NYGH first acute care hospital in Canada to win prestigious IT award

North York General Hospital (NYGH) is the first acute care hospital in Canada to be presented with the HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence. Only about 50 hospitals around the world are recipients of this award by the Health Information Management Systems Society, known as HIMSS.

North York General was awarded this distinction for its eCare initiative, a multi-year, hospital-wide health care information technology (IT) transformation strategy.

a group of people gather around hospital equipment

The Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins (second from left), Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, listens intensely as Dr. Ronik Kanani, Chief of Paediatrics and Medical Director of the Child and Teen Program (seated), gives a demonstration of eCare in NYGH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Also participating in the event were the Honourable David Zimmer, MPP for Willowdale and Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, (far left); the Honourable Michael Coteau, MPP for Don Valley East, Minister of Children and Youth Services, and Minister Responsible for Anti-Racism (on left at back); and Wayne Samuels, Vice President, Business Development, Canada Health Infoway (on right at back). 

On February 1, 2017, NYGH staff, physicians and volunteers were joined by partners and stakeholders along with the Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, and the hospital's two local members of provincial parliament, the Honourable Michael Coteau, MPP for Don Valley East, and the Minister of Children and Youth Services, as well as the Minister responsible for Anti-Racism, and the Honourable David Zimmer, MPP for Willowdale, and the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, to celebrate this significant achievement.

North York General Hospital collaborated with partners to design and implement innovative health care IT that improves care and patient safety. eCare has prevented errors, saved lives, and improved efficiency. eCare is now deployed in all inpatient areas of the hospital. 

“The challenge of implementing change of this scope and scale was immense, but possible, thanks to great teamwork and a constant focus on the quality and safety benefits we are celebrating today,” said Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO. “Receiving the Davies Award is a reflection of the commitment to excellence of our people, the staff and physicians who made it happen.”

“Since eCare, NYGH physicians use an electronic order set on admission over 97% of the time. Before eCare only 36% of medical patients were admitted to hospital with an order set.” said Dr. Jeremy Theal, Chief Medical Information Officer at NYGH. The result of all this effort is not just the adoption of eCare, but also a significant culture change where we are continually improving the quality of care we provide.”

On February 1, 2017, North York General Hospital celebrated the distinction of receiving the HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence. Watch our video!

 

eCare uses advanced, integrated information systems and medical devices to help improve safety and quality of care when clinicians:

  • Administer medications to patients (Closed-loop barcode medication reconciliation)
  • Enter orders into a patient's electronic health record (Computerized Provider Order Entry [CPOE])
  • Make decisions with patients, by providing real-time guidance based on up-to-date, relevant evidence at the point of care (Clinical Decision Support)
  • Seamlessly transfer data from patient monitors into the electronic medical record (Bedside Medical Device Integration)

Since implementing eCare, an estimated 7,700 unintentional adverse drug events and 11,000 potential medication errors have been prevented. eCare ensures that all medication provided in the hospital are given to the right patient, in the right dose, at the right time.

Data collected from 2010 to 2015 shows the odds of dying at NYGH from common conditions such as pneumonia or exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have fallen by as much as 53%. This represents an estimated 120 lives saved from just these two health conditions alone.

Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO, NYGH, with the Honourable Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO, NYGH, with the Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Dr. Jeremy Theal, Chief Medical Information Officer at NYGH, gives remarks at the Davies Award celebration.

Dr. Jeremy Theal, Chief Medical Information Officer at NYGH, gives remarks at the Davies Award celebration.

Registered Nurse Bryanna Wright using eCare in the NICU.

Registered Nurse Bryanna Wright scans a medication in the NICU.

 

This article first appeared in the February 2017 issue of The Pulse.

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