Drug Information System Expands at MHA

A recent initiative that electronically accesses a patient's electronic prescription drug history is expanding in scope at both sites of the Middlesex Hospital Alliance.

The system, known as the Drug Profile Viewer (DPV) System, provides the secure sharing of prescription drug claim histories of Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) recipients - and those using the Trillium Drug Program - with healthcare providers, such as MHA.

The system was successfully implemented initially in Emergency departments only at pilot site hospitals - including MHA - beginning in November, 2006. For example, if a patient arrives at Emergency unconscious or incoherent - or simply can't recall all of the medications and dosages prescribed - the emergency medical staff can quickly retrieve this information from the DPV System. The access is immediate and available 24/7.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLC) is now expanding the availability of this System for other health care providers, initially at 19 "first-wave" sites, including MHA. This means that physicians will be able to retrieve the same drug information about their ODB patients admitted to the hospital, not just emergency room visits. Eventually, all health care providers will have access to ODB recipients' history, according to the MOHLC.

"Patients who are ODB recipients, won't need to bring medications or try to recall what medications they have been prescribed. The information on drugs and dosages will all be available in this system. It will benefit both patients and doctors to have this information so readily available," Dr. Paul Ferner, Chief of Staff at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital, says.

DPV is an initiative of the MOHLC in collaboration with Canada Health Infoway, an independent, not-for-profit national corporation. The system accesses prescription drug information maintained by the Ministry, for recipients of the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program and the Trillium Drug Program. There are 2.3 million ODB recipients in Ontario - the majority of whom are seniors, who can frequently be prescribed many different medications. According to Ministry figures 13 per cent of acute care admissions for seniors are for complications from pharmaceutical medications.

According to information on the MOHLC's website, "Access to drug claims information in hospital emergency departments has resulted in significant benefits to ODB recipients such as improved patient care through the reduction of harmful drug reactions."

Mike Mazza, CEO of the Middlesex Hospital Alliance says, "Just as we are now employing Electronic Patient Records and filmless Digital Imaging, this DPV technology also increases our efficiency, connects us with our partners in healthcare, and ultimately, provides better patient care."

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Drug Information System Expands at MHA