Implementing Health Mgt. Implementing Health Mgt. Information Systems in Information Systems in LesothoLesotho

Background on PIH Background on PIH LesothoLesothoPartners in Health – Boston-based

NGO working on public health in seven countries

Founded in Haiti in 1987Started work in Lesotho 2006Works with the MOH to provide

access to HIV, TB treatment and primary care

PIH-Lesotho Goals for a PIH-Lesotho Goals for a HMISHMISMonitor cohorts of patients for

trends and analysisTrack progress of individual

patientsAutomated reportingProcurement

Challenges to Challenges to ImplementationImplementationNo/limited power at sitesCommunications difficultTransportation to sites is difficultPatient files must remain onsite

Initial SolutionsInitial SolutionsDevelop a long-term solution to

power and Internet while simultaneously collecting patient data in the short term

Take digital photos of patient data for data entry in Maseru

Long term solutionsLong term solutionsSolar/generator power

for clinicsVSAT for Internet

connectivityClinic based data entry Web-based Medical

Records System

OpenMRS Medical Records OpenMRS Medical Records SystemSystem

•Free open source medical records system •Developed by Regenstrief Institute and Harvard Medical School through Partners in Health•Goal is to create a customizable medical records systems platform•Free to download•Compatible with Linux for a completely free software model•Data is encrypted and secure

More info at www.openmrs.org

Key outcomes of Key outcomes of implementing OpenMRS in implementing OpenMRS in LesothoLesothoOver 5,600 patients monitored in

the EMRAbility to quickly identify cohorts

for follow-up by community health workers

Aggregate program-wide reportingDrug ordering

What does it cost?What does it cost?Biggest outlays are for power and

InternetFor an offline clinic with power,

initial costs are very low ($600 for a low-power desktop computer)

For multiple sites with synchronized data, Internet connection is necessary