The PLIS project will provide consolidated diagnostic laboratory test results to authorized persons across British Columbia. PLIS is being designed in collaboration with laboratory specialists, clinical experts and technology partners. PLIS will provide ready access for authorized healthcare providers to the patient’s laboratory results, and also will enable the collection of laboratory information into large HIBs for the purpose of analyzing and managing chronic diseases in BC.

In March 2009, the province of BC rolled out its iEHR and PLIS prototypes for testing in a live environment at the Provincial Health Services Authority, among a very small group (under 10) of physicians. According to the BC government, the first stage of the project establishes the foundation of e-Health’s EHR service and includes the Health Information Access Layer (HIAL); which is a sort of ‘gatekeeper’ in the system; a system for feeding the lab test results into the HIAL; the PLIS repository itself, which receives and stores the lab tests; a system for validating the names of the patient and physician; a system to provide service and support; a system at the Centre for Disease Control; and the two data centres, one in Vancouver and the back-up centre in Calgary.

The next release will include systems to distribute lab reports and clinical results, and will be integrated with each health authority in BC and with private labs.

PLIS, iEHR and HIAL – the Health Information Access Layer

PLIS and iEHR are seen as the foundation of e-Health. The HIAL will control access and the information will be made available to e-Health users through the HIAL according to their level of authorization, taking into account any refusals of consent or disclosure directives recorded in the consent registry.