REGINA – eHealth Saskatchewan is launching a new pilot program that will allow residents from across the province to view their personal health information online through a secure website.
Health Minister Dustin Duncan officially launched the Citizen Health Portal Pilot (CHIP) which will include up to 1,000 participants. During the six-month trial period participants will be able to view their personal lab results, immunization history, pharmacy and hospital visit history from anywhere in the world.
“It gives them more information. Patients often feel like health care providers are the gatekeeper of knowledge, and so it’s one more way to give patients more information that they’re looking for”, Duncan explained.
CHIP participants will not only be able to access their files through what the government calls a highly secure, personalized login, but also be able to add medical information to their personal profiles, such as health metrics or reminders to take your medication.
“eHealth’s vision to empower patients and enable care continues to shape and inspire innovative programs like CHIP,” eHealth Saskatchewan CEO Susan Antosh said.
The program currently has 230 people registered, many of whom are seniors over the age of 55.
“It alleviates anxiety about waiting for results. You wait for that phone to ring, was my test positive or negative, and it may never ring if it was negative. And this way you know, I’m okay”, 70-year old participant Doreen Mcelree explained.
According to eHealth, the program will be useful for those with chronic diseases, parents of young children, or even those who travel a lot.
Online patient portals aren’t new in Canada, but the province said this one is the most comprehensive, coming with a price tag of $300,000.
After the six month trial period, eHealth said it will re-evaluate the program based on user feedback, but there is no timeline on when it will be made readily available to the public.
With files from Christa Dao.
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