Digitalization allows paying more attention to patient and provide high-quality medical care — a pediatrician

The Head of State at the congress of Nur Otan Party set specific objectives for the development of the social sphere and improving the quality of life of Kazakhstanis. Particular attention was paid to the quality of medical services. Deputy Chief Physician Dinat Kozhekenov told in an exclusive interview about the measures being taken to develop infrastructure, improve human resources, increase incomes of medical staff drawing on the example of the children's hospital No. 1 in Astana.

According to Kozhekenov, from Jan. 1, 2019, within the framework of the Paperless Hospital project, the City Children's Hospital No. 1 has already switched to the electronic medical record. The paper medical records have been partially cancelled. The medical record is fully electronic. The Integrated Medical Information System is used.

“From the moment the patient comes to the hospital, all documents and examinations are filled in electronically. After a patient is admitted to our hospital, any counselor can fill out this medical record electronically. The results of tests and studies are also stored in the electronic medical record. All city polyclinics have access to this system. This means that after the formation of the electronic medical history, it will be available to the district doctor from the clinic, to which the patient belongs. If a patient has lost or forgotten an extract, they can be found in any medical institution using the system,” explained Kozhekenov.

Before launching the electronic medical record management system, both the doctors and the nurses of the institution received the necessary training.

Also, the pediatrician notes that with the introduction of the system, the burden on the doctor was much reduced.

“A health worker does not have to go with papers to the laboratory, X-ray room, etc. The results of the tests, X-rays are viewed in the medical information system, which allows more attention to be paid to the patient and provide high-quality medical care,” said Kozhekenov.

In addition, digitalization allowed doctors not to write medical history, appointments, diary entries, which also simplifies their work.

According to Kozhekenov, the digitalization of health care has greatly improved the quality of services provided, has increased their transparency and, most importantly, reduced the time for providing medical services.

In the institution, as in the whole republic, there is a need for pediatricians, narrow child specialists. In order to reduce the shortage of doctors, young specialists are given every kind of support in the form of consultations, salary increases, etc. In the first children's hospital programs are also being implemented to support medical professionals and young professionals. According to Kozhekenov, the Akimat will allocate 1 million tenge to medical workers for the purchase of housing in 2019. The main condition is that they should not have their own housing.

During the interview, the deputy head physician of the first children's hospital talked about how to detect measles at an early stage and where to go. According to him, the main protection against measles is vaccination.

“There is a schedule, according to which children need to be vaccinated. The main clinical symptom is an increase in body temperature, catarrhal phenomena, conjunctivitis, swelling of the eyes, and a rash on the body. If parents see in their children a complex of these phenomena, it is necessary to call an ambulance and a local pediatrician. After the arrival of the ambulance, the doctors will assess the patient’s condition and, depending on the clinic and diagnosis, they deliver the patient to a specific institution,” Kozhekenov explained.

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