TABLE I.
Timelines and key milestones of the surgical synoptic reporting tool implementation in Nova Scotia
| Timeline | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Apr–May 2008 | Kick-off meeting for project, with Alberta surgical synoptic reporting team and Nova Scotia partners National meeting in Montreal, QC, with key decision-makers from participating provinces |
| May–Nov 2008 | Development of project plan Engagement of partners through small-group meetings Establishment of 3 working groups [information technology (it), quality/information management, privacy] |
| Feb–Dec 2009 |
it “gap” analysis with visiting software vendor Funding delays Completion of privacy impact assessment and threat risk assessment Formal request for funding proposals to conduct the it work identified by the gap analysis Hiring of part-time it lead (October) Work to integrate provincial it systems starts by end of year |
| Jan–Jun 2010 | Continuation of it integration work Intensive change-management focus as project nears “go-live” date |
| Jul–Aug 2010 | System goes “live” (July) Training and initiation of a small number of surgeons Testing period and resolution of identified issues |
| Sep–Dec 2010 | Training of all surgeons, initial adoption, and use Consensus on national data standards for surgical reportinga |
a
Adaptation or customization of disease site templates and work toward establishment of national data standards occurred throughout the first 2 years of the project.