Records Management in the South African Public Health Sector: Practices, Challenges, Developments and Needs

Sound records management is a centre of business success. Proper records conservation ensures proper business accountability, planning, decision making, problem solving, authentic information access, monitoring and evaluation of the business processes and services. Records are used as an evidence of the work already done and decision already taken. This book is therefore discussing records management practices, challenges and needs/opportunities. One chapter is specifically focused on the research methodology used in the social scientific study. Effective records management usually result from strong top management support with enough budgets, effective training, and other fundamental resources. In the public health sector, poor records management negatively affect timely, effective and efficient healthcare services. Organisational failure to meet records management needs/requirements usually results in long patient waiting times and patients being treated without their medical history. The introduction of an ERM system that is capable of capturing and providing access to a full patient record and tracking paper records movement may result in a sound records management.