Rolling out COWs and an electronic documentation system for interdisciplinary staff on two pilot units in a long term care facility

Abstract

This report discusses how work performed during the internship at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Aging & Veterans Care (SHSC, A&VC) relates to the field of health informatics. The objectives of the internship were twofold: to participate in the roll-out of an electronic documentation project; and (2) create comparative reports from various sources of healthcare data to assist management in decision making. There are many Healthcare Information Systems used at SHSC, A&VC and for many purposes: in documenting and providing information related to patient care, and some for reporting purposes used in assessing the effectiveness of the performance of the hospital, and on a greater collective level, in the assessment of the health system. Insight on the flow and use of health information in the provision of patient care and within the health care system was gained during this internship. This report also identifies a problem encountered with the new online documentation system in which it is not accessible to staff in acute care of SHSC (does not interface with their systems). A solution using My Chart initiative and other recommendations were provided by the Intern.