2016-12-20

CPSA Electronic Patient Record RoadMap

​In September 2016, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta approved a roadmap to move the profession decisively toward use of integrated electronic patient records. This important document clearly positions information sharing and collaborative record keeping as matters of professionalism. Indeed, the roadmap includes commitment to standardized charting protocols that support information sharing; and new norms to share for patient advantage.
CPSA Roadmap News: ahs-cmio.ca/cpsanews
CPSA Roadmap Document: ahs-cmio.ca/cpsaroadmap

2016-12-12

Digital Professionalism

​Wide-area digital health record initiatives, like the Alberta Netcare Electronic Health Record and the Alberta Health Services Provincial Clinical Information System, give hope for better coordination of care across generations, geographies and services. However, experience shows that clinical improvement is more a matter of people and processes than products or technologies. Our true paradigm change, and great opportunity, occurs when we move from sequestered to shared health records. Doing this brings all health professions into new and unfamiliar information ecosystems. Indeed, a new professionalism is required to facilitate collaborative documentation, care planning, communication and shared decision-making. The Alberta Health Information Executive Committee has commissioned and endorsed a White Paper about health information exchange and the need for innovative norms, standards and expectations of all health professions. This is an important read.
HIEC White Paper: evidence.ahs-cis.ca?=12290
Feedback to: doreen.rabi@ahs.ca

2016-12-02

Physician Concerns about Accessing Digital Records for Quality Assurance

​In mid-August 2016, the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OPIC) publicly reported its investigation into alleged misuse of electronic health records by two physicians responding to a patient complaint. AHS and the physicians appealed the OIPC’s decision to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, suspending the OIPC order until the Court renders a final decision in 2018. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) newsletters have drawn attention to the Order, offering advice about how to access records when responding to complaints. AHS-affiliated physicians have many questions. The CMO, CMIO, Legal and Privacy have prepared a short memo and FAQ.
CPSA News: CPSA Newsletter