The goal to implement a ‘one patient: one record’ initiative began yesterday as the Ministry of Health and the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) presented the ‘Design Start’ of the Integrated Health Information Management System (i-HIMS); connecting healthcare across The Bahamas with an opening ceremony and three-day workshop at St. Joseph’s Parish Centre.
Presenting the keynote address at the official launch and opening ceremony Prime Minister Christie acknowledged that there has been a paradigm shift in the healthcare system.
“This is a big day for this country, one of the central priorities of my government has been the enhancement and modernization of our National Health platform. This sustained effort has demanded the channeling of significant investments into a strategic approach of healthcare reform, through which we intend to maximize access to care and enhance quality of care for all Bahamians,” Mr. Christie stated.
Mr. Christie noted that in healthcare life is dependent on record keeping whether through doctors or nurses. He also noted that without proper records, it would be impossible to give proper diagnoses.
“I shudder with apprehension when I think of what used to be in the context of what will be by what we are doing here this morning, because your life is dependent on record keeping or someone coming behind the previous doctor and understanding his handwriting, and maybe the diagnosis of what is wrong with the person and not having records to do so,” Mr. Christie said.
Mr. Christie also noted that in addition to the new integrated system PHA will continue to provide services through personnel coupled with the right equipment.
“Key elements of our healthcare reform strategy include a continuing program of health systems strengthening initiatives. These initiatives have already made a difference with respect to infrastructural upgrades at our hospitals and other key health facilities.
“We have seen the extension of service hours for out-patient, family medicine and community clinics, as well as recruitment efforts to allay systemic shortfalls in clinical and technical staff,” Mr. Christie said.
Mr. Christie further noted that the implementation of i-HIMS is a historic benchmark in the progress to better healthcare system in The Bahamas as the PHA’s agreement with the vendors Allscripts and Infor Lawson Solution, for software and services will catapult the public healthcare system into the 21st century.
“One important feature of this system is that it will allow for the entire public healthcare system to operate a one patient one record system that uniquely identifies each patient and allows for seamless access to a patient’s medical record from any public healthcare facility or service,” Mr. Christie said.
In bringing welcome and opening remarks at the launch, Managing Director of PHA Mr. Herbert Brown noted that the new system will bring a transformation to healthcare eliminating paper records and bringing together decades of ideas and propositions.
“Today we have arrived at the launch of a new and historic approach to healthcare in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. I have intentionally described it as an arrival because the work to identify and procure a universal platform for patient information and medical records across the entire public health system represents a journey spanning decades,” Mr. Brown said.
Integrating the country’s healthcare system will come at a cost of some $20 million.
