Development of A Hospital Information System to Improve Patient's Admission, Transfer and Discharge Activities Within the Ministry of Health in Bahrain

Abstract

ABSTRACT : This study aims to develop a prototype hospital information system to be used for patient's admission, transfer and discharge activities such as the management of patient, admission, transfer, discharge and outpatient encounters at the various hospitals of the Ministry of Health in the State of Bahrain. The purpose of the Information System is to substitute the presently implemented system which is mainly based on manual methods that require extensive paperwork and vast quantities of duplicated and redundant data. The operational Information System should deliver an improved patient service by, for example, reducing the amount of paperwork, reducing the interdepartmental communications time, etc. Salmaniya Medical Centre - the main hospital in Bahrain is taken as an example for the development of the System since all of the admission, transfer and discharge activities are performed in this hospital. The proposed system is to operate in this hospital as a basis towards future integration of the Patient Care System. Multiview ( a blended methodology drawing aspects from a number of methodologies) is used to develop the Information System. Multiview includes stages which relate to the human and social dimensions as well as the technical aspect. The techniques and tools provided within the framework of the methodology are selected and adjusted according to the problem situation.