Roll out of e-records to benefit public health patients

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Transitioning from paper-based patient health records to an electronic health platform, the digitisation project will create a single body of patient records easily accessible to healthcare workers. A total of 81 clinics in the metropole are scheduled to have access to the electronic patient system by the end of September 2016

One central database

The eHealth@Joburg facility is an electronic health record system, developed locally by Med-e-Mass and conforming to the National Department of Health’s (NDoH) Health Normative Standards Framework (HSNF), which allows healthcare workers the opportunity to follow the health of patients irrespective of healthcare provider or place of residence.

Additionally, the solution ensures confidentiality of patients’ information by requiring a healthcare worker to insert a password to access sensitive aspects of a patient’s record. Furthermore, it enhances accuracy of all critical data, issues warning alerts for any information that is being recorded and also shows outstanding laboratory results.

It uses web-based transacting and ensures that a single medical record is used by a variety of healthcare workers, appropriate medical testing is conducted without duplication, advised interventions takes place, and enhanced medical decision-making about treatment and cure is enabled.

According to Gideon Brits, managing director of Med-e-Mass, the system is designed to ensure that no matter which hospital or clinic a patients goes to, healthcare workers will be able to access their records.

“Primary care is a vital cog in the provision of healthcare to the people of South Africa and improving how these services are offered is crucial in improving outcomes. Electronic health records and the ability to exchange health information electronically will enable higher quality and safer care for patients,” he says.