Urgent Improvements Needed for Costa Rica's Health Information System as System Failures Persist
Medical professionals and patients voice concerns over the performance and reliability of the EDUS system following repeated outages.
The Electronic Digital Health Record (EDUS) system in Costa Rica, aimed at improving healthcare services, is facing significant criticisms from healthcare professionals and patients due to persistent operational failures.
On Thursday, General Practitioner César Piedra López, practicing in Pérez Zeledón, reported delays in his consultations attributed to the system's slow performance, which hindered his ability to access patient information in a timely manner.
Other health workers echoed similar frustrations, highlighting repeated failures that have affected their ability to deliver quality care.
The EDUS system, mandated by legislation published in 2013, was intended to be fully operational by 2018. The system does allow healthcare providers to access patients' insurance information from various locations, extending its reach beyond public hospitals to include institutions such as the National Institute of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the National Council for People with Disabilities.
It has also been utilized for data-driven projects, including diabetes predictive models.
Despite these advancements, many healthcare workers consider the system inadequate, stating that its performance often falls short of expectations.
Randall Cabrera Garita, a pulmonologist at Max Peralta Hospital, expressed frustration over technical issues, noting that print functions are often disjointed from the digital records, which complicates the administration of patient care.
Janice Sandí Morales, president of the National Medical Union, emphasized that the protocol requires numerous data entries during patient consultations, significantly reducing the time doctors have to interact with patients.
She highlighted that the reliance on digital records is forcing medical professionals to become focused on data entry rather than patient care.
Marcela Campos Vargas, president of the patient advocacy group Fundamuro, pointed out that patients also encounter significant challenges due to the system's shortcomings, particularly regarding access to their medical data.
She warned that without urgent improvements, the EDUS risks becoming an ineffective repository for data that fails to inform healthcare decisions.
Reports of system outages are a major concern; medical professionals note that when EDUS becomes unavailable, they are left without access to critical patient information.
Sandí reported a recent national outage lasting nearly two hours, which hindered physicians' ability to treat patients due to a lack of access to essential data.
Cabrera highlighted the risks associated with these outages, stating that without EDUS, patient care is jeopardized.
The implications are particularly dire in emergency situations, where access to a patient’s medical history and current medications can be life-saving.
The inability to produce prescriptions during system failures creates further complications for ongoing patient care.
Quesada further elaborated on the difficulties faced when system outages occur, emphasizing the stress placed on healthcare providers and the potential gaps in medication management for patients with chronic conditions.
In addition to systemic operational issues, patients have raised concerns regarding the accessibility and usability of the EDUS application, particularly for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
Advocacy groups have suggested educational initiatives to assist patients in navigating the system effectively.
At present, responses from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) regarding the crises affecting EDUS are pending.
Meanwhile, Manuel Rodríguez Arce, director of EDUS, noted plans for future enhancements, with projects slated for 2025 and 2026 aimed at strengthening the electronic prescription system and management processes, although concerns regarding current service reliability remain prevalent among users.
On Thursday, General Practitioner César Piedra López, practicing in Pérez Zeledón, reported delays in his consultations attributed to the system's slow performance, which hindered his ability to access patient information in a timely manner.
Other health workers echoed similar frustrations, highlighting repeated failures that have affected their ability to deliver quality care.
The EDUS system, mandated by legislation published in 2013, was intended to be fully operational by 2018. The system does allow healthcare providers to access patients' insurance information from various locations, extending its reach beyond public hospitals to include institutions such as the National Institute of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the National Council for People with Disabilities.
It has also been utilized for data-driven projects, including diabetes predictive models.
Despite these advancements, many healthcare workers consider the system inadequate, stating that its performance often falls short of expectations.
Randall Cabrera Garita, a pulmonologist at Max Peralta Hospital, expressed frustration over technical issues, noting that print functions are often disjointed from the digital records, which complicates the administration of patient care.
Janice Sandí Morales, president of the National Medical Union, emphasized that the protocol requires numerous data entries during patient consultations, significantly reducing the time doctors have to interact with patients.
She highlighted that the reliance on digital records is forcing medical professionals to become focused on data entry rather than patient care.
Marcela Campos Vargas, president of the patient advocacy group Fundamuro, pointed out that patients also encounter significant challenges due to the system's shortcomings, particularly regarding access to their medical data.
She warned that without urgent improvements, the EDUS risks becoming an ineffective repository for data that fails to inform healthcare decisions.
Reports of system outages are a major concern; medical professionals note that when EDUS becomes unavailable, they are left without access to critical patient information.
Sandí reported a recent national outage lasting nearly two hours, which hindered physicians' ability to treat patients due to a lack of access to essential data.
Cabrera highlighted the risks associated with these outages, stating that without EDUS, patient care is jeopardized.
The implications are particularly dire in emergency situations, where access to a patient’s medical history and current medications can be life-saving.
The inability to produce prescriptions during system failures creates further complications for ongoing patient care.
Quesada further elaborated on the difficulties faced when system outages occur, emphasizing the stress placed on healthcare providers and the potential gaps in medication management for patients with chronic conditions.
In addition to systemic operational issues, patients have raised concerns regarding the accessibility and usability of the EDUS application, particularly for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
Advocacy groups have suggested educational initiatives to assist patients in navigating the system effectively.
At present, responses from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) regarding the crises affecting EDUS are pending.
Meanwhile, Manuel Rodríguez Arce, director of EDUS, noted plans for future enhancements, with projects slated for 2025 and 2026 aimed at strengthening the electronic prescription system and management processes, although concerns regarding current service reliability remain prevalent among users.