There have been major problems after the health platform record system was introduced at St. Olavs in Trondheim last year. Patients have had a delayed diagnosis, letters have not arrived and it has not been possible to refer patients to other hospitals. The Norwegian Health Authority has revealed that patient safety is at risk. Doctors are worried Nearly 500 doctors at hospitals in Møre og Romsdal and Nord-Trøndelag have now sent a report of concern to the regional health authority. They ask the board to consider whether it is right to continue the introduction of the Health Platform at the other hospitals in Helse Midt, which are much smaller than St. Olav’s. “The smaller hospitals in the region have neither the financial resources nor the buffer capacity of personnel to take similar measures as St Olav to compensate for the shortcomings in the record system.” it says in the letter. Fear of more waiting At St. Olavs, staffing has been increased and at times double shifts have been run to take away the patients. – After all, we have small security teams and fewer employees per department. We know that St. Olav’s has had to staff up quite a lot. We will not be able to have equivalent staffing, says the trustee for the superiors in Health Møre and Romsdal, Igor Jokic. He and his colleagues fear that there will be an increase in waiting lists for patients because the new record system is so demanding for the individual health worker to use. – We will need long training. It will be just as bad for all hospitals, says Jokic. In the letter, the doctors write that they doubt that hospitals will be able to maintain patient safety to the same extent as St Olav if the record system is not effective. Many will quit A quarter of the doctors at St. Olav’s hospital consider others working because of the Health Platform, a survey shows. Hospitals in the districts have had problems getting hold of professionals and now they are afraid that the Health Platform will make it worse. The doctors demand that the Health Platform is not introduced until the system is as good as it can be. – We understand that the current system must be replaced, but then it is important that we get a good system that we can trust and that makes our working days easier and we get to treat more patients, says Jokic. Does not wish to comment Communications director at Helse Midt-Norge, Tor Harald Haukås, says that they have taken note of the letter, and that they will present it to the board next week. He does not wish to comment on the case beyond that. The rollout of the system at hospitals in Nord-Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal has been postponed until November and April next year in order to have time to correct the error. On 16 May, there will be an extraordinary board meeting in Helse Midt where they will decide whether to change the plans for the introduction of the Health Platform at hospitals in the region.
ttn-69
Nearly 500 doctors have signed a letter of concern about the Health Platform – asks the board to consider the rollout – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
