Doctors’ reluctance hurting digital transformation

The reluctance of some medical professionals to embrace the digitisation of patients’ health records and other applications in medicine could undermine the government’s ongoing efforts to bring Jamaica in line with international standards, according to Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton.

Tufton used the November 15 opening ceremony of the 14th annual three-day National Health Research Conference at the AC Hotel by Marriott in St Andrew to share his apprehension about the acceptance and take-up of digitisation.

“We are spending nearly US$15 million on digitising health records where, come next month, December, we will go live from May Pen Hospital, which will be the first hospital outside of the University Hospital that will go fully digital,” the minister said. .

“The digitisation process will fail if people decide not to use it. That has been one of the challenges at the University Hospital of the West Indies, because we put in this very advanced system and the doctors decide that they prefer to put their X-ray film against the light to look at whether there is an injury or not. Rather than use their phones, which can move the thing from their bedroom to the operating theatre, to the doctor for a second opinion, and transaction time and cost are reduced – that’s what it’s all about.”

Tufton went on to explain that some 100 health centres and hospitals are in the process of being digitised, with the government investing in communications networks, tablets and the requisite central data storage capacity. However, this must be accompanied by the necessary mindset adjustment to fully utilise the technology for the benefit of patients, medical professionals and administrators.

“It requires a kind of mindset adjustment (and) nothing is wrong with having concerns and hedging and managing those concerns, but we can’t be, ‘No, it can’t happen because it never used to happen’,” he insisted.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com