OPEMS: Health System Method for Collecting and Displaying Information for Obstetric Patients

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of the study was to develop and introduce an electronic data collection system for the monitoring and evaluation of obstetric patients. It was also to eliminate the use of too many different registers and solve the problems of omission and overcounting of data in our present data collection systems (medical records)


Materials and Methods: A pre-development survey of patients' information sources and records was undertaken in order to capture all the indicators of activities in the obstetric unit for the electronic worksheet. A total of 120 case-notes were evaluated for stationery content as to the types, availability and quantity, and 120 QCA with 120 obstetric data sheets for their completeness of extracted information. An adequacy score (AS) was developed to assess the case-notes.


Results: The unit case-note stationery were 71% ± 22.4% adequate for type, quantity and availability during the month of September and October 2001. However, only 22/120 (18.3%) of the case-notes had complete stationery items (AS: 100), 39/120 (32.5%) had 6 items (AS: 75), while 15/120 (12.6%) were less than 45% adequate (3 items or less). An illustration report generated with the obstetric patients' electronic monitoring system (OPEMS) from three tables and query in the database using the patients' hospital number as primary key is also presented.


Conclusion: The existing data collection systems using case-notes have poorly met our present day information need. Developing an electronic data collection system for monitoring patients in obstetric units is feasible in the developing world.





Key Words: Maternity Care Monitoring, Health Records, Stationery


[Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 2003, 20: 40-43]