Electronic health records system coming

The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Tuesday signed a US$5-million contract for the implementation of an electronic health records (EHR) system in the public health sector.

The system will be rolled out over the next 18 months in 13 health centres and hospitals. UK-based firm, The Phoenix Partnership, is the entity contracted to deliver the system.

In his remarks at the contract signing held at the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine, health minister Dr Christopher Tufton said that the EHR is "game changing" and will ensure greater efficiency in the delivery of patient care in the public system.

"It is potentially changing the way we administer patient care by reducing transactional time, transaction cost, and improving the quality-of-service provision for the patients in our public institutions," the minister said.

The EHR system is being implemented as part of the Health Systems Strengthening Programme, for which Jamaica has received a loan of US$50 million from the Inter-American Development Bank. It includes a patient registration system for appointment setting and assignment of patients in the triage process of a facility, which will mean shorter wait times for diagnosis and treatment; reduced cost in providing services; and reduced staff frustration.

EHR will allow healthcare providers access to review a patient's full medical history via a database, whether at a health centre or hospital, enabling health professionals to access patients' medical history and to be able to deliver faster responses.