Grand River and St. Mary's General hospitals launch new online portal for patient information
Patients in Waterloo Region now have access to a new tool that connects them to their hospital health information. My Connected Care is a free online communication tool that will enhance patient experience at Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospitals.
Patients are able to read results, view upcoming appointments, and see messages from their care team on this one-way communication portal. Results and information are automatically shared to the portal within a set time frame, as highlighted below:
- View laboratory reports (including microbiology) (3-hour delay)
- View diagnostic reports (3-day delay)
- Read clinical notes written by members of your healthcare team (no delay)
- View upcoming appointments and messages from your care team
- Complete questionnaires before your appointment (participating clinics)
- View allergy information
- View pathology reports (10-day delay)
The hospitals began trialling My Connected Care in selected clinics late November 2022 to seek patient and team member input on the project. Greg Griffin, a patient of the Heart Function Clinic at St. Mary’s General Hospital began using the tool.
“My Connected Care has empowered me,” says Griffin “I feel like a full partner in the management of my healthcare."
My Connected Care is another example of shared innovation between St. Mary’s General and Grand River, as part of our commitment to excellent care for patients and our community today and as we build the future of care in our community together.
“When patients have easy access to their health information, we know they are able to be more informed, and more involved in their own care,” says Dr. Payal Agarwal, Joint Chief Medical Information Officer at Grand River and St. Mary’s. “They can see their own results and ask informed questions of their care providers. Patients who feel empowered and engaged in their care experience many benefits such as greater satisfaction, less anxiety about care decisions, and, often, better health outcomes.”
Sign up for your free My Connected Care account.
For more information, please contact:
Dayna Giorgio, Manager, Communications
St. Mary’s General Hospital
519-895-6540 | dgiorgio@smgh.ca
Kara Weiler, Integrated Communications Director
Grand River Hospital and Foundation
226-751-6508 | kara.weiler@grhosp.on.ca
Grand River Hospital is one of Ontario’s largest community hospitals with an outstanding team of 5,000 dedicated healthcare workers and volunteers. We provide services and support to more than 840,000 residents at our two campuses and satellite locations in Waterloo Region and Guelph Wellington. We take pride in the ways we collaborate with our health system partners, our region’s academic and innovation communities, and diverse community stakeholders as we work toward providing a world-class experience for patients, families and team members.
St. Mary’s General Hospital is home to the Regional Cardiac Centre, Regional Chest Program and Regional Eye Program. As leaders in our field recognized globally for world-class, innovative healthcare, our vision of “Inspiring Excellence. Healthier Together” is our approach to patient-centred care and our commitment to our staff.
For nearly a century, St. Mary’s has provided compassionate care to our community serving over 1.4 residents locally and beyond each year. We are the second-largest acute care hospital in the St. Joseph’s Health System with a team of over 2,000 staff, physicians and volunteers dedicated to ensuring patients receive the highest-quality care possible. Learn more about Our Mission, Values & History and the future of care at St. Mary’s.
We are building the Future of Care Together. Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital have been partners for over 20 years. We share services such as labs, a health information system, pharmacy, a 690-person medical staff, and leadership in KW4 OHT.
Between our two organizations, we offer a regional cardiac centre, a regional cancer centre, a stroke centre, a chest program, a renal program, and specialized ophthalmology. We accommodate 335,000 patient visits, 101,110 emergency department visits, 31,570 surgical procedures, and 4,130 births. Together, we provide 82% of patient care services in Waterloo Region.
We are supported by our foundation partners – the Grand River Hospital Foundation and St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation – in Building the Future of Care Together. Learn more about how we are building the future of care, together.