An electronic health record (EHR) is a secure and private record of your health care information, available electronically to your authorized health care professionals.
An EHR is designed to facilitate better sharing and interpretation of health information among the health professionals involved in your care, leading to better care for you and your loved ones.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information is building the provincial EHR. Once implemented, the EHR will provide more accurate and reliable data to support improved health care delivery, decision-making and policy and create improved accountability, stability and efficiency in our provincial health care system.
- Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS)
PACS allows health care professionals to digitally access and share your diagnostic images, including x-rays, ultrasounds and mammograms, regardless of where the image was taken. It means reduced duplication in testing and increased efficiency as diagnosis no longer requires a specialist on-site. Today, more than 99% of imaging in Newfoundland and Labrador hospitals is now digital. More - HEALTHe NL Viewer
The Viewer is a portal that provides health care professionals with a single point of access to view your important health information in the EHR. Today, that includes medication profiles from the Pharmacy Network. By mid-2015 it will bring in other relevant information, including lab results and select clinical information. More than 2000 clinicians have already registered for access to the Viewer and the number continues to grow. More - The Pharmacy Network
The Pharmacy Network gives your health care professionals access to your medication profile. When you fill a prescription at a connected pharmacy, the Pharmacy Network stores information about the medications you are taking. This makes it easier for pharmacists and other health care professionals to make better decisions about your care and helps prevent harmful drug interactions. Today, more than half of our population has a profile on the Pharmacy Network. More - Client Registry
The EHR's foundational component is the Client Registry, which enables the accurate identification of patients upon registering for care in the health system. It uses up-to-date demographic information to ensure the right care is being provided to the right patient. More
Your EHR will make your health information available when and where it is needed, improving the way your health care is delivered.
Electronic health records present more benefits for patients than paper records, are not limited by geographic distance, and greatly facilitate a more efficient flow of information within the provincial health system.
Benefits for Patients include:
- Better quality and convenience of care through more accurate and timely information sharing.
- Enhanced coordination of your care among health care professionals, leading to better diagnosis and treatment.
- Reduced wait times for delivery of test results and diagnoses.
- Improved accuracy and less potential for errors and duplication.
- Increased access for patients in remote areas.
- Better monitoring and management of chronic conditions.
- Increased security to protect the confidentiality of your health information.
The electronic health record creates a digital profile of each patient within our health system - a profile that can be accessed by authorized health care professionals when needed.
The EHR will allow for better care through a secure, more comprehensive network of patient health information.
Benefits for Health Professionals include:
- Timely and secure access to your patients' health records when and where needed.
- Access to your patients' health information from all relevant sources, including hospitals, and connected pharmacies.
- Faster access to your patients' diagnostic test results.
- Increased capacity for information sharing and coordination between health professionals, leading to better patient care.
- Increased level of security and confidentiality through electronic safeguards.
- Decreased potential for prescription errors.
Health care professionals interested in learning more about accessing and using EHR systems, such as the Pharmacy Network or the HEALTHe NL Viewer, can contact 709-752-6006 or 1-877-752-6006.
Your EHR is private and secure. It is designed with strong security features to protect personal health information.
- EHR information is shared over a secure network, built with multiple firewalls and encryption.
- Only authorized health care professionals have access to the EHR and they use passwords to access EHR systems.
- Only health care professionals involved in giving you care are allowed to view your profile.
- There are records of each time a profile is accessed, including by whom and when. You can ask to see that record.
- Individuals who want extra privacy can request a password to mask or hide their medication profile. This provides control over who sees your medication profile, but may lead to delays in accessing important information at the point of care, such as at the pharmacy or hospital.
- Masked profiles can be accessed in an emergency to ensure you get the best possible treatment.
Information held in the EHR will also help plan and manage our provincial health system. Sometimes, it may be used for research. Identifying details, such as your name and MCP number, will be removed where appropriate before any information is used for purposes other than your health care. Only the minimum amount of information needed to support the initiative will be provided. Sometimes, the law may require information from your medical profile be provided to legal authorities.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information was created in 1996. The Centre is responsible for developing and implementing a confidential and secure electronic health record.
The Centre for Health Information provides quality information to health professionals, the public, researchers and health system decision-makers.
The Centre works toward improved health through quality health information for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It designs and implements secure systems that connect and share health information. Health professionals use the information to make better decisions about patient care. In addition to building your EHR, the Centre supports:
- Developing data and technical standards.
- Maintaining key health databases.
- Preparing and distributing health reports.
- Performing applied health research, evaluations, and analytics.
The Centre is a crown corporation of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It also receives funding from the not-for-profit group Canada Health Infoway, which funds EHRs across Canada.
