Hospital Information System to Benefit Health Care
Health Minister Jamie Muir announced today that the province will implement one of the most significant hospital information systems in Canada.
Medical Information Technology, Inc. (MEDITECH) and EMC2 Corp. will implement a system to automate and link 34 hospitals in Nova Scotia, enabling fast, secure access to patient and administrative information.
"This system has enormous benefits," said Mr. Muir. "It will provide patients, doctors, nurses and administrators with easier, faster and secure access to vital health information. This will improve patient care and will also help us to better monitor, adjust and plan health services so they are not only effective but are sustainable over the long term."
For patients, this means, for example, they will no longer have to repeat the same medical history over and over again, which is now required even within the same hospital.
Wait times for test results and x-rays will be decreased, as will the number of unnecessary or duplicated tests and procedures. When a health care provider enters a prescription directly into the system, there will be less chance of clinical error due to transmission and interpretation errors.
Health professionals can be more effective and efficient because they will have access to their patients’ information, regardless of which hospital provided the services.
The new hospital information system will free up time now spent on administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and tracking down test results. This means that nurses and other health care providers can spend more time with patients.
"This new system is an investment that will enable us to manage our health care system more effectively, now and in the future," said Mr. Muir. "It is another step in moving forward on our commitment to introduce and encourage evidence-based planning and decision-making throughout the health care system."
Mr. Muir said the hospital information system will support the Clinical Services Planning process by helping administrators to better understand how health services are used and what their communities need, so they can ensure resources are employed most effectively.
Government and the public will benefit from greater accountability, as noted by the auditor general. A modern, efficient health information system should also help to attract and retain doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.
The $30 million investment over three years is a critical component of Nova Scotia’s comprehensive health information management strategy, which includes electronic patient records.
"We have been looking forward to this for a long time and we are thrilled to be getting started," said John Malcom, CEO of District Health Authority 8. "We are very pleased that MEDITECH will be providing the system. We had a rigorous selection process and we chose MEDITECH because their plan best fits the long-term medical information needs of hospitals and health care facilities across the province."
MEDITECH is well respected throughout Canada’s health care industry, and is employed in more than 150 hospitals and regionalized care delivery systems nationwide.
EMC2 is the leading supplier of storage systems, software and networks to Canadian Fortune 500 companies including, health care.
In late 1998, after an exhaustive and inclusive review process, the regional health boards selected MEDITECH as the preferred hospital information systems vendor. In late 1999, the Department of Health recommitted to move forward with the work of the selection group. The past 18 months have been spent detailing the project and negotiating terms for one of the most complicated hospital systems installations in Canada.
"The protection of personal health information is a priority of the Department of Health as we move ahead and in many ways, the new system will offer greater confidentiality," said Mr. Muir.
For example, the ability to track who has viewed what information, and to allow only a specific care provider access to certain information will provide even greater security than now exists. Work is under way to revamp and tighten policies and processes related to security and confidentiality of personal health information and will be an integral component of the project.
Through this project, software will be installed in all hospitals outside the Capital Health District. The IWK Health Centre is already using MEDITECH software and other hospitals in the Capital Health District already have a comprehensive information technology system. Both organizations will be involved directly in the planning and implementation of this project – and will be linked into the system over time.
The approach to implementation will be inclusive –- clinicians, District Health Authorities, academics, and other stakeholders will be directly involved.
The first installation of the new system will begin this summer.
BACKGROUNDER
Medical Information Technology Inc. (MEDITECH)
MEDITECH is installed in more than 1,600 health care organizations throughout the world. Its software brings affiliated health care facilities together into a united enterprise. Information about MEDITECHs products and services can be found at http://www.meditech.com.
EMC2 Corp. (NYSE:EMC)
EMC2 is the world leader in information storage systems, software, networks and services, providing the information infrastructure for a connected world. Information about EMC2''s products and services can be found at http://www.emc.com.