News release

Province Invests in New E-Health Care Technology

Health and Wellness

The province is adding new e-heath care technology to enhance patient safety and help reduce medical errors.

Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leonard Preyra, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister David Wilson, announced today, Nov. 26, that the province will add a secure online physician system for up-to-date patient and medication information, dosage timing, beginning with Capital Health.

The investment is part of the province's new capital plan to deliver better care sooner to families.

"Nova Scotians deserve a quality health-care system, from the services provided to the technology used to deliver them," said Mr. Preyra. "A modern order entry system will advance patient safety and is seen as the single most important technology solution for reducing medical errors."

The Computerized Physician Order Entry system reduces the need for multiple paper copies of patient records and faxing information within the hospital system, increasing patient privacy and security. It also reduces medication and intravenous fluid errors, improves turnaround time for medications from the hospital pharmacy and streamlines radiology and lab workflows.

"This information system will provide better and safer patient care by helping us to ensure the medications patients receive are accurate, delivered faster, and that patients only get the tests that they need," said Dr. Godfrey Heathcote, chief of pathology and laboratory medicine for Capital Health. "The system will also make our work more efficient, reducing the many steps required in a paper-based system."

After it is implemented at Capital Health, it can be extended to IWK. The system is part of a longer-term strategy to enhance hospital information technology across the province.

"The IWK recognizes the important role Computerized Physician Order Entry systems play in improving patient safety and are delighted that we will benefit from this technology in the future," said Mary Ann Hiltz, vice-president, strategy and organizational performance, IWK Health Centre.

This is the third straight year the province will release the capital plan before the spring budget. It sends a clear signal of what the province intends to do in the year ahead, and gives the private sector greater opportunity to prepare for projects, creating efficiencies and cost savings for the province.