The Ministry of Health signed a contract with RioMed Limited, a UK-registered company, to develop and implement the new Electronic Health Record System (EHR).
Signed on Tuesday March 18, the duration of the contract will be 18 months. The International Development Bank (IDB) is providing USD$3.3 million in funding for the implementation of the EHR system.
The MoU was signed by the Managing Director of RioMed Limited Mario Mohammed, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Malcolm Watkins.
This comprehensive new record system is being rolled out at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and is being adopted by the government in an effort to phase out the existing paper system.
When introduced, the system will help doctors and staff to accurately track the health records of patients, leading to a more effective management of the Hospital’s overall operation.
During a signing ceremony at the Ministry of Health’s boardroom on Brickdam, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony that the challenges of the paper filing system will soon become a thing of the past.
“Despite our best efforts in managing the records we still have to search and sometimes the papers are not all in one place, and the patient sometimes has to wait for hours” Minister Anthony pointed out.
According to Minister Anthony, the system will be rolled-out in phases and the results of these changes will be observed by both patients and healthcare workers.
In preparation for the project implementation, new data security legislation was passed in the National Assembly to protect patients whose personal information will now become available in a digital format.
Should there be a breach of the system and patients’ information were to be compromised, there will be consequences for the perpetrators of such violations.
“If there is a breach, we want to ensure that when they catch you there is a suitable punishment,” the minister said.
He added that if an individual is caught breaching the system, the fine will begin at 20 million Guyana dollars. However, if a corporate entity breaches the system, the fine will be upwards from $100 million.
These robust measures are in place to ensure that people’s health information remains secure at all times and confidentiality is always paramount.
Another feature that will be added in the future is the introduction of a unique identifier that will be issued to every citizen. The identifier will make it easier for patients to access healthcare services whenever they visit GPHC for a doctor’s appointments.
Chief Executive Officer of GPHC Robbie Rambarran expressed satisfaction that this project is finally moving ahead.
“We are happy that we have leaders who recognise the importance of such an initiative,” he stated.
Also in attendance at the ceremony to sign the MoU were the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom Jane Miller, and IDB representative Lorena Solorzano Salazar. (Department of Public Information)
