Computerization of Clinical Records in Out-patient Departments of Sri Lankan Hospitals

Abstract

Electronic Patient Records (ePR) have been implemented in 27 government hospitals in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka in a project funded by the Austrian/Swiss Red Cross that ran from 2006 to 2009. The computers store a summary of the clinical record, which is easily accessible when the patient returns. They are also used to print various reports such as discharge letters, prepare quarterly statistics of the diseases treated and notify infectious diseases.

In the original design of this Multi-Disease Surveillance project, it was planned to use computers mainly for recording in-patient details. However as the project proceeded, it became clear that major gains in efficiency and quality of documentation could be made by using computers in the out-patient departments (OPD). Providing computers for the doctors to use in OPD has greatly increased the speed of documentation as well as providing access to the previous clinical record. Computer recording of prescriptions has streamlined the supply of drugs and stock control in the hospital pharmacy.

In some of the hospitals, a connection to the Internet allows staff to browse the latest medical knowledge related to the patient being treated.

Keywords: e-Health; Electronic Patient Record; Medical Informatics; Developing Countries; Multi-Disease Surveillance

Sri Lanka Journal of Bio-Medical Informatics 2010;1(4):200-04

DOI: 10.4038/sljbmi.v1i4.2235