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Table 4 Perceived benefits from specialist physicians’ use of HIE for laboratory medicine

From: Advancing laboratory medicine in hospitals through health information exchange: a survey of specialist physicians in Canada

Benefits of HIE use for laboratory medicinea

Mean (s.d.)

Benefits of LRV consultation (n = 524)

 • It is quicker for me to access the viewer to consult patients’ previous lab test results than wait to receive their paper medical record

4.2 (1.1)

 • My patients’ lab test results are easier to consult in the viewer than in the paper medical record

4.1 (0.9)

 • The viewer provides most of the lab test results that I need to care for patients referred to me

4.0 (1.1)

 • As compared with the paper medical record, the follow-up of admitted patients’ lab test results when changing the patient surveillance team is made easier with the viewer

3.8 (1.2)

 • As most of my patients reside in the region, I have little use for the QHRb because the viewer provides me with most of the lab test results that I need

2.7 (1.4)

 • The viewer is very useful in allowing me to access test results produced by the public laboratories in my region

2.6 (1.6)

Benefits of iEHR consultation (n = 451)

Accessing the laboratory test results provided by the QHR

 • improves the continuity of my patients’ care

4.2 (0.8)

 • provides me with results that I cannot obtain from my usual information sources (e.g. lab results viewer)

4.1 (0.8)

 • allows me to make better clinical decisions

4.0 (0.8)

 • improves the way in which I evaluate patients

3.8 (0.9)

 • has reduced the duplication of the lab tests prescribed to my patients

3.8 (1.0)

 • prevents me from missing an important result;

3.7 (1.0)

 • increases the safety of my patients’ care;

3.7 (0.9)

 • allows me to intervene more rapidly and effectively with my patients;

3.6 (0.9)

 • provides me with an overall view of my patients’ lab results (patients’ test history)

3.6 (1.0)

 • allows me to ask for more advanced lab analyses whose results may be useful to other clinicians

3.6 (1.0)

 • provides support to my clinical research or my performance measurement activities

1.6 (1.0)

  1. aAs perceived by the specialist physicians on Likert scales of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)
  2. bQuebec Health Record