Automated Medical Record Tracking System for the Ridge Hospital, Ghana Part I: Systems Development and Design

The astronomical increase in patients\' attendance at health institutions has led to the creation of large volumes of records, thereby confronting medical records managers with the challenges of managing these records. The problem is compounded when patients\' medical records are maintained with manual records retrieval systems. At the Ridge Hospital, the manual medical records tracking system contributes immensely to the problem of missing patients' medical records and delays and long queues patients endure before receiving medical treatment. This paper employs the systems analysis and design approach (also known as systems development lifecycle) to design and develop an automated medical records tracking system. This proposed system is a case study at the Ridge Hospital, Ghana. The system is limited to the tracking and management of in patients\' records. Based on the adopted methodology, preliminary investigations and analysis of the manual system were conducted to determine the scope of the problem. Following systems analysis, the Microsoft Access database system was used to develop a logical design to automate the manual tracking system. The design was developed into an operational automated medical records tracking system using Microsoft Visual Basic 6 codes. The developed system does not only track records faster and more efficiently than the manual system but can also perform other records management functions such as the generation of reports on patients\' admissions and discharge. Afr. J. Lib. Arch. & Inf. Sc. Vol.15(1) 2005:1-1