VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwired – June 7, 2016) – TELUS Health, Canada’s largest health IT company, announced today that more than 1,000 Saskatchewanites now have online access to their personal health information using TELUS Health’s Personal Health Record (PHR) solution. The Citizen Health Information Portal (CHIP) pilot, powered by TELUS, integrates personal patient records with Saskatchewan’s existing eHealth system — a pharmaceutical, chronic disease management and general health data repository, giving patients a real-time view of their overall health.

Participants can access medical files through a personalized log-in and augment them with key data, such as health metrics, emergency contacts, allergy information and reminders to take medication. Saskatchewanites can use PHRs when travelling, or when working with physicians who are unfamiliar with their health history. Additionally, they can access their children’s healthcare information using the solution and authorize their doctors and any other healthcare professional to view their profile.

Many studies have shown that engaged patients who actively manage their own health have better health outcomes, lower healthcare costs, and ultimately less impact on the healthcare system. According to KPMG, these patients consume up to 21 per cent less financial resources than patients who are less engaged.

“With TELUS’ PHR solution, citizens of Saskatchewan are able to access, manage and view their health data in one place and proactively share this information with their healthcare providers for better quality of care,” said Paul Lepage, President, TELUS Health. “Our partnership with eHealth Saskatchewan is another important step in our mission to engage patients and ultimately, drive better health outcomes for all Canadians, for less money spent.”

The pilot program, developed in collaboration with eHealth Saskatchewan and Get Real Health, was launched in January to gain real world feedback from patients over six months to improve Saskatchewanites’ access to their health data. The goal was to enhance communication between patients and their doctors and other care providers, and empower patients to be an integral participant in the process, better managing their health conditions, and ideally, preventing illness.

“Our work with TELUS Health and eHealth Saskatchewan has allowed us to showcase our product’s ability to effectively serve a broad demographic with a wide variety of health goals and conditions,” said Robin Wiener, President and founding partner, Get Real Health. “We look forward to expanding the pilot to include more residents of Saskatchewan and generate more positive health outcomes.”

As a part of the pilot, eHealth Saskatchewan interviewed participants to find out how the program was benefitting them and the management of their healthcare. Patients reported that CHIP enabled them to digitally track their biometrics and medical histories in real-time on a tablet or smartphone.

In the coming months, eHealth Saskatchewan will consider expanding the PHR solution to all citizens in the province.

About Get Real Health

Rockville, Maryland-based Get Real Health empowers patients and providers through a collaborative approach to healthcare. Our products unite the disconnected worlds of digital personal health and traditional medical records–regardless of source– to create a comprehensive patient health profile. This innovative methodology helps large provider organizations, nonprofits and governments around the world meet a wide range of patient engagement needs. Get Real Health supports clients in the area of outcomes improvement, chronic disease management, population health management, patient activation, remote patient monitoring, Meaningful Use, and customer intelligence. Visit: http://www.getrealhealth.com or watch a two-minute video at http://vimeo.com/86727501 to learn more.

About TELUS Health

TELUS Health is a leader in telehomecare, electronic medical and health records, consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management. TELUS Health solutions give health authorities, providers, physicians, patients and consumers the power to turn information into better health outcomes. For more information about TELUS Health, please visit telushealth.com.

Kathleen Silverstein
On the Marc Media for Get Real Health
[email protected]