Challenges in Implementing a Portable Patient Identification System for Ubiquitous Healthcare in Developing Countries

摘要

Patient identification in healthcare information systems (HIS) is often claimed to have been solved by globally accepted information representation standards. This paper illustrates that unfortunately the patient identification problem is not entirely solvable by standards and ubiquitous computing, especially in developing countries. The issue is investigated in the significant context of infectious and drug-resistant diseases within a healthcare facility located in a developing country. The paper investigates and systematises the patient identification issues found, followed by identifying the likely root causes and challenges. This is followed by the definition of a high-level list of the most relevant HIS requirements that could assist in addressing the non-trivial patient identification conundrum, thus clearing the way towards the design and implementation of the next generation pervasive healthcare-enabling HIS.