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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
VICTORIA – The Province and Sun Microsystems (B.C.) Inc. have signed a $148-million contract to advance patient care by building the infrastructure needed for electronic health records and improving access to laboratory test results, Health Minister George Abbott announced today.
“The Province’s eHealth strategy is leveraging technology to improve health care,” said Abbott. “Today’s agreement provides the foundation for electronic health records, enhances access to test results and will bring better, faster, safer health care to British Columbians, while protecting privacy.”
The agreement with Sun Microsystems (B.C.) Inc., a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc., will produce:
· The program’s first major clinical component, the Provincial Laboratory Information Solution (PLIS), which will consolidate lab test results in one repository; and
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Operations and support services for iEHR/PLIS for
10 years.
The $148-million agreement also supports the Province’s throne speech commitment to create a new electronic medical records system to give physicians better access to patient records and improve service to patients.
PLIS will enable physicians, nurses and other authorized caregivers involved in clinical practice to receive lab test results online. iEHR will provide the technology infrastructure that will allow laboratory, pharmacy, and diagnostic imaging information to flow securely between authorized health-care providers and source systems across all of B.C.
“Congratulations to B.C. on this major step towards making electronic
health records a reality in the province,” said Infoway’s president and CEO
Richard Alvarez. “We’re pleased to collaborate with the B.C. government as they
put in place solutions that will result in a safer, higher quality, more efficient
health-care system. Infoway plans to invest a total of over $55 million in
B.C.’s iEHR and lab information systems initiatives.”
iEHR/PLIS are two of the foundation projects of
B.C.’s eHealth strategy to put the right information in the right hands at the
right time to support personal health-care decision-making and health system
sustainability.
“Electronic health records are fundamental to modernizing the health-care system and improving access and outcomes of Canadians,” said Abbott. “Technology has revolutionized the way people do business and communicate, and the way public services, including health care, are delivered. B.C. is starting to realize the full potential of this technology to give caregivers better access to patient records and improve services to patients.”
All patient information will be protected by privacy measures that are
among the strongest in Canada. The personal health information in the
electronic health record will comply with the Province’s Freedom of Information
and Protection of Privacy Act , the Personal Information Privacy Act and
clauses of the Canada Health Act that govern the use of information for
health-related purposes. In addition, access to patient information will be
restricted to only those having a legal right and clear need to access the
information or to access the systems where the information resides.
Sun Microsystems (B.C.)
Inc. and its principal development partners,
MedPlus and First Consulting Group, will design and build the PLIS and iEHR
solutions in accordance with Canada Health Infoway architecture and standards. TELUS and CGI are responsible
for managed operations services and application management. The contract with
Sun is an Alternative Service Delivery project developed with the Ministry of
Labour and Citizens’ Services. The contract concludes a Joint Solution
Procurement process initiated in February 2006. Sun was selected because of the
strength of its overall solution presented to the Province.
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Communications Director Ministry of Health 250 920-8500 250 952-1887 (media line) |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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