Once it’s installed, it will be used every minute of every day at health facilities across VCH, PHSA and PHC. But right now, it doesn’t have a name.

Some call it “the Cerner system” after the company that’s providing it. Others refer to it as “the EMR,” which stands for Electronic Medical Record. But none of the current nicknames capture the essence of the new shared clinical information system, a major output of the Clinical and Systems Transformation (CST) project.

Other health systems have good names for their clinical information systems. Island Health calls its system IHealth. At North York General Hospital, it’s eCare. London Health Sciences Centre calls its system HUGO, an acronym for Healthcare Undergoing Optimization.

It’s time to give the new system a name that we can all use consistently – a name that means something. The CST project is inviting all physicians and staff at VCH, PHSA and PHC to participate in our Name that System contest. The top five finalists will win $20 Starbucks cards, and the grand prize is a $50 Cineplex gift card.

Here’s how the contest works

Submit your idea to info@CSTproject.ca. You can submit as many names as you like.

The judging criteria are simple:

• The name can be a real word, a made-up word or an acronym.
• It has to be simple and easy to remember.
• It should somehow capture the essence of what CST is all about: improving the safety, quality and consistency of patient care. These five drivers represent our clinical goals and set the standard for measuring our performance:
  • First, Do No Harm: Reduce errors and adverse events
  • Best Way, Every Day: Improve quality and consistency of care
  • Face Time, Not Chase Time: Improve the health care experience for patients and care teams
  • Draw on Data: Gather better data to improve health system planning, research and proactive care
  • Strengthen our Core: Improve information system reliability and sustainability
• Along with your submission, feel free to include a short (maximum 100 words) rationale/sales pitch for why your idea is the best one.
• To stimulate your creativity and learn more about the project, visit CSTproject.ca.

Our judges will review the names and come up with a short list of five finalists, which will go to an online vote. A winner will be announced by the end of July.

Deadline for submissions is June 30, 2016.

Okay, go!