Diagnostic Imaging Repository Used to Help Drive Canadian e-Health Program

A diagnostic imaging repository gives healthcare providers secure access to vital patient information, regardless of location.

Agfa Healthcare (Mortsel, Belgium), a leading provider of information technology- (IT)-enabled clinical workflow and diagnostic imaging solutions, has been selected as the vendor of choice by New Brunswick, one of Canada's provinces, to deliver a diagnostic imaging repository (DI-r).

The agreement is a major step forward for the province as it continues forward with its e-health strategy, called One Patient One Record, which will provide the infrastructure and functionality required to capture, store, view, and link relevant patient information for its 740,000 residents.

New Brunswick has partnered with Canada Health Info way (Toronto, Canada), which is contributing US$18.2 million to the overall initiative, with the remaining $17.7 million coming from the province. The province expects to implement its One Patient One Record system during the next three years.

Working with established partners for delivering consulting and implementation services, Agfa HealthCare will create a diagnostic imaging repository based on its Impax Data Center concept, for consolidating images and radiology reports into a central system. The information can be retained for a patient's lifetime, and is available in a standardized format, for the use of authorized clinicians. Doctors, nurses, and technologists will have secure login access to relevant prior patient images, regardless of where they were acquired. Not only will the repository help clinicians make informed decisions about the optimal care given to patients, healthcare facilities can also expect to considerably reduce costs, by for example, avoiding the duplication of imaging exams due to lost paper files.

"The drive toward the implementation of the One Patient One Record system shows that New Brunswick is a true Canadian e-Health leader,” said Michael Green, president and CEO of Agfa HealthCare Canada. "Leveraging Agfa HealthCare's interoperable technology, this province-wide repository addresses the need for integration across healthcare facilities. Not only will this provide more informed decision-making, it will also enhance the delivery of patient care for the residents of New Brunswick.”


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