Health care providers will be able to share electronic health information for GTA residents, who represent 47% of the Ontario population.
The ConnectingGTA project will allow 700 service providers to securely share patient health information across the five GTA Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). Currently, electronic health information is shared in silos within the system. Soon, all 700 service providers will be connected under a single "electronic roof," which means patient information can move from one service provider to another within the system.
"The ConnectingGTA project will benefit patients, clinicians, health care organizations and the health care system more broadly. It will allow clinicians to make decisions in real-time and enable collaboration amongst the whole health care team—from family physician to acute care specialist—resulting in better patient care," says Dr. Bob Bell, President and CEO, UHN.
Patients will receive better, faster and more coordinated health care from their providers, and providers will be able to share information more effectively. Patients and providers will also benefit from improved productivity and more timely treatment. It will also reduce duplicate tests on patients which will save time and money.
In the project's first months, priority patient data such as clinical reports, diagnostic images, drug information, and lab test results will be shared. Major technology pieces will also be put in place in the coming months to help providers access and exchange information more easily.
UHN has led the planning phase for ConnectingGTA and will draw on our strong track record to implement this initiative. ConnectingGTA is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, eHealth Ontario, Canada Health Infoway, UHN, and the five GTA Local LHINs (Central West, Toronto Central, Mississauga Halton, Central and Central East).
The first phase of ConnectingGTA will be completed in 2013.