AN ASSESSMENT ON EFFECTIVE MEDICAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS: A CASE STUDY OF BAGAMOYO DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

This study assessed the effectiveness of medical records management in improving healthcare service delivery at Bagamoyo District Hospital (BDH), Coast Region, Tanzania. It was guided by three objectives: to examine current medical records management practices at BDH, to assess the existing infrastructure for managing patient records, and to identify the challenges affecting records management at the hospital. The study was prompted by the fact that, although BDH registers patients electronically through the Government of Tanzania Hospital Management Information System (GoTHOMIS), clinical information is still recorded in a separate paper file, and when such a file cannot be traced, a new one is often opened instead, so that a patient's earlier medical history is not always carried forward. A descriptive research type and a cross-sectional design were adopted, combining questionnaires and an interview. A sample of 25 respondents was drawn from a target population of 46 staff, comprising 8 doctors, 10 nurses, 3 ward clerks, 3 patient administration staff, and 1 Medical Records Officer, selected through probability and purposive sampling. All 25 questionnaires were returned, giving a 100 percent response rate. Findings showed that BDH operates a hybrid records system, with electronic registration through GoTHOMIS alongside manual paper files, coordinated mainly by the Medical Records Officer. A new file is opened whenever an old one cannot be traced, a practice reported by 72 percent of respondents, mainly resulting in loss of patient history, duplication of records, and delays in service. Although all respondents confirmed the availability of an Electronic Medical Records system, its use remains limited mainly to registration, while filing, storage, and retrieval are still done manually. The main challenges were limited use of the electronic system, poor filing and retrieval, and a shortage of trained records staff. The study concludes that records management at BDH is only partially effective in supporting service delivery, and recommends that hospital management expand electronic system use beyond registration, recruit and train additional records staff, and set clear procedures for tracing files before new ones are opened.

Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Peer review

Not peer-reviewed

Licence

All rights reserved