• Markham Stouffville Hospital operator Oak Valley Health will launch an upgraded digital records system on Oct. 28.
  • The transition may lead to longer hospital visit wait times, including in emergency departments.
  • The new system will improve services and connect health records across York, Durham, and Simcoe regions.
  • Oak Valley Health says the upgrade will result in fewer delays, clearer communication, and more time for patient care.

 

Oak Valley Health is advising patients of possible hospital delays as it prepares to launch a major digital system upgrade tomorrow.

The organization, which operates Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital, is joining Southlake Health and Stevenson Memorial Hospital in transitioning to an enhanced electronic medical records platform. Undertaken through a partnership known as the Shared Health Information Network Exchange (SHINE), it will allow the hospitals to enhance services and more easily share records.

Going live Tuesday, Oct. 28, the upgrade is a significant shift away from paper-based systems. Oak Valley Health officials say the change will modernize recordkeeping, improve coordination between care teams, and strengthen safeguards around patient safety and information privacy.

“Moving from a mix of paper and electronic orders to a more digital process enhances both patient safety and care efficiency,” said Sheri Ferkl, Vice President, Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive, in comments to Bullet Point News. “Digital orders help prevent errors caused by illegible handwriting, misinterpretation, or lost paperwork.”

The transition process is expected to temporarily affect hospital visit wait times as staff adapt to the new system, and that includes arrivals at emergency departments.

“Community members are asked to please be patient as teams adjust to the upgraded system that integrates new digital care processes,” an Oak Valley Health press release states. “All three health care organizations will continue to deliver safe, high-quality care throughout this important transition.”

The hospitals’ emergency departments will remain open, including for urgent and life-threatening care. Local residents seeking non-emergency treatment have additional options, including the Community Health Clinic in Stouffville at 37 Sandiford Drive, Suite 301, and the Community Health Clinic in Uxbridge. Appointments are required for same-day or next-day visits.

Patients can also utilize the Regional Virtual Urgent Care Clinic, which helps individuals connect online with a nurse practitioner for urgent but non-life-threatening issues that do not require an in-person visit.

According to Oak Valley Health, the records system was developed by technology vendor MEDITECH and has been in production for the last year and a half. Oak Valley Health will oversee its privacy and security framework.

“Our obligations to protect patient information under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) remain the same, regardless of any updates to our electronic systems,” Ferkl explained. “While SHINE hospitals use the same MEDITECH system, only authorized Oak Valley Health staff, within a patient’s circle of care, are able to access a patient’s electronic medical record. This is not changing.”

According to Ferkl, the system’s alerts will also identify allergies and medication conflicts before prescriptions or doses are given, helping ensure safer care decisions.

“These improvements mean fewer delays, clearer communication, and more time for our teams to focus on what matters most—caring for patients,” she said

Cover image courtesy of the National Cancer Institute