Francis Muma, BSc.N, MPH. Fellow, University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID). HIV Programme Management and Policy Track

Electronic Health Record(EHR) for Patient Follow-Up and Chronic Management of HIV: A Case for Starehe District, Nairobi. Project Title

Patient information Baseline survey undertaken Findings: Data capture in Comprehensive Care Centers manual. 335 ARV pts estimated to be lost to follow-up in 5 yrs (2 centers) though number thought to be more than this. No solid tracing mechanism for clients on ARVs in place. Multiple registration for ARVs clients rampant. Recommendation by District Health Management Team (DHMT) as a priority need. An urgent need to improve patient data quality and documentation system, hence conceptualization of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.

Project Goal (Long term change or impact) To demonstrate how an electronic medical database can be used in an antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme to maintain and improve data quality and reduce default rates and the loss of patients to follow- up in view to improving health outcomes in the scale- up of treatment for HIV.

Specific Objectives of the project Improve quality of patient information within the City Council’s health care facilities. Evaluate whether an e-health patient tracking system is safe, feasible and beneficial and not a waste of scant resources. Assess the potential impact of an e-health patient tracking strategy. Guide future implementation and evaluation of e- health tracking strategies.

Admin Clinical Pharmacy etc Monitored & coordinated pt care Lab The EHR Concept In every Clinician-Patient contact, Data is gathered Data to be entered Internet connection to central server

EXPECTED OUTCOMES A web-based electronic medical record (EMR) system to improve quality of patient data with following capabilities: i.The ability to track patient identities and detect duplicate records; ii.The ability to accurately track patient outcomes; iii.The enablement of more effective patient follow- up (by allowing health workers access to prior patient data);

iv. The ability to store and avail laboratory results; v. The provision of decision support to assist clinical staff in prescribing medications and administering patient care; vi. Improved drug supply management/accountability; and vii. The ability to generate reports for project management and funding agencies

Thank you!