Empowering primary healthcare through digitalization
HAEFA has successfully developed NIROG Plus, an updated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system aimed at enhancing primary patient care across all eight Upazilas (sub-districts) of Cox's Bazar. The HIPAA-compliant software records encrypted patient data providing doctors with a modern resource ensuring accurate diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. The updated version features a streamlined interface with improved order entry systems, real-time data tracking, and encoded analysis capabilities which will improve the quality and efficiency of patient care.
Project Description
The project launched in May 2023 with the primary goal of establishing accessible and routine Non-communicable disease (NCD) screening. To date, a total of 66 EMR systems have been established (four at main health centers and 62 at community clinics in the Ukhiya and Moheshkhali Upazilas). Furthermore, HAEFA has provided all equipment needed for NCD screening, including digital blood pressure monitors, glucose meters, height and weight measuring apparatuses, etc.
Mr. Mahfuzar Rahman registers a patient in NIROG Plus
Emphasizing preventative care and increasing access
With this expansion in modern recording technology, HAEFA ensures NCD screening at every level. The Community Healthcare Providers (CHCP) stationed at community clinics can now use NIROG Plus to assess patients’ hypertension and diabetes status, as well as cardiovascular risk.
If the patient is flagged by the system, they are referred to the Upazila Health Complex for diagnosis and treatment. This removes the need for physicians on-site and reduces the overall healthcare system burden by prioritizing continuous and local care. Dr. Asif Mazumder, EMR supervisor explains, “Early identification and intervention are now possible by data analysis, which is the cornerstone of preventive healthcare.”
Dr. Shajjad Hossain, Medical Officer at HAEFA’s 1W Health Post further elaborates on the project’s importance. “NCD Screening allows healthcare providers to identify individuals who are at a higher risk of developing NCDs and provide them with guidance on lifestyle modifications and preventive measures. Moreover, healthcare providers can allocate resources efficiently, ensuring that those with the highest risk receive timely appropriate care and management. This will also help in reducing healthcare costs in the long run by preventing complications that would require expensive treatments.” - Dr. Shajjad Hossain
Dr. Shajjad Hossain (left) Dr. Asif Mazumder (right)
Furthermore, NIROG Plus lowers barriers to access. “This makes it easy for individuals with limited time and resources to access quality health support. They can just go to the community clinic instead of traveling far to the Upaliza’s Health Complex.” says Saim Khan, Chief Coordinator, HAEFA Cox's Bazar.
Taking blood pressure to screen for hypertension
Screening blood glucose can help identify patients with metabolic diseases like diabetes
Committed to constant improvement
While NIROG Plus is a major advancement in HAEFA’s EMR technology, there is still room for improvement. Currently, data from 66 community clinics is synced every day, creating speed and bandwidth constraints. Therefore, the HAEFA IT team is working hard to improve syncing capabilities to ensure stable and rapid data recording.
Every patient is assigned a unique ID number
Height and weight is recorded to calculate BMI and assess cardiovascular risk
Influencing national health infrastucture
The potential for this technology is immense. The Bangladesh healthcare system is still in its infancy and lags behind many other countries. A comprehensive and translatable medical record system is not well established and is almost non-existent in rural and isolated communities. By securely storing information, NIROG Plus removes the burden of manually tracking patient data and allows physicians to consult records and trends to better inform treatment decisions. Furthermore, the records can be utilized across various healthcare levels ensuring continuity of care and longitudinal management.
Dr. Mazumder states, “My strong belief is that NIROG Plus will be the stepping stone of the much-needed digital data management system that should have been established long before within Bangladesh’s healthcare system.”
To read more about NIROG, click here.