Nova Scotia and Oracle Cerner Begin a New Era in Healthcare

Rhea-AI Summary

Nova Scotia has entered a new 10-year agreement with Oracle Cerner to implement an integrated electronic care record system known as One Person One Record (OPOR). This initiative aims to enhance access to health information for over one million residents, improving patient care and reducing wait times. The system will facilitate real-time charting and medication management, positively impacting patient safety and care efficiency. With a history of partnership spanning 30 years, Oracle Cerner’s technology is expected to transform healthcare delivery across the province, focusing on proactive health maintenance and improved clinician workflows.

Positive

• 10-year agreement with Oracle Cerner to implement integrated electronic care record.
• Expected improvement in patient care and reduction in wait times for healthcare services.
• Real-time digital charting will enhance access to important patient information.
• Digital closed-loop medication management process aims to reduce prescribing errors.
• OPOR initiative supports standardized healthcare experience across the province.

Negative

• None.

New 10-year agreement to provide more efficient, secure, timely access to patient information

HALIFAX, NS, Feb. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The province of Nova Scotia, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and IWK Health (IWK), announced today a new 10-year agreement has been signed with Oracle Cerner to implement an integrated electronic care record across the province for the more than one million Nova Scotians. This technology can help improve the way health professionals use and share patient information.

The new modernization known in Nova Scotia as "One Person One Record" (OPOR), is intended to provide clinicians easier access to real-time health information anywhere and allow healthcare workers to spend less time at the computer and more time with their patients.

Like much of the world, Nova Scotia has dealt with health care challenges such as emergency department long wait times and provider waitlists. Real-time digital charting in Oracle Cerner's technology at the point of care can help clinicians more quickly and more easily access important patient information including the most recent and historical laboratory data and diagnostic imaging results as they are making decisions on the next steps for care.

"The availability of a single information system that supports our care providers in delivering safe, more timely, and connected services should improve the quality of care received by patients and families while making their journeys more seamless," said Dr. Krista Jangaard, president and CEO, IWK Health.

Health professionals in acute care facilities in Nova Scotia can use a digital closed-loop medication management process to help reduce prescribing errors, ensure allergy information is available, enable electronic prescription verification with pharmacy, and better documentation for auditing. This improvement to patient safety helps providers make sure the right medication is prescribed and given to the right patient, in the right dose, at the right time, and with the right documentation.

"The approval of OPOR is a great day for healthcare in Nova Scotia," said Dr. Matthew Clarke, emergency physician, Central Zone. "This legacy project will help ensure an integrated and standardized healthcare experience regardless of where patients are in the province. As a provider, it will give me immediate access to the information and support I need, so I can focus on providing safe, high-quality care for my patients."

Dr. Christy Bussey, medical executive director and hospitalist, Central Zone, added, "OPOR will provide the foundation of digitally enabled health care in Nova Scotia. OPOR will connect our clinicians and patients across the province as we have not done before, improving patient safety, access, efficiency, and flow. It will foster health care system transformation and help propel us forward as a magnet for health care providers."

Population health solutions provided by Oracle Cerner will help provide a continued focus on proactive health maintenance. The tools can help the health system know and predict what will happen within a population, engage the person, their family, and the care team to take action, and manage outcomes to improve health and care. Once fully implemented, Cerner's patient portal will be available, allowing Nova Scotians easier access to their own health information and the ability to connect directly with their caregivers.

"Hospitals and health systems across the globe are facing many challenges that more intuitive and predictive technology can assist with," said Brian Sandager, vice president, Oracle Health, Canada. "We are excited for this opportunity to help Nova Scotia improve health care across their region. Our work together will help clinicians use a more open, intelligent, interoperable platform to care for the population of Nova Scotia and provide a more holistic approach to health care for patients."

Oracle Cerner has been a trusted partner of Nova Scotia's health system for 30 years, providing laboratory and radiology information systems. Oracle Cerner will integrate biomedical devices from across the province into the patient's record – including vitals monitors, IV pumps, and fetal monitoring devices, as well as use voice recognition software to improve physician workflows and allow for fully integrated voice recognition across multiple devices and platforms.

About Oracle Cerner 

Oracle Cerner's health technologies connect people and information systems at thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Oracle Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers a connected clinical and financial ecosystem to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial, and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, Oracle Cerner Perspectives, connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or join the discussion on Oracle Cerner's podcast Perspectives on Health & Tech. 

About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.

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SOURCE Oracle Cerner

FAQ

What is the significance of the 10-year agreement between Nova Scotia and Oracle Cerner?

The agreement aims to implement an integrated electronic care record system, enhancing patient information access and improving health care services for over one million Nova Scotians.

What is One Person One Record (OPOR)?

OPOR is an initiative aimed at providing a unified electronic care record for healthcare providers in Nova Scotia, facilitating better access to patient health information.

How will Oracle Cerner's technology impact healthcare in Nova Scotia?

The technology is expected to improve patient care, enhance medication management, and reduce wait times by enabling real-time access to health information.

What are the benefits of real-time digital charting proposed by Oracle Cerner?

Real-time digital charting will allow clinicians to access important patient information quickly, thus improving decision-making during patient care.

How long has Oracle Cerner been a partner of Nova Scotia's health system?

Oracle Cerner has been a trusted partner of Nova Scotia's health system for 30 years.