The Tribune

Earyel Bowleg

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE NATIONAL Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is going paperless as the agency launched its Electronic Health Record (EHR) system for primary healthcare providers yesterday.

The EHR system eliminates the need for paper patient health records and acts as a single, central record of a patient’s health information, NHIA officials said. Using the EHR, NHI Bahamas providers will be able provide superior care and improve patient safety, a press release noted.

Other benefits of the new system include reduced medical errors and improved access to information for both the provider and beneficiary, the press release noted.

When the EHR is fully implemented by the end of 2020, NHIA expects over 250,000 Bahamians to benefit from the record system.

NHIA Chairman Dr Robin Roberts called the move a “bold and ambitious programme,” that will help ensure NHI physician’s care and monitor diseases.

“We can actually at any point in time be able to determine the extent of the health of the population, we can look at the present diseases; how commonly they are occurring; what is their prevalence within the community and that allows to shape programmes in order to better the health of community.

“We can hold the physicians accountable for the care that they deliver, so at any point we can look and see what services are being rendered, whether they’re being done on a timely basis, whether we’re getting the outcomes we want in our patients.”

Graham Whitmarsh, NHIA’s managing director and CEO, repeatedly stressed that users’ health information is closely protected and that only healthcare providers and staff involved in a patient’s care will access the electronic health record.

“I know the biggest thing on everybody’s mind is about privacy and security and I want to assure everybody that this adheres to the highest standards. The information itself is kept on encrypted server. Access to that information is controlled by the physicians and patient - no one gets to see it without the patient’s permission,” he explained.

The new system has several benefits including allowing for booking appointments; access to a Personal Health Portal for patients to learn more about their conditions and educational materials to better manage their health; and improved patient experience with healthcare providers.

To date, 74,507 Bahamians are enrolled in NHI.