Nova Scotia Health statement in response to NSGEU report

One Person One Record (OPOR) is a system-wide transformation that will improve delivery of healthcare for patients across Nova Scotia. As we move forward with second wave of clinical information system (CIS) implementation in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone, we’re learning from each other, overcoming obstacles together, and all rooting for one another. We will succeed as a system and as colleagues across the province.
 
We understand staff and physicians may feel anxious and uncertain as we prepare for our first Nova Scotia Health Go-Live – this is a significant change. Our array of training and support offerings are extensive. We are exceeding our targets for staff training volumes and timelines and have enhanced what is available based on the IWK experience. For example, we are hosting opportunities across the zone for staff to test their login credentials, so failed logins are not a barrier to CIS use.
 
Town halls and road shows for staff began in 2023 and we have been engaging directly with employees to inform and support their readiness for this change. We have had more than 30 OPOR-focused meetings with unions, beginning in 2024, and increasing in frequency as we approach implementation. This is in addition to the active labour management committees across Nova Scotia Health that provide opportunities for issues of any nature to be raised. We also had a dedicated meeting with NSGEU executive this week.
 
In preparation for this change, alongside the technical work to build and configure the CIS to our organizational needs and context, we have been working over the past two years to ensure our team members and their unions have been able to develop the awareness, knowledge and skills they will require to work in a new way.
 
With a transformation of this scale, some gaps and challenges will surface once the clinical information system goes into active use, regardless of how much we prepare in advance. The December launch at IWK has provided learnings and led to improvements in how we use the system and support our teams in using it. Patient safety is our priority at all times. The May launch in Central Zone will similarly inform future rollouts as we deliver a secure, personalized, comprehensive province-wide clinical information system that is foundational to improving the healthcare system for Nova Scotians.
 
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