Digital health
Improving care through digital health
Digital health initiatives offer a powerful opportunity to improve health care in Ontario — giving doctors better connected tools to support their work and patients more timely, seamless access to the care they need. Too often, however, disconnected systems and outdated processes add delays, duplicate work and unnecessary administrative burden.
Physician-informed solutions around integrated medical records, eReferral and central intake, and artificial intelligence can help build a more connected, coordinated and patient-centred health system — one that reduces paperwork, improves access and supports better care across the province.
Primary Care Medical Record System
Earlier this spring, the government announced it was moving forward with a province-wide Primary Care Medical Record (PCMR) system.
The Primary Care Medical Record system will allow doctors to securely create, access and manage digital patient information, including medical histories, diagnoses, medications and test results. While approximately 90 per cent of Ontario family physicians use electronic medical records, the current landscape is fragmented and disconnected, limiting effective information sharing across the health system.
The initiative has the potential to reduce administrative burden, improve coordination across care settings, and reduce unnecessary duplication and delays.
The OMA, SGFP and OCFP have put forward to the government six practical, physician-led recommendations that are key to successfully developing the PCMR system to ensure broad family physician adoption. We have emphasized the importance of co-designing the PCMR system with family physicians as partners.
Read the executive summary and the policy paper.