Niagara Health has signed a 10-year agreement with Oracle Cerner to build a modern hospital information system that will serve all five Niagara Health sites and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre.
The new hospital information system will allow Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver to replace paper-based records and outdated electronic processes with more modern, connected and accessible electronic health records. The system will enable better management of data, improved patient safety, faster access to information, enhanced quality and consistency of patient care, and more.
“We are thrilled to have reached this significant milestone and to have established such an important relationship with Oracle Cerner,” said Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO, Niagara Health. “This project is another step in our digital transformation journey and will bring countless improvements for patients, families, staff, physicians and the community.”
The new system will include digital solutions to manage information for inpatient and outpatient services including acute care, surgical care, emergency and urgent care, complex care, mental health, cancer care and rehab. Niagara Health will implement Cerner technology, using the Cerner Canadian Reference Model, which will be based on Canadian best practices and interoperability standards.
“We are delighted to partner with Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre on this digital journey to deliver world-class health services to residents of Niagara,” said Brian Sandager, Vice-President, Oracle Cerner, Canada. “Together we will roll out a regional hospital information system that will create an improved, patient-centric healthcare delivery system.”
Project Monarch was selected earlier this year through an internal contest as the name of the project to build the new hospital information system. The project is expected to take about two years to complete. It will involve a considerable team effort from staff, physicians and other subject matter experts at Niagara Health, Hotel Dieu Shaver and Oracle Cerner, with input from patient partners and other key stakeholders. The new hospital information system is expected to launch in the fall of 2024.
“Hotel Dieu Shaver is very excited to collaborate with both Niagara Health and Oracle Cerner on this momentous health quality and patient safety improvement initiative,” said Lynne Pay, Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Dieu Shaver Health & Rehabilitation Centre. “This landmark clinical transformation will enhance patient outcomes and further facilitate optimal communication between healthcare providers, providing seamless and timely care plans to better ensure that all patients are receiving the right care in the right location.”
Oracle Cerner will provide a Canadian-hosted managed service for Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver. These two organizations will join the Ontario eHub Oracle Cerner Health Information Exchange (HIE) collaborative to share information with other hospitals across Ontario. The Oracle Cerner solution is used by more than 60 hospitals across Ontario.
