KINGSTON, Jamaica. Thursday, January 11, 2024: Jamaica’s Electronic Health Records (EHR) System is now active at the May Pen Hospital, following a launch ceremony held today (January 11) at the facility.
Dubbed ‘E-Care’, the system is part of a public health overhaul that modernises service delivery through the implementation of digital health records.
This sees the switch to a paperless system for patient records with real-time access to medical information. It will allow for the smooth upload and sharing of these records among healthcare professionals by way of electronic devices.
“This linking of health records means that cross-matching and information sharing between health centres and hospitals will now be possible,” said Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.
The conversion of paper-based records is part of the Ministry’s Health Systems Strengthening Programme (HSSP) and is being financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to the tune of US $5 million dollars in the first phase.
Twelve other facilities are set to benefit from the initial rollout.
These are Spanish Town Hospital; St. Ann’s Bay Hospital; May Pen West Health Centre; Chapelton Community Hospital; May Pen East Health Centre; Mocho Health Centre; Greater Portmore Health Centre; St. Jago Park Health Centre; Old Harbour Health Centre; St. Ann’s Bay Health Centre; Ocho Rios Health Centre; and Brown’s Town Health Centre.
Benefits of ‘E-Care’
Among the results of the implementation will be, “significant savings for the patients as test results become more readily available, and the capture of critical health information data that will assist in the formulation of better evidence-based policymaking and programme design,” the Minister continued.
With built-in security measures such as data encryption, health information systems like ‘E-Care’ offer a greater level of safety and privacy for patient’s personal data.
“The implementation of this contract comes at a time when there is urgent need for enhanced integration of health systems and is being undertaken on the basis of a strategy focused on governance and capacity building, data management and information technologies, information and knowledge management for health analysis,” Dr. Tufton explained.
The move, a first for Jamaica, is expected to further improve wait times, eliminate repeat diagnoses and increase service satisfaction. Through its ‘one patient, one record’ philosophy, healthcare providers and facilities will have greater opportunity to collaborate in the delivery of care, through, for example, a seamless connection of critical diagnostic imaging that will enable healthcare professionals to see x-rays and CT scans on computers and tablets provided within the facilities.
The introduction of electronic health records comes with the provision of managed network services to support the upscaling of public health ICT infrastructure.
The integrated health system is being implemented by the UK firm, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), the leading global provider of digital health technology. The Cabinet-approved contract includes a 15-year support period with the addition of a patient-centric mobile health app.