News	News category

Nunavut to update 'inefficient paper-based' health record system

02.08.2008 16:01 Health - Source: cbc.ca

Multimillion-dollar plans are underway to move Nunavut towards an electronic health information system, upgrading the mostly paper-based system that the territory's chief medical officer of health says is not working well enough.

"We do have an inefficient paper-based system," Dr. Isaac Sobol said Wednesday at a northern public health meeting in Iqaluit.

"It's hard to be able to plan for the future, to focus on programs and to actually know what's happening."

Nunavut health officials say some people's medical files are behind by eight months or more, leading to delays and duplication in patient care.

Most of Nunavut's medical records, health data files and other information are currently done on paper, although an elementary database exists.

Officials say patients' health reports are faxed in from Nunavut's remote communities, then the information is entered into the database. But with chronic staff shortages, they said data entry isn't always done, or reports go missing.

In one case, results from a MRI scan came in after the patient died. In another instance, a baby received the same vaccine twice because the child's mother had moved but her medical reports did not move with her.

As well, it can take about two weeks to get a radiology report back.

Sobol said that without fully electronic records, it is difficult for public health officials to get timely and essential information about the state of health across the territory.

"For public health we have no means of rolling up information from communities into territory-wide reports," he said.

"We are slow to recognize outbreaks, and there may be outbreaks that we haven't even identified — I doubt it, but it's possible — and we need to be able to look at trends."

Tina McKinnon, the Nunavut government's director of health information, told public health officials at Wednesday's meeting that the Nunavut government will spend $14 million to $16 million over the next four years on a new electronic health information system.

McKinnon said that will speed up access to health records, reduce wait times and eliminate the duplication. It will also help workers in public health, mental health, home care and regional health centres interact with each other, she added.

About 83 per cent of the project will be funded by Canada Health Infoway, a federally-funded independent organization. The remaining funding will come from the territorial government.

McKinnon said the project will be announced officially in September.

Story Tools: E-MAIL | PRINT | Text Size: S M L XL | REPORT TYPO | SEND YOUR FEEDBACK

Health Headlines

Rate of new HIV infections worse than thought, U.S. officials sayThe number of Americans infected by the virus that causes AIDS each year is much higher than the government previously estimated, U.S. health officials say.Estrogen can impair memory, behaviour: studyChronic exposure to estrogen can impair memory, U.S. researchers report.First double arm transplant goes well: German doctorsA German farmer who lost both his arms in an accident has been successfully fitted with two new limbs in what is believed to be the first complete double arm transplant, his surgeons said Friday.Anti-smoking group has mixed feelings about Big Tobacco finesA prominent anti-tobacco group says it's simultaneously pleased and disappointed by the huge fines levied against two of Canada's largest tobacco companies.Sleep apnea sufferers have higher death rates: studyPeople with the severe form of a disorder that interferes with sleep are several times more likely to die from any cause than are those without apnea, researchers report.

Health Features

IN DEPTHPhthalates Are chemicals that make plastic bendy a health hazard?AIDS RESEARCHLife expectancy Big jump in survival rates for those on HIV drugs IN DEPTHNanotechnology Really, really small stuff that's really big. But is it safe?ANOTHER VIEWDrugs and driving New law a 'positive step', analyst says HEALTH & FITNESSPeter Hadzipetros Breaking up's not that hard to do

People who read this also read …

Add comment

Last added news

End of P.E.I. needle exchange worries health officer 04.12.2008 16:00 The planned shutdown of P.E.I.'s needle exchange has the province's deputy chief health officer worried about the spread of hepatitis C and AIDS.

Stronger rules coming for reporting errors in N.L. hospitals 04.12.2008 12:01 Still stinging from revelations that have come out during a judicial inquiry into breast cancer testing mistakes, the Newfoundland and Labrador government says it is introducing more sweeping rules to protect patient safety.

Zimbabwe cholera outbreak killed nearly 500, WHO says 04.12.2008 12:00 A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has killed nearly 500 people in the largest outbreak recorded recently, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

81 children in B.C. killed themselves in last 4 years: report 04.12.2008 03:27 Suicide is the second-leading cause of preventable death for B.C. children between 12 and 18, a new study of youth suicide said Tuesday.

Alberta ombudsman to examine out-of-province health funding program 04.12.2008 03:26 Complaints from people who've been denied funding by Alberta's out-of-province health program prompted Alberta ombudsman Gord Button to launch an investigation Tuesday.

Health care often inaccessible to Inuit: report 03.12.2008 23:39 Inuit have far less contact with doctors than the average Canadian, particularly in the northern communities where few have hospitals, a new Statistics Canada report says.

Self-embedding of objects in body a puzzling teen disorder 03.12.2008 23:39 Some teens are wounding themselves and embedding objects such as paper clips and glass to cope with disturbed thoughts and feelings, say U.S. doctors who are looking for ways to remove the objects safely.

Canada risks being 'dumping ground' for dangerous toys: critics 03.12.2008 23:38 Canada risks becoming a dumping ground for plastic toys that have been banned in the U.S. and Europe because they contain a toxic substance that can be dangerous to babies and young children, critics charge.

Pilot project sheds light, warmth on Vanier's prostitutes 03.12.2008 23:38 An aboriginal community organization is reaching out to Vanier's prostitutes as part of a city-funded project to find out more about the women who sell sex on the streets of the east-end Ottawa neighbourhood.

Generic heart drugs measure up to branded versions: review 03.12.2008 23:38 Brand-name drugs for treating cardiovascular disease don't appear to be clinically superior to generic versions, say U.S. researchers who reviewed studies comparing the drugs.

All news | News archive | RSS feed