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Quebec is set to begin rolling out its long-delayed digital health records system later this week, starting in Montreal and the Mauricie region, as the province aims to modernize care and reduce paperwork for medical staff.
The system is designed to replace paper files and fragmented platforms with a centralized digital record, giving health-care providers quicker access to patient information, including medical history, test results, prescriptions and care plans.
MUHC Department of Medicine Chair, Dr. Marc Rodger, who has experience using a similar system in Ontario, said the technology can significantly improve care by allowing both doctors and patients to access key health information, such as lab results, imaging and treatment instructions.
“Patients also have access to their own information, so they get their medication list, lab results, imaging or X-ray results, physician notes and after-procedure instructions,” Rodger told Global News.
But the rollout has raised concerns about security, timing and whether the system is fully ready.
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Cybersecurity expert Terry Cutler said systems of this scale can become major targets if safeguards are not robust, warning organizations must focus not only on connectivity but also on controlling access and detecting threats in real time.
“This becomes one of the most targeted environments in the country,” Cutler said. “So the focus can’t just be on connected systems, it has to be focused on controlling access, detecting threats, which is a big problem most for most companies right now. They can’t detect threats in real time,” he added.
The platform is being built by Epic Systems, prompting questions about data security and digital sovereignty.
Patient rights advocate Paul Brunet said while similar systems operate successfully elsewhere, Quebec’s complex and bureaucratic environment could pose challenges.
“This system works elsewhere, for health care systems in other countries. There’s no reason why this system can’t be working here in Quebec,” Brunet told Global News. “But as we know, Quebec is complex, very bureaucratic and, sometimes, very slow.”
He said beyond technical risks, the system raises personal concerns about privacy, consent and control over health data.
Premier Christine Fréchette has acknowledged there may be difficulties during implementation, but has called for transparency and regular updates to keep the public informed.
The rollout also comes amid lingering concerns it could resemble the troubled launch of SAAQclic, which faced delays, outages and significant cost overruns.
Brunet said he hopes lessons have been learned by the province and that assurances from government officials will help ensure the system is properly integrated, noting the stakes are high for Quebec’s health-care system.
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