Montreal hospital does away with plastic registration cards

The MUHC will no longer issue plastic patient cards to those registering at the hospital for treatment.

Starting Thursday, there will be no more plastic hospital cards used at the MUHC (McGill University Health Centre).

The change comes as the hospital and other health institutions in Quebec work to simplify the registration process and make things easier and more secure, in addition to cutting down on duplication.

Dr. Alan Forster is director for quality, innovation and performance and said that patients will now use their usual RAMQ health card or health insurance card when registering.

“This will be helpful for patients, in that they won’t have an extra piece of paraphernalia to carry around with them to remember it,” he said. “We’re modernizing the transmission of information within the hospital, so that there is going to be less paper produced, ultimately, and, in the end, there will be a benefit to the environment, not only from the paper, but also from the plastic card itself.”

He added that the hospital will save money by not having to print up additional cards.

Forster said there have been improvements in recent years within hospitals thanks to digital integration and tools that support care. He said the next step is to develop a connected care delivery system.

“So wherever you go to get care, people can have information,” said Forster. “We want to have the patient connected to that information system so they can see their information.”