Today, new technologies have become an information management strategy for every company and institution.
During the tenth annual Forum on Electronic Government and Digital Cities organized by Prince Consulting, governmental officials and technology suppliers shared their experiences and information about the digitalization of public administration.
With regard to e-Health, the event made it clear that the key issues for discussion with regard to medical care are: technological solutions, integration, information systems and electronic health records.
Security and access to information
In the field of hospital management, one of the biggest flaws is the majority of professionals’ and patients’ limited access to information. In this regard, the adoption of electronic health records has become one of the main focuses for development in the world of e-Health.
The 10th Forum on Electronic Government and Digital Cities featured the presence of Unitech, a company that supplies technological solutions. Currently it has been charged with meeting the objective of digitalizing health records in the Province of San Luis.
“The electronic health record is a patient-focused tool. We are setting up systems for the outpatients and surgical departments so that they will be prepared to implement the project in the province,” said Aníbal Carmona, the company president.
The government of San Luis wants every care center in the province to be able to put the medical history of each patient within reach. “Integration is part of the project, 22 health centers have joined and they all operate on a network. The interesting aspect is that each has their own hospital care administration system, but the protocols of the electronic health record offer more than what each can do,” he added.
Another of the companies that took part at the Digital Cities forum was Open Solutions. María de los Ángeles Vera, an account executive at the firm, said that they are interested in being able to work together with municipalities or provinces who wish to integrate the unification of the electronic health record.
On another point, the security of information was a major issue of debate. The Internet is still a vulnerable technology which is why some suppliers place an emphasis on ensuring a reliable service.
“We seek to ensure that patient information is covered by a layer of security to avoid outsiders being able to access it,” said Carlos Casco, Sales Manager at the Datco Group.
Towards better quality service
In addition to electronic health records, there are other projects that aim to improve patient care and reduce the annual budget for health centers. One of the most promising projects to address this issue is the Digital Signature.
The multinational Olivetti exhibited equipment at their stand that can be adapted to hospitals and clinics, which facilitates the digitalization of professionals’ signatures through software that ensures their legitimacy.
On the opportunity to reduce costs, a clear need in the area of Healthcare, the Sales Director of Olivetti, Álvaro Fernández Caballero, said: “The largest bank in Italy installed this system in 3 months and in 6 it had recouped its investment. The saving on paper made this an economic system.”
Meanwhile the secretary for the Agency of Innovation and Technology in Tigre, Lucas Lanza, announced the launch of the “Tigre Smartphone”. The objective of the project is to provide a complementary device that can help citizens to have rapid access and communications with the Center of Operations, where the logistics for healthcare emergencies and other areas are handled.
“Whenever a citizen is in an emergency they can communicate with the municipality’s Emergency Center. The information is then immediately directed to the dispatch system of the Operations Center and from there they can send the help requested instantaneously,” explained Lanza.
Email, smartphones, social networks, anti-panic buttons and a web portal are some of the ways in which Tigre residents can get in contact to request help from health and other services.
Towards an open, mobile government on the Internet
In 2014 there will be another opportunity for technology suppliers, officials and heads of Public and Government Administration throughout the country to share their experiences. The next edition of the Digital Cities Forum will be on the 16th of May, to be held once more at NH CITY in Buenos Aires.
