June 20 - Physician Information Newsletter (2024)

eReferrals Update

We’ve hit another milestone, with more than 60,000 surgical and Diagnostic Imaging (DI) referrals sent using the eReferrals tool. More than 39,000 surgical referrals, 8,700 MRI referrals and 14,700 ultrasound eReferrals have been received, with our May volumes exceeding the previous monthly record once again.

Our teams continue to focus on supporting users, improving the tool and workflows, and planning for other services. We are pleased to highlight some of these activities below.

Planning for other services

Work continues to plan for the roll-out of further DI modalities later this year, as well as other services such as endoscopy, which will be supported by a working group of the new Provincial Endoscopy Council.

Diagnostic Imaging team members supporting eReferrals are connecting with staff at various sites to understand current and future workflows and functional requirements. They are also working with the One Person One Record Project (OPOR) team to understand how these two projects align.

Several specific activities have occurred or are underway in relation to X-ray eReferrals, including:

Developing training materials for staff and users including LMS training materials and user guides.
Discussions with the primary care and surgeon eReferrals advisory groups regarding the X-ray form.
Engaging NSH patient and family representatives regarding the planning and handouts.
Working with site managers to understand specific registration workflows and the impacts on their workflow.

Need support?

In-person training and support, virtual support and more continue to be offered for users. You can request assistance atwww.referralsns.ca/askor check out our various resources atwww.referralsns.ca/training-resources

Forms update:Gynecology form updated based on user feedback

One of the many benefits of eReferrals is the ability to use standardized forms to collect information that providers require to assess and prioritize requests. Forms are evaluated on a regular basis to support ongoing improvements andfeedbackand we are pleased to share that the Gynecology form has been updated based on feedback from the Primary Care eReferrals Advisory group and other users. Changes include:

Patient Previously seen by a Gynecologist in Nova Scotia field-Referrers will be prompted to pick Yes, No and Unknown. If they enter “Yes”, they will be asked to attach the last gynecology report. We have removed the date of last gynecology appointment and physician name (will be captured on report, if applicable).
Height (cm) & Weight (kg) field-The height and weight fields have been changed are no longer mandatory and a new non-mandatory BMI scale (< 30, 30-50, > 50) field has been added instead.
Last Pap Test Date field-This field name has been change to “Last Pap Test” with the pap test date (mm/dd/yyyy) removed and replaced with five options --Pap up to date as per NS guidelines, Attached, Unavailable, Unable to complete, Not applicable).

Managing and avoiding deletion warnings and the automatic purge of referrals

Electronic referrals are automatically deleted (purged) from Ocean sites after one year (365 days) unless certain conditions apply, or steps are taken to extend the purge countdown. Surgeons’ offices can expect to receive aDeletion Warning Message14 days before the purge deadline and if no action is taken the eReferral will be removed from Ocean after 14 days. After this occurs here is no way to view, retrieve or reactive the eReferral.

Completing thefive key eReferrals stepssupports compliance with CPSNS standards and can help avoid or delay deletion warning and the need to manage them. Learn more aboutmanaging and avoiding these warnings and the purge of referrals.

Reminder: eReferrals can become part of the patient chart and some information is also visible to patients

Please remember that information entered within the eReferral can become part of a patient’s legal health record and some information entered may also be automatically sent to patients who supplied an email address with their eReferral. The following may help support you in using the tool appropriately.

Question / comment about the patient’s eReferral?

You may wish to add some information to the eReferral to share with both your patient and your fellow healthcare provider. Other information, such as clinical questions, may only be intended for your colleague.Thisguidehighlights the difference between the ‘Messaging Pane’and the ‘Comments for Referrer / Patient’section and when each should be used.

Question / comment regarding the use of eReferrals?

We have noted cases where comments have been added to the eReferral, which would not be appropriate for a patient chart. Please do not include questions, comments or feedback related to the use of eReferrals within the eReferral itself. These can instead be shared at:https://www.referralsns.ca/ask.

Congratulations to Dr. Adam Law who was recently awarded the prestigious Gold Medal by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS). This highest honour is granted to the person who has made significant contributions to anesthesia in Canada through teaching, research, professional practice, or administration and leadership.

Celebrating Success: Dr. Adam Law

Dr. Law’s impact on anesthesia is undeniable. For more than 25 years, Dr. Law has practiced academic anesthesiology at Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health, Central Zone. His work has been predicated first and foremost on clinical excellence in practice. Over the course of his career, Dr. Law has been a tireless clinical researcher, making immeasurable impacts on the specialty’s body-of-knowledge. He co-edited the book ‘Airway Management in Emergencies’ currently in its third edition. Within dozens of publications, book chapters and other contributions across both anesthesia and emergency medicine, he has shown that clinical research begins at the bedside, deeply rooted in curiosity and improving patient safety.

Dr. Law's leadership in shaping best practices extends beyond research. Nationally, he chaired the Canadian Airway Focus Group for two iterations of developing evidence-based and consensus-based airway management guidelines. And globally, over the past five years, Dr. Law has been executive member of the multinational Project for Universal Management of Airways (PUMA), instrumental in their efforts to develop universally applicable airway management guidelines.

With respect to education, Dr. Law helped establish simulation education at Dalhousie University in its early days. He made a mark on dynamically instructing airway management and has been an architect of innovative teaching approaches both locally and internationally. Dr. Law has also excelled as a leader, serving in numerous medical director roles, including as the former Department Associate Head.

Dr. Law has been a cornerstone of academic anesthesia at Dalhousie University. Generations of learners and patients have benefitted from his exceptional teaching and commitment to patient-centered care."I’ve been most fortunate to have had such a varied and fulfilling career in Anesthesia here in Halifax,” reflects Dr. Law, who values both the opportunity to deliver good clinical care and the support he receives for his academic pursuits. "Above all, working with a group of highly competent and collegial colleagues has been wonderful."

Read morehere.

Vice President of Legal, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary

This week, our CEO announced the appointment of Candace Thomas, KC asVice President of Legal, General CounselandCorporate Secretaryfor Nova Scotia Health. She is also responsible for policy, and the freedom of information and privacy and protection act.Her assignment will start on July 8, 2024.

Candace is a senior leader in the legal community whose expertise in corporate governance will help us continue to build our health services network. She has been the Nova Scotia Deputy Minister of Justice April 2020 and spent many years was a partner at Stewart McKelvey.

Biography - Candace Thomas, KC

Candace is the former Deputy Minister of Justice and the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism and Deputy Attorney General for the Province of Nova Scotia. Prior to her appointment as Deputy in April 2020, Candace practiced law in Nova Scotia for 20 years, the last 15 as a partner in the Halifax Office of Stewart McKelvey.

Candace was selected by her peers to be included in the 2017-2020 editions of The Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in corporate law and received her Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) designation in 2017.In 2018 she was named one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women, and in 2019 she was included on Chatelaine Magazine’s list of Women of the Year.

Candace has always been an active community leader and champion of literacy and higher education, which she believes are social equalizers that lead to self-empowerment and self-sufficiency.She is currently a member of the Boards of The Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation and The Africadian Empowerment Academy Society, as well as a member of the International Women’s Forum – Atlantic Chapter. She is a past Chair of the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University (the first woman and first person of colour to hold the position in the university’s 200-year history), a past Director and Vice Chair of the Black Business Initiative Society and she co-chaired the successful inaugural capital campaign for the Halifax Central Library. In recognition of her volunteer commitment, in 2017 Candace received the Community Service Award from the Canadian Bar Association – Nova Scotia Branch.

Candace is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University and the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. A proud native of East Preston, Candace resides in Dartmouth with her husband and their 18-year-old daughter.

OPOR Update

OPOR: Did You Know?

Did you know OPOR has a non-clinical devices (NCD) strategy?

In the last One Person One Record (OPOR) update, we introduced the work that is underway to prepare for the deployment of integrated biomedical devices. To support the clinical information system, a strategy has been developed to assess current devices in workspaces, and plan for new devices such as Workstations on Wheels.

The NCD project team is focused on preparing your workspaces for the shift to online charting and record keeping. Their objective is to have the right devices, configured and tested, and in the right places, three months before Go-Live.

To learn more and see the list of devices that will be deployed, read theOPOR June Monthly Updateor visit the OPOR website atopor.nshealth.ca

Design Workshops continue to deliver significant progress towards completing the Clinical Information System (CIS) design. As of May 27, Subject Matter Experts have made3,229individual decisions to design the OPOR-CIS!

The One Person One Record (OPOR) Program is nearing the end of the design and build phase for the new CIS. Soon, we will be moving into the testing phase to validate the design and build, ensuring the system serves the needs of healthcare workers and physicians in Nova Scotia.Learn more about the OPOR Program atopor.nshealth.ca

Outpatient Recovery Support Centre Opening in Halifax

A new outpatient recovery support centre in Halifax will help people with addictions, substance use and gambling disorders. The centre, located on Fenwick Street, opens Thursday, June 13, and will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team including a physician, registered nurses, social workers and administrative staff.

It will provide a range of services, including in-person assessments, group programming, harm reduction support, outpatient withdrawal management and more.