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A clinical information system is a computer system designed for collecting, storing, amending and retrieving information relevant to health care delivery.
Sites across VCH, PHSA and PHC are moving towards new standardized clinical practices and a shared clinical information system based on software developed by Cerner. Sites will go live in phases based on clinical complexity, scope of service, geographic considerations and the current technologies in place.
Some examples of what this means for health care staff
- An electronic patient chart at their fingertips – no more searching for the chart or making manual updates on paper
- Care teams can see an admitted patient’s chart when they’re still in the Emergency Department, before they have arrived on the unit
- Staff can quickly find information about the patient’s condition, allergies, medications and previous medical history
- Staff can read charts and orders on a screen instead of deciphering handwriting
- Staff and physicians with admitting privileges will be able to place orders remotely
“The software is tailored for health care, and includes modules for specialty areas such as radiology, surgery, emergency, medication management, and clinical documentation,” explains Vicky Crompton, Executive Director, CST (PHSA). “There’s a track record of successful implementations across North America. 30 to 40% of clinical settings in Canada use Cerner, including North York General Hospital and London Health Sciences Centre.”
We will take the software and localize it to meet the specific needs of VCH, PHSA and PHC. The clinical design teams are making sure that the system enables patient flow and provides the information needed by patients and clinicians. They’re working closely with the technical teams to put the pieces together in the right way.
“I’ve always believed in the importance of electronic health records and the benefits they deliver,” says Vicky. “Accurate information is critical to providing good quality and safe patient care. Our world-class health care professionals need to have access to the relevant information in a timely manner in order to do their best work.”
If you have questions or feedback, please email info@CSTproject.ca.
