Drug-information systems, which are part of electronic health records, allow pharmacists and health-care providers to electronically and securely access records of a patient’s prescription medications. The system, which Canada Health Infoway is under mandate to standardize across the country, also provides a full and precise medication history helping to prevent potential or harmful interactions that might occur.
Read more: Canada: Electronic Drug Information to Save $436 Million
For the first time, all 26 hospitals from the Bruce Peninsula to Windsor -- including London, Chatham, Woodstock, Sarnia, and Stratford -- are linked to a repository of digital images and test results via the Internet.
"This is about providing as much information to the front line practitioners as quickly as possible so they can provide the best level of care to the patient," said Greg Reed, the head of eHealth Ontario.
Since 2008, the territory's Health Department has been working on moving health centres and hospitals across the territory away from paper medical records and into an electronic system.
Early parts of the system are expected to roll out in the new year. But it will take five to 10 years before Nunavut's health records are completely digital, officials say.
EHealth Ontario announced this week that the last of the 26 hospitals in the Erie St. Clair and South West Local Health Integration Networks have been connected to access a central repository of digital images and test results.
"The new system eliminates film for use in X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and allows files to be stored in a central repository where can be instantly available to a doctor anywhere in the region," said Greg Reed, president and CEO of eHealth Ontario.
Read more: Canada: Ontario: New system means faster care for Windsor patients
The head of eHealth Ontario says the agency has emerged from a spending scandal and will deliver electronic health records for all patients within five years.
Greg Reed, in an exclusive interview with the Star, said after six months on the job he’s confident his revamped team can deliver.
Read more: Canada: Ontario: Electronic health records on track by 2015