NOVA SCOTIA: Access to electronic personal health records across the province is being made possible through the YourHealthNS app.
This initiative follows a successful three-month pilot project involving 15 family doctors and seven nurse practitioners across six clinics, reaching over 13,000 patients.
“Nova Scotians deserve to have access to information about the healthcare they have received,” Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said. “We have made it easier and more convenient for Nova Scotians to access important health information that will help them better manage their health and empower them to take control and become a more active participant in the healthcare they receive.”
With a valid Nova Scotia health card, residents can now access a wide range of health information. This includes details about visits to hospitals or clinics that did not require an overnight stay, such as the provider, location, appointment type, date, and time.
Information about visits to IWK Health, including the date, time, and reason, is also available.
“This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing healthcare. Now all Nova Scotians can effortlessly access their vital health information, empowering them to take charge of their health and make informed decisions,” Nova Scotia Health Interim President and CEO Karen Oldfield said. “This expansion of our health records pilot is a testament to our dedication to improving patient care and fostering a more connected, transparent healthcare system.”
By the end of September, residents will be able to view details of visits to their family doctor or nurse practitioner, including the date and time. Other accessible information includes VirtualCareNS appointments, hospital stays, emergency department visits, medications, lab results, and diagnostic imaging scans like MRI, CT, and X-ray.
Lab results will be available seven days after the ordering provider receives them, and diagnostic imaging information will be available 14 days after receipt by the provider. In the coming months, additional records from Pharmacist Walk-in Clinic+ and community pharmacy primary care clinics will be added.
“I believe strongly in a patient’s right to access their own medical records,” Dr. Jennifer Large, a family physician and pilot participant said. “The YourHealthNS pilot allowed my patients to access these records without putting an administrative burden on my office.”
Nova Scotians aged 16 and older who choose to view their records can log in through YourHealthNS. This expansion is part of a larger digital health transformation that includes virtual care, the Care Coordination Centre, the Oncology Transformation Project, and the One Person One Record clinical information system.