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Brockville General Hospital |
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News Release |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eastern Ontario—New electronic data sharing agreements between Brockville General Hospital (BGH) and Kingston General Hospital (KGH), Hotel Dieu Hospital (HDH) and the Ottawa Hospital will mean timelier access to care for patients in southeastern Ontario. The new agreements will allow Brockville physicians rapid access to electronic patient data from the other hospital sites, replacing the traditional methods of fax and courier mail to ensure that the most complete and up-to-date information can be used in patient care decisions. Patient information such as consult notes, discharge summaries, lab results, CT and MRI scans and other diagnostic tests will be readily available regardless of whether they were performed in Kingston or at The Ottawa Hospital. The secure data-sharing system requires user identification and password access to ensure patient confidentiality, and complies with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). “Physicians who have active privileges at Brockville General Hospital can apply for access to the shared patient record at KGH and HDH or the Ottawa Hospital system,” explains Dr. Robert Beveridge, BGH Chief of Staff. “All of the information that is critical to making timely clinical decisions can now be reviewed in a timely and efficient manner.” Expanding the existing shared patient record between KGH and HDH to Brockville was a logical next step as many patients are often referred to Kingston from the Brockville area. “We recognize that delays in accessing information can sometimes delay patient care,” says Troy Jones, Chief Information Officer at KGH and HDH. “By leveraging technology to provide Brockville area physicians with a secure method of accessing patient data from KGH and HDH, we can streamline the sharing of patient information while ensuring it remains safe and secure.” For now, the systems will see primarily BGH physicians accessing information on their patients who have also received care in Kingston or at The Ottawa Hospital. In the long term, this type of agreement could reduce unnecessary re-testing and facilitate more efficient transfer of patients between institutions. “This initiative enables patients to be secure in the knowledge that a record of their treatment at The Ottawa Hospital is available to clinicians in Brockville at the touch of a button. This eliminates the need for duplicate tests, and eliminates the stress of patients having to remember every detail of their visit,” says Dale Potter, Chief Information Officer of The Ottawa Hospital. “It’s another successful step in improving quality and patient safety at our hospitals.” “The enhancement to patient care generated by these reciprocal data agreements will be substantial,” says Beveridge. “These agreements will have a large impact on our ability to make decisions on admission, discharge or transfer of care.” For more information, please contact:
Healthy people – Outstanding Care
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