New app helps patients explore health services, access personal health info

A new app is available that lets local patients and caregivers explore health services and access their personal health information.

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The Brantford Brant Norfolk Health Navigator app is free and available in Apple and Google Play stores.

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“This app was designed to help patients and caregivers in Brantford, Brant and Norfolk explore local and provincial health services and more seamlessly access their personal health information in a convenient location,” said a news release issued by the Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team.

The navigator allows users to search for health services by categories – immediate crisis support; primary care; hospitals/urgent care; mental health and addictions; housing and outreach; home and community resources; older adult services; caregiver resources; and public health and provincial resources.

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Users can further narrow their search and link directly to provider websites for more information.

By clicking “Free Health Advice” in the app, users are taken to the provincial resource, Health811 (formerly Telehealth) where they can receive free health advice or information from professionals around the clock.

Users can also access their personal health information on the app through tools including LifeLabs, SeamlessMD and ConnectMyHealth.

Through ConnectMyHealth, patients can see their health records from participating hospitals in southwestern Ontario, including Brantford General Hospital and Norfolk General Hospital.

The Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team welcomes feedback and suggestions on how it can improve the app. Input can be given by clicking “learn more” in the app or emailing

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[email protected]

The health team is one of more than 30 such groups across the province tasked with bringing together healthcare providers as one unit to co-ordinate services and improve outcomes for about 208,000 people who receive care in Brantford, Brant and Norfolk.

The team includes a variety of local health and service organizations, including Brantford General Hospital, long-term care, mental health and addictions agencies, community support services, public health, and paramedicine.

The Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team released a strategic plan in August that will guide it to 2026.

“The plan will build on (the team’s) successes to date, which range from those that are easy to recognize, such as the number of local primary care providers now offering online appointment bookings and a dementia resource team in local emergency departments, to those that are more behind the scenes, such as the development of a seamless navigation service with the provincial resource Health811.”

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