OntarioMD excellence in delivering primary care digital health solutions integrated with EMRs recognized at 2017 Ingenious Awards
OntarioMD is pleased to announce that its work to integrate eConsult with physicians' electronic medical records (EMRs), deploy eConsult services and provide change management support to Ontario's physicians has been recognized with a 2017 Ingenious Award under the SME Public / Not-for-Profit Sector category. The awards are presented annually by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) to celebrate excellence in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) by organizations in all walks of Canadian life to solve problems, improve performance, introduce new services and grow businesses.
OntarioMD collaborated with the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN), Champlain BASE, QHR Technologies and OSCAR EMR under the banner of the Provincial eConsult Initiative to leverage its extensive relationships with over 14,000 physicians who use EMRs to address physicians' wishes to access eConsult through their EMRs, giving them an additional access point to request specialist advice electronically. Access through certified EMRs enables family physicians to attach patient information such as lab results and images to the eConsult request easily.
Physicians have choices for using an eConsult service through the Provincial eConsult Initiative, which is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. In addition to access through EMRs, OntarioMD deployed OTN's and Champlain BASE's eConsult services, which are available through web portal, to more family physicians and specialists across the province.
"I am really proud of our partnerships with OTN and Champlain BASE and the work of OntarioMD to integrate eConsult with EMRs and provide the change management support to physicians so patients do not have to wait weeks or months to benefit from specialist advice", stated Sarah Hutchison, CEO of OntarioMD, "we all share in this award."
Together with OTN and Champlain BASE, and other partners who play a role in deploying digital health solutions in Ontario such as eHealth Ontario, OntarioMD is a key delivery partner for Ontario's Digital Health Strategy developed to support the ministry's Patients First Strategy. In addition to taking the lead on piloting the integration of eConsult with EMRs and expanding eConsult services to an additional 5,000 physicians, OntarioMD has also integrated eHealth Ontario's Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) and its own Health Report Manager (HRM) solution with certified EMRs and deployed both solutions to thousands of community-based family physicians, specialists and nurse practitioners. HRM has been a finalist for an Ingenious Award for three years in a row in recognition of its contribution to better care coordination and continuity through the delivery of medical reports such as discharge summaries, and diagnostic reports to EMRs.
The advances made in digital health for the primary care sector in Ontario is due in large part to taking a provincial approach that leverages OntarioMD's established relationships with physicians and EMR vendors, and its deployment expertise to deliver digital health solutions to physician practices. Integrating EMRs with the rest of the digital health landscape and using a consistent deployment methodology has provided value for the health care system.
For more information on the Provincial eConsult Initiative or other OntarioMD initiatives that are transforming digital health care delivery in Ontario's primary care sector, please visit www.OntarioMD.ca.
About OntarioMD
OntarioMD is the leader in primary care digital health in Ontario and is a valuable system partner for other organizations who wish to implement their solutions to the primary care sector. It manages programs and services that connect physician practices that use certified EMRs to more patient data collected outside primary care settings. OntarioMD also supports Ontario's physicians with practical advice from Peer Leaders and experienced Practice Advisors who help them optimize their EMR use to enhance patient care and achieve greater practice efficiency. The organization offers valuable, fully-accredited educational opportunities for physicians annually at the EMR Every Step Conference series.
Over 14,000 physicians are participating in OntarioMD services: Health Report Manager (HRM), eNotifications, Provincial eConsult Initiative, OLIS Deployment, EMR Physician Dashboard, Peer Leader Program, EMR Practice Enhancement Program, EMR Adoption Program. For more information about these services, please visit OntarioMD.ca.