Posted on: November 29, 2023
Since the announcement that the CPOE Go-Live at South Island Tertiary Sites is rescheduled from February-March to April-May 2024, some requests have come forward for more information. Here are the questions people are asking the IHealth team, along with the responses.
FAQs
Q. Why was the IHealth activation at South Island Tertiary sites re-scheduled to April-May 2024?
A. We encountered a technical issue related to the Organization's move to cloud-based servers, which came to light in the course of detailed planning work with Oracle Cerner, Island Health's partner in developing the electronic health record (EHR).
Q. Could the issue have been discovered and dealt with earlier?
A. This could not have been known earlier, and was discovered through the diligence of testing by Island Health and Oracle Cerner team members
Q. What has to happen to fix the issue that caused the delay?
A. Essentially, as part of the move to cloud-based servers (what is known in IT terms as “remote hosting option" or RHO), it is necessary for Oracle Cerner to rebuild parts of the new Island Health online EHR system so that all components of the system are more fully integrated with our existing Island Health systems. This work will allow the new Oracle Cerner environment to operate optimally and seamlessly for all users, while fully protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patients and users.
Q. Were other options for going live explored as an option?
A. We looked at the option of activating CPOE before RHO, but concluded that the risks of downtime and system slowdown for our clinical and medical staff, during Go-Live, was not the experience we wanted them to have for a successful activation.
Q. Does the delay mean that other activations can take place in between?
A. The re-scheduling does not, unfortunately, provide any opening for another activation. The work to prepare for CPOE activation will require the full attention of the project and support teams leading up to Go-Live. In addition, there is rigorous testing to be done after RHO is live (in February), again involving many of the same teams, to ensure the best possible experience activating CPOE for the thousands of staff who work at those sites.
Q. What does the timeline change for the South Island Tertiary sites mean for other sites that will activate in 2024-2025?
A. We are currently determining what the change in timing means for other sites scheduled to go live in 2024. That evaluation is likely to take us another couple of weeks, as we see what that sequencing looks like and discuss options with the site leaders involved before arriving at a revised roadmap for 2024-25.
If you have feedback or questions about IHealth, contact the IHealth team at IHealth@IslandHealth.ca.