2019-08-07

How will Connect Care relate to Electronic Medical Records?

Alberta Health Services (AHS) strives to support the information sharing needed by the patient’s entire healthcare team, within and without Connect Care.

The electronic medical records (EMRs) relied upon by healthcare providers outside Connect Care settings must not be negatively impacted as Connect Care rolls out. Instead, the clinical information system (CIS) should expand opportunities for safe and effective information sharing. There are a number of ways for external systems to leverage the benefits of Connect Care.

A continuing eDelivery service brings laboratory test results, diagnostic imaging reports and other important information to EMRs in ways that allow the right information to be correctly placed in the right chart. Connect Care will make eDelivery easier by standardizing and simplifying the source for much of this information. Physicians currently receiving any form of eDelivery will be able to access a wider range of tests, reports and notifications as Connect Care rolls out. This is facilitated by AHS and the EMR vendors, so there is no need for physicians to request any expansion of eDelivery services. Physicians new to or seeking eDelivery can learn more online.

The Central Patient Attachment Registry (CPAR) and Community Integration Initiative (CII), are joint undertakings of Alberta Health, the Alberta Medical Association, and AHS; allowing EMRs to send and receive standardized summaries of patient needs with the Alberta Netcare provincial electronic health record. In time, Connect Care will also interface to CII and both draw from and contribute to CPAR data.