IHealth is a client-focused transformation within Island Health. It is all about client-centered care:
- Supporting quality, safe patient care
- Creating consistency across sites and systems
- Helping to decrease the risk of medication-related errors
IHealth is a transformative approach to health and care within Island Health and our community. One way we are achieving this is by using a technology called the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
The EHR, developed in partnership with Cerner, is a recording and reporting tool, enabling electronic health documentation, communication, scheduling, ordering and standardization, and decision-making.
A singular, fully electronic health record empowers staff, physicians and clients to be better informed, with increased efficiency and accuracy. Island Health’s primary goal in introducing the IHealth initiative is to improve the health of island residents through personalized, integrated care.
Benefits
IHealth is about focusing on client-centered care, and reaching Island Health’s goal: One Person, One Record, One Plan for Health and Care.
An integrated EHR is one way that clinicians will be supported in providing safe, quality care, and ensure island residents will receive:
- Exemplary patient experience
- Excellence in quality and service
- Community-focused health care
For more about how IHealth will change and improve the quality of patient and client care, see How IHealth Changes Patient Care.
Phases of IHealth Activation
IHealth is being implemented in a phased approach across health care activities as well as across the Island Health region.
The EHR is being developed so it is available for all health care providers. This includes the following areas:
- Acute care
- Home and community care
- Long-term care
- Primary care
- Ambulatory care
- Out-patient programs
It also includes community-based physicians who choose to become part of the system and other community health care providers such as physiotherapists and pharmacists who need to exchange patient information with Island Health.
Through MyHealth, Patients and families can also access information that is appropriate for them to view, such as reviewing their schedules or recent results.
IHealth supports clinicians with workflows and solutions that align with practice standards and with built-in, evidence-based practices appropriate for Island Health.
Originally, our partnership with Cerner included only specific Cerner standard solutions, or modules (parts of PowerChart, for example). These initial Cerner modules required some customizing to fit Island Health’s needs at the time. We have expanded this technology and improved the functionality of the EHR so it meets the current needs of staff, physicians and clients. To do this, Island Health and Cerner worked closely with patient partners and Island Health representatives from across disciplines and care settings through regional workflow validation sessions.
Island Health’s EHR is being developed so it is available for all health care providers.
All documentation from a facility that has transitioned to the EHR can be viewed by all other sites. This means the viewing health care workers and physicians will have access to the sending site’s complete medical chart.
The goal with the EHR is to move away from paper-based charts. Moving to a completely electronic health record takes time; paper-based records will continue to be used until they are all transitioned to the EHR. As more patient information is entered into the EHR, we will use fewer paper-based records.
As all areas are not transitioning at the same time, we will still need to share information using the historical data in paper-based records.
