Wolf Medical Systems has been selected as the successful vendor to develop an electronic medical record system for two family practice clinics in St. John�s. The pilot project will be deployed in Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) Family Practice and Newfoundland Drive Family Practice, operating in a total of four locations in St. John�s.

"I am pleased that we are moving forward with the next step in the development of an electronic health information system for our province," said the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services. "One of the key elements of this system we are developing is the electronic medical record, which we will pilot through this project."

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a paperless record of a patient�s health information compiled by a physician. An EMR is a subset of an Electronic Health Record (EHR), which is a secure, electronic record of an individual�s health history and treatment within the entire health care system.

In January 2006, the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI), in collaboration with the Department of Health and Community Services and the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, issued a joint Request for Proposals. Wolf Medical Systems was selected as the successful proponent following a comprehensive selection process by an evaluation team comprised of representatives from the two family practice clinics, their respective organizations and NLCHI consultants.

"The Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information needed to identify an electronic medical records system that not only meets the current project requirements but also offers the potential to meet our future, evolving Electronic Health Record needs," said Tom Alteen, health information network project manager, Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information. "The selection of the Wolf EMR was made based on a detailed evaluation process involving multi-level stakeholder engagement and cost considerations. Based on our evaluation framework, Wolf was deemed to be the best fit for the EMR pilot."

With the addition of this pilot project, Wolf Medical Systems will have physician users from coast-to-coast-to-coast, extending from British Columbia to the Northwest Territories to Newfoundland and Labrador. According to Dr. Brendan Byrne, president and founder, Wolf Medical Systems, "We are thrilled to be selected as the preferred EMR vendor for this pilot project. Newfoundland and Labrador is aspiring to become a technology-enabled province with the goal of improving the quality of patient care and ultimately better health outcomes for the citizens of the province. The province�s decision to embark on this project is a testament to its commitment to the health and well-being of its citizens." The implementation and evaluation of this EMR pilot over the next year will inform the direction and implementation of a provincial EMR plan by the spring of 2007.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is implementing a provincial primary health care framework in which electronic health records play a key role in ensuring that information needs are met in this new model of collaborative care. As well, the EMR initiative is one of several provincial health information projects that support the development of a provincial electronic health information system including the Client Registry System, the Pharmacy Network and the Diagnostic Imaging and Picture Archiving System (PACS).

About Wolf Medical Systems
Wolf Medical Systems is a leading national provider of electronic medical records (EMR) software for physician offices and medical clinics across Canada. Founded in 1998, the company has more than 325 installed sites in Canada and more than 1,100 physician users nationwide. Wolf's EMR software includes a complete set of physician-designed applications that automate the unique processes of billing, scheduling, workflow planning and clinical practice for physician offices and medical clinics within the context of each province's unique regulatory environments. Wolf software works the way physicians and medical personnel work, helping them automate manual processes, reduce costs, increase productivity and efficiency, and improve the quality of patient care. Wolf is committed to elevating the standard for patient care in Canada through the adoption of EMR. For more information on Wolf Medical Systems, visit www.wolfmedical.com.

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