Perspectives of computer technologies implementation in pilot regions

A. Kovalenko

Meeting the goals of the EU "Health Financing and Management Project" is possible only by implementing new information and communication technologies (ICT) in Ukraine. Extensive use of ICT contributes first, the efficiency of financing and insurance process and second, efficient provision of health services.

Therefore, the project decided to implement a medical information system for the pilot regions.

The pilot ITC system is based on the following principles:

• information is stored only once and then used for several purposes;
• tight information security which prevents a non-authorized access to health-related data;
• user-friendly interface using a window interface;
• ICT network , which enables quick access to databases and data transmission within the system;
• hierarchical system, which enables accumulation of personified information and its application at various levels of the healthcare system;
• possibility to develop and adapt the system further .

Based on the objectives of the pilot project the ITC system support following functions:

• medical register of the rayon's population;
• maintenance of basic electronic medical documents from which patient's movements during the treatment process can be traced;
• health service cost calculation based on the service groups and their tariffs/prices;
• financial accounting of a healthcare facility;
• statistics on morbidities of population and provision and costs of health services.
• electronic transferring of statistical information to the general database and to appropriate administrative bodies.

The information system will create a "corporate network" based on Internet technology and modern telecommunication technologies. All information will be stored on the regional level on places where actual medical services are carried out and statistical data is the transferred to the oblast level and then to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The primary statistical data will be stored both at the rayon level and at the level of the oblast healthcare administration. Financial and accounting information is grated at the rayon level, consolidated in oblast administration and then send to the appropriate national bodies.

Special attention will be paid to the development and implementation of new electronic medical documentation. At present the basic manual registration forms are the Outpatient Card and the Inpatient Card. They contains information about the patient's treatment process. All this information can be divided by several blocks: identification data, data on the patient's examination, diagnosis, and data on medical actions. Thus, the electronic document will also be realized according to this pattern. Together with current state medical accounting forms, reporting system will be created to better reflect the activities of medical services providers under new economic conditions.

Implementation of the pilot ICT systems will be carried out in several steps according to the work schedule. However, computer and network equipment will be installed at first. The extensive training module is included to use the computers and ITC applications installed. The main modules are the patient administration and financial management.

According to the experts use of new ICT will provide an opportunity to optimize working processes and documents circulation hence reducing the time of the medical personnel's working with storing and processing medical and accounting information.

Information and software provision will be developed according to international standards, including the standard Health Level 7 (HL7). It will make it possible to unify and standardize electronic medical documentation. Thus, implementation of new ICT in the pilot regions is supposed to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the pilot institutions.