June 7, 2010 (Yellowknife, NWT) – Residents of the Beaufort-Delta are the newest beneficiaries of electronic access to medical information, as the Government of the Northwest Territories continues its roll-out of the interoperable Electronic Health Record (iEHR) project.
Beginning today, the region’s health professionals have access to the iEHR HealthNet Viewer, providing instant access to the medical information of patients and ensuring more efficient access to care, better-informed care decisions, and improved patient treatment.
“Electronic health records are a significant undertaking, and one that has a tremendous positive benefit for NWT residents,” said Minister of Health and Social Services Sandy Lee. “By ensuring that a patient’s health records are instantly available to medical professionals that require them, we reduce delays in the system and improve the level of care that can be provided. We will continue to work to ensure that all NWT residents are able to benefit from this new system.”
Every province and territory in Canada is working to implement electronic health record systems that will transform the way health care is delivered to Canadians. Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, invested $5.7 million in NWT’s iEHR project. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record projects in Canada.
“When health professionals have quick, reliable access to health information it’s the patients who benefit the most,” said Richard Alvarez, the President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. “The NWT HealthNet Viewer will help health care professionals in the Beaufort-Delta reduce wait times, improve patient safety and increase access to care.”
The iEHR HealthNet Viewer is being rolled out to authorized healthcare professionals at clinics, hospitals and health centres across the NWT. The program provides instant access to the medical information of patients, including lab results, discharge summaries and diagnostic imaging reports. Records and paper files where they exist today will continue to be maintained as before. The HealthNet Viewer provides the opportunity for clinicians to view information which already exists in different electronic systems across the Territories in a fast, convenient and secure consolidated format.
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For More Information:
Damien Healy
Manager Communications
Health and Social Services
Tel: (867) 920-8927
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