In any human endeavour, record keeping is very pivotal as it would enable all stakeholders to have access to water-tight and accurate information on the subject and object under discussion and observation. As in other professions, record keeping is essential in medical practice.
Hence, healthcare professionals make use of medical records. Medical records contain information about any previous illnesses or treatments that particular patients have had, as well as their family’s medical history. The records are useful to both healthcare professionals and patients as they determine the patient’s general health and help arrive at a diagnosis. The records also help doctors recognise patterns and trends that can help them better assess a patient’s risk of developing certain chronic diseases.
However, obtaining accurate medical records has been a daunting task in Nigeria. To alleviate the hassle of endless search for medical records of a patient, Online Health Company [OHEALTH], last year launched a digital platform – Electronic Medical Record (EMR). EMR is software meant to digitalise medical records of patients.
Following its inauguration, the software has been deployed in providing solutions to many individuals, groups and organisations in terms of healthcare delivery, safekeeping of medical records, telemedicine and others . One of the institutions that is enjoying the services of EMR of OHEALTH is the historic University College Hospital (UCH).
It would be recalled that UCH and OHEALTH, in Ibadan, in June 2024 signed a first-of-its-kind agreement on telemedicine.
Under the agreement, OHEALTH would use its software platform to enhance services delivery at the Private Suites of the hospital.
The scope of the partnership is to help the Private Suites with patients’ information management, virtual consultation, tele-medicine and a payment collection system. With this partnership, OHEALTH is using its EMR for registration, consultation, billing,providing laboratory as well as nursing services and in-house management of the facilities when patients are on admission.
The Chief Executive Officer of OHEALTH, Dr. Temitope Farombi says OHEALTH connects all the service points, using its software platform. The CEO says OHEALTH is bringing UCH Private suites to the community and patients’ doorsteps. She adds that everyone with OHEALTH mobile or web app can do their booking without physically coming to UCH.
Six months after the agreement, workers within the telemedicine ecosystem described EMR as a breakthrough, and promising medical solution, stating that the software has been beneficial to the system and patients.
Leading the pack, a medical record officer working at the Private Suites, Temilola Idowu-Faith, disclosed that the software has tremendous benefits in coding, hospital statistical analysis, and others.
Idowu-Faith said: ‘’The software has been helpful in real-time medical record-keeping, coding and indexing. It saves time and enhances hospital statistical analysis”.
Also testifying, a Nurse, Mrs. Mobolanle Oluyinka, says the software helps in achieving a faster analysis.
Oluyinka added: ‘’It is better and promising. It is for faster analysis”.
On her part, Dr Feyisola Adewunmi said: ‘’We welcome it. It is useful. It is promising. We hope for the positive influence of the technology’’.
