Challenges in implementing the Health Patient Registration System in KwaZulu-Natal

Budget shortfall and internet connectivity are some of the challenges hampering progress in the Health Patient Registration System (HPRS) in KwaZulu-Natal. 

With KZN having deep rural areas, the issue of connectivity to health services was making it difficult to implement the HPRS, said KZN Department of Health (DoH) MEC Nomagagu Simelane when she addressed the Select Committee on Social Services at the National Council of Provinces on Wednesday.

The committee received briefings from Health departments in KZN, Mpumalanga, and the Northern Cape on the readiness to implement the HPRS. 

Simelane said some clinics in rural areas were not able to implement the HRPS because they could not connect to the internet, adding that there was a strategy to deal with it.

The HPRS is an initiative to improve healthcare and data management as one of the National Health Insurance (NHI) imperatives.

The HPRS will enable better patient tracking and contributes to reduced waiting times at the registration desk 

At present, the system lacks interoperability with existing systems in the DoH, said the Acting Head of Department (HOD) in KZN, Penny Msimango.

Thus far, 15 million patients have been registered, with 3.7 million of them at 74 health facilities in the eThekwini district. In KZN, the number of facilities with functional HPRS is 488 and non-functional 119 with challenges being faced at 116 clinics. 

Msimango said that 42 hospitals have started implementing the eHealth system to digitise medical records across the province to replace outdated paper-based record keeping with a digital platform.

Interestingly, none of the KZN hospitals have implemented the HPRS, but the DoH has identified 10 hospitals to pilot it.

These hospitals are part of the 42 hospitals using the eHealth system, which Msimango hopes will achieve interoperability between eHealth and HPRS. 

“Although the system offers significant benefits, its functionality is currently limited to patient registration and there are persistent issues with unreliable or slow internet connectivity. Some facilities do not have functional computers and scanners but procurement is being undertaken in phases, and subject to the availability of the budget,” she said.

Dr Imran Keeka, MPL and Democratic Alliance KZN spokesperson on Health, said the bigger issue is where patient records need to be fully electronic and KZN is far from that.

“The reality is that within the current purse, this is not possible and will unfortunately drag on. I have repeatedly suggested that soliciting donor funding will resolve the matter just as the Western Cape Department of Health did.

“The other issue is one of connectivity to the internet, especially in rural areas and communities. It is hoped that Minister Solly Malatsi’s efforts to open the market in this area will yield results that will eventually and positively impact our healthcare services in this regard,” Keeka said. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za