Maternity ward goes digital for better patient care

A pilot project at the Maternity Ward of the Scarborough General Hospital (SGH) to have medical records digitalised for data analysis is now into full implementation with nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals having been trained on the new perinatal information system - SIP Plus – from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO).

Dr Victor Wheeler, acting Medical Chief of Staff at the hospital, said SIP Plus will allow for standarisation of the care of clients and reduce the amount of time that it takes for clients to obtain their medical records. “We will also be able to analyse the data instantly to identify, for example, trends in care, high-risk conditions or any issues affecting a segment of the population.

“Over the next few months the software will also be rolled out throughout the TRHA’s network of health centres. All of this is being done with the support of PAHO/WHO and we are very grateful to them,” said Wheeler.

Izola Garcia, Consultant for PAHO/WHO Trinidad & Tobago, said it was a hallmark moment to work with the Tobago Regional Health Authority.

“Tobago has already been part of a pilot with respect to capturing complete maternal and neonatal data across healthcare institutions and we are now expanding from the pilot to full implementation. The new system allows you to be able to produce data on mother and baby at the click of a button to be used for auditing, care and management of expectant mothers and their babies as well as for research, measuring improvements over time and policy and decision-making,” said Garcia.

Dr Jose Luis Diaz Rossello from the Centre for Perinatology and Women’s Reproductive Health (CLAP/WR), who conducted the training sessions, said that PAHO/WHO developed technology that brings the recording of medical data into the 21st century. He described the advancement as outstanding.

“This new system allows us to go to any antenatal clinic of a hospital and enter the data on a patient electronically in a format that is filed and can be retrieved at any time, at any level of care. Even a doctor in the street would be able, once authorised, to retrieve this information to assist a pregnant woman requiring care. We are witnessing great advancements here in Tobago with this system,” said Rossello.