Using mobile technology to its fullest potential is a game-changer for healthcare. Niagara Health Navigator’s impact on our patients’ experiences will put Niagara Health at the cutting edge of a connected system of healthcare. Niagara Health Navigator will be Ontario’s first mobile platform that empowers users to connect to their health information and better navigate the healthcare system by bringing different parts of the patient experience to one place.

Our Release 1 launch provides a unique opportunity to participate in the creation of a made-in-Niagara digital solution that will support patients and families to more easily access their health information, navigate the healthcare system and connect with their team of providers. You can engage with our selected content and provide feedback to inform the next release. The first release features the following apps: NH Newsfeed; Wait Times (Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres); Rate Your NH Experience; Thank NH Staff; Express a Concern; NH Twitter Feed; and Sites & Services. This is just the beginning! We will be adding new apps and features to the Navigator all the time.

As it grows and evolves over time, Niagara Health Navigator will increasingly put patients at the centre of their care. Niagara Health Navigator will provide users with real-time access to their health information directly on their smartphone or tablet. Users will be able to book appointments and check test results. The technology will empower secure connections between a patient and members of the hospital team – and for the first time give patients and members of the care team inside and outside the hospital the ability to connect with each other on their mobile devices. Patients will manage their own health information from the convenience of their mobile device and will grant access to those they want to include in their virtual circle of care, which could include family members, family doctors, specialist physicians, and other care providers.

We take our responsibility to protect patient health information very seriously. Now we can do that, while making that information easier to share between patients and caregivers. Also ahead, we plan to introduce Ontario’s first secure identity management system giving patients and care providers their own secure digital identities, like an account login they will use to privately and securely communicate on the platform.

The vision of Niagara Health Navigator is to offer patients the ability to use mobile devices to:
o Book appointments and obtain test results
o Pre-register for hospital admissions
o Enable physician consultations about a patient’s care using a secure chat tool
o Provide patients with 24/7 access to their health information and enable them to share their health information with a caregiver, like a family member
o Serve as a go-to place for general health information and patient educational materials

Thanks to our partners IDENTOS Inc. and nCipher for helping us bring Niagara Health Navigator to life.