The Montmagny paperless clinic
An EHR success story
Implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) requires a lot of effort, but the Montmagny-L'Islet Family Medicine Group in Quebec has met the challenge and succeeded in computerizing all of its activities.
This process, undertaken by Dr Jean-François Rancourt, began in 2003 when the family medicine group was founded. At the time, it consisted of three clinics. Dr. Rancourt then set up a patient database. The idea was to have a common tool for managing information to facilitate communication among the doctors at the three clinics. Additions to the patient database have included modules for making appointments, prescribing drugs and receiving laboratory results. Links were created with the Montmagny-L'Islet Centre de santé et de services sociaux (health and social services centre) and the Réseau de télécommunications sociosanitaire (social/health telecommunications network) making it possible to receive patients’ digital images through use of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Since March 2006, all documents are scanned and all clinical notes and prescriptions are entered directly into the EMR. In addition, doctors have remote access to patient records.
The reality of the situation is that working collaboratively, as well as spending less time handling and looking for information, which is more accurate and dependable, has resulted in greater efficiency and fewer drug interactions, oversights and delays in treatment decision-making.
The nursing staff can now spend more time doing teaching and follow-up with patients suffering from chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. As for the doctors, Dr. Rancourt notes a 10-per-cent saving in time, which is equivalent to adding two more full-time physicians to his group practice. It is also more fun to work in this environment. "It is very pleasant to work with the EMR. It is a tool you can't do without once you have adopted it, because of the speed and accessibility of information it provides," he says.
And where do the patients fit in all this? Dr. Rancourt points out that the computer screens used in his group are often turned around so that patients can see their own records and that the patients appreciate being able to see their data while they are listening to the doctor's explanations. "The relationship with the patient is definitely improved. The appointment is not really any longer or shorter but there is more time to interact with the patient." Specialists and surgery teams also appreciate the tool when they receive patients from this group, because they arrive for treatment armed with a file that contains their printed medical history.
"The basis for this success is that the group supports a common objective and accepts that there will be changes in how things are done. You need a leader to pursue this goal, to promote it and to manage the steps that will achieve this change," concludes Jean-François Rancourt. Dr. Rancourt, who is a member of the Réseau de soutien et de valorisation par les pairs (RSVP), believes that the implementation of the Quebec Health Record (DSQ) will facilitate the transition to EMRs for Quebec physicians, as well as improve patient management and continuity of care among doctors, nursing staff and pharmacists, wherever the practice in Quebec.
To learn more about the Montmagny paperless clinic, visit the Canadian Medical Association’s website. This story was part of the EMR Case Studies Research Project which highlights 20 case studies. Each describes first-hand experiences from Canadian physicians who have successfully integrated EMRs into their practices.
