February 5, 2026

One Person One Record (OPOR) Program Updates

Colleagues,


Many of you have been hearing from your peers at the IWK following their December go-live of the clinical information system. I want to acknowledge that the IWK teams have been navigating some challenges during this stabilization period. Their physicians and staff have been candid about the impact on daily workflow, and I appreciate their honesty, resilience and commitment to patient care while the system continues to be optimized.


Earlier this week, the OPOR team sent a memo to IWK leadership outlining the steps underway to address the system issues that have had the greatest impact on providers: report routing, ambulatory care workflows and waitlist management. These areas are now the highest priority of their technical teams and targeted improvements are already being implemented. Read the full memo here.


Since that memo was shared, meaningful progress has been made this week, including:

• Multiple report routing fixes identified and ready for configuration. The following are already resolved:
• FATC, ECHO and ECG are now flowing externally via fax
• ECHO and ECG are now showing in the ordering provider’s message centre
• Auto-matching is now functional for community providers using the Accuro EMR
• Redesign of recheck orders is nearing completion and will be implemented on Monday.
• Improvements are being implemented on Monday for providers to view and edit patient and family contact information. Supporting education material is being developed.
• Missing information from external provider accounts (e.g. fax details) are being added.
  

Additionally, the OPOR team has received a system stability plan from Oracle Health; a governance structure and weekly meeting schedule is now in place to monitor progress of this plan. Updates will continue to be provided.

Active workplans are being formulated and activity has commenced on the following priorities:

• Discharge instruction prescription formatting
• Billing label
• Resident and non-physician configuration for note distribution
• Physician transition of care position audit review
• Nursing interactive view flexing – role and patient location


As we look ahead to Nova Scotia Health’s implementation, I want to assure you that we are listening closely to what the IWK’s experience is teaching us. Their feedback is directly informing readiness planning, workflow refinements, training and how we sequence our own go-live preparation activities. This is the benefit of a phased rollout: we learn, we adapt and we strengthen the system before it expands further.


Despite the challenges of any implementation of this scale, the goal remains clear and unchanged: a single, modern, provincial clinical information system is the right direction for patients, for providers and for our health system. It will enable physicians and teams to access the same information across care settings, reduce duplication, support safety and provide a more complete picture of each patient’s journey.


Our commitment is to ensure that when each zone within Nova Scotia Health goes live, we do so in a way that reflects the lessons learned, protects quality of care and equips every physician with the support they need to transition confidently.


Thank you for your continued engagement and your leadership through this important transformation. I will continue to provide updates as planning progresses. You can also find more information and resources on the OPOR Hub, as well as the Provider Corner, which is tailored for physicians.


Nicole

Training for Wave Two Now Open

Registration for OPOR Wave Two training is now open in preparation for the Central Zone launch on May 9. Nova Scotia Health providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, residents, and fellows) may self-register or delegate registration to an administrative support person.


Providers are required to complete both a classroom course and a scenario lab, which can be registered for through the OPOR Education & Learning Registration Portal (NS Health or IWK Health network access required). Course capacity is limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Training is mandatory and must be completed before system access is granted.


Wave Two training reflects lessons learned from the OPOR implementation at IWK Health and incorporates feedback to support a more streamlined learning experience. Additional learning opportunities, including Practice Labs, will be offered as part of the broader CIS learning pathway ahead of Go-Live.

Further details are available on Provider Corner and the OPOR Hub (NS Health or IWK network access required).



Practice Labs Coming Soon

Once Nova Scotia Health providers, clinicians and employees have completed their OPOR training, they will have the opportunity to participate in Practice Labs. These remote hands-on sessions give future CIS users the opportunity to build confidence and skills through realistic practice scenarios. Registration will be required for the sessions to access the practice environment. More details to come.

Provider Corner

The Hub’s Provider Corner is your one-stop shop for all OPOR resources and updates for Nova Scotia Health providers. In preparation for Wave Two, download the Go-Live Readiness Passport—your preparation checklist for the next CIS implementation. Visit the Hub’s Provider Corner for this and much more.


Become a Peer Mentor

Help your peers navigate the CIS with confidence by providing practical, hands-on support ahead of Go-Live. Peer Mentors receive advanced training, play a key role in Scenario Labs, and work closely with OPOR’s Provider Adoption team. Learn more on the OPOR Hub.

Imprivata Tap-In Access coming to Central Zone

In preparation for go-live across Central Zone, card readers will be deployed to some devices, providing users with the ability to tap-in and tap-out of their accounts. Users may also tap-in and tap-out on WOWs (Workstations on Wheels). Username and password login will remain available, with no changes to your access or account.


Action required

• Physicians who have not previously used Imprivata must enroll their Nova Scotia Health ID badge by tapping it on a proximity card reader and following the Enroll card now prompts.
• If you do not have an Imprivata license, request one through IT Client Self-Service.
  

For support, contact the IT Service Desk at 902-473-3399 or visit IT Client Self-Service.

This communication is intended for Nova Scotia Health physicians and staff in relation to OPOR.

New FFAST Desktop Icon

Team members can now launch the Flow Forecasting and Strategizing Tool (FFAST) directly from the new desktop icon on all Nova Scotia Health computers.

FFAST uses patient flow forecasting to support informed, proactive decision-making across care settings. The tool provides real-time insights into Emergency Health Services (EHS), Emergency Department, inpatient units, and Continuing Care metrics—helping teams understand trends and how care delivery impacts surge levels.

FFAST can be used for:

• Predicting future ED overcrowding (NEDOCS/CEDOCS scores)
• Forecasting acute occupancy
• Monitoring and projecting surge levels
• Tracking EHS arrivals and offload times
• Viewing walk-in arrival numbers
• Assessing average boarding times

View the FFAST tool here.

Revised Expected Death at Home Policy Now Live

The revised Expected Death at Home (EDAH) Policy is now in effect across Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health. The revised policy reflects input from extensive consultations with health portfolios, Government partners, clinicians and a jurisdictional scan.


An EDAH form supports patients with a life-limiting illness who wish to die at home by allowing families to contact their chosen funeral provider directly at the time of death, without calling 911. 


EDAH forms are completed by health care providers directly involved in the patient’s care. This is often done in primary care or palliative care, but may be completed by any physician, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in the patient’s circle of care.


Under the revised process, completed EDAH forms will be sent directly to funeral providers by the health team completing the form. The form must be completed in full and clearly identify:


• The patient’s chosen funeral provider, and
• The physician or nurse practitioner who has agreed to complete the Medical Certificate of Death.
  

A suite of new resources is available to support teams, including:

• A Clinical Practice Support page
• Revised form (form name NS_EDH)
• Step-by-step instructions for completing the EDAH form
• A patient and family guide to EDAH

If you have any questions, please reach out to palliativecare@nshealth.ca. 

Update: Status of Rifabutin Resupply

There is a critical shortage of MYCOBUTIN (Rifabutin) capsules in Canada. To help mitigate the shortage, Health Canada has permitted the exceptional, temporary importation and sale of Novitium Pharma LLC's US-labelled Rifabutin Capsules, USP with English-only labels, by SteriMax Inc.

More information can be found here.

IV Smart Pump Distribution Requests

Recent site-specific requests for pumps have increased, significantly depleting shared stock typically supplied by the Halifax Infirmary and Victoria General pump garages. The Technology-Enabled Practice Team has created some guidelines for healthcare workers to follow to help reduce unnecessary replenishment requests while continuing to meet patient needs.

Please use this chart when determining whether you need an FK Agilia smart pump.

More information can be found in this memo.

Reminder: Sepsis Improvement Package Provider Survey

The Nova Scotia Health Provincial Sepsis Team, in collaboration with the Implementation Science Team (IST), is evaluating the Emergency Department Sepsis Improvement Package. We invite Nova Scotia Health staff, leaders, and physicians to complete a brief survey about your experience with the Sepsis Improvement Package. Your feedback will help inform future actions related to sepsis management and support implementation in other zones.

Complete the survey here (approximately 10-15 minutes to complete).

Contact the Evaluation Coordinator, Emily Wright, at emily.wright@nshealth.ca for any questions or concerns.

Call for Physician Champions: Substance Use Health and Trauma Informed Care Practice Support Program

Call for Nominations: R. Wayne Putnam Award

The R. Wayne Putnam Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Continuing Professional Development recognizes indviduals who consistently make notable contributions to the continuing professional development of Maritime physicians.

Dalhousie University is inviting nominations for the 2026 award no later than March 11, 2026. Learn more here.

OAC Teams Helping Patients Get Moving Sooner

Nova Scotia Health’s Orthopedic Assessment Clinics (OACs) are playing a major role in reducing wait times and improving outcomes for hip and knee replacement patients. Their team-based approach—supporting everything from initial assessments to prehabilitation and recovery—has helped fuel record-breaking surgical days at Dartmouth General Hospital.

Patients like Eve Williams say the coordinated, compassionate care she received made all the difference in preparing for and recovering from surgery. Read the story here.

Leading the Way Podcast

First-year resident physician, Dr. Brett Henderson, joins podcast host Dr. Emma McDermott to share her perspectives on leadership as a medical learner. Dr. Henderson is a Dalhousie Medicine graduate, who did her leadership elective with Nova Scotia Health leaders. This podcast is produced by the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders.

Listen here.

Physician Learning

Course: Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain

The Atlantic Mentorship Network-Pain & Addiction (AMN-P&A) is offering the "Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain” course to Nova Scotia physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and medical residents in Nova Scotia. This program is designed to strengthen prescribers’ understanding of complex chronic pain management and to enhance their ability to support individuals living with pain who are prescribed opioids.

Delivered through interactive discussions and practical learning activities, this program is certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been shown to improve prescribers’ knowledge and skills in this area.

For more details and to register, please visit atlanticmentorship.com.

AI Beyond the Buzzword: A Practical Discussion of AI in Medicine with Dr. Matthew Clarke


This session will provide the fundamentals on how AI works and its real-world applications in medicine today – from enhancing diagnostic imaging to reducing administrative workloads. This will include an exploration of why high-quality data is the essential engine for AI and how Nova Scotia’s data modernization strategy is building the foundation for future innovation. Participants will have the opportunity to examine the future of AI in healthcare, including its potential in predictive analytics, eliminating documentation with generative AI, and enabling personalized medicine. Discussion will be led around the practical steps NS physicians can take to become ‘AI-ready’ and their vital role in guiding the safe and effective integration of these powerful new tools.

🗓 Date: February 11, 2026

🕚 Time: 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

💻 Location: Virtual  

Register Here.

Dr. Matthew Clarke is an Emergency Physician in Central Zone and the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) for NS Health and IWK Health, offering him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the system. He leads digital health projects with a core mission to empower patients and providers by using technology to help people better manage their health and navigate our complex system.

This session is part of the Medical Affairs' webinar series: Inspired Leadership for Physicians – Leading with Presence, Empathy and Purpose.

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