A new Hospital Information System (HIS) is being implemented at Bluewater Health by the end of 2024 in an effort to beef up cyber security.
The hospital's board of directors recently approved the adoption of the Erie St. Clair instance of Oracle Cerner.
Bluewater Health said the new system will provide more modern, connected and accessible electronic health records and will enhance the patient experience.
It will standardize and streamline workflows and help decrease duplicate tests, improve communications between clinicians, and enable staff and professional staff to provide patients with the best experience possible.
The Erie St. Clair instance is now recognized as one of the most advanced and secure HIS in the province, and allows Bluewater Health to have more connectivity to the London hospitals.
Bluewater Health President and CEO Paula Reaume Zimmer said there's no doubt the part few months have been very challenging with the theft of patient data.
"Throughout this crisis, we’ve benefited from respectful and mutually supportive relationships that strengthen our foundation going forward," said Reaume Zimmer. "The collaboration from the Erie St Clair hospitals, Transform Shared Service Organization, and our peers from the London area hospitals has been exceptional. We are pleased to continue this relationship as we join the Erie St. Clair instance of Oracle Cerner."
Reaume Zimmer said Bluewater Health’s post-cyberattack recovery status is progressing.
She said it's being made possible thanks to substantial collaborative efforts by Bluewater Health’s information technology, security and clinical teams working to restore the current HIS safely and securely.
It's anticipated the current system will be operational for hospital-wide use in limited capacity within the coming weeks.