Nova Scotia launched the latest feature on its YourHealthNS app on Wednesday allowing Nova Scotians to access their medical records from anywhere.
“Nova Scotians deserve to have access to information about the healthcare they have received,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “We have made it easier and more convenient for Nova Scotians to access important health information that will help them better manage their health and empower them to take control and become a more active participant in the healthcare they receive.”
The medical records portion of the app is now live and anyone aged 16 and over with a Nova Scotia health card can claim their account now.
The types of records available include:
- visits to hospitals or clinics that did not require an overnight stay (like a blood collection
appointment) including the provider, location, appointment type, date and time - visits to IWK Health, including the date, time and reason
- visits to their family doctor or nurse practitioner, including the date and time (by end of
September) - VirtualCareNS appointments, including the date, time and reason
- hospital stays and emergency department visits, including location, provider, date and time of
arrival and discharge, and reason for visit - their medications, including the prescription name, dosage and how long they should take the
medicine - lab results, including blood, urine and general lab tests
- diagnostic imaging scans – like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT)
and X-ray – including the body part scanned, the healthcare provider who ordered it, date, time
and location
The province-wide rollout comes after a three-month pilot project with 15 family doctors and seven nurse practitioners at six clinics. The
pilot was available to more than 13,000 patients, and Thompson says it was a major success.
“Those who used it liked it,” she said. “It improved their healthcare experience, gave them more control over their care and most importantly put healthcare back in their hands.”
Thompson could not divulge usage data from the pilot project, as that was not something being tracked due to privacy concerns. Instead, they judged its success based on direct feedback provided by those who participated.
She also indicated that while the medical records through the app are currently only available to people 16 and older they are looking at ways so parents or guardians would be able to access the information of any dependents.
Anyone looking to try out the app can download it today on any of the major app stores.
