According to an announcement
by the Ateneo de Manila University (ATENEO),
the Philippine Department of Health Region
VII is integrating the SHINE OS+ electronic medical record system of
Smart Communications and Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center (AJWCC) with
its existing reporting tool to enhance the region's health programs.
Integration of SHINE OS+ with its existing reporting
tool will help enhance the Department of Health Region VII’s health programs. Central
Visayas, or Region VII of the Philippines, is made up of four provinces, which
are Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor. Some
of the health programs that the Department of Health Regional Office VII is focusing
on include the control and elimination of human rabies and leprosy by 2020.
Launched in
2011, SHINE OS+ stands for Secured Health Information Network Exchange
open-source system. It allows health units to submit aggregated medical data
directly to the region’s Health Console in order to retrieve information on a
timely manner.
SHINE OS+
functions as an electronic medical record (EMR) platform leveraging on
open-sourced technologies, allowing other systems to enable data sharing or
data exchange for interoperability. It provides local government units as well
as other public and private health service providers, free access and use of
its SaaS (online version) and community edition (offline). For those in the
field, a mobile version was also created in order to address the issue of
mobility and convenience.
Depending on the
availability of data connection, the mobile app can synchronise its data on the
cloud or temporarily store data on the device until connection is made
available.
The problem of
manually sifting through records, which is both taxing and time-consuming,
being experienced by rural hospitals in the region, can now be solved. Without
it, patients have to wait until their records are retrieved before a doctor can
see them. Damage caused by disasters and calamities also poses a threat to
paper documents. Not to mention, indecipherable handwriting that may lead to
misdiagnosis.
A simple click
of SHINE OS+ also allows for patients to be referred to health facilities that
are more equipped to handle their case. The hospitals can now receive an advance
notice that a patient referred to them is on the way. Through an SMS sent to
them, the patients will be reminded of their medication and appointments.
Several doctors from different parts of the country can retrieve information on
a patient with a push of a button.
The digitisation
of health records will allow policy makers develop more appropriate health
programs. It would aid them in creating health programs on a per region basis
since they will be able to pinpoint the cases and diseases that are most common
in a specific area.
SHINE OS+ has
garnered awards locally and internationally. The Public
Relations Society of the Philippines recognised it with a Silver Anvil at
the Anvil Awards. It received a Merit Award from the International
Association of Business Communication-Philippines during the Philippine
Quill Awards. It also won in the healthcare category of the Golden World Awards
by the International Public Relations
Association.
The signing of the memorandum of agreement
between SHINE OS+ and the Department of Health Regional Office VII was attended
by Regional Health Director Dr Jaime Bernadas and the representatives of the
developers of the aforementioned application.