CPA and Nightingale launch interactive Personal Health Record portal

myPatientAccess fully integrated with Nightingale On Demand, offering patients a seamless link to their Personal Health Record

Canadian Patient Access Inc. (CPA) and Nightingale Informatix Corporation (TSX:NGH) ("Nightingale" or the "Company") today announce the launch of myPatientAccess.ca, Canada's first interactive patient portal to be fully integrated with an electronic medical records (EMR) system. A breakthrough offering in consumer healthcare, Canadian patients will, for the first time, have full, web-based, real-time access to their Personal Health Record (PHR), with information that has been validated by their physician.

myPatientAccess is fully integrated with Nightingale On Demand (NOD), the leading web-native EMR system provided by Nightingale, thereby offering patients a seamless link to their PHR. Physicians currently using the NOD EMR have been offered the opportunity for advanced enrollment, in order to make myPatientAccess available to their patients immediately upon launch. Responses from physicians currently using NOD has been highly positive, supporting that there is a need and a demand by both physicians and Canadian patients for an interactive PHR application.

"We are excited that myPatientAccess has created such a wave of response, not only from physicians and clinics but also from patients," said Moe Jiwan, President of CPA. "Already, the responses to the advanced enrollment program for physicians have been strong. myPatientAccess has the potential to reach the more than 5 million patients currently serviced by physicians utilizing Nightingale's EMR. Patients are demanding more involvement and control in their healthcare and myPatientAccess is the only patient portal in Canada that responds to what they are asking for. It will change the way Canadian physicians deliver healthcare and manage patient information. It also opens the door for patients to become more engaged in the management of their own care."

A recent independent survey among Canadian consumers, which was conducted to measure patients' attitudes towards and perceptions of PHR, showed more than 60% of respondents want to be provided with their PHR or online medical record, by their physician, hospital or government. myPatientAccess responds to this demand. Patients gain full, real-time access to their PHR and can schedule appointments, review lab results after their physicians have reviewed them, request prescription refills, receive clinical alerts and reminders and review care plans, as well as educational materials provided by their doctor, among other web-based features.

"Nightingale and Canadian Patient Access have developed a breakthrough solution in response to a critical demand by Canadian consumers," said Sam Chebib, President and CEO of Nightingale. "This is a secure, two-way communication platform, whereby patients have real-time access to the information their physician enters into their EMR. As part of the development process, the application underwent an extensive review by OntarioMD, and received approval. Patients should be confident that information regarding their health is being transferred between them and their physician in a secure environment. When consumers have this confidence about other web-based applications, for example those used for managing their personal finances, they should certainly have it about their own health. We are proud to be the first in Canada to provide this to patients."

Dr. Anu Kaushal, lead physician at Uptown Health Centre in Richmond Hill is one of the first physicians in Canada to offer myPatientAccess, and agrees that the demand for an interactive PHR is high among her patients.

"My patients often request access to their lab results or vaccination records. They want to be engaged in the process," said Dr. Kaushal. "It's only now, with myPatientAccess, that I am able to give them the ability to do so and the response has been overwhelming. My staff is also excited about the increased efficiency it brings to the office - for example, with a significant reduction in the number of calls from patients inquiring about test results or specialist referral appointments they will be able to focus more attention on patients who are in the office."

This solution provides new, much needed automated practice management and revenue generating tools, which complement those that physicians using the NOD EMR currently have access to.

myPatientAccess will allow them to receive their bonus codes automatically and will seamlessly manage their block fee programs, thereby eliminating the need for physicians to pay third parties.

Physicians using NOD will be able to offer myPatientAccess at no additional cost to them, with no upgrade or installation necessary. Patients will be offered services through free and enhanced subscriptions, which will be managed by CPA. Physicians who choose to make myPatientAccess available to their patients will have access to training for themselves and staff. CPA will also provide patient information and enrollment materials.