A long-term care home in Toronto has made headlines by becoming the first not-for-profit facility in Canada to offer families 24/7 access to their loved one’s medical records through a groundbreaking software program. The Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor, operated by the Canadian Salvation Army, has introduced Engage Plus, a Canadian-developed app that connects family members with residents’ medical files.
Monica Klein-Nouri, Executive Director of the Meighen Health Centre, championed this initiative, aiming to bring innovation to a sector often perceived as technologically behind. “I wanted to lead the way in transforming how long-term care communicates with families,” Klein-Nouri said. Since March, about 140 out of 160 families at the Manor have signed up for the app, with surveys indicating that 84% of users engage with it regularly. This has significantly reduced the need for time-consuming phone calls to staff regarding updates on their loved ones’ well-being.
Teresa Korogyi, whose 90-year-old mother resides at the Manor, shared her positive experience with the app. It’s a relief to have real-time updates on my mother’s disorder, including new medicines, vitals, and supervised notes. I no longer have to chase down information; it’s all accessible at my fingertips. The introduction of Engage Plus was a significant shift for the staff, who were initially hesitant about open access to medical information. “We weren’t accustomed to freely sharing information,” Klein-Nouri admitted. However, the new system has streamlined communication, allowing families to receive updates directly through the app, which has cut down on lengthy phone calls and paperwork.
Emma Odicta, a registered nurse at the Manor, noted that the app has reduced the time spent on phone calls by approximately three hours daily, which has allowed staff to focus more on resident care. The idea for this technological advancement originated from Varsha Chaugai and Graham Fraser, biomedical engineers from Ottawa. They were inspired by the strain long-term care staff experienced during the pandemic while trying to keep families informed by phone. Recognizing that many Canadian hospitals already had similar portals, they were surprised to find none for long-term care homes.
Chaugai explained, “The data we provide through the app is already being recorded in electronic medical records. The homes can choose which information to share, such as medications, blood sugar levels, physician notes, and care plans. “While the software has been a success in the U.S., with over 20 homes and 4,000 families using it, Chaugai found it challenging to introduce the technology in Canada. The Salvation Army home was the first to trial the software, with Frank Pickersgill, a family council member, advocating for its adoption after seeing a demonstration. Pickersgill, whose wife lived at the Manor until she passed this spring, found the app user-friendly and valuable for more than just medical updates. “It’s a simple, effective way to communicate about various aspects of care, from maintenance issues to meal preferences,” he noted. Vivian Stamatopoulos, an advocate for long-term care quality and a professor of social sciences at Ontario Tech University, emphasized the broader implications of such innovations. The absence of technological progression in long-term care may reflect ageism and underfunding in the segment, she said. Stamatopoulos believes that services like Engage Plus should become a standard in long-term care facilities across Canada. With growing interest in the service, Klein-Nouri has received numerous inquiries, and Chaugai reports that 51 care homes have expressed interest in the technology. For families like Korogyi, the availability of such technology is a long-awaited development that has already made a significant impact
