Use of clinical data from electronic medical records for research and continuous improvement of the quality of care

Notice Santécom: 108920

A Learning Health System (LHS) allows improving the medical care network and the health of the population through generating and applying knowledge about the processes of care. In Quebec, electronic medical record (EMR) data related to the front-line social care and social services is difficult to access due to the diversity of existing systems, the complexity of the extraction process and the heterogeneity of the data.

The Patient-Oriented Research Strategy Support Unit of Quebec ("the Unit") and l’Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux du Québec (INESSS) (National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services of Quebec) subscribe to the vision of contributing through their work to the implementation of a learning health system in Quebec.

A review of the literature and a consultative process to explore the needs of potential users of the data contained in Québec's front-line EMRs brought several findings regarding the use of these data. The findings indicate various issues that require actions in the short, medium and long term to ensure that the major investments already made in the EMRs and the forthcoming establishment of continuous quality improvement agents can lead to the improvement of the quality of practices and to a patient-centered health care system.