DOHA: Patient records at the Al Daayen Health Centre are being included into the recently introduced Clinical Information System (CIS).
CIS was implemented last month to create a single Electronic Health Record (EHR) for every patient by 2016.
It was introduced at Al Khor hospital and the health centre.
Initially, health records, patient registration and appointments will be entered into the system.
In the second phase, radiology and pharmacy records will be included.
All records are entered into the system at the health centre except online registration and the new practice helps provide patients a better service, say experts.
Implementation of the system is a joint initiative by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).
During a media tour of the health centre yesterday, Alexandra Tarazi, Executive Director, Health Information Systems, said, “The system increases the number of appointments and decreases the number of walk-in patients so patients get good service.
“With the records, we will be able to track how many patients have come for consultation and find out the number of patients missing.”
Providing access to one patient’s medical record across all facilities ensures that records cannot be lost, it makes easier for patients to book and attend appointments, and facilitates one- time registration.
The system will make consultations and diagnostics faster, leading to reduced waiting time; it will reduce unnecessary investigations performed on patients, and will make processes at health centres smoother and more efficient.
“We get to know details of patients in advance as we have all previous records of patients online.
“This will enable us to understand the patient’s sickness in a better way and diagnose the illness in a better way,” said Dr Tarek Abd Elmhsen El Sayes, General Practitioner at the health centre. The system will be later implemented at Women’s Hospital, Hamad General Hospital and Al Gharafa Health Centre and then at other hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
Patient registration and scheduling staff will use CIS to register patient details and book appointments and follow-ups.
Nurses and doctors use CIS in place of paper records. Laboratory staff request and send test results back to the EMR using CIS.
Pharmacy staff who will receive prescriptions entered by doctors on CIS, fill them and maintain information about available medicines.
Medical records staff will use EMR and some special coding systems to ensure that care is properly recorded and accounted for.
Dental staff use CIS to record treatment provided, treatment plans and other aspects of care provided. The Peninsula
