AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Accurate record-keeping is fundamental to any human endeavor, and in healthcare, it plays a critical role in ensuring efficient service delivery but in Nigeria, accessing accurate medical records has long been a challenge.
In a bid to tackle the issue, Online Health Company (OHEALTH) launched its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform last year, aimed at digitizing patient records and simplifying healthcare delivery.
Since its launch, the EMR has been widely adopted by individuals, groups, and organizations, streamlining healthcare services, safeguarding patient data, and promoting telemedicine. One notable beneficiary of this innovation is the prestigious University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan.
In June 2024, UCH and OHEALTH signed a groundbreaking telemedicine agreement, enabling OHEALTH to integrate its EMR platform into the hospital’s Private Suites. This partnership has since transformed healthcare delivery at the facility, offering services such as patient information management, virtual consultations, telemedicine, and an efficient payment system.
Through OHEALTH’s EMR platform, patients can now handle registrations, consultations, billing, laboratory requests, nursing services, and even in-house management during hospital admissions—all without stepping foot in the hospital.
“OHEALTH connects all service points through our integrated software,” said Dr. Temitope Farombi, CEO of OHEALTH. “We are essentially bringing the UCH Private Suites to the community and right to the patients’ doorsteps. With our mobile and web apps, patients can conveniently book appointments without visiting the hospital.”
Six months into the partnership, healthcare professionals at UCH Private Suites have hailed the EMR system as a game-changer.
Temilola Idowu-Faith, a medical records officer, emphasized the software’s impact on hospital operations. “The EMR has been invaluable in real-time record-keeping, coding, and indexing. It saves time and significantly improves hospital statistical analysis,” she said.
Nurse Mobolanle Oluyinka also praised the platform, noting its efficiency. “It’s faster, more reliable, and a promising tool for medical data analysis,” she remarked.
Similarly, Dr. Feyisola Adewunmi expressed optimism about the technology’s potential. “We welcome this innovation. It’s useful, efficient, and we’re hopeful about its positive impact on healthcare delivery,” she stated.
As OHEALTH continues to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers, the EMR system is proving to be a transformative force in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, bringing premium medical services directly to patients’ homes.
