Electronic Medical Records
SEMI has gone ELECTRONIC!
We are among the first to adopt Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
Toronto SEMI is among the first, if not the first, sport medicine clinic of its kind in Canada, to adopt an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) platform for administering patient care. Traditionally, paper records have been the mainstay for the recording and storage of patient data. EMR systems enable clinics to use computers to perform these tasks.
Why switch to EMR?
EMR systems are the future of healthcare, and Canada's federal and provincial governments are currently trying to move toward a system wide adoption of these systems, ultimately enabling all health care facilities and practitioners to access relevant patient health related data electronically. This means that each Canadian citizen will have their own electronic medical record. Ideally, this record will be accessible countrywide by facilities/practitioners having the appropriate security clearance to do so. For example, if your family doctor is in Toronto, and for some reason you end up in a hospital in British Columbia while on vacation there, the hospital team would be able to call up your EMR, which would contain your entire medical history and facilitate your treatment. So, regardless of where you receive healthcare in Canada, it all will be recorded on your EMR record.
How many facilities currently make use of this technology?
Very few. But, the number is growing. Ultimately, all healthcare facilities in Canada will have to be electronic.
Why did Toronto SEMI switch?
We wanted a more efficient and secure way of recording and storing patient information. Toronto SEMI's EMR system is an Application Service Provider (ASP) model, meaning that it is executed over the internet. Our provider is a company based in Markham, Ontario, called My Nightingale. An ASP setup means that we do not have any software, or patient records, on our in house computers. Rather, all software and patient records are accessed over the internet. All of our practitioners can access our patient records, and as such, we all share the same patient information, helping us function as a more cohesive medical team, and facilitating our patients' care.
Is my Toronto SEMI Electronic Medical Record secure?
Much more secure than it ever was when we used paper charts. Paper charts can be lost, damaged, and would be lost in a fire. Our electronic records are stored offsite, using companies who specialize in the secure storage of data. So, even if anyone could hack into our onsite computers, they wouldn't find any patient data, and no confidentiality would be breached. Contrast this to paper charts, which are a tremendous security risk for many reasons.
How many people can access my Toronto SEMI Electronic Medical Record?
Only authorized Toronto SEMI employees, and you.
Each employee is assigned a username, PIN and security FOB issued by RSA Security Inc. RSA Security Inc. is an expert in protecting online identities and digital assets. The inventor of core security technologies for the Internet, the company leads the way in strong authentication and encryption for internet transactions. RSA SecurID® authentication is based on a two-factor authentication process. Much like an ATM bank card, users must identify themselves with two unique factors: something you know (a password or PIN) and something you have (an RSA Fob) - providing a higher level of user authentication than reusable passwords. So, access to the Nightingale system, and your patient records, is protected on multiple levels. And, best of all, your records are encrypted, backed up and stored offsite. Nightingale's application is already one of the most secure systems available, but the fact that it uses RSA technology makes for an even more secure system.
In addition, you will also now have access to your EMR using Toronto SEMI’s online Patient Access Portal, administered by MyNightingale. Once set up, you will have the ability to not only view relevant parts of your EMR, but also to book appointments online, using your own computer to do so.
Any questions? Contact the MyNightingale helpdesk at 1-888-207-4422, or email support@mynightingale.com
How do you record my data?
Each Toronto SEMI practitioner uses a PC Tablet (a small laptop computer with handwriting recognition and dictation capabilities) to enter in patient data either during or after a consultation. This may be typed in, dictated in or handwritten in. Most of us have found that typing is the most efficient, so you will most often see your practitioner using this method.
Table Of Contents
- TORONTO SEMI
- Acupuncture
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopaedic Surgical Consultation
- Sport Physiotherapy
- Sport Massage Therapy
- Shockwave Therapy
- Prolotherapy
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
- Biodex
- Pilates
- Sport Podiatry
- Naturopathy
- Sport Psychology
- Mobile Services
- Electronic Medical Records
Before I needed to seek your care I was a competitive mountain bike racer but was experiencing progressively higher levels of pain in my lower back. When my back finally (and unexpectedly) failed I was unable to walk or stand without great pain your sport medicine doctors diagnosed a herniated disc in my lower back. In hindsight if I knew what to look for I had been missing the early warning signs for almost a year. With your guidance, knowledge and skill I have been able to return to competitive mountain bike racing and am doing so without pain. Your physiotherapy team deserves a lot of credit too. They are a group of skilled and conscientious people that truly enjoy what they do. Such a positive environment only helps the healing process along. Thank you SEMI for allowing me to return to my active life.
