e-Health

Benefits of SHARE

Your electronic health record can tell your provider what you can not

The province has introduced an electronic health record (EHR) system that will continue to evolve. Nova Scotians are already seeing benefits from greater use of information technology in health care, like faster diagnosis and treatment, and greater efficiency.

A Unique Health Record
SHARE manages a single electronic health record for Larry, as it does for each person in the province and others who receive care here.  Larry’s chart is identified through unique information, such as his name, address, birth date, and health card number.

A Secure Health Record
A crucial part of the system is protecting patient privacy. As health professionals in hospitals and doctors’ offices learn to use SHARE, they also learn how it protects your privacy. Each user is authorized to see only the information needed to do his or her job. 
For example, Larry’s emergency room doctor was authorized to view the results of diagnostic tests and clinical reports for any hospital visits for Larry.  This was vital to giving them all the information available to make the best possible decisions on his diagnosis and treatment. Other healthcare providers may have limits on what information they can see about Larry.

Protections on the system are strong: password requirements, confidentiality agreements, audits of user access, firewalls, anti-virus software, and monitored and restricted access to computer servers.

A Valuable Health Record
SHARE makes patient health records available to authorized healthcare professionals across the province.  No matter where a patient is being treated, emergency room doctors, clinical specialists and other professionals can access the patient’s history and results of recent diagnostic tests.

• Healthcare providers benefit – Larry’s emergency room doctor is able to provide better care for him because of access to more of Larry’s healthcare history.
• Patients benefit – Larry did have to undergo a couple of tests again because his emergency room doctor could see that they had already been performed recently. Nor did this doctor have to wait for repeat tests to make decisions on Larry’s healthcare needs. 
• Health system administrators and taxpayers benefit – Not repeating tests saved healthcare dollars and staff time that would have been needed to contact other health authorities for information on Larry’s chart.

The benefits from SHARE are continuing to increase as more healthcare providers use SHARE and as more patient information is added. 

Next