Ekurhuleni health facilities adopt hi-tech systems

The Electronic Health Records system will make an impact on the waiting times and management of medication at primary healthcare facilities and the first phase, which is in the process of being implemented, is the Patient Registration Module.

To date a total of 51 732 patients have been registered on the system at 40 primary healthcare facilities, across the metro.

The Patient Registration Module allows for patients to be registered electronically at reception when they visit clinics.

The system will also assist the municipality to establish how many clients are registered at a specific clinic and use that data for the purpose of improving the planning of health services and the allocation of resources.

It will also assist in the administration of medication and eliminate the current challenge of duplication of treatment – where patients receive medication from more than one clinic.

The records system will, in future, be linked with the SMS notification system that has already been piloted in nine health facilities.

Chronic patients will be sent a short text message, reminding them of their next consultation date.

An additional electronic module that will be applied in response to the national strategy to modernise healthcare is Mom Connect.

This is a cellphone system linked to a National Electronic Information Centre that was implemented through the National Department of Health, in September 2014.

It is essentially an SMS service, which provides expectant mothers with information and advice on pregnancy, as well as a channel to notify government about poor service.

Training is ongoing to ensure that all clerical personnel are proficient to use the E’Health Records system. While the municipality is in the processes of phasing in the system, residents are urged to adhere to their appointment dates, to prevent overcrowding at clinics.

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