The NDP health critic is calling on the province for an external investigation of a new $174-million electronic health record for Vancouver Island that doctors say continues to be “fundamentally flawed and unsafe.”

Three NDP MLAs met with medical staff and stakeholders to discuss concerns about IHealth, a paperless health record system launched March 19 at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Dufferin Place residential care centre in Nanaimo and Oceanside Health Centre in Parksville.

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The system is scheduled to roll out to Victoria hospitals next year.

“Frankly, I am more concerned now than ever,” said NDP health critic Judy Darcy.

The NDP is calling on the B.C. Health Minister to order an immediate independent review of the software.

Island Health has a 10-year, $50-million deal with software developer Cerner Corp. of Kansas City, Missouri, for an electronic health record software system. Island Health will spend an additional $124 million for hardware and training.

Nine weeks after the debut of the electronic health record in Nanaimo, physicians in the hospital’s intensive-care and emergency departments reverted to pen and paper orders. More departments have asked to follow suit.

Physicians claim the system software is cancelling, overriding, changing or doubling up some drug orders and critical physician instructions.

Dr. David Forrest, president of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Medical Staff Association, which represents about 250 physicians, said the health authority continues to apply “patches and Band-Aids” to an unsafe system.

Despite efforts by Island Health, the efficiency and usability of the system have not improved “and as a consequence patient access to care is impaired,” said Forrest, an infectious disease specialist.

“We are still concerned there are major patient safety issues,” he said.

“We are frustrated our concerns have not been addressed, and we’re demoralized being forced to use a system we feel is fundamentally flawed and unsafe.”

The association’s doctors have enacted a dispute resolution process through the Doctors of B.C. and are requesting an independent review of the entire system and the suspension of its electronic ordering component.

Dr. Jeremy Etherington, executive vice-president and chief medical officer for Island Health, said the health authority is engaging with physicians daily to improve the system and has brought in additional staffing resources.

“We are working to address each concern brought forward, and, with input from physicians and staff, we are making adjustments where appropriate,” Etherington said.

On May 31, B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake acknowledged staff concerns but said he was confident that there was no risk to patient safety. He noted, however, that he would be concerned if those same concerns were still being voiced in four weeks time.

“This is now six weeks later and the problems are persisting,” Darcy said. “I think it’s time for the minister of health to start listening. … The problems aren’t going away. He has to put in place an expert, external, expedited and independent study.”

Darcy said the system rolled out in Nanaimo appears to be an accounting system created for administrators rather than an intuitive system designed by and for front-line users.

“It’s a bit like designing a system for air travel and it’s not one pilots are able to properly use — you wouldn’t do that because safety would be at risk,” she said.

The NDP politicians also heard concerns on behalf of Dufferin residents from Sheryl Armstrong, chairwoman of the Dufferin Family Council.

Families want IHealth administrators to meet with them to explain what the system’s challenges and benefits mean for residents.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com