HAY RIVER - Health professionals across the NWT are now able to share medical information instantly, a development that is expected to improve patient care.

The NWT HealthNet Viewer, part of the GNWT's interoperable electronic health record project, was officially launched in Hay River on Jan. 22. Among those on hand for the event were, left to right, Michele Hancsicsak, chief information officer with the Department of Health and Social Services; Iris Blake, a licenced practical nurse; and Sandy Lee, the minister of Health and Social Services. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

NWT HealthNet Viewer, a new online technology and part of the territorial government's interoperable electronic health records project, was launched last month.

"Today marks an important technological milestone in the delivery of healthcare in the Northwest Territories," said Health and Social Services Minister Sandy Lee during the system's official launch in Hay River on Jan. 22.

The HealthNet Viewer, which is basically a secure web-based portal, is going to authorized groups of healthcare professionals at clinics and health centres across the NWT.

By March, most of the territory's health professionals will have instant access to the medical information of their patients, such as lab results, discharge summaries and diagnostic imaging reports.

"The system is an innovative tool that will support patient safety and delivery of care," said Lee. "In simple terms, clinicians will now be able to view important medical information, such as lab results, from multiple sites in a single viewer. This changes the old delivery method, reduces repeat tests and enables treatment and care plans to be developed sooner."

The minister said the new technology will not change the legal commitment to patient privacy.

"Clinicians will handle the electronic viewer with the same privacy compliances as the paper record," she said. "In terms of security, users will be issued a security device that will be required for sign-in and will require user IDs and passwords."

She said the new system will create enormous savings, by avoiding duplication of tests.

Patient information from June 30, 2009, onward will be added to the new system.

Michele Hancsicsak, the department's chief information officer, said there are currently 147 users of the system across the NWT.

"This is transforming the way that we deliver care," said Hancsicsak.

Over the past two months, Hay River was one of the first communities to use the system and helped ensure the bugs were worked out.

Iris Blake, a licenced practical nurse at the Hay River Medical Clinic, said the new system has been a positive process for the clinic.

"What we found in this process is a big time saver," she said, saying, for example, it allows quick access to lab test results.

Blake added the HealthNet Viewer also helps expecting mothers who leave the community to deliver their babies and also assists people being referred to specialists outside the community.

"We're thoroughly enjoying it," she said of working with the new system. "We love it and we're looking forward to where this is going to."

Every province and territory in Canada is working to implement such systems.

The NWT HealthNet Viewer will allow authorized health clinicians 'view only' access. Changes can only be made at the source.

Canada Health Infoway, a federally-funded, not-for-profit organization that invests in health information systems, provided $5.7 million for the project.

The NWT HealthNet Viewer will initially contain text reports from Stanton Hospital in Yellowknife and results from laboratories at Stanton and in Hay River and Inuvik, as well as results for patients referred by the NWT to DynaLife Laboratory in Alberta.

Records and paper files where they exist today will continue to be maintained as before.

Additional information and extra functions will soon be added in a second phase.