WHEREAS health authorities throughout the province are using different software systems with no common vendor to access patient health information; AND WHEREAS substantial dollars are being spent on these software systems, which operate independently of each other due to the current lack of a data-sharing agreement between health authorities; AND WHEREAS this results in healthcare professionals not having appropriate access to health information for patients who experience problems when outside of the health authoritys jurisdiction in which they reside: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government continue to prioritize and develop a province-wide software system, such as eHealth, to provide access to patient information among healthcare professionals, which would result in an increased level of health care being provided to patients.
Ministry of Health Services Connecting health information systems is a priority for the Province of British Columbia. Due to the varied systems currently in use across the health authorities, implementing a province-wide solution remains a complex undertaking. Significant efforts and investment have been expended to date and progress is being made. The investment in province-wide eHealth solutions is substantial and relevant information sharing agreements are being struck among the health authorities and the Province as systems begin to be deployed. As each health authority is a separate public body under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, a blanket information sharing agreement across the Province is not allowable. A common provincial viewer is being developed to display information from centralized data repositories known as Health Information Banks. These Health Information Banks will include, for example, lab results, diagnostic imaging and prescription information. This eHealth solution will ensure available information is capable of being shared across health jurisdictions. The Province of British Columbia is committed to enabling health care in a variety of ways. eHealth is an enabling technology focused on providing the right information in the right place at the right time regardless of jurisdiction. The results will benefit patients and providers alike.