Regional Hospital Staff Acquire Healthcare Automation Skills

Staff at regional hospitals are being trained on how to use the automative integrated Health Monitoring System (iHMIS), which has so far been deployed in 10 regional referral hospitals across Uganda.

According to Dr. Silver Kiyimba, the principal investigator at Integrated Intelligent Computer System (IICS) Technologies, the Ugandan-grown company that developed the iHMIS, they are now training staff at Itojo, Bwera and Iganga general hospitals.

The government’s target is to automate 66 hospitals by the end of this financial year. System training for adoption and usage started today.

According to Dr. Kiyimba, when fully installed, the IT-based system will monitor drug usage, attendance of medical staff, manage medical and patient records through elimination of exercise books as well as monitoring drug stockouts like expiries or shortages.

“Eventually, this will improve overall health care service delivery where the system is deployed,” he said.

“So far, in the 10 hospitals, billions of funds have been saved through early detection of drug expiries, limitation of absenteeism for health workers, monitoring of drug stocks, elimination of exercise books-for patient management among others.”

The iHMIS was sanctioned by President Yoweri Museveni and is being implemented through supervision from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and Ministry of Health, and, collaboration with NITA-U, and National Medical Stores (NMS).

“As more hospitals get access to the e-health automation programs, we would like to make an earnest appeal to the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) to take a keen interest in the implementation of iHMIS because this tool eases monitoring,” Dr. Kiyimba said. “The iHMIS will save government funds through complete automation of hospital services.”