About the Episode
Discover the exciting strides and ongoing challenges in making Canada's healthcare systems more connected and efficient, focusing on the game-changing PrescribeIT system. With a mix of humor and insight, Dr. Rashaad Bhyat dives into the future of interoperability, electronic referrals, and the quest for seamless information sharing to improve patient care and provider experience.
Takeaways:
- Digital health transformation in Canada has made significant progress, particularly in the adoption and use of electronic medical records (EMRs). However, there is still a lack of connectedness and interoperability between systems, leading to administrative burden and challenges in providing optimal patient care.
- The next frontier in digital health is addressing the lack of connectedness between systems used by healthcare providers. The ability to share information seamlessly and in a standardized format is crucial for improving patient care and reducing administrative burden.
- Standards play a key role in achieving interoperability. Standardized data fields and terminology ensure that information can be shared and understood across different systems. Efforts are being made to establish pan-Canadian standards and align provincial and territorial standards to enable better information exchange.
- Infoway, along with other organizations and stakeholders, is working towards a more coordinated and standardized approach to digital health in Canada. The recent announcement of the Connected Care for Canadians bill is a step in the right direction to encourage interoperability and data sharing.
- The journey towards interoperability and connectedness in digital health is complex and requires collaboration between provinces, territories, healthcare providers, and vendors. Success stories like the national electronic prescribing system demonstrate that it is possible to achieve interoperability with the right standards and collaboration. Interoperability is crucial in healthcare to improve communication, reduce errors, and enhance patient safety.
- The adoption of electronic prescribing has been slow in Canada, but PrescribeIT has gained momentum and is being integrated into various EMR systems.The challenges in achieving interoperability include the complexity of the healthcare system, regulatory requirements, and the need for standardized approaches.
- The future of interoperability includes the potential for electronic referral and other digital tools to enhance communication and patient care.
(00:00) Introduction to Dr. Rashad Bhyat and Canada Health Infoway: Dr. Rashaad Bhyat and Canada Health Infoway's role in advancing digital health in Canada.
(05:28) Dr. Bhyat's Background and the Education Landscape in Digital Health: Exploring Dr. Bhyat's journey and the current educational trends in digital health.
(09:15) The Digital Health Landscape in Canada: An overview of the current state of digital health in Canada.
(23:27) Defining Standards for Data Exchange: Discussing the importance and development of standards for data exchange in healthcare.
(28:23) Moving Forward with Interoperability: Strategies and steps to enhance interoperability in Canadian healthcare.
(33:03) The Challenges of Achieving Interoperability: Addressing the major obstacles to achieving seamless data exchange in healthcare.
(37:57) Prescribe It: A Successful Example of Interoperability: Highlighting "Prescribe It" as a model for successful interoperability in electronic prescribing.
(43:02) The Slow Adoption of Electronic Prescribing in Canada: Understanding the factors contributing to the slow adoption of electronic prescribing.
(48:32) The Persistence of Fax Machines in Healthcare: Examining why fax machines remain prevalent in the healthcare system.
(52:01) The Importance of User Experience and Interface Design: The critical role of user experience and interface design in digital health solutions.
(58:03) The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Exploring the promising applications of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector.
More Resources:
PrescribeIT: https://ca.cherry.health/partnerships/prescribe-it
Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leaders-in-healthcare
LinkedIn: https://cherryhealth.co/linkedin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherryhealthinc/
Instagram: @cherry.health
Twitter: @cherryhealthinc
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