THE IMPACT OF ICT ON WORKFLOW IN MEDICAL RECORDS DEPARTMENT IN A HOSPITAL

THE IMPACT OF ICTs AND HOW IT INFLUENCES WORKFLOW IN MEDICAL RECORDS DEPARTMENT IN HOSPITALS IN RIVERS STATE

The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of ICTs and how it influences workflow in the medical records department.

Being the first point of call in healthcare delivery, its objective is to reduce patient waiting time and in delivering effective, safe, and fast health service to service users in the most accurate, appropriate, and efficient time in hospitals in Rivers State.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Background of the Study

Introducing computer databases to the healthcare field has improved the efficiency of record keeping. Computers have the ability to maintain central databases that healthcare professionals are able to use and access wherever and whenever.

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) for health can play a critical role in improving healthcare for individuals and communities. Through the development of databases and other applications, with ICT, it is easy to access a patient’s full medical history. ICT also provides the capacity to improve health system efficiencies and prevent medical errors.

Computers are an excellent means for storage of patient related data. It is very necessary to maintain detailed records of the medical history of patients. Computers enable the efficient storage of huge amounts of medical data. It reduces duplication of patient’s data as there is only a modification file, which means the file is constantly up to date and the issues of lost case note and lack of space in folder storage are eliminated, due to all the patient’s information stored in a single file in the computer system, it makes it more effective when retrieving medical records for the examination of possible trends and long term changes in the patient.

ICT represents a huge opportunity to improve patient care and health system operations.

The motive of creating and managing a paperless office would be more serving, going paperless will save time, money, and lives too. It will make the records department more efficient, save on space, and promote cleanliness and good organization.

The traditional paper medical record used in physicians’ offices, clinics, and hospitals no longer meets the needs of today’s healthcare industry and is therefore becoming extinct.

The way healthcare professionals store, access, and use medical information, as well as the requirements for the management of health-related information are transforming. ICT has the core tool in healthcare delivery, integrating all pertinent patient information into a single record, which can then be accessed by authorized interdisciplinary professionals at any time.

1.1 Statement of the Problem

First incentives act as key motivators in guiding implementation and effective use.  A problem inhibiting the uptake of ICT is how costs are distributed. Those who benefit from greater use of ICT are often not those who bear the costs of adoption. They are not the only factor determining the adoption of ICT, but financial incentives play an important role.

Privacy and liability issues are particularly sensitive in healthcare. Appropriate privacy protection must be incorporated into the health records department from the outset because it is often difficult or impossible to introduce effective privacy protections retroactively.

Effective system-wide exchange of medical information continues to be logistically difficult.

1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of ICTs and how it influences workflow in the medical records department.

Being the first point of call in healthcare delivery, its objective is to reduce patient waiting time and in delivering effective, safe, and fast health service to service users in the most accurate, appropriate, and efficient time in hospitals in Rivers State.

The Justification of this study is to:

• Compare the influence and effectiveness of paper-base and ICT in the management of health records in hospitals.
• Examine the ability of staff to cope with the application of ICT in health records.
• To determine the problems associated with ICT in health records.
• To make both clinicians and patients embrace the use of ICT in health records.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can create a critical significance in the following ways:

It will provide clinicians with ideas on new and efficient ways of accessing, communicating, and storing information.

It will also help create awareness for clinicians on the importance /needs of ICT in health records for better healthcare to patients.

It will help point out challenges to the implementation and use of ICT and suggest feasible means on how to tackle them.

This study will make clinicians flow with new innovations and improvements in the healthcare delivery system. It will make viable suggestions for improving the system.

It will also form a standard ground for further research based on this topic.

1.4 Research Questions

• Will ICTs improve easy storage, retrieval of patient information; reduce medical errors, and duplication of patient information?
• What is the attitude of clinicians towards the use of ICT in the health records department?
• Are there any challenges associated with the implementation and application of ICT in health records?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

• For the researcher to have an indebted and accurate analysis and interpretation of the research work, the following hypothesis needs to be considered.
• There is no significant relationship between ICT and the enhancement of healthcare delivery.
• There is no significant relationship between ICT and paper base health records in the effectiveness of service delivery to service users.
• There is no significant relationship between the challenges of paper-based health records and the efficiency of ICT in health records.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research work is embarked on investigating and reviewing the impact of ICT in the records system in enhancing the workflow in medical records unit and healthcare delivery systems with a random study on hospitals in rivers state.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs): It is also known as Information Technologies (IT). It is the study or use of electronic equipment, especially computers, for storing, analyzing, and sending out information. (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary).

Healthcare Delivery: It consists of all organizations, people, and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore, and maintain health.

Privacy: Freedom from unauthorized intrusion.

Liability: That state of being legally responsible for something: the state of being liable for something.

Incorporated: United in one body; formed into a legal corporation.

Retroactively: Effective from a particular date in the past.

Computer: An electronic device which accepts, analyze, process, produce, or output data of different kinds.

Record: A written account of something that is kept so it can be looked at and used in the future.

Health: Health is the state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO).

Health records: Documentation of direct and indirect healthcare services to patients or clients by providers and users of the data in any type related institution.

Databases: It is a collection of related files. The file organization deals with the arrangement or the ordering of the records in the file in a specific order. The ordering could be alphabetical, numerical, chronological, etc.