Digital Transformation in the Syrian Healthcare Sector: A Proposed Model for the Unified Electronic Health Record (EHR)
摘要
The healthcare sector is undergoing rapid digitisation, with a health information system transforming the healthcare services delivery. This transition to paperless working practices promises to enhance patient outcomes. This chapter examines international experiences in implementing electronic health records (EHRs) and evaluates the specific case of Al-Mouwasat University Hospital in Syria. The aim is to inform a wider roll-out across Syrian higher education ministry hospitals. The study found that Al-Mouasat has implemented a variety of health information systems that have positively impacted both clinical and administrative operations. However, challenges such as insufficient funding for system development, maintenance, and staff training, as well as a shortage of technical personnel, have hindered the full realisation of benefits. To address these challenges, we propose a new, standardised EHR model for Syria’s healthcare sector. This model is designed to enable healthcare institutions to share patient information effortlessly, thereby speeding up the provision of high-quality care whilst reducing inefficiencies.