#WeAreNorthern

Meet Jessica Hart, EMR Projects and Quality Manager, Digital Health.

Q: First, let’s start with your coffee order?

A: A skinny latte, because I drink three to four coffees a day. By the fourth, it’s probably doing very little for my energy levels, but it definitely brings me joy.

Q: Tell us about your journey at Northern Health?

A: I joined Northern Health in 2021 as an EMR Medication Analyst on the Phase I EMR Project. During the project, I moved into the EMR Medications Team Lead role. When Phase I wrapped up in 2023, I was pleased to continue in the role as part of the BAU team.

Currently, I’ve stepped into an exciting new challenge as the Acting EMR Projects & Quality Manager for the next 10 months. It’s a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge, take on fresh responsibilities, and contribute even more to the work we’re doing with EMR, for both staff and patients.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?

A: From my time working in patient-facing roles as a pharmacist, I saw the potential that digital tools had, and the positive reality of some that were already available, to improve how patient care is provided. Being part of the EMR team has allowed me to be an active part of helping develop and support the uptake of digital platforms and contribute to improved patient care through the use of digital tools. I also just enjoy the dynamic, there are new ideas being proposed, discussed and trialled all the time – It’s an exciting environment to be a part of.

Q: Why is digital health so important in healthcare?

A: There are so many reasons, but the one that stood out to me when I started working in healthcare was that to provide patients with quality care, it is important to have all the necessary information and timely access to it. To deliver quality care, clinicians need timely access to the right information. Historically, necessary information was scattered across different systems or on paper and often articulated in multiple different ways, making it hard or sometimes impossible to access. Digital tools in healthcare are all about improving access to information when and where you need it, reducing and removing barriers and giving staff what they need to make the most informed decisions to support the care of the patients.

Q: What do you like to do to relax or unwind from work?

A: Interestingly, that changes a lot for me over time; I don’t have a go-to. At the moment, I’ve gotten into cooking, and I find being able to follow steps and get a tasty outcome really therapeutic, and it takes my mind away from the happenings of the day.

That said, the therapeutic aspect of my description assumes success, and this being a fairly recent pursuit means it is fraught with an equal amount of failures. Furthermore, I have recently subscribed to getting deliveries of random produce, and I call it my ‘MasterChef’ box.  I try to find recipes that use the sometimes very unfamiliar seasonal items I get, it creates a bit of an enjoyable challenge.

Q: What is one place you would like to travel to and why?

A: Spain has made it to my must-see list. Lots of history, lots of art, and I hear, lots of great food. That said, my next holiday isn’t Spain, it is a tour through central Europe so Spain will have to wait.