IHealth Update: Week 2 to date highlights

• This spring, we are moving from older systems and paper-based medical and clinical orders to one electronic health records (EHR) system.

• This transition is designed to enhance the patient experience through improvements to the quality, safety, and consistency of patient care.

• NOTE: Please provide patients, clients, and families with an IHealth information sheet if they are interested in more details. The info sheet provides a QR code to the IHealth web page, which has more information about the EHR.

• You might see us using new devices, like barcode scanners, which we’ll use to track patients’ care in the clinic or hospital unit.

• There will be extra support staff on site. They’re here to help us while we get used to the new system. Support staff may need to hear or see details about your care. Please know they are required to follow all Island Health privacy and confidentiality policies.

• Our focus continues to be providing safe, quality care to you and your family during this transition.

• Moving forward, patients who visit our major hospitals or other facilities using the same system (such as Nanaimo Regional General Hospital or Oceanside Health Centre) can expect a better experience because their care teams will have access to more complete patient records.

• Using the new system to provide patient care will mean:
  • Less time repeating your health information
  • Our care teams will have real-time access to the patient information they need
  • Safer medication management process
  • Faster access to lab results and medication therapies

• ​Patients and clients may experience some delays in services while we get used to the new system – our care teams will have a learning curve. If you have an appointment, please consider arriving a few minutes early to allow extra time for registration.

• During this transition, we have changed how we schedule appointments to give our care teams time to adapt to the new system. Flexibility when booking or rescheduling your appointments may be limited during this period.

• Your care continues to be our top priority.

• If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about this transition, please talk to a member of your care team or a patient services manager. You can also contact the Patient Care Quality Office if you feel your issue was not addressed: 1.877.977.5797 or patientcarequalityoffice@islandhealth.ca.

• Privacy and security of personal health information is one of our highest priorities. Using the Cerner electronic health record means we have the benefits of current technology, including built-in privacy and security features that meet the highest standards, as well as around-the-clock vendor monitoring and support.

• There are safeguards in place to make sure only the appropriate and required doctors, nurses and other staff members view patient information.

• Physicians who have privileges at clinics and other sites which use Cerner will be able to securely view the system from anywhere. Family physicians won’t use this system, but they will receive timely access to consult reports, discharge summaries, medical imaging, and cardiology reports through another system.

• ​The IHealth website has more information about the coming activation.

Scrubbing in together: visiting physicians team up with RJH staff to help master EHR

In the Operating Rooms of RJH, Dr. Arsh Sidhu – a resident physician in the Department of Orthopedics at UBC in Vancouver – is helping his colleagues adapt to electronic ordering and other new functions in the electronic health record. Dr. Sidhu is one of 32 resident physicians who have travelled from neighboring communities to assist medical staff at RJH during the current Go-Live.

“It was a huge change for surgeons,” Dr. Sidhu explained, “but they picked this up quickly – they’ve figured out that, one, it provides better patient care because it provides checks and balances… making sure that patients are getting consistent care across teams. And when [surgeons] figured out that this will actually save them time, that is when they started getting onboard – especially the ones that have been here multiple days through the week. The confidence is growing, you can see it.”

Physicians who were initially apprehensive about the new system are realizing just how personalized and customizable the EHR can be. Though the learning curve comes with challenges, the system is already yielding new benefits. “We started out adding 30 minutes to every case, to allow for the adjustment to CPOE, but we’re actually finishing ahead of time,” said Dr. Sidhu. “Morale throughout the week has increased significantly.”

Physicians like Dr. Sidhu are in a unique position to help physicians and care providers, bringing together their knowledge of both the Cerner system and the workflow of medicine in order to better assist staff during the adaptation period. “We’ve been using Cerner in Vancouver for three years now.”