Electronic medical record system ‘a game changer’ for hospital

The power of digital technology to improve health and care for patients is being felt at Netcare Sunward Park Hospital following the implementation of CareOn.

This is a pioneering electronic medical record system implemented at Netcare facilities.

“Very few hospitals in the world have the capability for specialists and healthcare teams to view patients’ clinical information, test results and vital observations remotely in real-time. Netcare is the first private healthcare provider in South Africa to have invested in developing a state-of-the-art electronic medical record system,” said Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare’s hospital division.

Netcare is partnering with international leaders in technology Apple, Deutsche Telekom (Clinical Solutions), Merative™ Micromedex® (previously IBM Watson Health Micromedex) and Philips Capsule Technologies, among other organisations, on the CareOn system.

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Gregory Mokgoatlheng, general manager of Netcare Sunward Park Hospital, said the staff and most of the independent healthcare practitioners practising at the hospital have received training.

“All documentation and management of patient records are done electronically, including ordering tests and receiving results from pathology laboratories, radiology and the blood bank, with information feeding directly into the mobile platform. In addition, the hospital now has digital integration of medical equipment and devices in ICUs and theatres.

“Already, CareOn has become a game changer in our hospital, automatically recording patients’ clinically relevant data on their unique electronic medical record.

“Through the secure platform, the treating specialists, nurses and other healthcare practitioners involved in a patient’s care can access and check each of their patient’s current condition, as well as medical notes and additional context on a mobile device at any time and from any location,” Mokgoatlheng said.

Having access to the most comprehensive and up-to-date information at their fingertips has the benefit of clinical decision-making in real time. This technology also makes it easier than ever for practitioners to collaborate, enabling multidisciplinary teams to work together with access to the relevant patient information. Up-to-date, accurate information enables more personalised and efficient treatment, informed by treatment protocols, to achieve the best possible outcome for each patient.

“A key operational advantage of the new digital system is that doctors and nurses are no longer having to capture the information manually on a patient’s file. They now can focus on the clinical and nursing aspects and on enhancing the personalised care provided to each patient,” Du Plessis said.

“CareOn is in use at 26 Netcare hospitals, and by April 2024, we anticipate that all Netcare’s acute care hospitals will have implemented CareOn.”

The CareOn electronic medical record system further contributes to patient safety through a fully integrated pharmacy module, a first of its kind in South Africa. This builds on the pioneering e-scripting process implemented by Netcare and ratified by the South African Pharmacy Council in 2020.

“Our staff are excited to be a part of this revolutionary new advancement in healthcare and the promise this project holds for optimising health outcomes for each person in our care.

“This is the future of healthcare, harnessing the latest advances in digital technology to enable the availability of quality data at all times and using it to improve and save lives.

“Netcare Sunward Park Hospital are grateful and excited to be a part of it,” Mokgoatlheng concluded.

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