Dr. Ben Tam is a critical care physician at Niagara Health and the Digital Strategy Physician Lead for the new HIS. This column appeared in the St. Catharines Standard, Niagara Falls Review and Welland Tribune.
As a doctor, my top priority has always been to provide the best possible care to my patients.
Over the years, I’ve seen how technology can transform so much in our daily lives, but the systems in health care have often struggled to keep up. That’s changing. With the launch of Niagara Health’s new hospital information system (HIS), our patients are about to experience a major shift in the way we deliver care.
What does this mean for you? It means that from the moment you step into one of our hospitals, your medical records, test results, medications and history will be instantly and securely available to the entire care team. Whether you’re visiting the emergency department, having surgery or just coming in for a followup, every doctor, nurse and specialist will be working with the same up-to-date information about your health.
I’ve seen this in action before. In 2017, when my wife and I welcomed our first daughter at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, the care team walked into our hospital room not just with well-wishes, but also with laptops and bar code scanners connected to their brand-new HIS, which had gone live that very day.
It was a completely different experience. Every piece of information — medications, lab work, any concerns we had — was documented and available instantly to everyone involved in her care. We didn’t have to repeat our story when a new nurse or doctor joined the team. Everyone was already on the same page.
The impact wasn’t just during our hospital stay. When we returned to St. Joe’s for followup visits, the same smooth, co-ordinated care continued. The HIS made sure that her health history was always up to date, so we could focus on the important things — like welcoming our new baby.
But I didn’t just experience this as a parent. As a resident in internal medicine at St. Joe’s, I also saw how this technology made a huge difference in my own work.
Before the HIS, I often spent time sorting through stacks of paper charts or tracking down important health information from multiple different computer systems. Sometimes, I had to piece together notes from different doctors to understand the full picture of my patients’ conditions. The HIS changed all of that. Instead of hunting for information, I had everything in one place, ready to go.
This is why I’m so excited for the launch of Niagara Health’s new HIS. I’ve seen firsthand how much better this system makes things, not just for doctors and nurses, but also for the patient.
As we transition to the new electronic records system, starting on Nov. 9, your care will be faster, safer and more seamless. Whether you’re visiting for a routine checkup or coming in for something more serious, everyone involved in your care will have the information they need right at their fingertips.
This is a big change, and it will take some time for everyone — both staff and patients — to adjust. But the ultimate goal is simple: to ensure you get the best care possible, every time.
With the HIS, we’re creating a system that works better for you. Your doctors and nurses will have a better understanding of your health history the moment they walk into the room, and you can trust that all key pieces of health information, whether it’s test results, treatment plans or medical history, will be co-ordinated and shared securely between your health care team so you get the care you need when you need it.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about new technology — it’s about making your experience better and making sure we can focus on your health. So while the changes may seem big, they are designed to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of your care.
Photo: Dr. Ben Tam, Digital Strategy Physician Lead
