EMR SPECIAL SECTION
Saskatchewan clinics. One of the RPIW outcomes is
a new emphasis on the EMR clinic experience being
one of continuous learning and improvement, with
increased opportunity for development through online learning provided by vendors. Such access will
enable physicians and clinic staff to improve their
EMR skills in a more flexible and cost-effective manner. This focus on continuous skill development is reflected in a provincial EMR maturity model, another
product of this RPIW. To keep pace with Saskatchewan’s
Ministry of Health’s Lean* initiative, EMR program
employees have been trained in Kaizen Basics and
continue to participate in joint service delivery evaluations and process improvement efforts.
(*Lean is a best-practice method of eliminating workplace waste, varia-
Through a joint agreement with the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), the Saskatchewan Ministry of
Health and eHealth Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan
EMR program assists physicians with the adoption of
electronic medical record solutions in their clinics. Services provided by the EMR program offer a multi-faceted approach to change management, including:
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Champion coaching
Change management transition plan
Workflow analysis
Project management
Privacy and security
For more information about these services, please contact the EMR program at [email protected] or call toll-free
1.800.667.3781.
tion and work imbalance.)
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WE ADAPTED: Nightingale and MD Physician Services (previously Practice Solutions) elected to leave the
province and withdraw as approved EMR vendors in
Saskatchewan. The EMR program provided transitional
funding and change management support for clinics
converting to one of the remaining approved vendors:
QHR Technologies (previously Optimed) and Med Access. Contract renewals with QHR Technologies and Med
Access were completed in 2013. The EMR program will
continue strong collaboration with the vendors to ensure Saskatchewan users optimize the value of their EMR.
WE MATURED: With other integrated services now
available, EMR program funding concluded the $100
early adopter bonus in September. (EMR physicians
will continue to receive the $1 per patient encounter and $300 per month upon achieving the billing
threshold.) Also, an EMR funding review process was
established between the EMR program and MSB to
initiate further investigation and appeal by physicians who wish to challenge funding payments.
WE RAISED AWARENESS: Providing Saskatchewan
with EMR-trained physicians can only enhance the
province’s electronic health record vision. More
emphasis was placed on increasing EMR awareness
SMA NEWS DIGEST | SPRING 2014
with organizations such as the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program. With SIPPA delivering close to 90 new physicians each year, the EMR program is working with
the vendors, the College of Physicians and Surgeons
of Saskatchewan and eHealth to secure more training for these graduates before they enter practices.
Training opportunities for University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine students are being
planned, too. The EMR program is pursuing the availability of educational versions of EMR software for
students as part of their medical training.
Finally, in an effort to increase the awareness of trained
medical assistants, the EMR program continues to make
presentations to each graduating class of the Saskatoon Business College’s medical assistant program.
PHYSICIAN ELIGIBILITY FOR EMR PROGRAM:
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Is a fee-for-service or contracted physician within Saskatchewan
Has a clear clinical need to a longitudinal patient record within an EMR
Is not receiving similar EMR funding from another
province