Rajeev Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCI) has embarked on a novel information technology project for integrated patient care and services delivery. The cancer major has slated an investment of Rs 9 crore over the next five years to replace the paper-oriented business processes.
The Kerala-based cancer care and research institute entered into a collaboration with the eGestalt Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore for the paperless administrative initiative. The project which was under development for a year has now been deployed in the out-patient and in the process of being implemented in the in-patient and other departments from March 2010. The benefits so far accrued out of the paper less project are significant in terms of saving time and increasing efficiency, according to the hospital.
Cancer has prolonged treatment cycles which is multi- disciplinary in nature. On an average, 30,000 patients are treated annually at our hospital. Therefore, the application software is built on a new framework to help incorporate and disseminate the processes across clinicians and paramedical staff to ensure all hospital management activities are less paper intensive, more efficient to provide the economies-of-scale in patient care, Sundareshan, CFO, Rajeev Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre told Pharmabiz.
The data that is available in paper form and not easily amenable for research. “Our requirement was to achieve effective patient care and aid research in cancer treatment. The objective is to be a paperless medical centre in six months,” he added.
Going by the rising incidence of the dreaded disease, there was a need to enhance the delivery cycles at the hospital and improve the productivity levels at every stage in patient care. This is where RGCI called for tenders to seek the expertise. A detailed technical evaluation resulted in opting for eGestalt Technologies as the technology partner.
The project, Transformation of Service Effectiveness and Delivery (TRANSCEND) developed by eGestalt helped to convert the data into electronic form across multiple disciplines to obtain a 360 degree view of patient care. These covered IT implementation vendors like OHUM- a Clinical Information System, Srishti- a non Clinical Information Systems Vendor, FujiFilm – PACS, Sharath Hangal, Principal Consultant, eGestalt Technologies Pvt. Ltd
From a patient perspective, the paperless initiative increases faster access to doctors and the treatment modalities. For the medical team including nurses and para medical staff there is easy availability of data and a comprehensive view of the case. The bar code medial administration ensures error free medication is possible, said Sekar R, principal consultant eGestalt Technologies.