Regarding the article “Incomplete health record project goes $65 million over budget” (Graphic, Feb 1, page 1), you assert that the province’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) initiative is $65 million over budget, which is incorrect and confuses your readers about what is involved with this important project.
The province’s EHR is a multi-part initiative that provides each Islander with a secure, private record of their health history and care. The net cost to Islanders for the overall EHR was $20.4 million as of March 31, 2011. While there will be further costs for future EHR components, the province is well within analyst estimates which project that the base EHR components will have a net implementation cost of $30.7 million.
Even if you consider the gross costs, which include funding from outside organizations, total spending on EHR implementation to date is $39 million – far less than the $78 million you cite in the article or the $65 million you claim as a budget overrun. The province remains in line with analyst expectations which project an EHR gross implementation cost of $52 million.
I would also point out that the 2006 announcement made by then-Health Minister Chester Gillan was to develop the Clinical Information System (CIS), which is only one component of the total EHR. Every day the CIS is used by more than 1,000 healthcare professionals across the Island to access close to 8,000 patient charts and process over 16,000 medical orders such as prescriptions or x-rays.
EHRs and their supporting technology are constantly evolving and, much like owning a home, implementing an EHR system requires both an initial investment and ongoing maintenance to meet the needs of those who rely on it. In return, electronic health records give Island healthcare providers information when and where they need it, leading to safer, better care for every Islander that uses the health system.
To find out more about the province’s EHR progress, please visit www.healthpei.ca/ehr
Liam Whitty
Executive Director of Health Information Management
Health PEI