Design And Implementation Of Computerized Hospital Space Management Information System

INTRODUCTION
The diverse sectors of the economy are fast growing for which the medical and health care professions are no exceptions. Being that these professions are in the increase day-by-day and they are lots of jobs done just to improve the services rendered to patients that visits the hospital, the need for the application of computers in this particular profession should not be overemphasized.
In fact, apart from food and national defiance, we spend more money on medical and health-care services than on any other single services since “Health is wealth” and we as patients expects the very best from our Doctors. All these expectations have been in place ever before but are more realistic today. Perhaps, the most significant factor effecting this shift lies in the eventual development of computers.
Computerization is the use of computers and computerized devices factories, offices and other working places to perform automatically tasks previously done by human beings. This computer – based system is of great importance to the growth and survival of the various sectors of the government especially in Hospital where lives are saved.
It is therefore, the aim of this project work to introduce. The computer-based information system in Hospital administration and record system. The principal reason for the introduction of computer in this project id to improved patient case through patient medical records keeping and this is achieved through computerization. ESUT TEACHING HOSPITAL ENUGU as the case study of this project work. The project will examine and investigate the already existing method of manual processing of medical records in this Hospital. The projects work will also suggest the most modern method of records system for the overall administration of the Hospital.

1.1 HOSPITAL BACKGROUND OF THE CASE STUDY
Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUT TEACHING HOSPITAL ENUGU) ESUT Teaching Hospital Enugu which the case study of this project came into existence on the 25 day of August 2004, through the effort of Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, who established. The hospital provide qualitative Health care services but maintains that they do not just heal mere physical illness which attacks the human body, but a much deeper and holistic healing of the entire human person. Therefore ESUT Teaching Hospital is not just and “Ordinary” Hospital where patients come to receive medical treatment to heal their ailing body only.
The diverse nature of the cases treated by the hospital, coupled with the fact that they consistent effort they make to develop their service areas and acceptable standard. These service areas include all the wards (medical and surgical for male and female, pediatrics, chest unit and the maternity section as a whole. Other departments are out patient department (OPD), laboratory department, pharmacy department, central sterding and supply department (C.S.S.D) X-RAY department community medicine and the mobile clinic, theatre department. The roles of these departments are complementary and depict what they call team-work in patient management, the patient always beings at the center.
The Hospital since its establishment has demonstrated a very keen interest in the staff recruitment and development of highly skilled and very dependable medical and paramedical personnel. Presently, their work force stands at 460.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Many problems are encountered with the manual method of handling files. It is quite unfortunate that ESUT Teaching Hospital. In spite of her large medical service and recognition still keep her records manually.
The problems associated with this manual system include time wastage, ineffective use of statistical Data, Duplication of efforts in records keeping. Delay in decision making, it requires a lot of clerical efforts inability to cope up with daily work load. Slow in responding the queries / enquires, Rodents records. A lot of human mistakes, lack of confidentiality of files and high cost of stationary.
In the light of the above problems, this project is aimed at devising a system that will eradicate these problems and improve medical services to the citizens. This computerization process is believed to be capable of not only solving these problems but many more to be encountered.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this project is to investigate and design a computer based medical services, capable of eradicating the above mentioned problems to be speeding up the processing, storing and retrieval of information which greatly assist medical personnel in the performance of their duties. Again, it will provide a means to ease medical laboratory statistics and improve decision making by reducing processing time, as well as reducing the communication gap between the Doctors and other staff still involved in the patient medical care. It will also reduce human errors to the barest minimum and improve confidentiality of files. In summary, the objective is to set an efficient medical database for the advancement of the medical research and analysis.

1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATION
This project work covers only the use of computer base systems in the administration of hospitals, Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUT TEACHING HOSPITAL) to be precise.
Lack of time, finance, relevant, text-books on Journals were the major constraints in the course of this project work. Inability of the staff of the Hospital to supply to the author enough information and their refusal to release some of their documents also formed the major limitations.

1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS
MEDICAL RECORDS: It is the records that spells out the patients illness and treatment during a particular period and out patients and inpatients.
OUT PATIENTS: Any person who goes to receive treatment in the Hospital but does not stay overnight.
WARD: A section in the hospital where inpatient stays and receive treatment on regular bases.
INPATIENTS: A patient staying and receiving treatment in the hospital.