- Health professionals across VCH, PHSA and PHC will adopt common clinical and process standards (including workflows, order sets, clinical guidelines and integrated plans of care).
- Patient records will be updated and shared electronically via a shared clinical information system called CST Cerner.
- Medication orders and other instructions will be entered directly into the CST Cerner clinical information system and will immediately become part of the patient’s record (computerized provider order entry).
- Health professionals in acute care facilities will use a fully electronic "closed loop medication management" process. This will help improve patient safety by making sure each medication is prescribed and given to the right patient, in the right dose, at the right time, with the right documentation.
What this means for health professionals
- Less unnecessary variation in care – consistent clinical practices across VCH, PHSA and PHC.
- An electronic patient chart – no more searching for or waiting for the chart, writing orders on paper, or deciphering handwriting.
- Easy-to-access information about the patient’s condition, allergies, medications and previous medical history.
About the CST Cerner system
A clinical information system is a computer system designed for collecting, storing, amending and retrieving information relevant to health care delivery.
VCH, PHSA and PHC will implement CST Cerner, a shared clinical information system based on software developed by Cerner. The new system will consolidate patient data from over 50 current systems into one electronic health record.
How things will change
Standardized clinical content
- Order sets
- Integrated plans of care
- Structured documentation standards
- Standardized nursing content
- Algorithms for proactive response to sepsis
- Structured terminology for diagnosis/problems
Shared and improved processes
- Patient intake, triage and admission
- Closed loop medication management
- Downtime processes and policies
- Discharge processes
- Rapid Response Team activation
Better use of technology
- Electronic medication reconciliation
- Computerized order entry
- Electronic bedside medication administration
- Electronic clinical documentation
- Shared electronic health record
- Automated dispensing cabinets
- Clinical decision support
- Results and reports distribution to primary and community care
- Automated monitoring with bedside medical device integration (BMDI) & FetaLink
- Shared data warehouse
