THE UST Health Service has implemented a computerization program to make it easier to update and retrieve medical records.
The project, powered by Santo Tomas e-Service Providers (Steps), will cover medical records of students, faculty, support staff, and dependents.
“The computerization program aims to have a more efficient medical recording system which will contribute to a better health care delivery system for the members of the Thomasian community,” said Dr. Maria Salve Olalia, director of the Health Service.
Olalia said data would be recorded following the “SOAP” format: subjective or what the patient feels, objective or doctor’s findings, assessment or diagnosis, and plan or treatment.
Physical examination records, meanwhile, will include data such as temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, past illnesses, allergies, habits (like smoking, alcohol intake, and drugs), hospitalizations, surgeries, gynecological data (for females), immunizations, physical examination findings, and x-ray results.
Olalia said dental and laboratory records, which are “complex data,” will not be included in the computerization program. “The Health Service will observe the highest degree of confidentiality,” she said.
With the computerization, a student only needs to encode his student number and password in the kiosk at the ground floor of the Health Service building then fill out information his or her medical history.
Next, he or she will proceed to the treatment room where a nurse will encode vital signs and other necessary information. The patient may then proceed to the doctor-on-duty who will encode information on medical findings and treatment needed.
“Throughout the process, the patient will no longer hold a paper where pieces of medical information are written,” said Arvin Jose, a programmer of the computerized recording system. Rommel Marvin C. Rio
