Within the medical industry, and specifically the emergency and long-term care sectors, access to patient information is time-sensitive should be able to give health care professionals a clear picture of who the patient is, and any medical procedures they may have undergone in the past. Without readily available access to information, patients may be misdiagnosed, or cared for in incorrect ways. While many Canadian provinces and cities have already adopted a universal EHR (electronic health record) system, there is no national records system in place.

Access to complete medical records can provide life-saving information in a time of crisis, and for that reason, it’s important to explore how communication channels can be improved within the Canadian healthcare industry while also not compromising patient privacy.

Analysis

My approach to understanding how to best provide an accurate recommendation to the healthcare industry was to first understand how the current system works, understand the challenges and analyze before providing concrete ideas.

Existing secondary research explores how hospital communication works, and more importantly, how it interacts with other institutions.

It is stated clearly in research conducted that Canadian hospitals have strong internal communication networks, and if that hospital is part of a network of hospitals such as the University Health Network in Toronto, multiple hospitals can effectively communicate with one another, share patient information, and work collectively.

The problem lies with patients who seek care in multiple facilities which do not share a communication network, also known as a Universal Electronic Health Record system. These systems, while adopted by certain institutions like the University Health Network, and their group of hospitals, there is no federally mandated electronic communication system. For example, if a patient received life saving surgery at St. Micheals hospital in Toronto, and then got into a serious car accident the next year on their way to North Bay, the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie would likely have no medical records on that patient, no information as to drug allergies or any previous medical notes.

When further analyzing the arguments for and against a Universal EHR, on one case the argument for is that a universal system solves the problem of not having medical history on new patients. However, and importantly in the public eye, privacy is a major concern with EHR systems, and historically has served as a roadblock to the idea all together. I found throughout my research that the arguement for privacy was the driving force behind not having a federally mandated system due to the fear of information falling into the wrong hands.

So far, this study has taught me how hospitals communicate and share information. At this stage in my research, understanding from an outside, secondary perspective, I can see the gaps where patient care may be compromised because of a lack of communication infrastructure. Hospitals and healthcare professionals are tasked daily with making life-saving split second decisions, and ensuring effective collaboration among institutions can only benefit the patients' outcome.

The next phase of my research will continue with interviews of medical professionals, those who face these challenges every day, and are required to make split second decisions that effect people's lives. Upon completing the second phase of the study, I will provide a concrete recommendation for or against Canada adopting a Universal EHR system.