By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has stated to implement a Clinical Information System (CIS) to create a single Electronic Health Record (EHR) for every patient by 2016.
Implementation of the system is a joint initiative by HMC and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Dr AbdulWahab Al Musleh, Deputy Chief of Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for CIS, told a press conference at Hamad Medical City yesterday.
CIS was introduced at Al Khor hospital this week and Al Daayan Health Centre will start it on Sunday.
Initially, health records, patient registration and appointments will be entered into the system.
In the second phase, radiology and pharmacy records will be included by this month-end.
The system will be then implemented at Women’s Hospital, Hamad General Hospital and Al Gharafa Health Centre.
CIS will also include Ambulance Service and Sidra Medical and Research Centre. Later, it will be implemented at other hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the country.
“CIS will help have a complete record of every patient, which could be accessed by any clinician at any time,” said Dr Al Musleh.
He said once CIS is fully implemented, Qatar will become the second country in the world to have a single, integrated EHR for every patient. Currently Estonia has such a system.
“The goal is to improve the quality of care and services provided to people.
“A main benefit of approaching it as a joint programme between PHCC and HMC is enhanced integration and continuity of care for our patients by ensuring that there is only one record for each patient, shared in real time among healthcare providers in both organisations,” said Dr Juliet Ibrahim, Executive Director of Clinical Affairs and CIS Vice-Chairperson.
The first step is the start of a change and improvement journey that replaces existing systems and provides one electronic patient record across all HMC and PHCC facilities.
It will provide a standardised build, allowing a common view for clinicians and extensive analysis capability. This will support the academic health system vision of both healthcare providers in the country. HMC and PHCC have partnered with two main international suppliers, Cerner and Dell Solutions, to assist in the project.
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