In 2009, Jordan released their initiative to computerize the public health care sector, by launching (Hakeem) program which developed on one of open source solutions by Electronic Health Solutions (EHS), which is nonprofit company.
The program aims to facilitate efficient, high-quality health care in Jordan through nationwide implementation of an electronic health record solution. Physicians, pharmacists, medical technologists, and other clinicians will be able to electronically access medical records of patients within participating health facilities in Jordan simply by entering the patient’s national ID number.
EHS has adopted VistA system in its strategy to implement Hakeem program in computerizing the public health care sector in Jordan, VistA is an enterprise-wide information system used throughout the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical system.
The company also trained the end users of hospitals and clinics implementing Hakeem program on how to use the system, and it launched a local community awareness campaigns to help create awareness and educate the community about the program benefits.
Also, Sites implementing Hakeem program will be provided with various medical and laboratory devices that are linked with Hakeem program systems –e.g., barcode equipment and unit dose machines for hospital inpatient medication dispensing.
Technology
Implementing the VistA system applications included Patient Information Management System, Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), Laboratory, Radiology, VistA Imaging, Pharmacy package and Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), Surgery package, Emergency Department Information System (EDIS), and other specialized systems such as Blood Bank and Nutrition and Food Service (N&FS). Also, VistA Imaging system implemented, which enables health care providers to view high-quality X-rays and scanned documents and images that are linked to the CPRS.
The company say it used the Vista system after conducted several quality tests which ascertained the efficiency of the open-source system in managing the drug and health information, the ability to localize and develop it, and the scalability.
It also said that over 60% of doctors that trained in US, used Vista system before in the Veterans hospitals, which make it the most implemented medical system in USA.
The Results
The Vista system which used in Hakeem program helped in spreading the implementation of program wide in Jordan. In 2015, there is 12 public hospital used the program, beside King Hussein Cancer Center, 13 comprehensive clinics, and 24 primary clinics.
EHS assured that the program succeeded in reducing operating costs of health care facilities and enhancing the level of provided health services by Controlling medication dispensing and inventory management, Reducing costs incurred by unnecessary repetition of lab tests and other diagnostic procedures and Reduce significant cost resulting from decreasing inpatient admissions and increasing outpatient visits through better managed care.
Ramy Frag, EHS’s CEO, also said that the program created hundreds of job opportunities nationwide for qualified Jordanians with expertise in the fields of medicine and information technology. Finally, the program, in the beginning of 2015, stored in its database over than 700 thousand medical file for Jordanian patients, and the number may increase by increasing the number of medical institutions that implemented the program.