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Media Release
August 5, 2009
Trillium and Humber River Regional Hospitals Join IT Partnership
Seventeen health care organizations working together for their patients and clients
Toronto- Janet Davidson, O.C., is the President and CEO for Trillium Health Centre, which has locations in Mississauga and west Toronto. Not far away, Rueben Devlin is President and CEO of Toronto’s Humber River Regional Hospital. Both CEOs recognize their patients travel across the Greater Toronto Area for care, so why shouldn’t their health record? To answer this question, Trillium and Humber River Regional have teamed with 15 other health care organizations that make up the SIMS Partnership to transform health care delivery.
“We’re proceeding with the implementation of our IT strategy in preparation for moving to our new hospital,” explains Devlin. “A big part of that is not only enhancing our own electronic patient record, but ensuring our new digital hospital supports our model of care by allowing the seamless transfer of a patient’s record to other care providers. As a large regional acute care hospital in Ontario we work closely with all of the organizations in the SIMS Partnership, and this is a strategic integration initiative that makes sense for our hospital at this time.”
Having shared technology systems reduces duplication of information and possibility of transcription errors, helping to create a safer environment for patient care and improving patient outcomes. It also will help speed up referral processes, reducing wait times for patients and clients.
“The pursuit of further integration and partnerships with other health care providers is one of Trillium’s key strategic objectives,” said Davidson. “Joining the SIMS Partnership will help us improve the quality of care we provide to patients by better sharing information across the continuum of care.”
Since its inception in 2004, SIMS has worked on integrating projects across all participating organizations, which consist of acute, rehabilitation, community, complex continuing and long-term care facilities. Some of its successes to date have included developing an Emergency Department electronic notification system to connect patients with Community Care Access Centre services, creating an online computer program that allows clinicians to confidentially view patient results from many GTA hospitals, and implementing a web form that helps health care providers match clients to the most appropriate resources at the time of a referral.
“The glue that holds SIMS together is our definitive focus on integration,” said Lydia Lee, Integrated Chief Information Officer, SIMS Partnership. “The days of working in silos are slowly falling to the wayside. Our partners are sharing information to solve real problems that really improve our ability to deliver excellent care.”
In addition to these two members, SIMS partners include Bridgepoint Health, Central Community Care Access Centre, COTA Health, North York General Hospital, Providence Healthcare, St. John’s Rehab Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre, Toronto East General Hospital, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, West Park Healthcare Centre and Women’s College Hospital.
Together through SIMS, these 17 organizations are transforming the way health care is delivered.
Trillium Health Centre is one of Canada’s largest, academically-affiliated community care hospitals with highly specialized/tertiary regional programs in advanced cardiac, vascular, stroke, neurosciences, orthopaedic, and sexual assault/domestic violence services. Housing a model ambulatory care centre and the largest free standing day surgery centre in North America, Trillium serves over one million residents in Peel and West Toronto and from other communities across Ontario.
Humber River Regional Hospital is one of Canada’s largest regional acute care hospitals. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, the hospital is home to Ontario’s first Centre of Excellence for laparoscopic bariatric surgery and Canada’s first home nocturnal dialysis program. Humber River’s redevelopment plan, approved by the provincial government, will see it commence construction of a state-of-the-art, environmentally responsible hospital in 2011; one Humber River plans to make a technological showcase. One of the world’s leading healthcare design teams, HOK, has been retained to provide the design compliance services for the new hospital project.
As one of its key strategic directions, Humber River Regional Hospital is committed to actively participating in regional planning processes and creating stronger linkages with all partner organizations. As a member the SIMS partnership, HRRH will continue to advance new systems design to improve patient care across the continuum for our patients and families.
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For further information, please contact:
Patti Enright, Senior Communications Advisor
Shared Information Management Services (SIMS)
Tel: (416) 340-4800 ext. 4097
E-mail: patti.enright@uhn.on.ca