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JAMAICAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH

PROFILES IN MED - Computerizing patient information

Article taken from The Gleaner, a Jamaican Newspaper
Wednesday, August 27, 1997

Twelve persons sat around six terminals tapping away. It could be happening any where, any day. But it wasn't. They are the first set of trainers and information system staff to be trained to use the Patient Administration System (PAS) which is being introduced in five public hospitals across the island. It's history in the making.

The one-week intensive training programme was conducted by the Canadian-based Heron Technology Corporation and the locally based Interface Consultants Limited at the Bustamante Hospital for Children between August 11 and 15, 1997.

"We are on the cutting edge. An efficient Patient Administration System can provide invaluable epidemiological data. Can you imagine that when the system is developed, we can get readily available information on disease patterns and trends without having to go through the laborious and, at times, unreliable manual process?" said Marcia Gibson, Information Systems Specialist, Health Reform Unit of the Ministry of Health.

Alta Barrett, a participant on the training course, who will train about 27 persons at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon, was upbeat about the Patient Administration System.

"It is long overdue. We see on an average 150 outpatients and admit approximately 20 to 30 patients on a daily basis, so it is challenging trying to manage a manual system, especially medical records. This system will help us save time and storage space," she says.

Miss Barrett will train staff who work in the critical area of medical records which include other areas such a registration, coding, assessment, billing, casualty and emergency.

Her colleague, Charles Smith, who works at one of the island's largest public health institutions, the Kingston Public Hospital, also appreciates the importance of the system.

"It will cut down on the manual work, solve the problem of storage and facilitate the easy retrieval of information. It promises us a smoother operations," Mr. Smith, a Senior Assessment Officer said.

Internal training

The enthusiasm and interest of the students did not go unnoticed by the trainers. Margaret Mellanby, one of the trainers said: "They are an excellent group, they are interested and show a great deal of motivation.

I am pleased at the high level of competence displayed by them and I am confident that they will go back and carry on the internal training at the hospitals."

Ms Mellanby explained the purpose of the training course. "We want to develop their ability to create a database of information that they need in order to operate a PAS with the overall goal of providing standard information to the Ministry. There are three areas with which we are concerned - creating a database, trend analysis and information access."

According to Mrs. Gibson, the security of patient information will be improved as only authorized persons will be able to access the data. She also explains that the PAS should be used as a management tool to inform the decision-making process.

"The system can inform policy making, and health promotion and prevention", she said.

The contract to establish the Patient Administration System was signed in April of this year and is valued at more than over US $306,000. It is funded jointly by the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-american Development Bank and is one of several computerized systems being implemented by the Ministry of Health in the reform of the health sector.

More information on the JMOH Implementation