Electronic clinical information-sharing now possible in Canterbury

A new system for sharing electronic patient records is now available to Canterbury health system clinicians, including general practitioners, hospital clinicians, pharmacists, community nursing services and allied health professionals. Other South Island DHBs will also benefit soon.The system is called Shared Care Record View (eSCRV for short).

Canterbury clinicians are confident an ability to share data and access the latest key patient information will lead to faster, better informed and safer decisions at the point of care.

Only authorised health professionals will be able to access clinical information through eSCRV, which will remain safe and confidential. Users must sign up to a strict user protocol before they are assigned a unique user ID that requires a password for access. As a built-in safeguard, all access to information by authorised users is monitored and audited to ensure it is appropriate and justified.

If you do not want your health information shared in this way, you can easily ’opt off’ the system by telling your GP, pharmacist, hospital doctor or a community nurse who is treating you. Alternatively, call freephone 0508 837 872 or email testsafesouth@cdhb.govt.nz.

However, as the whole purpose of eSCRV is to provide better healthcare for people, perhaps talk to a health professional you know well such as your GP, before making the decision to opt-off.

How shared care records came about
In the aftermath of the February 22 earthquake, patients were not always being seen by their usual family clinician and damage to buildings and infrastructure meant some patient records were inaccessible.

This served as a sharp reminder of the importance of having timely and accurate information at the point of care. Since then the Canterbury District Health Board has worked with Pegasus Health, Orion Health and clinicians to develop a secure data sharing system. The result is eSCRV which is already being praised by some.

Users of eSCRV at the 24hr Surgery in Bealey Ave have said

“eSCRV is the next best thing to sliced bread. Fantastic and easy to use. It makes our lives at 24H surgery so much better and easier. Saves a lot of time.”

“Access to the eSCRV and concerto has probably been the biggest jump in my 10 years at 24hr surgery. It allows me to follow-up on a patient, find lab results easily and educate myself through discharge letters.”

CDHB’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Nigel Millar says that in the near future, a patient could find themselves in the Emergency Department and clinicians will be able to see relevant medical history such as details of recent or chronic illnesses, operations, community prescriptions etc. “Knowing about these things will help health professionals make the right decisions for their patients,” he says.