Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) is helping a group of 21 Ontario-based hospitals create a health information exchange to connect with long-term care facilities.
The initial roll-out of the Ontario eHub integrates 16 long-term care facilities with five hospitals to support patients moving from acute to long-term care. The eHub will help caregivers at these facilities ease this transition by providing a clear view into each patient's health history, care plans, medications, and more from any connected device or existing EHR system, anywhere in the facility.
Oracle Health is teaming with TransForm Shared Services Organization to manage the project. Transform is a nonprofit organization founded by the five Erie St. Clair hospitals in Ontario to manage their hospital IT and supply chain needs.
"Ontario is rapidly advancing towards more integrated systems, with the province adopting policies and establishing standards. Within the framework, HIE partners are implementing the first steps of a provincial data exchange that delivers a multitude of benefits including improved and safer transitions of care for patients and residents and better coordination of healthcare services for health service providers," said Lyn Baluyot, president and CEO of TransForm Shared Service Organization, in a statement. "I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the Ontario eHub HIE team for bringing us another giant step forward in providing coordinated care of Ontarians."
"The Ontario eHub HIE reflects Oracle's longtime leadership in data interoperability," said Brian Sandager, vice president and general manager, Canada, Oracle Health, in a statement. "Initiatives like eHub in Ontario highlight our commitment to building a more connected and open healthcare ecosystem that will help deliver better outcomes for both patients and the medical professionals that work tirelessly to serve them."
By the end of 2024, it is expected that all Ontario healthcare facilities using Oracle Health's EHR will be integrated into the eHub as well as their long-term care facility partners. Ultimately, the Ontario eHub is an important cog to facilitate the future exchange of critical clinical data between other healthcare facilities, providers, and other Ontario health assets, Oracle said.
