Primary Health Care Information System for Community Health Centres

The Western Cape Provincial Department of Health has launched a Primary Health Care Information System at 13 Community Health Centres in the province. This system allocates each patient with a unique number, which can be used universally throughout health facilities.

"The patient information system infrastructure allows for operability in admissions discharge and transfers, appointment scheduling and maintaining of full patient records," said Pierre Uys, Minister for Health in the Western Cape.

The need for a single provincial database accessible by all patient-based systems prompted for a mandate to be issued for an investigation into a primary health care information system.

The implemented system would be managed in various stages. These stages include:

• The provision of network infrastructure and hardware to selected CHC's in the province.
• The implementation of the PHCIS at 13 CHC's.
• The development and implementation of the ART software at three pilot sites.
• The expansion of the ART software to provide functionality to record all chronic disease encounters as well as acute and preventive encounters.
• The rollout of the full PHCIS to all infrastructure-ready CHCs.

The benefits of implementing the PHCIS at nine 24-hour facilities and four eight-hour facilities include:

1. Coordinated and streamlined patient administration.
2. Minimal duplication of patient information.
3. Access to individual electronic patient records (EPR) via a unique patient number.
4. Provision of an automated and more reliable headcount statistics.
5. Improved service to patients.
6. Reduced waiting times and time for patient admission.
7. Improved communication between facilities.
8. Improve patient flow.
9. Easier locations of patient medical records regardless of where they were previously registered.

Sites and Dates of PHCIS rollout to CHC's

19th March - Mitchell's Plain and Gugulethu
26 March - Khayelitsha - Site B, Nolungile and Micheal Mapongwana
2nd April - Retreat and Hanover Park
9th April - Heideveld and Vanguard
23rd April - Macassar and Kraaifontein
30th April - Delft and Elsies CHC

Issued by:
The Directorate: Communications
Western Cape Department of Health
Contact: Mark v/d Heever
Tel: 021 483 3716