The patients of Pembroke Regional Hospital will now have better access to their own health information, as PRH has officially launched Epic, a shared digital health record system, as part of the Atlas Alliance, an existing regional partnership of health care organizations across Eastern Ontario.

 

On October 24th, PRH was one of eight hospitals to go-live with the new digital health record system along with:

 

• Arnprior Regional Health

• Glengarry Memorial Hospital

• Hôpital Montfort

• Mississippi River Health Alliance (Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital)

• Queensway Carleton Hospital

• The Royal

 

This expansion gives patients and care teams a more efficient way to access important health information, support continuity of care and improve the patient experience across the region. No matter which Atlas Alliance hospital a patient visits, their health information will follow them.

 

“This is an incredibly proud and transformational moment for Pembroke Regional Hospital and for the patients and families we serve,” said Sabine Mersmann, President and CEO. “Joining the Atlas Alliance and adopting Epic means our patients now have one digital health record that can follow them across participating hospitals. Their care teams will have more timely access to the information they need, strengthening communication, supporting better coordination and helping to reduce unnecessary duplication of testing.”

 

Moving eight hospitals to a new digital system has been a significant undertaking.

 

At PRH alone, the adoption of Epic has been nearly two years in the making and represents the largest change management initiative in its nearly 150-year history. Close to 1,200 staff members and over 150 physicians have learned the new system while continuing to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care to the community.

 

“The amount of work required to reach this milestone has been extraordinary,” Mrs. Mersmann said. “Our staff and physicians have completed extensive training, learned new workflows, tested systems and are adapting to an entirely new way of documenting and supporting care. They are doing all of this while remaining focused on our patients and continuing to provide the high-quality care our community expects and deserves. I cannot thank them enough for their dedication, resilience and commitment to one another and to our patients.”

 

Implementing a new digital health record touches virtually every area of hospital operations. Equipment, devices and clinical systems throughout the hospital had to be prepared to connect with the new system, while workflows and processes were reviewed and tested to support a safe transition.

 

To support the launch, Pembroke Regional Hospital and the other partners have put in place fully staffed 24-hour command centres with access to a wide range of supports who are available to help staff and physicians resolve issues and become comfortable with the new technology and workflows.

 

The move to Epic also creates greater standardization among Atlas Alliance members. By using the same system and more consistent processes, staff and physicians can work more seamlessly across participating hospitals, supporting greater mobility and collaboration throughout the region when required.

 

One of the most significant benefits for patients is the introduction of MyChart, a secure online patient portal. Through MyChart, patients can access their health information and become more connected with their care. Patients can access an existing account or register for a new one through the Atlas Alliance MyChart website www.myatlasalliance.ca/MyChart.

 

In these first few days and weeks post-launch, some appointments, tests and visits may take a little longer than usual as staff and physicians across all new Atlas Alliance sites become more comfortable with the new system and new ways of working.

 

“We are grateful for the patience and understanding of our patients, families and community as our teams become more familiar with the new system,” said Sabine Mersmann. “This is a major change, but it is also an incredibly positive step forward. Epic and the Atlas Alliance will help us build a more connected, consistent and patient-focused health care experience, both here at home and across Eastern Ontario.”

 

With this latest “Third Wave” of onboarding, the Atlas Alliance now includes 18 health care organizations throughout Eastern Ontario and beyond including the following health organizations:

 

• Arnprior Regional Health

• Deep River & District Health

• Glengarry Memorial Hospital

• Group Health Centre (Sault Ste. Marie)

• Hawkesbury District Hospital

• Kemptville District Hospital

• Hôpital Montfort

• Mississippi River Health Alliance (Almonte General Hospital, Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital)

• Pembroke Regional Hospital

• Queensway Carleton Hospital

• Renfrew Victoria Hospital

• St. Francis Memorial Hospital

• The Ottawa Hospital

• The Ottawa Hospital Academic Family Health Team

• The Royal

• The University of Ottawa Heart Institute

• Winchester District Memorial Hospital

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator

Pembroke Regional Hospital

(613) 732-3675, extension 6165 / carolyn.levesque@prh.ca