December 3, 2012 | Quebec

It is the goal of nursing schools to prepare the next generation of medical professionals for the healthcare industry, and for most students currently enrolled in nursing training, that future will include digital medical records.

The province of Quebec is currently in the process of digitizing its medical records, a process which the Montreal Gazette claims could take five years. Yet while the process may be slow and steady, the Gazette claims that a number of hospitals in the region have already gone paperless.

Notable healthcare providers like the Centre de santé et des services sociaux de la Montagne (which includes several CLSC clinics and family practitioners) and CSSS Sud-Ouest-Verdun have already digitized their records, linking them across their extended networks for speedy access and safe keeping.

As there is no uniform approach to digitizing medical records, the process can be quite time consuming.

"It has taken time because we want to make sure everything is perfect," David Levine, president of the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency, told the Gazette. "We have to test and re-test everything to make sure all the medical information is correct."

While new nurses and other healthcare professionals may have easier access to patient information than their predecessors thanks to digital records, they'll still need to be trained in the fundamental areas of the profession. Those interested in healthcare careers can enroll in a program such as Health, Assistance and Nursing - 5787 at CDI College. For more information, fill out the form on the right.