‘How we bring UCH private suites to patients’ doorsteps’

A medical practitioner, Dr. Temitope Farombi has revealed how OHEALTH, through its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) has brought private suites to the doorsteps of patients in the University College Hospital (UCH).

Farombi, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Online Health Company (OHEALTH), said the organisation connects all the service points, using its software platform to bring UCH private suites to the community and patients’ doorsteps.

In a statement, Farombi noted that everyone with the organisation’s mobile or web app can make their booking without physically coming to UCH.
“Obtaining accurate medical records has been a daunting task in Nigeria. To alleviate the hassle of endless search for medical records of a patient, we launched a digital platform – Electronic Medical Record (EMR). EMR is software meant to digitalise the medical records of patients.

“Following its inauguration, the software has been deployed in providing solutions to many individuals, groups and organisations in terms of healthcare delivery, safekeeping of medical records, telemedicine and others.

UCH and OHEALTH in June 2024 signed a first-of-its-kind agreement on telemedicine. Under the agreement, OHEALTH would use its software platform to enhance service delivery at the private suites of the hospital.

“The scope of the partnership is to help the private suites with patients’ information management, virtual consultation, telemedicine and a payment collection system.

“With this partnership, OHEALTH is using its EMR for registration, consultation, billing, providing laboratory, as well as nursing services and in-house management of the facilities when patients are on admission.

She said: “In any human endeavour, record keeping is very pivotal as it would enable all stakeholders to have access to water-tight and accurate information on the subject and object under discussion and observation. As in other professions, record-keeping is essential in medical practice.

“Hence, healthcare professionals make use of medical records.”

Medical records contain information about any previous illnesses or treatments that patients have had, as well as their family’s medical history.

“The records are useful to both healthcare professionals and patients as they determine the patient’s general health and help arrive at a diagnosis. The records also help doctors recognise patterns and trends that can help them better assess a patient’s risk of developing certain chronic diseases.

Workers within the telemedicine ecosystem described EMR as a breakthrough, promising medical solution six months after its inauguration, stating that the software has been beneficial to the system and patients.

A medical record officer working at the private suites, Temilola Idowu-Faith, disclosed that the software has tremendous benefits in coding, hospital statistical analysis, and others.

Idowu-Faith said: ”The software has been helpful in real-time medical record-keeping, coding and indexing. It saves time and enhances hospital statistical analysis.”