16 companies bid to digitise MoH’s record system

The Health Ministry moves one step closer to revolutionising the sector into a digital one, as 16 companies have submitted bids for its highly-anticipated Electronic Health Record System.
On Friday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony told media operatives that evaluators are currently analysing the proposals to finalise one candidate.
He divulged, “We have gone out to tender to have a comprehensive Electronic Health Record System and we have had 16 companies that bid to provide a solution to us. We have evaluators going through these bids and hopefully, they will narrow it down so that we can have one company we’re working with.”
This system will pave the way for a seamless and centralised healthcare database, ensuring that every individual seeking medical treatment in the public sector will have their medical records securely stored in one place.
“The new electronic health record that we will do, any person that will come into the system, you will get a unique identifier. That number basically follows you through your entire life. Any hospital that you go to, once you present it, we will be able to pull out your records. It doesn’t matter if you were seen in Region One or Nine or wherever. Once you give them access, they will be able to pull up your record,” Dr Anthony explained.
The information available to the health worker will include the patient’s medical history, diagnostics, and medications prescribed among other critical information to allow greater efficiency in the system.
“The idea is that we want everyone to have an app on their phone so when you’re going to see the doctor, instead of going and waiting for a couple of hours, we want you to make the appointment and they give you a time. In a reasonable time, you’re able to see the doctor.”
Next year, the Ministry is aiming to set up a Digital Health Department.
In a significant move to safeguard patient data, a Data Protection Bill was presented in Parliament in July. The Bill aims to uphold the confidentiality of medical records generated through the Electronic Health Record System. Any unauthorised breach of patient information will be met with severe consequences, including financial penalties amounting to millions of dollars.
Further, in a bid to enhance accessibility and reduce waiting times, the Health Ministry plans to launch a mobile appointment system. Patients will be able to schedule appointments with doctors and healthcare facilities using their smartphones, eliminating the need for physical visits or long queues at hospitals.
The Minister had previously explained that the mobile appointment system would be a game-changer for healthcare in Guyana. He said it would empower citizens to take control of their health, enabling them to make appointments conveniently and efficiently.
As part of this digital healthcare transformation, each patient will receive a smart card. This smart card will serve as a secure access key, allowing healthcare professionals to retrieve the patient’s medical history effortlessly, resulting in more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans.
The initiative underscores the collective effort to improve the overall health and well-being of all Guyanese citizens.
It was reported that close to US$9 million is being invested to move this system forward, with a recent arrangement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) lending to the funding of the first phase of the project.