Medical record keeping systems in Malawi. Is there a case for hybrid systems and intermediate technologies?
| Published date | 19 November 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-02-2018-0004 |
| Pages | 265-277 |
| Date | 19 November 2018 |
| Author | Alistair George Tough,Paul Lihoma |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
Medical record keeping systems
in Malawi
Is there a case for hybrid systems
and intermediate technologies?
Alistair George Tough
Department of Information Studies, University of Glasgow, Glasgow,
Scotland, UK, and
Paul Lihoma
National Archives of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this research is to identify ways in whichmedical record keeping systems and
health informationsystems might be integrated effectively and sustainably.The aims include minimising the
workloadof busy frontline health professionals and radicallyimproving data quality.
Design/methodology/approach –This is a qualitative research project, grounded in the theoretical
stance that informationsystems are sociotechnical systems. The primary focusof this research is on real-life
custom and practice.The study population consisted of participants in informationsystems. As is common in
qualitativeresearch, sampling was purposive rather than statisticallyrepresentative.
Findings –This research suggests one unconventionalconclusion. New approaches that use intermediate
and hybrid technologies may have a better prospect of delivering satisfactory, realistic and affordable
medium- to long-term solutions than strategies predicated on the assumption that only systems that are
wholly electronicare worth considering.
Originality/value –This research is original in the sense that it investigated records rather than
information technology systems.The findings are likely to be of applicability in other developing countries,
especiallythose that share legacy systems with Malawi,such as Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia andZimbabwe.
Keywords Africa, Ethics, Management effectiveness, Voluntary organizations, Systems design,
Health authorities
Paper type Research paper
We should like to give thanks to a large number of people working in hospitals and other health
facilities in Malawi who were invariably cooperative, unfailingly courteous and generous with their
time. The restrictions imposed by ethical research provision prevent us from naming them
individually but we acknowledge a deep debt of gratitude to them.
At the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust clinical research centre we would like to give particular
thanks to: the Director, Prof Stephen Gordon, for having agreed to host this research; to Prof Melita
Gordon for hospitably receiving us into the Salmonella and Enteric Disease Research Group; and to a
host of colleagues for their support both logistical and intellectual. Amongst these Evelyn Kossam
deserves special mention. In the University of Glasgow we would like to pay tribute to Prof John
Briggs whose leadership by example has been an inspiration. The support of Prof Lorna Hughes,
Christelle Le Riguer, Prof Iain McInnes, Claire Munro, Dr Stefan Seibert and Elaine Wilson has been a
great encouragement also. Last but not least, we should like to thank the editor and two anonymous
referees whose comments have served to strengthen this article.
Medical record
keeping
systems
265
Received2 February 2018
Revised25 May 2018
12July 2018
Accepted13 July 2018
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.28 No. 3, 2018
pp. 265-277
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-02-2018-0004
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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