A CONCEPTUAL DATA MODEL FOR A PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PATIENT-CENTRIC ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM

摘要

The development and use of national guidelines for the exchange of patient-centric healthcare data from electronic medical record systems are essential for the consistent and efficient use and analysis of those data. These guidelines must be based on a core national data model. This paper proposes a basic conceptual data model for primary healthcare patient-centric electronic medical record systems, derived for the South African district health system context, which would provide a suitable set of information to ensure continuity and longitudinality of patient-centric healthcare information. The data model was compiled based on the characteristics of the district -based primary healthcare model, data collected from best practices internationally regarding continuity of care, typical healthcare protocols, a study of public healthcare district hospital information systems and both public and private primary healthcare information systems.