Digital cure for healthcare inefficiency

If anyone in Bangladesh is to consult a doctor they need to carry with them previous medical records - prescriptions, diagnostic test reports, etc -- even if they visit the same doctor they consulted before.  Why? Because healthcare is not automated yet here.  Medical records are not maintained digitally and on online platforms, accessible from anywhere anytime. They are kept in physical files, where prescriptions are written on paper, and information is spread in different places. If a file gets lost, someone could lose his/her whole medical history too.

The dependence on paper-based record keeping is not merely inconvenient; it poses a serious challenge to the quality, efficiency and safety of healthcare services.

Patients with diabetes, heart disease, kidney issues or cancer usually get treated by several doctors and hospitals over the years. Without a central digital record system, each doctor typically sees just bits of the patient's history. Crucial information like past diagnoses and medications, and surgeries might be missing during decision making.

Manual record increases the chances of medical errors, advice for repetitive tests, and delays in treatment. As it is hard to locate and find old reports, patients often need to undergo the same tests again, wasting both time and money.

In emergencies, things get even more critical. Sometimes, injured or critically ill patients arrive at the hospital alone, with no one who knows their medical background. This makes quick decision-making tough for doctors. But digital medical records bring about a big change here through which doctors can have instant access to essential information, like blood group and medications.

Bangladesh has made a significant progress in digitalisation in several fields. People can now use mobile finance and handle many government affairs online. But when it comes to healthcare, we are lagging far behind many countries, even our peers.

Though a few private hospitals and diagnostic centers embarked on digital record keeping, online booking and e-prescriptions, these efforts are not connected. If anyone has his/her records at one hospital, another cannot see them. This means digital benefits do not spread throughout the whole health system -- just within those places that offer it.

Several reasons are responsible for the slow progress in automation in healthcare. First, there is no national plan for electronic health records. Because of this, healthcare providers use various software that cannot communicate with each other.

Costs are a big barrier here. Building digital systems requires investment on hardware, software, security and staff training. Data security and privacy is a big issue in the process. Medical information is super sensitive and requires strong safeguards. While introducing healthcare automation, mechanism must be there to protect patient confidentiality and stop unauthorized access.

Despite these challenges, healthcare automation offers more benefits than costs. We need a complete electronic medical record system for medical professionals to facilitate availability of patient info. This would stop unnecessary tests, improve diagnosis accuracy and support evidence-based decisions. Besides, digital records help public health planning. Policymakers can analyse data and track outbreaks, making resource management way better. In crises, having that info is really valuable.

Healthcare automation can make admin tasks much more efficient. Appointments management, bill preparation, insurance processing, and prescription writing could all get faster and more transparent.

Bangladesh aims to save the billions spent yearly on overseas medical trips. Improving confidence in local healthcare is key in this regards. Modernising with a digital setup would really help build that much-needed confidence.

To make healthcare digital, the government, healthcare providers, tech firms, and pro groups need to team up and create a nationwide plan. They could start by scaling pilot projects from big public hospitals out to the whole country. Connecting these efforts with the national ID system can boost efficiency, while still protecting people's privacy.

Bangladesh cannot keep storing medical records on paper forever. The country has already shown what it can do with digital makeovers in other areas. Now it is time to show the same drive in healthcare too.

rahmansrdk@gmail.com