The Fraser Health Authority’s largest hospital has begun sending patients home and will soon turn away non-emergency patients transported by ambulance as it prepares for a challenging technology upgrade.
In an internal memo dated Aug. 22 and obtained by CTV News, the vice president of regional hospital and emergency department health services said that upgrading Meditech Expanse from the current paper-based system will require a “joint effort and support” across the region, as well as fewer patients at Royal Columbian Hospital.
“Cutting will begin on August 24, 2024 and continue until approximately September 21, 2024,” Laurie Leith wrote, using the government’s euphemism for kicking patients out of the hospital. “This offloading process is important as it will provide RCH staff and healthcare professionals with the necessary reduction in capacity to support the adaptation to the new MediTech Expanse system and workflow.
In addition, some stroke and cardiac patients will be transported to Vancouver Coastal Health regional hospitals, while ambulances with non-urgent patients will see a “formal diversion on the 5th-9th.” Sept. to Vancouver General Hospital.
The upgrade to fully digital health records was supposed to happen in April, but sources tell CTV News that some doctors and nurses have raised safety concerns, claiming that patient care would be compromised by rushed treatment. The new show date is September 7 at 5 am
“We’re stuck in this weird space where we recognize that electronic health records are critical to the future of the health care system, but this implementation comes at a very difficult time for the health care system,” said Dr. Ahmer Karimuddin, president of Doctors of BC, referring to the disruption to emergency room services at Fraser Health. “We’re going to slow down no matter what we do.”
Rough transition at BC hospitals
Last year, both Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health acknowledged the challenges of upgrading from old paper-computer hybrid systems to fully digital systems; to add to the complexity, both health authorities used different software systems that require a third program to share information with each other.
CTV News has heard from multiple frontline sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that they are very frustrated that patients moving between health care providers cannot easily access their records for their health care providers and that the new systems are an “administrative nightmare.”
They say the forms are too long and complicated in most cases and cause them to spend far more time on office work that has limited value, compared to face-to-face with patients.
Eagle Ridge Hospital was the first Fraser Health facility to upgrade, and for months they saw approx. 30 percent fewer patients because doctors were so bogged down with additional paperwork while waiting longer for those in the hospital.
Fraser Health responds
CTV News asked a senior health official to address patient churn and reduced services as the transition begins at the end of next week, but they said no one was available to comment.
“We appreciate feedback from staff as Fraser Health modernizes our healthcare system and transitions from paper-based medical records to electronic health records,” a spokesperson wrote. “Every patient who comes to the hospital will get the care they need.”
Karimuddin urged Fraser Health to improve communication with the public and frontline caregivers, who are feeling a lot of anxiety because of unanswered questions, especially regarding contingency plans.
“Patients will be in difficult situations, doctors will be stressed. So in that context, we need transparency,” he said. “We need adequate funding and we need some kind of transformation plan, which we don’t see.
#Tough #situation #Royal #Columbian #Hospital #kicks #patients #ahead #technology #upgrade