ISLAMABAD: While private hospitals used to have ‘one patient one ID’, for the first time in the history of Pakistan patients in Islamabad will get their exclusive ID which will enable doctors in all public sector hospitals to look at their medical history.

The ID will remain same in the five hospitals - Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Polyclinic, Federal General Hospital, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) and TB Hospital.

Doctors in one hospital will be able to examine recommendations and test reports of other hospitals and departments of the same hospital which will reduce the duplication of tests and expenses.

Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad said the project was a joint venture of the health ministry and National Information Technology Board (NITB) and will be rolled out in all the primary and secondary level hospitals.

PM’s aide says project as joint venture of health ministry NITB will be rolled out in all primary and secondary level hospitals

“All history of patients will be digitally maintained including test and medicine records. The project is in installation phase at Pims initially, and 80pc completed. Infrastructure and hardware are also in process of upgrading in all the hospitals to benefit patients,” he said.

“Each patient will have a single, unique ID that integrates their entire medical history across hospitals and clinics, ensuring that all healthcare providers have access to complete and accurate information. Since all test results and diagnostics are linked to a single ID, patients won’t need to undergo repetitive tests or procedures when visiting different facilities. Doctors will be able to access a patient’s past medical records instantly, allowing for quicker and more precise diagnosis, treatments and researches. Patients will also be able to track their treatment, prescriptions, laboratory, radiology tests and medical visits through digital platforms connected to their unique ID,” he said.

Dr Malik said the system will minimise manual form-filling, reducing administrative burden and simplifying check-ins. Patients can easily review their medical data, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement in their healthcare decisions.

“In emergency cases, healthcare providers can quickly access patient records, providing timely and appropriate care without waiting for information from patients or their families. By reducing unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures, patients will also save on out-of-pocket expenses. Faster access to healthcare data leads to timely treatment, reducing long-term healthcare costs by preventing complications. With real-time data from hospitals and clinics, the ministry will be able to track disease trends, outbreaks, and patient loads, enabling more efficient allocation of resources like vaccines, medicines and medical personnel,” he said.

Health Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah said the system will promote transparency and reduce fraud as it will enable the ministry to track funds and resources more accurately, minimising wastage and corruption.

“The ministry will be able to quickly track and respond to public health crises like epidemics by analysing trends in patient data and health records. With accurate data on health conditions, the ministry will run more efficient and successful vaccination, awareness and screening campaigns. Hospitals will manage patient data centrally, will improve admission, discharge, and treatment workflows. Administrative burden will be reduced, allowing staff to focus more on patient care,” he said.

Mr Shah said hospital departments such as emergency, outpatient, pharmacy, and radiology will be able to access unified patient data, ensuring better coordination between services and faster care delivery.

“With comprehensive access to patient histories, healthcare providers will reduce prescription errors, avoid adverse drug interactions, and make more informed decisions.”

He said hospitals will also avoid duplication of tests, procedures and consultations, saving both time and resources. Quicker access to patient records means reduced waiting times, improving patient satisfaction and overall trust in the healthcare system. With complete patient data, doctors will deliver more personalised care, tailored to each patient’s unique history, leading to better health outcomes and patient loyalty,” he said. He said hospitals will be able to automate billing processes based on patient data, ensuring accurate and timely payments from insurance providers and government reimbursement schemes.

“The hospital management will also use patient data for performance evaluations, quality improvement and operational audits,” Mr Shah said.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024