Nursing Informatics

Nursing and Electronic Health Records

What is C-HOBIC?

In May 2007, CNA signed a historic contract with Canada Health Infoway (http://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/home/home.aspx) to realize the Canadian Health Outcomes for Better Information and Care (C-HOBIC) project. This project begins the process of collecting and standardizing nursing-related patient outcome information in electronic health records (EHRs) in three provinces. The information collected by participating nurses can be used to better understand health system planning, resource allocation, performance measurement and research.

Who is participating?

Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan will be participating in C-HOBIC. The project is based on the work of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Health Outcomes for Better Information and Care (HOBIC) program (www.health.gov.on.ca/hobic).

What nursing information will this project capture?

Nurses will collect patient outcome information on functional status, therapeutic self-care (readiness for discharge), symptom management (e.g., pain, nausea, fatigue, dyspnea), safety outcomes (falls, pressure ulcers) and patient satisfaction with nursing care. The information will be captured using clinical terminology standardized across all three participating provinces.

Why is this project important to nursing and the health system?

This project supports CNA’s e-nursing strategy, which aims to accelerate access to and implementation of technology that supports nursing care and improves efficiency in the health system.

At present, although clinical information is provided by more than two dozen health-care professions, it is not integrated in provincial EHRs. As well, EHRs that have been or are now being developed in the many regions and health service delivery organizations across Canada do not share a standardized approach to clinical information. This means that information cannot be compared, and the contributions of health care to health outcomes cannot be easily understood.

When will this project be completed and how much will it cost?

The project started in May 2007 and will run for 24 months.

Canada Health Infoway has committed $750,000 toward the $2.8-million project, which is also being supported by the three participating provinces.