OTNhub Care Coordination Patient Access Network (PAN) Scheduling: Description of Services

Ontario Health is an agency created by the Government of Ontario with a mandate to connect and coordinate our province’s health care system in ways that have not been done before, to help ensure that Ontarians receive the best possible care. Using advanced information communication technologies and electronic medical devices, Ontario Health supports the delivery of virtual care, professional education, and health-related administrative services at health care sites across the province, in both urban and rural areas. Ontario Health’s services include real-time video-based clinical and educational consulting, and asynchronous store/forward programs.

Ontario Health is committed to protecting personal health information consistent with the requirements of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and Ontario Regulation 329/04. Personal health information (PHI) is any information that can identify an individual and relates to their health or receipt of health care services. This includes but is not limited to name, address, telephone number, health card number, health care provider’s name, the reason one was referred for a virtual care appointment and any examination results.

Ontario Health brings virtual care innovation to the health care system so that the people of Ontario can get the care they need when and where they need it most: at home, in their community or in hospital. For more than a decade, Ontario Health has increased access to health care and education across the province with one of the world’s most extensive virtual care networks. Working with its many partners and leveraging its unique knowledge of health care and digital technology, Ontario Health addresses challenges by introducing and spreading new ways of delivering care that benefit patients, care providers and the health care system.

How the Technology Works

In late 2020, Ontario Health began a project (eVisit 4.9.1) to improve the workflow for scheduling Patient Access Network (PAN) sites, which host patients for eVisits. These hosting services are critical for patients who may experience barriers to their participation in Direct to Patient eVisits, including a lack of high-speed internet access or a requirement for nursing support during an eVisit. The eVisit 4.9.1 release is intended to streamline the process for booking events with PAN sites by introducing a new scheduling workflow for consultants and their schedulers on the OTNhub. The new workflow allows consultants and/or schedulers to search for and locate an appropriate PAN site (based on the patient’s location and any supports required), view the site’s availability and schedule a Hosted eVisit all in the same place, without having to navigate to other applications such as the Ncompass scheduling tool (also available on the OTNhub).

SAFEGUARDS

For information about Ontario Health safeguards, visit Safeguards for the Protection of Personal Information and Personal Health Information.

See our Contact page to find information on how to contact the Ontario Health Privacy Office.