A Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia family alleges a preventable tragedy may have occurred due to Nova Scotia’s new health records system, One Person One Record (OPOR), which launched in December at the IWK Health Centre. The system has drawn concerns from doctors and nurses for delays and inaccuracies as it rolls out, with plans to expand it to Nova Scotia Health facilities this spring.
The family says an urgent ultrasound referral for an expectant mother, Cassidy Horne, was lost in OPOR five days after its implementation. Horne, 18, was 31 weeks pregnant when doctors noted the fetus measured at 29 weeks. Despite a December 11 emergency ultrasound request, the family says no appointment call ever came, with hospital staff attributing the issue to the new system. A second referral apparently vanished as well. By January, after an ultrasound at 36 weeks, the couple learned their baby had died the day prior, the umbilical cord reportedly wrapped around the infant’s neck.
Horne described the experience as terrifying and emotionally draining, saying she trusted the doctors and the system but that trust was misplaced. Her partner, William Biso, the baby’s father, now keeps the daughter’s ashes in a necklace and recalls feeling they should not have had to chase information during a time of crisis. The family says they were never advised to seek care at the IWK emergency department, and they spent two days in hospital after birth, during which time hospital announcements reportedly indicated OPOR had experienced outages.
Horne’s mother, Holly Horne, recalls that no hospital staff contacted the family doctor about the baby’s death, and that if the incident had occurred at another hospital, the doctor would likely have been notified promptly. The family also reports postnatal care gaps, including a cancelled appointment without any notification.
IWK Health Centre declined an interview but issued a statement stressing that patient care remains its top priority and that concerns about OPOR are being reviewed. The IWK encouraged patients to follow up with the referring provider if wait times seem longer than expected or if conditions change, and said it is refining OPOR with input from medical staff, patients, and families.
Horne argues that patients should not have to chase updates themselves, noting that she had to repeatedly phone to secure an appointment. The family is considering legal action and says they have not heard from the IWK or the government about any investigation. Health Minister Michelle Thompson, questioned in the legislature, indicated a full inquiry would be conducted.
For the family, the grief is compounded by anger and a sense that systemic issues may have cost them their hoped-for child. They hope to see changes that prevent similar experiences in the future, even as they strive to stay strong for Cassidy and William.
Key takeaway: the mix of a new digital records system and urgent, time-sensitive maternal care can create dangerous gaps if communications and referrals do not flow smoothly. But here’s where it gets controversial: supporters of OPOR argue the system centralizes patient data to improve safety and efficiency, while critics point to real, immediate harm and call for transparent investigations and robust contingency plans. Do you think the benefits of a unified health record system outweigh the risks, or should there be stronger safeguards and backup processes to protect patients during rollout? Share your thoughts in the comments.
