Brant Community Healthcare System becomes first in Canada to sign for MEDITECH as a Service (MaaS)

Brant Community Healthcare System (Brantford, ON) is the first MEDITECH customer in Canada to sign for MEDITECH as a Service (MaaS), the cloud-based subscription model of the Expanse HIS. The organization selected Expanse after an in-depth evaluation of multiple IT platforms based on usability, value, and technology.

“Choosing our next EHR platform is a significant investment. The platform must be able to meet our needs now and into the future,” said BCHS’s ICT Director, HIM & CPO Danielle Myers. “The search process was lengthy, detailed, and involved many key stakeholders. Ultimately, we determined that Expanse is the best choice to achieve our strategic goals, provide our patients with high-quality and safe care, and serve as the foundation for future growth and innovation.”

The MaaS subscription model was a key factor in their decision to implement Expanse. It provides organizations with access to the full Expanse platform, without the complexity, maintenance, and costs associated with traditional systems. The cloud-based solution also offers an expedited implementation timeframe.

“The new subscription model reshaped the way we considered procurement and implementation,” said Myers. “By eliminating the expense and human resources required for an on-premise setup, we will free up resources to focus on other projects that will benefit patients and providers. At the same time, we will have all the advantages of a modern HIS.”

MaaS was first introduced to the U.S. market in 2017. Since then, momentum for the subscription model has grown exponentially each year with a diverse customer base.

“We are thrilled that BCHS is blazing the trail as the first Canadian organization to sign for MaaS,” said MEDITECH Director Bob Molloy. “The subscription model has proven successful in the U.S. as more and more healthcare organizations are choosing MaaS over competing EHRs for the convenience of the cloud, its value, and the ability to have complete access to Expanse’s industry-leading technology.”

As an independent organization that wanted to remain autonomous, BCHS also prioritized interoperability. Its patients often visit another area hospital, so BCHS sought a platform that could support seamless data exchange between organizations, enabling providers to access a more complete picture of their patients' healthcare history. With MEDITECH’s Traverse Exchange Canada, BCHS will have access to a cloud-based interoperability solution that enables the free flow of health information from multiple participating organizations - including those using MEDITECH's HIS and other systems that comply with interoperability standards.

“While BCHS values its independence, we do not want to operate in a silo,” said Alena Lukich, Chief Strategy, Quality, Risk & Communications Officer at BCHS. “MaaS is designed to enable the exchange of data from both inside and outside of our organization. This is an opportunity for us to improve patient care by delivering the most complete patient picture possible.”

Another Expanse feature that BCHS looks to leverage is Surveillance. The predictive analytics solution is integrated into clinicians’ workflow, enabling them to analyze data in real time, identify high-risk patients, and take action quickly when needed.

“One of the features we are looking to leverage in the new EHR is having real-time analytics built-in to the workflow,” said Lukich. “This information will help providers prioritize care and alert when issues arise, ultimately enabling us to deliver better outcomes and safer care.”

BCHS is a primary acute care facility located in Brantford and Paris, Ontario. Comprised of two sites, BCHS has a total of 324 beds and more than 2,700 staff, physicians, and volunteers. The system serves over 150,000 residents in Brantford, the County of Brant, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and surrounding communities. This digital transformation will support BCHS in their mission of working together to build a healthier community, and delivering safe, high-quality, patient and family-centered care.

Learn how MEDITECH is advancing health information sharing across Canada with Traverse Exchange Canada.