iwk

Hundreds of Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) members have significant concerns over the One Person One Record (OPOR), four months after it was implemented at the IWK, according to the union.

NSGEU says in a survey, 255 of the 260 polled say the system adds additional stress for staff, incorrect or missing documentation and other errors.

“The shift to a province-wide electronic record system is long overdue, but we must listen to the real concerns that are being raised by frontline workers,” says NGEU President Sandra Mullen.

OPOR ties your health data to a single record. It started at the IWK in December, to eventually roll out province wide.

The union says concerns have been discussed with management at the IWK and Nova Scotia Health who assure lessons learned will be addressed when it is picked up in the Central Zone, May 9. NSGEU has requested the second phase be delayed until issues are resolved.

In response, Nova Scotia Health (NSH) says as they move forward, they are learning from each other, overcoming obstacles together and rooting for one another.

“We understand staff and physicians may feel anxious and uncertain as we prepare for our first Nova Scotia Health Go-Live,” says NSH. “This is a significant change.”

However, the health authority says training targets for staff are being met and it has been since 2023 since they started preparing employees.

In order to do that, Nova Scotia Health says they have held more than 30 meetings with unions, along with ongoing town halls and road shows, aimed at addressing concerns and building familiarity with the system.

Patient safety remains the top priority throughout the rollout, according to Nova Scotia Health.

Officials say lessons learned from the earlier IWK Health launch are being used to refine training and support, ensuring OPOR is implemented in a way that best supports clinical teams while improving continuity of care for patients across the province.