Medical records management framework to support public healthcare services in Limpopo province of South Africa

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a framework for the management of medical records in support of health-care service delivery in the hospitals in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was predominantly quantitative and has used the questionnaires, system analysis, document analysis and observation to collect data in 40 hospitals of Limpopo province. The sample of 49 per cent (306) records management officials were drawn out of 622 (100 per cent) total population. The response rate was 71 per cent (217) out of the entire sample.

Findings

The study discovered that a framework for management of medical records in the public hospitals is not in place because of several reasons and further demonstrates that public health-care institutions need an integrative framework for the proper management of medical records of all forms and in all media.

Originality/value

The study develops and suggests a framework to embed medical records management into the health-care service delivery workflow for effective records management and ease of access. It is hoped that such a framework will help hospitals in South Africa and elsewhere to improve their medical records management to support health-care service provision.

Citation

Marutha, N.S. and Ngoepe, M. (2018), "Medical records management framework to support public healthcare services in Limpopo province of South Africa", Records Management Journal, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 187-203. https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-10-2017-0030