By Cecilia Nasmith
Northumberland Hills Hospital expects to launch its automated Clinical Information System in early December, and the NHH board of directors got a look at what to expect at its October meeting.
Bruce Pye, Shared Regional CIO/IT Advisor spoke of the quadruple aims of this transition – improved health-care provider well-being, improved quality of care and patient experience, improved population health and lower costs of care.
At its most basic, Pye said, the system makes an integrated electronic system out of one that was previously partially electronic and partially on paper.
Clinical teams have put in a lot of work on this over the past two years, working with partners in other hospitals on such issues as work-flow implications. For example, administering medications will involve scanning a bar code on the patient's wristband that confirms dosage is consistent with doctor's orders.
Examples of clinical benefits are reducing and eliminating chart fragmentation, smoother transitions among regional hospitals (and eventually those farther afield, such as the Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network), patient access to health information, improving referrals and preventing medication errors.
“All the data will be electronic and available to folks at the point in which they need it,” Pye said.
More specific information on these benefits comes from hospitals that have already implemented the system, like North York General just over a decade ago. He mentioned as an example substantively reduced mortality ratios across the board.
Cost savings will be realized as the new system reduces scanning and transcripts, eliminates redundant IT systems, reduces paper forms, reduces duplicate or inappropriate tests, and reduces preventable readmissions.
This is based on the experience at other hospitals which report a 6% to 30% reduction in duplicate tests, a 13%-plus reduction in medication errors, a 10%-plus reduction in preventable readmission rates, a 45% reduction in appointment no-shows, a 10%-plus reduction in unexpected mortality and a 70% to 90% reduction in incomplete charts.
These numbers come, of course, once implementation of new processes is complete and processes that have changed become standard operating procedure. He predicted a period of 18 to 24 months to make the transition complete.
“Over time, we will be able to reduce the frictions and the complications they produce,” Pye stated.
“Are you feeling comfortable that the staff, physicians and everyone are ready and relative enthusiastic about it and ready to roll when it goes live?” board member Dave Slater asked.
“Our training has just started, and we have a very dynamic lead who is very passionate about success in this project,” Pye replied.
“We are working towards getting 100% of staff signed up for training.”
Board chair Pam Went noted that the next hospital board meeting is Dec. 2 – the day before the new system goes live.
