|
In this issue:
- New case study explores the impact of eReferral on the patient experience
- Spotlight on the newest member of our bot family, Poppy
- Media moments with our CEO, Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia
-
EMR eligibility searches now available for pneumococcal immunizations
- A message from OntarioMD on the HRM Taskforce
- Celebrating Digital Health Week with eCE Shield
|
|
New case study explores how eReferral can positively impact the patient experience | |
|
The latest case study from our Knowledge Translation and Evaluation team delves into the transformative impact of eReferral systems on patient experiences as they move through the healthcare system. Through in-depth interviews with individuals referred for medical appointments, including procedures like mammograms, ultrasounds, and mental health therapy, the study highlights a significant trend: decreasing administrative responsibilities for patients led to a reduction in anxiety.
Traditional fax-based referral methods often left patients in a state of uncertainty, needing to repeatedly contact clinics for referral updates and potentially causing emotional distress. Conversely, eReferral streamlined this process, eliminating the need for time-consuming phone calls and providing patients with timely access to their referral details via email.
| |
|
Notably, for a patient struggling with mental health issues, eReferral served as a lifeline, facilitating a swift transition from their doctor’s office to mental health therapy without the added burden of administrative tasks. The study emphasizes the critical need for healthcare systems to adopt more efficient referral methods like eReferral, reducing the onus on patients and ensuring better-informed smoother healthcare experiences.
| |
|
Media moment no.1
eReferral not only improves the patient experience, but it also can facilitate more timely access to care. The latest issue of Ontario Medical Review features an interview with our CEO, Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia, about the benefits of adopting and scaling a centralized eReferral system, which has been shown to reduce wait times.
| | |
“Anywhere in Ontario, a physician should be able to refer a patient into a central hub. We have the building blocks for this, but we need a strong push to make this available across the province by scaling and expanding what is already working.” – Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia | | |
Spotlight on our newest bot, Poppy | |
Our eCE Automates team is excited to be adding a new member to our family of virtual assistants: meet Poppy! Poppy is a population health management bot that identifies patients overdue for cancer screening (colorectal, cervical, breast), stratifies identified patients into priority groups and automatically initiates patient follow-up actions, such as the completion of FIT requisitions and direct patient communication through existing secure messaging channels. | |
After successfully implementing Poppy in East Toronto Health Partners, we are now working on deployment within the KW4 Ontario Health Team. Are you interested in learning more about how Poppy could support you and your team? Connect with us here! | | |
|
Media moment no. 2
Dr. Alarakhia was also interviewed for the How Its Med podcast for a 2-part episode. In part 1 he discusses how he got into the field of medicine, the importance of clinical trials, and the successes and failures we’re experiencing in the digital health space. Part 2 examines the procurement process of new technologies in healthcare and how our family of bots is reducing physician burnout and making administrative work for physicians a hassle-free task.
| | |
NEW: EMR eligibility searches for pneumococcal immunizations | |
In partnership with the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), we have developed EMR searches for TELUS PS Suite, OSCAR Pro, and Accuro QHR that identify adult patients who are eligible but have not yet had their pneumococcal immunizations. These searches incorporate recommendations from the NACI 2023 guidelines and can be accessed via our website. | |
OntarioMD has heard you: HRM Task Force recommendations | |
Clinicians have been telling OntarioMD about the administrative burden they have been experiencing with hospital reports sent via HRM® (Health Report Manager) into their EMRs. In response, OntarioMD chaired the HRM Task Force, comprised of clinicians, Ontario Health, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Hospital Association, hospitals, EMR vendors, hospital information system vendors and CMIOs to address the pain points and develop solutions. The Task Force recommendations for HRM Sending Facility (SF) Service Standards and EMR Usability have now been published. | |
|
Figure above shows paper vs. HRM report delivery
Next Steps: Thanks to the support of Ontario Health, OntarioMD will work with pilot hospitals and EMR vendors in the coming months to trial these recommendations. When the recommendations are implemented, HRM will provide better information that supports patient care and decrease clinicians’ administrative burden. OntarioMD is committed to advancing this work in collaboration with Ontario Health.
| |
It was great celebrating Digital Health Week with you | |
We had lots of social media moments throughout Digital Health Week (November 13 - 19) and we enjoyed seeing all of the productive conversations happening online – and in person too! We were excited to sponsor the Canada Health Infoway conference that took place during Digital Health Week, and hosted a breakfast session on the benefits of eCE Shield, our national cybersecurity and privacy self-learning program tailor-made for healthcare professionals. | |
Pictured above: Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia and Rajaei Qubrosi, Security Analyst | | |
|
The healthcare sector is a common target for cybercriminals; let us help you ensure you’re protecting your sensitive information. As an added bonus, eCE Shield has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for 7.5 Mainpro+® credits. | | | | |
