As of March 27, about 310 health facilities in Ghana have been integrated into the Ghana Health Information Management System, enabling real-time data to support health planning and policy decisions.
The system is improving patient processing and medical record management, though challenges remain.
3news visited the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to assess its performance.
At the outpatient department of Greater Accra Regional Hospital popularly known as Ridge Hospital the usual morning rush is underway.
But at 9 a.m., something is different. The long queues that once defined the registration area are gone.
Patients now move steadily through the system, their records retrieved with just a few clicks.
This transformation is driven by the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), a digital platform introduced by the Ministry of Health Ghana to modernize patient data management.
GHIMS replaces the now-defunct Lightwave Health Information Management System, which had been widely criticized for inefficiencies, frequent downtime, and data reliability concerns.
For patients like Evans Nanenu, visiting the OPD for the first time, the experience is smooth.
“This is my first time here, and I didn’t have to wait for hours like I expected. They just took my details, and everything came up quickly on the system. It has really made things easier for us as patients.”
Others, like Mustapha Alhassan say while the system is not perfect, the improvement is evident.
“Before, you could spend almost the whole day just waiting to open a folder. Now it’s faster, although sometimes the system delays a bit. But overall, it’s much better than what we used to experience.’’
At the records unit, staff are attending to patients faster, with reduced paperwork and fewer delays.
And the authorities look forward to better service delivery. Behind the scenes, health information officers say the transition came with challenges system glitches that are gradually improving.
Isaac Atsyor, the Head of IT at the hospital said, “In the early stages, we experienced network issues and occasional downtime, which affected service delivery. But with continuous upgrades and training, the system is becoming more stable and efficient.”
“GHIMS has reduced the manual workload significantly. We can retrieve patient records instantly, and that helps us serve more people within a shorter time. It’s a big step forward for the hospital. The only challenge is when the NHIS system is down.” He said.
Ghana Health Information Management System, GHIMS integrates patient history, laboratory results, and prescriptions into one platform, helping reduce duplication, minimize errors, and improve continuity of care across facilities within the Ghana Health Service network.
Health officials say the goal is a more responsive, data-driven healthcare system for all Ghanaians.
Tony Goodman, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said, “The rollout of GHIMS is part of our broader strategy to digitize healthcare delivery in Ghana. It allows us to track patient data in real time, improve decision-making and ultimately provide better and more efficient care for citizens. The issue is now with the NHIS and it’s being worked on. For now, there is an NHIA personnel on standby to check the code for the clients when the system goes down from their end.”
Hospital administrators also report gains in data security, reporting accuracy and overall operations.
By Sarah Apenkroh
