Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: It is a well-known fact that humans are prone to making mistakes. In the medical field, patient specimen and laboratory testing identification errors have consistently stood out as the primary contributors to laboratory errors with approximately one in every 300 and the adverse events can be traced back to one out of every 18 specimens due to patient identification errors. The adoption of a specimen barcode tracking system emerges as a highly effective solution which offers numerous advantages, including improved access to universal healthcare services, increased effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare processes. The main objective of this study is to analyze and design the digital labelling feature integration as tool to mitigate HPV specimens mislabeling and patient identification errors.
Methods: This study was carried out using both quantitative and qualitative approach. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 110 health professionals on need of integration of digital labelling feature; In-depth interviews of 16 software engineers were purposively carried out for technical requirements elicitation. The tools for analysis included SPSS and Excel, and thematic analysis while the iterative model was used for prototype design for the integration of digital labelling feature with OpenMRS at Ruhengeri Referral Hospital.
Results: The study found that, with quantitative approach, manual labelling was 100%; 70% of healthcare professional are not comfortable with the existing system and the system is rated to be prone to errors at 94.5%. Health professionals needs the digital alternative at 83.4% however highlighted infrastructures, financial resources and unskilled workforce as key barriers at 36.4%, 21.5%, 21.5% respectively. Qualitatively, the main requirements identified by software engineers were the use of barcode, enhancing compatibility of devices and systems and user adoption.
Conclusion: The findings of this study shows that the system is exhaustive, inefficient, full of duplication of work, time consuming, and prone to errors. Also, the study investigated what it may take improve the current scenario and proposed a design. This may overcome the work overloadness of the clinicians and laboratory technicians through quick responses to the clients concerns, and consequently slowing down the burden of cervical cancer.
