Guyana: Electronic medical records system rolls out at GPHC

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has begun introducing its Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, following the successful testing of the technology at the Festival City Polyclinic. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said the pilot programme gave the ministry the confidence to move ahead with implementation at the country’s main public hospital. “We started at Festival City because we wanted to see how it would work…Currently, we are deploying it at the Georgetown Hospital, and we have a schedule for which department it will reach first,” Dr Anthony stated. According to the minister, the transition will not happen all at once. Instead, the digital records system is first being installed in the Urgent Care Department before gradually reaching the surgical, medical and outpatient units. Once fully operational, the platform will eliminate the need for traditional paper files by storing patients’ medical information electronically. Doctors and other healthcare providers will be able to retrieve medical histories, prescriptions, test results and treatment information more efficiently. The technology also includes an online appointment feature, allowing patients to book visits without having to travel to the hospital beforehand, a move expected to ease congestion and improve the delivery of services. Officials say the Festival City Polyclinic served as the testing ground to ensure the system functioned effectively before extending it to larger public health facilities. The initiative is being rolled out with support from technology company RealMed and guidance from international partner Mount Sinai as government continues to modernise the country’s healthcare system through digital technology.

Source: snn.gy