Knowing the need for electronic health records.
In Canada, we think of health care as a point of national pride - we have access to health care when and where we need it. Though every province and territory manages their own health care system, there is still the opportunity to enhance the care we receive and make health care in Canada better through the use of information technology.
Today, health care facilities are still using paper-based records for the sharing and storage of health information. Electronic health records (EHRs) will update and improve our health care system, much as technology has improved the banking industry. Take the quiz to see what difference it will make for you.
EHRs will address three fundamental needs:
1
Improve the quality of care patients receive in Canada.
2
Provide health care providers with access to the most accurate and complete information possible when treating a patient.
3
Maintain a sustainable health care system for years to come.
Knowing the partners putting EHRs in place
Governments are working together toward a commitment to connecting each point of care in your community, and eventually across the country through the development of EHRs. So no matter where you are in Canada, you will receive a better quality of care.
The Provincial and Territorial Governments
The federal government is funding the development of EHRs through Canada Health Infoway.
The funding, totaling $2.1 billion to date from Health Canada, was provided through a series of grants made between 2001-2010. Measures have also been put in place to ensure that Health Canada is able to fully account for Canada Health Infoway's use of the funding.
This not-for-profit organization was created in a collaborative effort by the federal, provincial and territorial governments in 2001, to accelerate the development and adoption of EHRs in Canada.
Its main contributions are:
- To provide the Blueprint and standards guiding the development of EHRs in Canada
- To co-invest in particular projects with the provinces and territories, which will support the development of the three EHR components
- To ensure that the guiding principles and standards of the Blueprint are followed
Learn more about Canada Health Infoway and its approach to accelerating EHR development in Canada.
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Knowing the benefits
Adopting electronic health records (EHRs) will help change health care in Canada for the better, similarly to how technology has improved the banking and shopping industries by making them more convenient and improving customer service. Once EHR systems are in place the possibilities of future development in areas of prevention and treatment are vast.
Listed below are just a few examples of where EHRs will help improve Canada's health care system.
Improved treatment in an emergency situation
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Having instant access to a patient's health information will reduce the chance of misdiagnosis and possible unforeseen complications in an emergency situation.
In the Canadian health care system today, it is sometimes up to an individual or a family member to properly relay important medical information on the spot. If the individual is unable to communicate, the risk of misdiagnosis and/or conflict between medications increases.
Implementing EHRs would reduce that risk because each patient's information would be quickly and easily accessible. EHRs are a valuable tool for any health care team since they eliminate unnecessary testing to determine a patient's possible underlying medical conditions or discover medications they might be using.
Better management for chronic conditions
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For Canadians living with chronic illnesses, EHRs can make monitoring
day-to-day risk factors much easier for patients and physicians.
Individuals who are living with chronic conditions are required to monitor certain risk factors, such as blood sugar or blood pressure levels. Regularly scheduled visits with family doctors, specialists and other health care providers are designed to manage these potential risk factors and can take up a lot of patient and provider time.
EHRs would allow individuals to send important information to their health care providers, so that if a problem should arise, they can immediately intervene and give instructions. The benefit of communicating this way is that the patient has saved time by avoiding unnecessary visits to their physician's office and the physician is able to give a better quality of care.
For example, EHR systems stand to have a dramatic impact on diabetes prevention and management. This is extremely important in light of recent Canadian diabetes statistics:
- More than 3 million Canadians have diabetes and this number is expected to reach 3.7 million by 2020.
- Diabetes is a contributing factor in the deaths of approximately 41,500 Canadians each year.
- People with diabetes incur medical costs that are two to three times higher than those without diabetes. A person with diabetes can face direct costs for medication and supplies ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 a year.
- By 2020, it's estimated that diabetes will cost the Canadian health care system $16.9 billion a year.
All actions taken to prepare for and manage the rising diabetes situation in Canada will ultimately help save lives and minimize the drain this rising health problem will have on our health care resources.
Shortened wait times
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Adopting EHRs will help patients take advantage of cancelled appointments and create shorter wait times.
Currently in Canada, health care facilities are not equipped with an efficient system for communication between facilities. Appointment cancellations happen quite frequently and expensive equipment sits unused while others are waiting to have access.
Through EHRs, patients waiting for specialized treatment could be notified when a spot becomes available. Ultimately, connecting points of care through EHRs will open up access giving patients the chance to receive care more quickly.
Reduced duplicate tests
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With an EHR system in place, redundancy in medical testing will be reduced.
Currently, it is estimated that for every 1,000 lab tests performed, approximately 150 are wasteful duplicates. This is because when Canadians visit a specialist or a new doctor, the health care provider does not have access to previous test results and medical tests are re-issued.
In Canada, duplicate medical tests cost up to $340 million a year. If these duplicates were reduced by even 2 to 3%, it would avoid as many as 1.3 million unnecessary exams every year.
Having a patient's health history readily available in an EHR will help determine which tests are a priority and will eliminate the occurrence of unnecessary duplicates.
Better diagnosis & treatment
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EHRs can help Canadians receive better diagnoses because they will paint a more comprehensive picture of a patient's health history.
While a patient's health information is likely to be organized and stored securely in each facility they have visited, information systems between points of care are not necessarily connected. So when a patient sees a new physician, there may be important historical information that has not been communicated to them. This lack of information can prolong and complicate the diagnosis process.
EHRs will be extremely valuable in helping physicians make even more accurate and timely diagnoses.
Increased access for remote areas
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Having EHRs in place will help improve and make advanced health care even
more accessible to people who live in remote areas.
Currently, in Canada, people who live in remote areas are more likely to have to travel a long distance to a major urban centre if they have an undiagnosed issue or need to see a specialist.
The innovation of EHRs could enable a patient to see a local physician who could then transfer test results to a facility in an urban centre.
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By doing so, you can receive updates and see how Canada Health Infoway and its
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Knowing the plan
Creating a cross-Canada network of electronic health record (EHRs) systems is a significant task. This network needs to be well thought out so it respects Canadian privacy laws and health policies as well as adapt with our evolving health care needs for years to come.
The plan to bring a fully functioning electronic health record network to all Canadians calls for three core components: Storage, Point of Care Systems and Connection. Watch the video to better understand the full plan.
With this overall approach in place for Canada, the provinces and territories are building and upgrading their EHR systems so they're consistent from one region to the next. Along with having the flexibility to meet the health care priorities in its region, each province and territory is contributing toward a greater goal: the day where every Canadian has their health information move with them, no matter where they receive care in the country.
Today, the provinces and territories are at different stages of development.
Here's a snapshot of how things are progressing across Canada.
Storage
Of the six core databases that need to be completed, nine provinces already have at least four in place. See where development stands in your home province/territory.
Point of Care Systems
With the large number of health care facilities and providers in Canada, the process of updating and building a consistent EHR system for every point of care in Canada is an enormous task.
Though many health care providers in Canada still use paper-based records, advancements have already been made in implementing EHR systems. Here are just a few examples:
Around 40% of Canadian primary care physicians in office settings are using technology to log and track the health information of individual patients.
Many Canadian pharmacies use computer systems to monitor patient drug histories, allergies and potential drug conflicts - 32% of which are connected to a provincial database.
Approximately 74% of Canadian hospitals have at least one component of the EHR system already in place.
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Connection
Once the information storage systems are completed and point of care systems are in place, connection is the final component of the plan. Connecting to this network will allow authorized health care providers to securely access individual’s health history. Equipped with this information, providers will make better-informed decisions and improve care outcomes for Canadians.
Visit "Knowing the progress" to see how information technology is making a difference for Canadians today!
'Like' us to show your support for electronic health records
By doing so, you can receive updates and see how Canada Health Infoway and its
partners are making health care in Canada better.
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Knowing the progress
EHRs are touching the lives of Canadians in many different ways. Browse through the videos below to see how electronic health records are already making health care better for everyday Canadians.
Improved treatment in
an emergency situation
For patients needing emergency care, it can be difficult for them, or their caregivers to give an accurate medical history. Electronic health records give providers instant access to a patient’s health information when they need it the most.
Better management
of chronic conditions
A comprehensive electronic health record means patient information is brought together, making it an invaluable tool for the care teams to better manage patients like George Roper who suffers from chronic conditions.
Shortened wait times
Waiting for specialized treatment and diagnosis is enhanced by electronic records who allow patients like Grace de Jong to access online information about wait times, getting her faster access to diagnostic testing.
Reduced duplicate tests
In Canada, there are 150 wasteful duplicates for every 1,000 lab tests performed. Electronic health records provide a complete record of a patient’s test results that reduce duplication while saving time and money.
Better diagnoses
& treatment
Today in Nova Scotia, all radiological scans are performed 100 per cent digitally. And that means specialists can easily share test results leading to faster, more accurate diagnosis regardless of where patients receive care.
Increased access for
remote areas
For Canadians like Heather Blois and her son Nicky, living in a remote community means that access to specialized care can be difficult. Watch how this patient is connecting to a specialist hundreds of miles away.
Helping health care providers
Electronic health records are equipping health care providers with the tools they need to provide fast, accurate and collaborative care. Physicians, nurses and pharmacists all agree that there is no going back to paper. See the difference electronic health care record systems are making to the way they deliver care.
'Like' us to show your support for electronic health records
By doing so, you can receive updates and see how Canada Health Infoway and its
partners are making health care in Canada better.
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