Your knowledge of your patient’s history, social situation, and lifestyle is invaluable, and hospitalist and emergency physicians greatly appreciate the information. Your patient summary is always welcome, and remember that your labour has value – and bill for it!

To send by fax:

If you’ve never sent in a summary before, there are two ways to do it. First, you can fax them to Health Records at 1-250-755-7659, where someone from Health Records will scan the summary into PowerChart (faxes received after 2:45pm will be scanned the next business day).

To send by EMR Connect web portal:

As well, Island Health has a web portal that you or your MOA can attach a summary to after confirming the patient’s identity. There is a delay with the fax method; it may take a day for your summary to be scanned and attached in PowerChart. The web portal is immediate but requires a few extra steps:

• Download the summary from your EMR;

• access the portal online;

• fill in patient and physician information; and

• attach the summary and upload it to the portal.

In many offices, family physicians complete a summary and delegate the uploading to their office staff. If you have never accessed the EMR Connect portal, or it’s been a while and you need a refresher, you can get started by emailing Island Health at EMRConnectFeedback@islandhealth.ca.