HHIMS play pivotal role in fulfilling ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ aims: Minister Siyambalapitya

Software like the HHIMS, (Hospital Health Information Management System) can significantly improve service delivery to the citizen; they are pivotal in achieving the goals of the Mahinda Chintana ‘Vision for the Future’ according to Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

He made this statement at a ceremony held at the Karavanella Base Hospital in Kegalle recently at which HHIMS was formally presented to him.

Minister Siyambalapitiya also stated that one of the core aims of the Government’s said policy statement is to make people’s lives comfortable through the use of ICT.

“Thanks to this new software, the fruition of a joint effort by the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Health Ministry, patient care will receive a shot in the arm. This will do away with the need for patients to register themselves on each and every visit to the hospital. Moreover the software will enable the hospital to preserve and retrieve medical records adding relief to both patient and doctor. Software like this contribute much towards making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia by 2016, the challenge placed before us by the President,” the Minister Siyambalapitiya said.

Expressing views in this regard ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura said that the software – HHIMS – was a great step forward in taking the benefits of ICT to the people. The ICTA CEO further said that this software was recognised a Winner at the National Best Content award e-Swabhimani Awards, being a product developed and deployed locally. He said this types of initiative would contribute towards making Sri Lanka the knowledge hub of the region.

Participating in the occasion ICTA Re-engineering Government Programme Director, Wasantha Deshapriya explained the progress of the development of the software. The software – HHIMS – was produced by the Regional Health Services Director, Kegalle District and ICTA. It has been tested in five hospitals in the Kegalle District for over six months – Karavanella, Mawanella, Undegoda, Kitulgala and Deriyanagala and now it is ready to be installed in other Government hospitals island-wide.

The software allows doctors and nurses to maintain the patient medical record electronically. When the patients return for treatment, their medical record is easily accessible. For the first time in Sri Lanka, doctors in Government hospitals can view the patient’s medical record – visits, drugs prescribed, any allergies noted etc – on a computer screen. The patient merely has a number – the hospital dispensary and the laboratory identify the patient from this registration number and will dispense medication and carry out tests as per the doctor’s ‘prescription’ which is documented on the electronic patient record and available to them on their computer screens.

This user-friendly software (HHIMS), enables accurate diagnosis and will lend itself to a paper less hospital. It also facilitates the production of many routine but essential hospital reports thus saving time and much paperwork. A positive indirect effect of the system is that the medical staff has more time to attend to their patients, Deshapriya said.

hhims is available as a free and open source software. More information on the software could be found by visiting the web-site www.hhims.org.