Dong Nai province steps into era of electronic medical records hinh anh 1A patient gets treatment at the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital in Dong Nai Province.
(Photo: VNA)

Dong Nai (VNA) - The Department of Health of southern Dong Nai province has begun piloting the maintenance of electronic medical records at the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital.

The department plans to expand it to all health facilities in the province in the future following the trial. It said maintaining electronic medical records would help save time and cost for both medical authorities and patients.

Patients would not have to preserve and bring all their medical records when visiting health facilities, and even if they lose test results, they could be retrieved at any time.

Phan Van Huyen, Director of the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital, said the hospital had installed Hospital Information System, Laboratory Information System and Picture Archiving and Communication System software for the purpose.

Phan Huy Anh Vu, Director of the department, said the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital had been chosen for the pilot because it had good infrastructure.

After the trial period the department would assess the IT infrastructure at the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital to calculate the cost of introducing the new system at other health facilities, and then seek the approval of the province People’s Committee for expanding the system to other health facilities around the province.

The Ministry of Health has introduced the system in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Tinh, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, and Long An, where 90 percent of all health stations in communes, wards and towns now maintain electronic records.

It requires all health facilities ranked in the first category – the second highest of four behind ‘special’- to upgrade their IT infrastructure.

By 2028 health facilities throughout the country will go electronic.-VNA
VNA