May 14, 2026

Dear physician colleagues,

Nova Scotia Health made history on May 9, as OPOR-CIS went live in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone and some parts of the Mental Health & Addiction Program.

Physicians and teams are working very hard to adapt to a new way of working, while continuing to keep patient safety and care as the top priority. Care areas, where possible, have slowed down to accommodate the learnings, as the teams adapt to the new system and figure out their workflows. As we ensure adoption is sustained through feedback, practice and teams leaning into the challenges, we are already experiencing efficiencies in the early days of implementation.

As I've visited sites across Central Zone and the OPOR team, it's been fantastic to connect with the variety of teams bringing this enterprise project to life. Not only are teams adopting: we’re creating a proactive community, coming together to learn the system and support one another.

As you get more comfortable with the system, I want to remind you of the physicians supports we have in-place, including the Virtual CIS Assistant, Provider Corner, Peer Mentors, Adoption Coaches and ATE support. Please lean on these supports and each other, log tickets when needed, and bring challenges to leaders so they can be addressed early on. Some additional information and links are included below.

We are off to a promising start and learning things every day that we can apply to future waves across other zones. Thank you all for your work and commitment to get us to this place in time.

I want to take a moment to recognize Nova Scotia's family doctors ahead of World Family Doctor Day (May 19). Later in this newsletter, you'll find a few posts exploring this year's theme, along with features celebrating some of the partners and individuals making a real difference across our zones. Happy World Family Doctors Day and thank you to all who practice family medicine.

Sincerely,

Nicole

One Person One Record (OPOR) Program Updates

“Today was the first day that I got to practice as a physician at the QEII using One Person One Record, and it was a life-changing, career-making moment for me. The system supports safe and effective care. It enables instantaneous communication between teams. I had really pleasant multidisciplinary exchanges with team members across nursing and pharmacy to collaborate on patient care in a way that was not only instantaneous, but also fully recorded in the medical record so everyone on the care team had immediate access to it.”

– Dr. Ashley Miller, Chief Medical Information Officer and General Internist

OPOR Updates This Week at a Glance:

Stay up-to-date on timely, need-to-know information for CZ physicians via Dr. Smith's OPOR email
Access supports: CIS Virtual Assistant, Provider Corner, Peer Mentors and more
Log tickets early if something is not working properly
Download CIS Virtual Assistant to your phone
Direct communication still necessary for urgent/emergent requests
Tips for documenting workflows
Upcoming training sessions
Reminder: Community Provider resources (NSH login not required)

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.

CZ NSH Physician Email

Dr. Aaron Smith, Central Zone Executive Medical Director, has developed curated emails to CZ physicians to support you through the CIS implementation. Nova Scotia Health CZ physicians are asked to prioritize reading these emails, circulated through department heads, as they contain timely, need-to-know information for physicians. If you are a CZ physician and not receiving these emails into your inbox, please follow-up with your departmental leadership.

These emails, and future emails, are now available here on Provider Corner for easy access (scroll down until you find). NSH login is required.

Physician Supports

There are a number of supports available to physicians for questions related to the CIS, including the CIS Virtual Assistant, accessing information through Provider Corner, connecting with a Peer Mentor or taking advantage of At-The-Elbow supports. NSH login is required.

A ticketing system is also available – please log issues early so that they can be resolved quickly: Use CIS Help to log tickets and make change requests. As changes and improvements are made in the CIS, notifications are captured here. (NSH login required)

Accessing CIS Virtual Assistant from personal mobile devices

Physicians now have the option to access the CIS Virtual Assistant from their personal mobile devices. This access requires a one-time setup to create a shortcut to Gemini Enterprise on your device. Step-by-step instructions, along with additional information and FAQs, can be found here: CIS Virtual Assistant information page. (NSH login required)

Once set up, you’ll be able to access the CIS Virtual Assistant on your mobile device to get quick, role-specific help with CIS workflows. If you have questions, please email GeminiAssistance@nshealth.ca.

Approach to Urgent/Emergent Care Requests

The CIS does not replace established escalation pathways for urgent care requests – direct communication is still required. In addition to placing the order in CIS, you must contact the consulting physician directly by phone for any urgent inpatient or outpatient needs.

Documenting workflows

Always document in your workflow mPages - ambulatory and inpatient workflow tabs on Provider view - and then allow your notes to be auto-populated.

Use the ‘Note Hyperlinks’ at the bottom of your mPages (e.g. your progress note on the bottom left of your Inpatient Workflow mPage) instead of clicking ‘Add Documentation’ from the menu.

If you have feedback on the Note Templates or note anything absent/not behaving properly, log a ticket – the more detail, the better.

Upcoming training sessions

A schedule of high-demand classes is available on the Training Registration Portal through May 30. Offerings for June and July will be posted soon, and planning has already begun for the resident cohort in July. Please view the guide for more information. NSH login required.

Resources for Community Providers

A reminder that assets for community providers are available on the Physician Portal here. These pages are updated as new assets are added. If you need something that isn’t there, let us know by emailing physiciancomms@nshealth.ca.

Key OPOR resources and links for NSH providers. NSH login required for all.

Family Doctor Day

May 19 is World Family Doctor Day – a global initiative celebrating the essential role that family physicians and primary healthcare teams play in the health and vitality of our communities.

This year's theme – compassionate care in a digital world – highlights important considerations around the creation and application of digital tools in family medicine. This conversation is particularly timely here in Nova Scotia, as we rollout OPOR across our zones. Any tools we use must be safe, ethical and evidence-based, designed to earn patients' and doctors' trust, alike.

The world is rapidly shifting but one thing has not: the values family doctors bring to patient care. Family physicians will always consider the patient's physical, mental and social wellbeing, together: no technology can replace this.

We salute all family doctors navigating this world reshaped by digital technology. Thank you for for bringing your values of compassion, continuity and person-centred care into the digital age.

Learn more about World Family Doctor Day and this year's theme.

Connecting Generations Through Family Practice

Eastern Zone family physicians Dr. John Chiasson and Dr. Emma Chiasson aren’t just colleagues in family practice – they are also father and daughter!

On the latest episode of “Coaching Physicians: A Prescription for Leadership,” the Chiassons' offer a generational look at family medicine. Hear their perspectives on how the practice is evolving across generations, and what we can learn from each other. Read more here.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify here and Apple podcasts here.

Thirty Years in Family Medicine: Dr. Lorraine Pelley

“I now have patients bringing in their children and saying, ‘You’ve been my doctor since I was a baby.’”

After 30 years in family medicine, that kind of continuity is what stands out most for Dr. Lorraine Pelley. From growing up in rural Newfoundland to building a lifelong practice in Shubenacadie, her story reflects the relationships at the heart of family medicine. Read more.

Spotlight: College of Family Physicians of Canada

Ahead of World Family Doctor Day, we're shining spotlight on the remarkable advocacy work by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). CFPC's efforts to improve supports for family physicians is driving critical change in primary care. We are grateful for their championship and meaningful work to address our country's healthcare needs.

Learn more about CFPC's advocacy work.

Dr. Andrew Warren Receives Duncan Graham Award

IWK Pediatric Cardiologist and Dalhousie Professor, Dr. Andrew Warren, was recognized by the Royal College of Fellows as the 2026 recipient of the Duncan Graham Award for Outstanding Contribution to Medical Education.

"Dr. Warren has built a career at the intersection of clinical practice, education leadership and policy development. His work has influenced how residency programs are designed, accredited and evaluated, helping ensure that physicians across the country receive high-quality training grounded in evidence and continuous improvement."

Read more about Dr. Warren's exceptional contributions to medical education and health.

Registration Now Open: Quality Summits (NZ, EZ, WZ)

Registration is now open for the Nova Scotia Health Quality Summits in Northern Zone, Western Zone and Eastern Zone!

Quality Summits are held annually across the province, bringing together employees, physicians, and Patient and Family Advisors to celebrate, inspire and learn from one another. These events showcase innovative quality improvement and patient safety initiatives that are making a meaningful difference in care across Nova Scotia.

Due to limited capacity, please only register for one summit. If you have been selected as a presenter or to host a booth, a ticket has already been reserved for you.

Summit Locations and Dates: Click here to find your zone’s summit.

Tickets are first come, first served. If you reserve a ticket and cannot attend, please cancel it as soon as possible to ensure that others have the opportunity to attend. A waitlist is available if you are unable to get a ticket.

Additional Information for Physicians

A limited number of tickets are reserved for physicians. Please use the code "DOCTOR” when registering.

Questions?

Eastern Zone: EZQualitySummit@nshealth.ca
Northern Zone: NZQualitySummit@nshealth.ca
Western Zone: WZQualitySummit@nshealth.ca
Central Zone: CZQualitySummit@nshealth.ca

Improving Medication Safety and Workflow Efficiency Through Automation

Hospitals across Nova Scotia have completed a province-wide rollout of automated medication dispensing cabinets, improving medication safety and access at the point of care.

With 469 Pyxis machines now in use and millions of doses dispensed, the technology is reducing errors, strengthening security for high-risk medications, improving emergency response, and helping clinicians spend more time with patients as part of a standardized approach to safer care.