HOSPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION IN MALAYSIA

AN OVERVIEW OF HOSPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (HIS) IMPLEMENTATION IN MALAYSIA

Information system plays an important role in various sectors, including healthcare sector such as hospitals. Hence, the implementation of Hospital Information System (HIS) in Malaysian Public Hospitals is aimed to improve the quality of public healthcare services especially in terms of enhancing patients’ satisfactions and patient record management. However, not all public hospitals in Malaysia have embraced the use of the system. Thus, this paper discusses an overview of HIS implementation at Malaysian hospitals based on previous studies done in this area. Prior to the discussion, several components and types of HIS are explained in general. Furthermore, benefits on HIS implementation are also being described to emphasis the importance of HIS implementation in Malaysian Public Hospitals which is recognizing the reasons to implement the system in Malaysian Hospitals.

Information System (IS) refers to a computer system which is designed to manage all the hospital’s medical and administrative information in hospitals (Biomedical Informatics Ltd., 2006). Shasha and Vossen (2011) defines the IS as software and hardware systems that support data-intensive applications. It is also known as an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information and the main components of it is computer hardware and software, databases, telecommunications systems, human resources, and procedures(Brittanica, 2010).According to the past reviews in IS terms, the understanding of IS refers to a computer system which includes software, hardware and database to collect, store and display data and information in electronic format. It has various advantages to improve the filing system in an organisation, including the healthcare sector such as hospitals.According to Yamauchi(1994), IS may lower the health cost by coordinating services, reduce errors and speed of care, as well as increasing speed of care and accuracy to improve quality of care. Moreover, the IS enables the health sector, especially the hospitals in managing their tasks more systematically. Today, the IS is being used in allover Malaysia as part of the government’s initiative to upgrade the public hospitals in Malaysia. Hospital Information System (HIS) is defined as a system focusing on the integration of clinical application collectively with financial and administrative applications to enhance service efficiency (Hyung, 2004). Biomedical Informatics Ltd. (2006) reported that HIS consists of two or more of these components, such as Clinical Information System (CIS), Financial Information System (FIS), Laboratory Information System (LIS), Nursing Information Systems(NIS), Pharmacy Information System (PIS), Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) and Radiology Information System (RIS) as shown in Figure 1.

 

Figure 1: Components in Hospital Information System (HIS) (adapted by Biomedical Informatics Ltd., 2006)

These components of HIS are differentiated by their core functions, departments that used them and type of users. Thus, Table 1 examines the differences of those components by their departments and users. A Clinical Information System (CIS) is a computer-based system that is designed for collecting, storing, manipulating and making available clinical information important to the healthcare delivery process. Usually, it has been used in clinical department,especially by doctors and nurses. Moreover, a Financial Information Systems (FIS) is referred as computer systems that manages the business aspects of a hospital and used in financial department by accountants. Furthermore, a Laboratory Information System (LIS) is a computer information system that manages laboratory information for all the laboratory disciplines such as clinical chemistry, haematology and microbiology which are used in laboratory by laboratory officers. Besides that, Nursing Information Systems (NIS) is a computer system that manages clinical data from a variety of healthcare environments, and made available in a timely and orderly fashion to aid nurses in improving patient care which is used in wards by doctors and nurses. A Pharmacy Information System (PIS) is a complex computer system that has been designed to meet the needs of a pharmacy department which is used in pharmacy department by pharmacists. Otherwise, a Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) is a loose term to describe a set of systems that facilitate the archiving, processing and viewing of digital radiological images and their related information and used in x-ray and imaging department by Imaging Officers. Lastly, a radiology information system (RIS) is a computer system that assists radiology services in the storing, manipulation and retrieving of information. In addition, it is also used to manage and store radiology information also used in x-ray and imaging department by imaging officers.

However, not all of these components in HIS are the Information Systems used by hospitals. On the other hand,different hospitals might use different combinations of the components. For example in Malaysia, most public hospitals used the CIS. In Malaysia, the implementation of HIS is broadening in both of private and public hospitals.