NSE 112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Canada Health Infoway, Health Informatics, Electronic Health Record
2 Apr 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
NSE112
Winter 2019
Week 6
Nursing Informatics
Readings
Objectives
1. Discuss current trends in nursing informatics
2. Discuss future application opportunities for nursing informatics
3. Explain types of electronic systems used in Healthcare
4. Discuss how new technologies present legal and ethical issues that need to be addressed by policy
Current trends/issues in Canada
Nursing Informatics in Canada
http://www.casn.ca/2014/12/casn-entry-practice-nursing-informatics-competencies/
Information and Communication
Technologies in Nursing: Types, Uses, & Benefits
3 Types of Electronic Systems 1
1. Point-of-care systems (e.g. EMR)
allow entry and viewing of data within an organization
2.Electronic Health Records
allow data entry and viewing across multiple services and across a lifetime
3.Consumer health solutions (e.g. PHR)
enables the patient/client to enter, review, and share personal health information
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) 2-3
Same idea as a patient’s/client’s hardcopy medical chart
Used within one health care facility (e.g. An acute care hospital) or team (e.g. primary care team)
Include documentation, medical history, medications, and diagnostic and imaging reports related to one
facility or team
Point-of-care (e.g. electronic medical records)
https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/what-we-do/better-health-together- see video 1.4 min – “Better
Health Together”
How will Canadians benefit?
EMRs provide health care providers with a more complete picture of their patient’s health.
As of March 31, 2013, the co-investment by Infoway with the provinces and territories has resulted in the
cumulative enrolment of approximately 12,000 clinicians in jurisdictional EMR programs.
Care will also be improved by giving approximately 25,000 health care providers across Canada who
work in busy specialty clinics easier and secure access to patient information gathered from inside and
outside the clinic.
Benefits of EMRs 3-4
Easy and quick documentation and access to patient/client information
Improved monitoring by trending and tracking health information
Access to clinical guidelines and tools
Tool for health teaching
Research opportunities: quality improvement and care planning
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) 5-6
Definition: “an electronic record that provides each individual in Canada with a secure and private
lifetime record of their key health history and care within the health system.” (Canada Health Infoway
Blueprint, p. 5)
These records allow nurses, pharmacists, therapist, doctors, and other members of the health care team to
view and update a patient’s/client’s health record
Currently, Canadian stakeholders are working towards implementing electronic health records for each
province and territory
EHR Electronic Health Records
Electronic Health Records (EHR): a longitudinal record of a person’s health status, diagnostic tests,
treatments, and results
To provide ability for pt info to be communicated along w the patients as they move across all sectors of
the regional, provincial or national HC delivery system
“Health care professionals need timely access to the most up-to-date information when making a patient
care decision. However, lab test results, X-rays, medication histories, and other pertinent information are
often in many different locations resulting in duplication, extra administrative tasks, or relying on a
patient's memory – ultimately leading to a delay in treatment or care” (Canada Health Infoway)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dFm3FrppJTU (2 min)
• Better to have knowledge of health care than not knowing --
•
Basic EHR Components 5-6
• Components that are key and needed in EHRs
• Each province and territory is responsible for developing an EHR that meets unique needs and
adheres to basic standard of components
Point-of-care system for data entry and retrieval
Functionality
Client registry (e.g. personal information)
Provider registry (e.g. home care nurse)
Diagnostic imaging system (e.g. x-ray)
Drug information system (e.g. current meds)
Laboratory information system (e.g. blood-work)
Medication profiles
Clinical reports (e.g. discharge summary)
Interoperability
Advantages of EHRs 5-7
Legibility -- don’t have to rely on ability to read handwrigin
Availability-- available onling and two hcps or more can access same chart at hte same time
Ease of updating- easier access to updated and current info regarding pt
Storage- env friendly and prevent from use of several sheets of paper -- and the possibility of
becoming lost
Improved patient safety
Challenges of EHRs 5
Upfront costs
• -- however there is long term savings
Collaboration of
Expertise- needed in clinical, tehcnological, organization and ethical areas
Protecting privacy
• Goal to maintain privacy and confidentiality regarding the info of the pt -- each province is at diff
stages in implementing EHRs
EHRs in Canada
View video 7 min. available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b74_jcyqkM4
• Pt work together collaboratively with health care team in order to perform safe and effective care
• Greater access to health care info as pt is helpful
• However, make sure that the info is only in the hands of the individuals involved in the circle of
care
• Flexibilty to create according to their health needs
• For fully functioning ehrs-- point of care system ( appropriate region to send, receive and manage
info), storage and connection
Nursing Opportunities with EHRs 5
EHRs provide nurses with an opportunity to:
Work with other health professionals towards optimal, collaborative patient/client care, and
Systematically document their interventions and the resulting outcomes
In order to do this, nurses need to use standardized nursing and clinical terminologies
Patient/Client Benefits with EHRs 5-6
