August 04, 2010

Brockville General Hospital Connected to Diagnostic Imaging System

(Markham, ON – August 4, 2010) Brockville General Hospital (BGH) has connected to the Hospital Diagnostic Imaging Repository Services (HDIRS), a system that provides centralized storage of diagnostic images, such as X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds.

“We are very excited to be a part of the HDIRS project,” says Deb Wilson, BGH Manager of Diagnostic Imaging. “The ability to link multiple systems is quite an accomplishment and a major step towards an electronic medical record. The diagnostic imaging repository will eliminate the need for patients to transport their films and images between hospitals. It will allow primary care providers and specialists to view images instantly regardless of where they were acquired, and ultimately provide better access to care for our patients.”

HDIRS, a partnership between 23 hospital corporations extending from Brockville to Toronto, is managing the development, implementation and operation of the shared information system. In 2011, when all partners are connected, the system will enable the sharing of reports and images among 35 health care facilities that are collectively serving the health needs of 3.4 million people making up 10 per cent of Canada’s population.

Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, has provided $ 20.6 million and eHealth Ontario has provided $ 17 million in funding for the project which supports the transfer of images and reports between diagnostic imaging departments at hospitals in Central, Central East, South East and Toronto LHINs. The project is part of the Ontario government’s ehealth agenda and supports Infoway’s vision for a pan-Canadian electronic health record system.

“Diagnostic imaging repositories allow the results of X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds and other similar tests to be stored digitally, shared easily and retrieved quickly,” said Richard Alvarez, President and CEO of Canada Health Infoway. “This saves time and travel for both patients and doctors. These repositories are a core component of the electronic health record systems being built for every Canadian.”

“We are proud to provide the network and be a funding partner on an initiative which advances health care delivery and benefits to Ontarians,” said Greg Reed, President and CEO, eHealth Ontario. “This project illustrates how collaboration within the health care system can improve patient care.”

Currently, HDIRS handles more than two million exams annually, storing images and reports for Brockville General Hospital (Brockville and Leeds/Grenville), Lakeridge Health (Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry and Whitby), Haliburton Highlands Health Services (Haliburton), Markham Stouffville Hospital (Markham and Uxbridge), Peterborough Regional Health Centre (Peterborough), Quinte Health Care (Belleville, Bancroft, Picton and Trenton), Ross Memorial Hospital (Lindsay), Rouge Valley Health System (Ajax, Pickering and Toronto), The ScarboroughHospital (Scarborough), Southlake Regional Health Centre (Newmarket), Stevenson Memorial Hospital (Alliston), St. Michael’s Hospital (Toronto), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Toronto) and Toronto East General Hospital (Toronto).

For more information contact:

Pat Ryan
General Manager
HDIRS
p. 416-471-9640
e. pryan@tsh.to
www.hdirs.ca

Brockville General Hospital
Ray Marshall
President & CEO
Brockville General Hospital
p. 613-345-5649 x 1-1247 e. marra@bgh-on.ca

Dan Strasbourg
Director, Corporate Communications
Canada Health Infoway
p. 416-595-3424
e. dstrasbourg@infoway-inforoute.ca

Heather Brown
Communications Advisor
eHealth Ontario
e. heather.brown@ehealthontario.ca

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