WATCH: B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix is troubled by some of the findings of a review of the IHealth electronic medical system at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and has taken action. Dean Stoltz has more.
The provincial government is appointing a mediator to handle the future of the IHealth project following a scathing review of the electronic system at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
Health Minister Adrian Dix released the report by Ernst & Young on Friday and has appointed a mediator to support stakeholders moving forward.
“I am deeply troubled by some of the findings and believe that it is not good enough to merely continue forward. We must do this together,” Dix said.
“In support of that, I will be appointing a mediator in the coming days to help all stakeholders work together to address the recommendations as they are applicable to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.”
The system was implemented in 2016 with an initial budget of $173.5 million.
Island Health estimated completion would need an additional $54.1 million, but the report says the cost will likely be higher.
Nine recommendations came from the findings, including not moving forward with putting IHealth at other Vancouver Island facilities until the situation is stabilized at the Nanaimo health.
Island Health planned to implement the electronic system at four acute-care sites in 2018, but that’s on hold until detailed and realistic plans are developed.
The study also calls for a full review of safety concerns and to ensure the right leaders are in place at Island Health to move forward with IHealth.
Island Health confirmed Wednesday Geography 2 Executive Director Suzanne Fox had left her position. The region included the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
READ MORE: Executive director for Island Health?s Geography 2 region no longer with health authority
Fox was in charge of the IHealth project which was plagued by complaints from doctors.
Some of the issues in the report were considered preventable if the health authority had “leveraged advice from other Canadian experiences”.
The Island Health interim president and CEO, Kathy MacNeil, released a statement that Island Health agrees with the findings and recommendations of the review. MacNeil also said Island Health fully support’s Dix’s decision to appoint a mediator.
?The review is clear that the system is not at the stage of implementation it should be, and it identifies areas where Island Health did not live up to our commitments ? commitments to staff and physicians and, most importantly, commitments to our patients and their families. There is no one person responsible ? this is about the health authority as a whole. It simply wasn?t good enough. We must do better – and we will do better ? and we will do that by working together with our staff, physicians and other key partners,” MacNeil said.
A scathing review has been released of the IHealth electronic records system at the Nanaimo Regional General Hopsital.
Andy Neal
