Scaling Up Implementation And Usage Of Electronic Medical Records In Migori County

Abstract

Introduction and implementation of new health care technologies on a bigger scale calls for a systematic approach that must include a clear plan, proper implementation process, and adequate follow-ups; and it requires thoughtful and long lasting changes in health care systems. Such an approach must involve a re-look into the scope of policy of scaling up. Failure to pay attention to such scaling up policies, the success rate and sustainability of pilot projects that have great potential of going to scale will be at stake. The health sector in Kenya is one of the most funded programmes with multiple stakeholders and partners participating in the endeavour of ensuring a healthy nation. In Kenya, multiple stakeholders that include the National government, the donors, and county governments have put a brave fight against a number of diseases, HIV/AIDS being one of the major diseases that have received a major boost. Many healthcare interventions that aim to improve the health sector are being undertaken. With the growth of programs and projects targeted towards the fight against HIV/AIDS, there is growing importance for organizations to be more accountable for funds received and the results they report. The proposed scaling up project of sites using Kenya EMR seeks to aid the Migori County Health Department in the organized collection, tabulation, and interpretation of data and information that aims at providing a clear picture of the services rendered and to guide decision making by the management. Upon implementation, the EMR system will help in supporting the activities that aim to monitor, supervise, evaluate, research, allocation of resources, and appraisals of performance. The need for the EMR was identified after keen analysis of the OCA report which identified the need for ICT based reporting; and with consultation with the PLP mentor who emphasized of the need for quality data for the purposes of decision making. This project seeks to provide continuous information on HIV activities. It also aims to assess the appropriateness and adequacy of the implementation, administration and management of each programmatic component. This will help inform policy decisions towards achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95. According to the OCA report, the Migori County Health department had low capacity in health informatics. ICT infrastructure was inadequate, no ICT based reporting and there was minimal ICT human resources and training. This project aims to bridge the gap by implementing a system that helps in the availability of ICT based reporting.