The case study is about New Hope Hospital in Cape Province; a small rural hospital utilizing health information system. The study was done on the processing, distribution, and storage of data regarding the patients visiting the hospital. New Hope Hospital has adopted computerized system of handling data which has been integrated in every department of the hospital.
Every member of staff in the hospital has been involved in ensuring a successful information system either directly or indirectly. Therefore, teamwork is core in the success of the information system; the nurses play a major role in collecting data while the clerks are crucial in designing of the data.
Processing and storing of data has been simplified in the hospital through the use of computerized data entry forms; this has been appreciated by the staff since it has not only been easy to process data but it is also time-saving. While the nurses are involved in recording patients’ data in the ward, sisters are involved in recording head counts of the patients’ visiting the hospital on daily basis.
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Administration clerks then collect the data and compile it into single Microsoft document which provides a backup copy of the data. Information officer prepares the data in statistical form in District Health Information Software (DHIS) which can be easily interpreted. The DHIS is software which enables aggregation of data and easy analysis in order to provide an efficient way of interpreting data at district level.
The budget review committee is also part of the team in that it assesses the data periodically and offer recommendations. The budgetary committee with help from provincial hospital prepares Microsoft Excel with advanced analysis of the data which is important is ensuring that every single aspect of the data is taken care of.
The management of New Hope Hospital realized that not all data collected was useful and the need to filter out the important data arose. This led to the development of DHIS with form in which only useful data is in record and data which fits their situation. The software only requires primary data to be recorded while periodical reports are processed by use of computers by the clerks.
The success of this project is attributed to teamwork and well skilled staff; whereby while technical staff is involved in ensuring advanced use of technology in the software use, the management ensure smooth running of the involved personnel. The project did not involve any external intervention; this ensured maximum utilization of the resources in the hospital.
The project is beneficial to the hospital in that simplified interpretation of the data provided a quick way of managing the hospital especially when dealing with financial requirement in the hospital. Specifically the information system enables an easier way of determining the cost-per-patient-day.
Simplified analysis also enabled presentation of data in a manner which end users can easily understand. Generally, the information system has several dependants and this makes it crucial that the data should be accurate and of high quality. Presentation of data in different forms is critical in that it ensures that different forms are available which serve the need of varied users.
The weakness of the project which may be easily pointed is lack of involving external aid in the project which could be of great help in providing extra information in designing the information system. Consultation of other expertise is also important in that it reduces bias on the project by ensuring that there is adequate focus on the needs of the project (Jacucci et al, 2006).
The development of the information system is critical in the project since it ensures that the hospital is working in line with the latest advancement in global technology. The major strength which definitely enabled the overall success of the project is teamwork and involvement of every staff member in designing the project. Otherwise, failure to work as a team most probably would lead to leaving out of important information in designing of the system and it would also be time consuming (Jacucci et al, 2006).