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About the Nova Scotia eServices Program

Using digital tools to modernize and transform how care is delivered is key to helping improve access to care and patient and provider satisfaction.

The Nova Scotia eServices Program, formed in the summer of 2024, is serving an important role in these efforts. The program provides dedicated resources to support the effective use and ongoing expansion of electronic referrals (eReferrals). It also ensures alignment between eReferrals and other important initiative, like the One Person One Record (OPOR) project. The program may support the implementation and use of other digital health solutions over time as well.


Functions of the eServices Program

The eServices Program has eight functions:

Nova Scotia eServices Program team

The eServices Program team is currently being finalized. Reporting to senior leaders with Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health, our team includes a program director, clinical leaders for key areas of focus (Perioperative Services, Diagnostic Imaging, and Primary Health Care), in-house teams who support planning, onboarding, training and technical requests, and others.

Services supported by the eServices Program

The eServices Program is currently supporting primary care providers, surgeons, and diagnostic imaging teams to use to send and receive eReferrals for surgery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound services (US).

The program team will initially focus (2024-2026) on the continued implementation and optimization of these services, with these users, as well as the expansion of the tool to include other Diagnostic Imaging Services and Gastroenterology/ Endoscopy Services.

Opportunities to add other services, specialists, or healthcare providers to the tool will be considered based on readiness, the program’s capacity to support these implementations, OPOR integration and alignment, and steering committee approval.

To learn more about onboarding of additional services or providers to the eReferral tool, please contact the Nova Scotia eServices Program eServices@nshealth.ca and a team member will be in touch.

Clinical Advisory Committee

The eServices Program is forming a new Clinical Advisory Committee to help make the tool and processes as useful as possible to the healthcare providers who use it.

The committee will build on the contributions of primary care, surgeon, diagnostic imaging eReferral advisory groups who have been supporting the implementation and been instrumental in advancing many enhancements to the eReferral tool and form, form development and more.

The committee will bring Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health surgeons, primary care providers, radiologists and service leaders together in one forum to:

  1. Provide leadership, advice, subject matter expertise, and guidance regarding the application of the eServices program in clinical areas (both those using eServices and potential clinical areas as senders and receivers).
  2. Promote sound and transparent decision making, by:
    1. Making decisions on matters related to ongoing optimization and implementation of eService related to clinical applications.
    2. Collaborating with various clinical interest holders to provide guidance to the eServices program regarding clinical application and usability across clinical practices.

Time Committment:

  • Meetings are tentatively scheduled for the last Thursday of each month, excluding December.
  • The first meeting will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on November 28.
  • Members can expect to contribute about two hours a month, including meetings and time spent reviewing meeting and discussion materials.
  • Physicians may qualify for compensation for their time.

To learn more about participation in the advisory committee, please contact the Nova Scotia eServices Program eServices@nshealth.ca.

Learning from patient experiences

Patients referred for services using the eReferrals tool are being surveyed to help understand what the use of electronic referrals has meant to them. The eServices Program will use the insights it gains from the survey to support ongoing efforts to improve the eReferrals process for patients, providers, and the healthcare system.

Patients who provide an email address with their electronic referral can receive automatic email notifications with their referral, including when their referral is sent, an estimated wait time is added and when an appointment is booked or change.

These patients are also being invited to take part in the brief and anonymous on-line survey. Patients receive a link to the survey with appointment notifications for surgeon consult appointments, magnetic resonance imaging exams (MRIs) and ultrasounds.

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