The world`s largest hospital, the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, has moved from a completely manual system to computerisation in one single leap.
It has installed a fully switched network supplied from 3Com SA.
"The hospital, which until recently relied totally on paper-based, manually intensive systems to run all aspects of its medical and administrative functions, has now been automated and brought in line with the IT capabilities of the rest of the world," says Elaine Cox, account manager for 3Com SA.
The computerisation of Barangwanath is part of the first phase of a five-year contract which 3Com has been awarded by the Gauteng Provincial Government`s Department of Health. The value of this first installation is said to be in the region of R6-7-million.
In terms of the contract 3Com SA will supply LAN infrastructure equipment at the Province`s 28 hospitals and more than 300 clinics. This major, multi-million rand project will ultimately network the entire Province`s hospitals and clinics together.
"The objective of choosing Baragwanath was to select the largest and most difficult site as a test bed for future implementations. The whole project will ultimately provide a sophisticated communications infrastructure throughout the entire Province," says Cox.
Baragwanath which cares for more than 1.5 million outpatients each year, has 2,500 beds and a campus that covers 35 square kilometres, specialises in maternity and general medical services.
"In South Africa it is only the academic hospitals that have traditionally had the resources to install computer systems. At Baragwanath, the hospital`s only nod towards computerisation were two small systems which were frequently knocked out of action by lightning, a notorious phenomenon on the hospital`s campus," Cox relates.
Dr. Antonio Fernandez, Acting Director of Health IS for the Gauteng Provincial Government, and who is responsible for delivering IT at a provincial level, says: "The decision to computerise was taken about three years ago, but because of human and financial resources, the process took a long time.
"We started from scratch with the need to find a supplier for the hardware, the software and all the infrastructure. We needed an infrastructure that could deliver all the clinical and hospital applications, as well as administrative and financial systems, together with Internet and email facilities.
"This would provide us with much needed internal communications as well as the ability to communicate with the outside world in a faster and more economic manner. I was pleased with the decision to give the contract to 3Com and its partners. Their solution was technically superior, whilst also being competitively priced."
"A key requirement for Baragwanath Hospital was a robust, cost effective solution. Allied to this was our need for a supplier that could provide all aspects of the system including the products, the cabling and training.
"It was also vital that any network could be managed from a single, centralised point. We have limited technical resources in this area of South Africa, and need to be able to make the most of those that we do have.
"We knew that computerisation would deliver a range of benefits. From a financial viewpoint it would enable us to determine how much it costs to treat every patient, providing us with the ability to control, monitor and manage our limited budget in a more effective manner. We were also optimistic that it would play a major role in helping us to reduce outpatient-waiting time.
"We had already trialed a very small computer system in the hospital. This had paid for itself in just three months, which boded extremely well for a fully-fledged network."
Cox reveals that 3Com`s solution is based on the company`s enterprise and edge switching products, designed to deliver a fast, robust, scaleable networking infrastructure. "Within Baragwanath itself, there are three separate but interlinked networks. The first of these, based in the hospital`s busy maternity department which delivers between 40 to 60 babies each day, is up and running.
"Initial applications running across the network are varied, the key ones being Medicom (an Oracle-based database), finance and billing systems and all patient records."
Dr Mark Allen, Deputy Director of Health IS for the Gauteng Provincial Government, relates all the benefits: "Tracking patient histories is now at the touch of a button, rather than relying on the time-consuming and unreliable business of paper-based files.
"This enables the hospital to provide improved care, without wasting time going over details of previous visits or treatments. Consequently the typical waiting time of five hours in the outpatient department has been reduced to just two.
"Cost savings are impressive. Because of the improved efficiency of the administrative systems, including easy access to patient records, the doctors are required to work fewer hours, saving the hospital considerable amounts in overtime payments.
"A slightly unexpected by-product of the new network is that ready access to accurate patient records means that valuable research data is automatically being collected. The numbers visiting the hospital are so large that from an epidemiological point of view, the resultant data will be able to provide statistically significant information for research purposes."
Dr Allen also says staff have seized upon the new computer system with enthusiasm, and many have rapidly become computer literate. He regards this improvement in the skill level of the staff as important.
"3Com has far more than a `product shifting mentality`. They have been keen to help us with training and staff development, plus assisting with the transfer of skills to our own staff. Bearing in mind our own limited resources, this will prove a major factor in the on-going success of our networking strategy.
"Everyone now has access to information systems and email. It has made a dramatic difference. It is fast, we can communicate with people immediately, and by using voice over the data network, we are making considerable cost savings."
Cox adds that 3Com`s other partners in the provincial contract include Rihanyo, suppliers of the software platform and Ariel Support Services, a local company specialising in systems integration and networks.
Share