Engage Plus, a Canadian-made software, lets families view their loved ones' current medical records. CTV News
At a long-term care home in Toronto, families now have 24/7 access to their loved one’s medical records, a pioneering move in Canada. This new service, introduced at the Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor, is believed to be the first of its kind in a not-for-profit center in the country.
Monica Klein-Nouri, the Executive Director of Meighen Health Centre, shared her excitement about this advancement, stating, "Technologically, we are way behind all other sectors. I said, 'This is something that I want to be the first to do.'” This initiative called Engage Plus, allows families to view their loved ones' medical details anytime using a Canadian-developed app.
The app went live in March, and it has quickly become a valuable tool for about 140 out of the 160 families connected. Surveys reveal that 84 percent of users regularly check the app, which has cut down on the number of calls to staff for updates. Teresa Korogyi, whose 90-year-old mother resides at the Manor, praised the service, saying, "I don't have to call them or chase them for information about my mother. It's all there. It's at my fingertips."
The introduction of this software was a significant change. Initially, staff were concerned about sharing information openly. Klein-Nouri admitted, "We are not used to freely sharing information." Traditionally, families had to request paper records, which were often slow to process. Now, with the new app, families receive updates in real-time as nursing staff make changes to the resident’s chart.
Emma Odicta, a registered nurse at the Manor, noted the benefits: "Before you would have to call and spend a lot of time because a family is not available. It's really nice and now we can spend time with the resident."
The cost of the app is around $2 per resident each month. Early reports suggest that it reduces nursing shift times by about three hours a day, freeing up more time for direct patient care. Klein-Nouri said this has transformed their workflow "completely."
The idea for this technology came during the pandemic when Varsha Chaugai and Graham Fraser, founders of Evoke Health, saw the challenges faced by long-term care staff trying to communicate with families. Chaugai was surprised that Canadian long-term care homes didn’t have similar portals like those in hospitals. "All the information that we are showing is already being charted in their electronic medical record," she explained.
Their company’s app is now used in about 20 homes in the U.S. and by approximately 4,000 families. In Canada, the Meighen Manor was the first to adopt it after a successful demonstration by Chaugai and a push from Frank Pikersgill, a family council member whose late wife lived at the Manor. Pikersgill, though not very tech-savvy, found the app simple and beneficial.
Vivian Stamatopoulous, a professor at Ontario Tech University, expressed her support for the innovation. She believes such technology should be standard in long-term care facilities. “It’s a win-win to have this kind of technology rolled out across the board,” she said.
With increasing interest from other care homes, this Toronto facility’s move could signal a shift towards more innovative and accessible care solutions in long-term residences.
