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.
"If your doctor wants to do a consult with an expert somewhere else, that specialist can pull up the very same image on their screen and they can have a conversation both looking at the same MRI and decide the course of treatment."
The program has been operational in most of the region's 26 hospitals since June with the remaining hospitals joining this week.
Reed said the program will eventually allow family physicians to access the diagnostic images.
"People in our area receive care from a variety of providers both within our LHIN and outside of Erie St. Clair," said Gary Switzer, CEO of Erie St. Clair LHIN.
"The repository is one more way we are working together as a health care system to put patients first by closing gaps between services and removing duplication."
Reed said the film images are costly so a lot of money will be saved by removing the duplication of images.
"Frequently people can't find the film, it may be in the mail, or could have been lost so the easiest thing to do is to take another one which is pretty expensive," Reed said.
"It helps doctors improve care to patients during visits because about one third of visits with specialists occur before the specialist has all the lab results or images."
The Southwestern Ontario Diagnostic Imaging Network will also be expanded to integrate the Waterloo Wellington and Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN by next fall, effectively enhancing health care for 3.5 million residents.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Dylan Kristy
Quelle/Source: The Windsor Star, 09.10.2010
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