Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospitals in Waterloo Region have launched a new online portal called My Connected Care, providing patients with access to their hospital health information.

The free communication tool allows patients to view results, upcoming appointments, and messages from their care team.

This portal offers various features, including the ability to read laboratory and diagnostic reports, clinical notes, allergy information, and pathology reports.

A trial of My Connected Care was conducted in selected clinics, with the aim to gather the feedback of patients and team members.

The trial commenced in November last year.

My Connected Care’s launch represents a collaborative effort between St. Mary's General and Grand River Hospitals, as part of their endeavour to improve healthcare in the community.

The tool aims to improve patient engagement and health outcomes by facilitating easy access to health information and supporting informed decision-making.

Grand River and St. Mary’s joint chief medical information officer Dr. Payal Agarwal said: “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.

“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.”