At Magenta Health, we are always exploring new ways to make care better. Not only through the visits you have with your doctor, but through the technology that supports every part of that experience.
Recently, you may have noticed an ad while checking in at a kiosk in clinic, or on your personal device when completing a virtual check-in. Here is why:
A Pilot to Support <Better Care/>
This is part of an eight-week pilot project between CHIME (our check-in platform) and a healthcare media company. The ad features a prescription medication, appearing as a still image in the clinic and as a short video online.
100% of all proceeds are going to our <Better Care/> campaign. These funds will pay for two full-time co-op students for a semester, supporting improvements to our electronic medical record (EMR) system. Their work will directly enhance patient privacy and patient care for both patients and clinicians.
What Patients Should Know
We know that some patients feel surprised or uncomfortable seeing a pharmaceutical ad in a clinical setting. We understand and respect that feedback, and we want to be clear about how this works.
Here are the key facts:
No data sharing: The ad is a simple, non-targeted image or video shown to all patients. No personal or health data is collected or sent to the advertiser.
Anonymous survey (now removed): A short optional survey originally followed the ad. It collected anonymous, aggregate responses only. After receiving patient feedback, we worked quickly with the media company to remove the survey altogether.
Limited trial: This is a short-term experiment, meant to explore sustainable ways to fund our open-source EMR development.
Independent decisions: Our physicians remain completely independent. Prescribing choices are made only on clinical evidence and patient need. No physician is receiving a financial benefit.
Compliance with regulatory requirements: Pharmaceutical ads are carefully regulated in Canada. The ads have passed legal review, and are similar to advertising typically seen in other clinics and healthcare settings.
Building Better Tools for Better Care
The <Better Care/> campaign is our ongoing effort to strengthen the connection between technology and care. By improving our EMR, we protect patient privacy, streamline communication, and reduce time spent on screens during visits.
We are learning from this advertising pilot, as we do from every experiment. Your input helps us make sure each decision aligns with our values of independence, privacy, and care quality.
To learn more about how <Better Care/> supports independent EMR development, visit magentahealth.ca/better-care.