March 12, 2026

Celebrating Outstanding Teamwork

Power was restored last night to the Centennial Building at the QEII’s Victoria General site after the successful installation of a replacement transformer.

This was the culmination of several days of intense work by many hands within the organization, aided by health system, government and community partners.

When the building went dark just before midnight Friday, staff and physicians in the VG calmly focused on what they needed to do to keep their patients safe in an unknown situation, while our facilities team worked to investigate the problem and get power back to the building as soon as possible.

In the intervening days we’ve seen incredible flexibility and innovation across the organization and outside it: relocating surgeries and the people and tools needed to do them; a careful and ongoing assessment of risks and how to mitigate them; reconsideration of movement of patients between zones with the guidance of C3, our physicans and the aid of our partners at EHS; hastening access to long term care and tapping into the new wing of West Bedford Transitional Health ahead of schedule.

I’m proud of this remarkable work by so many leaders, staff and physicians. I am grateful for the care and dedication to patients we see every day.

One Person One Record (OPOR) Program Updates

OPOR Updates This Week at a Glance:


• Register for Wave Two Training
• Virtual Practice Labs Now Available
• Change Readiness Survey Now Open
• Provider Portal Registration

Note: Active network credentials for Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health are required to access links above and below, unless otherwise indicated. More information beneath.

Wave Two Training and Practice Opportunities

Classroom learning for Wave Two continues for providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, residents, fellows), clinicians and staff in Central Zone, as well as select provincial MHAP services. As we get closer to go-live, it is critically important that everyone is registered for classroom learning now. If you're part of Wave Two and haven't registered, you can do so through the OPOR Hub’s Training Registration Portal. Training is required to access the CIS.

Virtual Practice Labs are available daily from 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. until May 8, 2026, offering self-paced workflow practice in a safe environment. Register for Virtual Practice Labs here. 


Please note: Most family physicians and primary care nurse practitioners are not included in CIS training and will continue to have view-only access through the Provider Portal, unless they have another practice in a Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health facility (e.g. obstetrics, hospitalist, emergency).

Change Readiness Survey Now Open

Physicians involved in Wave Two are invited to complete the Change Readiness Survey. This brief, anonymous survey will help OPOR leaders understand how prepared staff feel ahead of Go-Live on May 9 and identify where additional support may be needed. The survey will remain open until Sunday, April 12. Click here to complete the survey.

Provider Portal Registration

Providers are encouraged to register for Provider Portal, a clinical viewer that integrates information from the CIS and legacy systems. Provider Portal will eventually replace SHARE, and offers more access to critical patient information.

For providers in zones where the CIS is not yet live, Provider Portal offers access to detailed clinical information for all encounters occurring at sites live with the CIS. For Primary Health Care and community providers, it offers visibility to patients’ hospital stays and visits at IWK Health or Nova Scotia Health.

If you have not yet registered, please sign up now for timely access to patient information. Note: Providers currently using the CIS do not need to use Provider Portal to access patient information.

Providers on Nova Scotia Health of IWK Health networks can learn more about Provider Portal on the OPOR Hub.

Providers not on these networks can learn more on the OPOR website. 


Access to the OPOR Hub, including all links above, requires active Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health network credentials. 

This communication is intended for Nova Scotia Health providers, clinicians and staff in relation to OPOR.

Enhanced Account Access in Central Zone

Card readers are being installed for some devices at facilities in Central Zone, providing users with the ability to tap-in and tap-out of their accounts. Users may also tap-in and tap-out at a WOW (Workstations on Wheels). Enhanced Access is not exclusive to the implementation of OPOR-CIS and card readers can be used once installed.

More information, including how you can request a licence, can be found in this document and on the Enhanced Access site on the Compass.

Canadian Women Physicians Day - March 11

For Canadian Women Physicians Day (March 11) this year, we proudly recognized four exceptional physicians across Nova Scotia Health's zones for their leadership, example and commitment to care. Read profiles on Dr. Cheryl Pugh, Dr. Whitney Lum, Dr. Amanda Caissie and Dr. Emily Rice on the Physician Portal.

Thank you to all women physicians who give so much to our communities and healthcare system.

Exceptional Women Leaders: Nova Scotia Health

In last week's newsletter, we highlighted some women physicians who are making a tremendous difference in our province and at Nova Scotia Health. This week, we're proud to share two examples of leadership excellence on the administration side.

On the eve of International Women's Day, Anna Marenick, Vice President, People, Culture and Belonging, was recognized as one of Atlantic Canada's 25 Most Powerful Women in Business.

Share a message of congratulations here.*

Candace L. Thomas, K.C., Vice President, Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Nova Scotia Health, moderated a thoughtful and engaging panel discussion at the International Women’s ForumCanada - Atlantic Chapter’s International Women’s Day Breakfast. Read more about the event here.*

* Note: links in this section require NS Health network login credentials.

Dr. Muna Chowdhury Named Director of Doctors Nova Scotia Professional Support Program

Congratulations to Family Physician Dr. Muna Chowdhury for her appointment as new director for the Doctors Nova Scotia Professional Support Program. This program provides confidential peer support and assessment for Nova Scotia physicians and medical learners. The director position was previously held by Dr. John Chiasson.

A feature on this appointment will appear in the April 2026 doctorsNS magazine.

CPSNS Election Voting Now Open: District 5

An election will be held in March 2026 to elect two physicians from District 5 to serve on the College’s governing Council.


The College invites you to vote in the District 5 election to Council. Online voting for your candidates of choice is available at cpsns.simplyvoting.com. Voting closes on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

From a Dartmouth ER to Hollywood: Nova Scotia innovation on HBO's The Pitt tonight!

Ring Rescue, an innovation co-developed by Dartmouth General Hospital physician Dr. Kevin Spencer, will be featured on Episode 10 of HBO's The Pitt, airing tonight!

The device was designed to address a surprisingly common emergency department challenge: ring entrapment. From humble beginnings, to more than 2,000 hospitals, EMS agencies and fire-rescue teams across North America, Ring Rescue is an example of how the right idea, with the right support, can become a global solution. Read more.

National Spotlight for Nova Scotia Digital Health Leadership

Earlier this year, Dr. Nicole Boutilier appeared on the Dr. Tara Kiran's Primary Focus podcast to share how Nova Scotia is making it easier for citizens to be more involved in their health care journeys.

This conversation prompted an invitation from CTV's "The Social" to Dr. Kiran, where she discussed the importance of patients accessing their own medical records, and how Nova Scotia is changing the game for patients who want to access and share their health information securely with YourHealthNS. Watch the segment here.

If you missed the Primary Focus featuring Dr. Boutilier podcast, you can access it here.

Find out how YourHealthNS can help your patients, and access materials to support them in using the platform, on the YourHealthNS Toolkit for Providers on the Physician Portal. 

Healthy Pictou County Gives Glimpse Into Simulation Training With New 360° Space

Healthy Pictou County is expanding its existing 360° Virtual Reality Hub with a new space that gives an inside look at the Simulation Lab at the Aberdeen Hospital.

The immersive 360° experience offers a glimpse inside the lab, demonstrating the continuous learning and collaboration available for both learners and experienced professionals in the Northern Zone.

Read more about this new initiative and try it out for yourself.

Physician Learning Opportunities

Upcoming Virtual Education Session: Frailty and Dignity of Risk

The Frailty and Elder Care Network invites to to a free, virtual learning opportunity focused on supporting older adults living with frailty, while preserving their autonomy and dignity.

🗓 Date: April 16, 2026

🕚 Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

💻 Location: Virtual

Register here.

Download a printable poster here to share with colleages.

Grief Education Series for Physicians: Grief, Self-Care and Physician Wellness with Sarah Burm, PhD and Matt Fillier

The Grief Education Series for Physicians is offered as part of Nova Scotia Health's Medical Affairs' Webinar Series and Dalhousie University's Faculty of Medicine Professional Development Webinar Series.

In this session, participants will examine the relationship between unacknowledged grief and physician burnout, moral injury, as well as compassion fatigue. It is an opportunity to gain insight into differentiating between performative and meaningful self-care, and identifying personal practices and resources to help navigate grief and loss in a compassionate way.

🗓 Date: Mar. 31, 2026

🕚 Time: 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

💻 Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Register here.

Each webinar in the Grief Education Series is eligible for Continuing Medical Education Accreditation.

More information on the series, presenters and learning objectives for the session can be found here.

1-833-876-1724

If you're a physician seeking support for your practice or wishing to provide feedback, please reach out to our hotline. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you.

In the event we're engaged in another call, rest assured your voice message will be promptly addressed within one business day. Your concerns will be directed to the Medical Affairs team and our health system partners for resolution.

Our task force is committed to returning calls and scheduling meetings with practices at mutually convenient times.

Wellness resources for physicians have been migrated to an actively monitored page on the Physician Information Portal. You can access it here.

If you have an item to submit, please reply to this newsletter.