The Ontario Medical Association is calling for electronic medical records to be a top priority for all political parties as they prepare for the province's upcoming election.
Stewart Kennedy, MD, president of the Ontario Medical Association, made the plea for EHRs at the Spadina Health Centre in Ontario on Wednesday. Ontario has made good progress with the implementation of EMRs. There are now over 6 million patients who are covered by an EMR which are being managed by over 6,000 physicians.
Recent polling conducted on behalf of the OMA’s reveals that 62 per cent of people believe that further investments should be made to expand EMRs in the province.
According to a 2010 survey of physicians using EMRs:
- 90 percent are using EMRs regularly to write and renew prescriptions;
- 90 percent are regularly receiving and managing lab results electronically, up from 82 percent in 2008;
- 92 percent are using their EMRs to enter their encounter notes, eliminating the need for paper records; and
- 73 percent felt they were primarily paperless, up from 60 percent in 2008.
However, Kennedy pointed out that Ontario still does not have a fully integrated EMR system where physicians, hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies can all communicate with each other.
“All parties have talked a great deal about the need to reform our healthcare system, make it more sustainable, and make it more patient-focused," said Kennedy. "Yet no one is talking about the most critical initiative that can help modernize Ontario’s health care system – electronic medical records."
Earlier this year, Ontario’s doctors released their policy platform, “Better Care. Healthier Patients. A Stronger Ontario," in advance of the next election. Expanding EMRs was a key plank. Kennedy called on all party leaders to make a firm commitment to work with Ontario’s doctors and others to develop a plan that ensures more patients in the province have an electronic medical record, and that Ontario has a fully integrated healthcare system that connects all providers, institutions and patients.
“If we wish to measure quality, measure outcomes, reduce duplication of tests and diagnostics – if we want to have a system, we need an electronic health system," said Kennedy. "Not only will a fully integrated system support increased quality of care and but it will also support the broader changes to the health care system that are necessary."
