eHealth benefits patients already
I am concerned that recent comments by acting provincial auditor Judy Ferguson do not fully depict the positive impact our province’s current electronic health record is having on Saskatchewan residents.
Here are some examples of how eHealth has dramatically improved the health care scene in our province:
1. Physicians’ offices are able to electronically review their patient’s laboratory test results significantly faster, compared to before these e-health services were in place. For example, in several health regions blood work com- pleted at a lab or hospital can be electronically reviewed by the patient’s health-care provider in a matter of hours, compared to the days it could take before these systems existed.
This has resulted in more timely communication with our patients about their results, and expedited our ability to provide treatment. My patients notice and appreciate this, in addition to benefiting from these changes.
2. If a patient has had lab work completed in one part of the province and then attends an emergency room elsewhere in Saskatchewan, physicians and health-care personnel in several health regions are able to quickly find these results electronically. This lessens the likelihood of duplicate testing, but more importantly gives healthcare providers the right information at the right time to provide the best possible care.
Such test results would also be available electronically to a patient’s primary care provider in followup at a later date. Specialists also have the ability to quickly obtain these test results should they receive a referral from a family physician. Again, this is currently happening in Saskatchewan and patients are benefiting.
3. Saskatchewan’s current electronic health record keeps a comprehensive, up-to-date list of all the medications a patient is taking. This way, if an individual does require urgent or emergent care in a setting away from their doctor’s office (i.e. an emergency room) this information is easily accessible so informed and timely medical decisions can be made.
These systems also provide a way for healthcare providers to ensure patients are using their medications appropri- ately. Similar to laboratory results, these eHealth systems allow any health-care provider throughout the province who is involved in a patient’s care to obtain the information they need. Saskatchewan residents are already experiencing these advantages.
The bottom line is that while work remains to be done, the time and money spent thus far has created eHealth products and services that benefit people. In many ways, producing and implementing eHealth solutions is a paradigm shift in the health-care industry. It is reasonable to expect such a shift will take significant time and resources, but it is clear we are well on our way.
I strongly believe as we continue to implement these systems, Saskatchewan’s residents will continue to experience the constantly evolving benefits these technologies bring to their lives.