HALIFAX – Medical professionals in Nova Scotia’s central zone will lastly get to expertise a streamlined affected person data system subsequent spring. One Particular person One Document, or OPOR, has been talked about for greater than a decade, and is an answer to Nova Scotia’s outdated monitoring programs that see healthcare suppliers depend on telephones, emails and paper data to trace their sufferers.
Nova Scotia Well being had deliberate to launch the brand new system within the central zone in phases beginning in November, however that timeline modified. Now, your complete central zone will swap over on the similar time on Could 9, 2026.
“That is the biggest healthcare transformation in Nova Scotia’s historical past. We wish to make sure the system and the customers are arrange for achievement,” the well being authority stated in a press release.
“It additionally means everybody can be utilizing the identical system throughout central zone, which is able to assist those that work at a number of websites.”
OPOR can be rolled out on the IWK Well being Centre, which operates as separate well being entity, on Dec. 6.
The wait within the central zone is to be anticipated, stated Dr. Amanda MacDonald Inexperienced (pictured), a household doctor in Windsor, N.S., and the president-elect of Docs Nova Scotia.
“Clearly we’re all excited for this expertise and see the worth. However I believe given the scope, it’s not stunning that there’s going to be delays,” she stated.
Dr. MacDonald Inexperienced stated she sees examples the place the brand new system will change her workflow on daily basis.
She lately met with a affected person who had been launched from hospital one week previous to their appointment, however MacDonald Inexperienced didn’t have his discharge notes.
“He was in my workplace … and I don’t actually know what went on,” she stated. As an alternative, she needed to get her administrative workers to name round and attempt to discover solutions.
As soon as OPOR is applied, she stated major care suppliers will be capable of go browsing and see all the knowledge they want about their sufferers’ hospital visits and take a look at outcomes.
This system will initially deal with acute care visits, however MacDonald Inexperienced stated down the street, household docs will seemingly be given entry so as to add their very own data.
“Even gaining access to see a affected person’s medical journey in hospital or all testing, I believe goes to be of profit to us all, and to the affected person.”
Nova Scotia Well being factors out that that is greater than only a expertise improve, however a basic change to how the healthcare system will operate.
The province’s Well being Division beforehand stated that on common, healthcare professionals use 5 completely different programs to trace a affected person’s well being info.
This effort will exchange or join greater than 80 packages which might be at present in place.
Almost everybody who works in well being care – even meals service suppliers – will see their workflow change as soon as the system is converted.
“I’d be prepared to show it on tomorrow,” stated Dr. MacDonald Inexperienced. “There’s clearly enthusiasm and we’re wanting ahead to it being achieved.”
The Nova Scotia authorities beforehand stated it might spend $365 million on the contract for the brand new digital data system. It’s unclear if the brand new timeline will elevate the associated fee.
Nova Scotia Well being stated it’s almost achieved the hiring course of for help workers who will lead the combination of OPOR. Dates for the remaining zones within the province haven’t but been introduced.
Supply: CBC Information
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