to expand the reach of ClinicalConnect, a secure online portal providing access to electronic health care records.

The funding will accelerate the use of Electronic Health Records to improve patient care. It will also allow the province to leverage existing systems and investments to promote regional integration. eHealth Ontario wants to build EHRs for all of Ontario by 2015.

Read more: CA: Ontario: Instant online info definitely not Dr. Google

Councillors endorse $279,806 tender

Brant County is about to get a major boost in broadband computer capability with the issuing of a tender on a $279,806 project to install fibre optic cable that will include most of the municipality.

County council's corporate development committee has unanimously endorsed a staff recommendation to issue the contract to Trinity Communication Services Ltd. to install the technology as an extension of the fibre optic network built by Brant County Power Services Inc.

Read more: CA: Ontario: More of Brant to get broadband service

When Susan Barnard had a colonoscopy and was told a couple biopsies were being sent for testing, the worrying began.

Thankfully relief came just two days later when her family doctor called to tell her the results all came back clear.

“It certainly made my life a lot easier,” said the Hamilton woman.

Read more: CA: Ontario: Local electronic health records system expanding

As a host of essential services, such as banking, healthcare and e-government, are looking to the internet to make services more easily and constantly accessible, so too are many of the users of those services. However, it seems as though senior citizens are being left behind as they continue to be wary of adopting the online versions of those services. Some researchers have even referred to the divide between younger and older internet users as the ‘gray gap.’

More troubling still are the untapped possibilities in small and rural communities where many of these services are often moving, reducing services, or shutting down as they downsize and transition to online services. Indeed, if seniors fail to take advantage of these services on the Internet, they might be neglected by the very services on which they so vitally depend.

Read more: CA: British Columbia: Studies looking at internet use in rural areas and by seniors