eHealth
eHealth is a term we use to describe the use of information and clinical technologies in health care and is a key enabler of systemic change in Ontario. In the Toronto Central LHIN, where a multitude of health care providers across the system look after the needs of thousands of people each year, using technology to share patient and treatment information can help people get the appropriate treatment faster, reduce duplication of tests and minimize medical errors.
The execution of Ontario’s eHealth Strategy 2009-2012 is a priority for the Toronto Central LHIN and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Toronto Central LHIN works closely with the Ministry, eHealth Ontario and other organizations to secure funding for eHealth initiatives that are most closely aligned with the LHIN’s local system priorities as defined in the Integrated Health Service Plan 2010-2013. The LHIN also supports the independent efforts of local health service providers by facilitating communication and collaboration between all partners.
Finding and implementing eHealth solutions that will help improve quality of care and equitable access to service while encouraging a more appropriate use of resources is a critical part of our plan to improve the health care system as a whole.
Learn more about eHealth Ontario
To learn more about provincial eHealth initiatives, visit the eHealth Ontario website by clicking here.
Toronto Central LHIN eHealth Bulletin
The Toronto Central LHIN eHealth Bulleting provides information and updates about our many eHealth projects and profiles eHealth initiatives being undertaken at our health service providers.
Health service providers who would like to profile an eHealth initiative in an upcoming eHealth Bulletin should contact Kendyl Dobbin at kendyl.dobbin@lhins.on.ca.
eHealth Initiatives in the Toronto Central LHIN
Resource Matching and Referral
The Toronto Central LHIN Resource Matching and Referral (RM&R) Program represents the next generation of the health care referral process. Efficient and timely referrals between organizations are essential to ensuring patients/clients flow through the health care system and access the most appropriate level and location of care.
Resource Matching and Referral (RM&R) is an electronic information and referral system that matches patient/clients to the earliest available services that best meets their individual needs. RM&R improves the patient/client experience and is designed to ensure all individuals have equitable access to safe and high quality services.
RM&R is a powerful tool to reduce Alternate Level of Care (ALC) days and contribute to lower ER wait times. RM&R identifies people who are waiting too long or unnecessarily in a hospital bed and helps them to transition to another care setting to continue their care.
RM&R has become one of Ontario’s fastest moving and most coordinated eHealth implementations. It involves integration by all hospitals, the CCAC, all long-term care homes and, starting this year, mental health and addictions and community support services.
For information on the status of this project, please see the latest edition of the Toronto Central LHIN eHealth Bulletin.
ConnectingGTA (cGTA)
ConnectingGTA will integrate electronic patient information from across the Greater Toronto Area and make it available at to health service providers organizations across the GTA so that health care providers can deliver better, faster and more coordinated patient care.
The Toronto Central LHIN is a key partner in this project along with the other GTA LHINs (Central, Central East, Central West, and Mississauga-Halton), eHealth Ontario, Canada Health Infoway, and the University Health Network. To ensure the project considers the range of clinical needs across the GTA, the Toronto Central LHIN has representatives on the project Steering Committee as well as the supporting clinical, technical, and privacy and security working groups.
ConnectingGTA will:
- Identify and collect priority patient data - A Clinical Data Repository (CDR) will store data from existing databases and registries, such as discharge summaries, visits/encounters information, emergency department reports and CCAC reports.
- Provide the ability for clinicians and organizations to exchange information - A Health Information Access Layer (HIAL) will integrate and securely share clinical data from multiple sources across the care continuum and GTA.
- Provide secure and seamless access to health information - Access options, such as a provider portal and direct integration, will allow clinicians to access patient information in a way that complements existing workflows.
The ConnectingGTA project is funded by the Province of Ontario through eHealth Ontario and Canada Health Infoway and is being led by the University Health Network as the project’s Transfer Payment Agent.
The most up-to-date project status information can be found via the latest edition of the ConnectingGTA Bulletin. The ConnectingGTA Bulletin will be published each month following project Steering Committee meetings. If you are interested in being notified once each edition is published you can sign-up for our distribution list by emailing ConnectingGTA@uhn.on.ca.
For more detailed information please visit the ConnectingGTA online space or contact Robert Lee, Acting Director, Decision Support and Design at Robert.Lee@LHINS.ON.CA.
GTA West Diagnostic Imaging Repository (GTA West DI-r)
A Diagnostic Imaging Repository (DI-r) is a collection of all patients’ diagnostic imaging results in single, standards-based repository that will support sharing of images electronically. The creation of a diagnostic imaging repository is a critical component of the interoperable electronic health record. The GTA West DI-r will enhance diagnostic imaging service across the region serviced by the GTA West hospital sites by enabling an expected 10,000 clinicians to access diagnostics images between sites. This is the fourth and final regional DI-r in Ontario and it includes 22 hospitals in the GTA and North Simcoe Muskoka LHINs,
For information on the status of this project, please see the latest edition of the Toronto Central LHIN eHealth Bulletin.