Healthcare moving ahead

(ZIZ News) — The healthcare infrastructure at the Joseph N. France General Hospital is taking a significant step forward with launch of Phase Two of the Information Systems Upgrade.

The Upgrade is part of an overall project to digitize the hospital’s records and put in place new measures such as a patient ID card.

During the launch ceremony, the Hospital’s Health Information Systems Administrator, Gail Cranston said the Upgrade will reduce the possibility of errors.

“In today’s world, it’s easy for us to make mistakes and in health we cannot afford to make any mistakes. With this technology we intend to reduce a lot of mistakes that could be made including medication errors,” she said.

Minister of Health the Hon. Marcella Liburd, said her ministry has always supported the move to modernize the hospital’s system as part of the advancement of the national health agenda.

“The Ministry of Health has understood that modern technology is critical to advancing the health agenda in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. This is why we’ve fully supported all efforts by the technical staff at our institutions to provide our institutions with state-of-the-art life-saving equipment,” she said.

Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas said technology is a tool that the government is committed to using thereby improving levels of service for the people.

“The introduction of services and systems that lead to a reduction of stress. It is the making of changes that permits the more constructive use of our people’s time and energy and I’m proud to say that the information system that has been introduced here. At the Hospital we will meet all of these specific objectives,” he said.

Phase One of the digitization process covered assessment, billing and registration.

Officials told ZIZ News the Hospital Information System is complex so a complete upgrade will take at least another year.