New Technology to Improve Patient Care

Shorter wait times, better care, and giving health professionals more time with patients are some of the ways that One Person One Record can help improve healthcare in Nova Scotia.

“One Person One Record is a solution that is needed to change how our healthcare system communicates patient information between health professionals and services,” said Amanda Tinning, nurse practitioner for the Home Transitional Heart Failure Clinic. “As a nurse practitioner, I need access to patient information and to communicate information in minutes, not days. One Person One Record will allow health professionals to communicate efficiently, in order to provide the care that patients need effectively.”

The new clinical information system will replace or connect more than 80 systems healthcare professionals use daily to record and view patient information. Many of these systems are outdated, slow, and information cannot be shared easily between them, frustrating healthcare professionals who, on average, log in to at least five systems to gain a full picture of a patient’s health information.

One Person One Record will allow healthcare professionals at any Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health facility to access a patient’s complete, up-to-date information at any time.

“For years, healthcare professionals have been frustrated because they don’t have access to the patient information they need, to provide faster and better care for their patients,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness. “It’s a big investment, but once fully implemented it can save time, provide more and better emergency care, reduce wait times for surgeries, cut down on duplicate and costly testing, and make Nova Scotia a more attractive option for healthcare workers.”

The Province has entered a 10-year agreement with Oracle Cerner, a global leader in integrated health information technology, to design, build, and maintain One Person One Record. It will start rolling out at hospitals and mental health and addiction facilities in two years.

One Person One Record advances all priorities included in Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare, by:

• supporting a centralized booking system to reduce surgical wait times
• providing paramedics with the ability to view patient health information on the way to an emergency
• giving family doctors, nurse practitioners and other providers supporting primary healthcare easier access to patient information
• connecting Nova Scotia Health and IWK mental health clinics and SchoolsPlus, which supports universal mental healthcare
• replacing existing old systems so new infrastructure projects can be designed with less space for records and more space for patient care
• giving continuing care teams access to results and treatments from residents’ hospital visits, so they can provide better care when the resident returns home.

One Person One Record will add features over time, including the ability for patients to easily access their own medical records.

Healthcare professionals will be fully supported before, during and after implementation, including in-person and virtual instructor-led training, and 24/7 in-person, on-site support that includes peer mentors, trainers, vendor support, technical support, and clinical support.

Quotes:

“The availability of a single information system that supports our care providers in delivering safe, more timely and connected services should improve the quality of care received by patients and families while making their journeys more seamless.”

– Dr. Krista Jangaard, President and CEO, IWK Health

“The approval of OPOR is a great day for healthcare in Nova Scotia. This legacy project will help ensure an integrated and standardized healthcare experience regardless of where patients are in the province. As a provider, it will give me immediate access to the information and support I need, so I can focus on providing safe, high-quality care for my patients.”

– Dr. Matthew Clarke, emergency physician, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health

“We are excited about this collaboration and the opportunity to work with the entire Nova Scotia healthcare system to enhance the health and well-being of their citizens.”

– Brian Sandager, Vice-President, Oracle Cerner Canada

Quick Facts:

• the 10-year contract with Oracle Cerner is for $365 million
• when fully implemented, more than 26,000 healthcare professionals across the province will have access to real-time patient information
• moving One Person One Record forward is in Minister Thompson’s mandate letter

Additional Resources:

Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

Oracle Cerner Canada: https://www.cerner.com/ca/en

Minister Thompson’s mandate letter: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf