Health information systems: developing solutions to support patients’ mobility

Abstract

The spread and movements of individuals and groups, particularly the old, poor, and nomadic people necessitates mobility of service for healthcare purposes. Also, in Namibia, health records are not centralized, which makes it difficult or impossible to access patients’ medical records from any location of the country. This influences healthcare service delivery, which have impact on patients’ health conditions as well as the socioeconomic activities of the country. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a framework, which could be used to guide mobility of service, to improve healthcare in Namibia. The interpretivist approach was employed. Qualitative data were gathered from primary healthcare service providers, by using the semi-structured interview technique. Actor network theory was used as lens to guide the data analysis. From the analysis, the research suggests that six factors are of critical influence to mobility of service in improving healthcare in the community of Namibia. The factors are ICT artefacts; categorization of patients; response time; an understanding of the actors; actors’ participatory to service delivery; and actors’ alliance. Based on the findings, a framework was developed, which can be used to guide mobility of service in the provision of healthcare at a micro level. Based on the framework, three models were developed, purposely to aid the improvement of healthcare through mobility of services at a more macro level, towards economic growth. This study is intended to benefit academics, health practitioners particularly in developing countries, and patients in rural areas.