[file photo]

ASPEN Medical is preparing to roll out a fully integrated electronic medical record system within the next 24 to 27 months.

It promises to transform patient care across the Western Division.

The upgraded system will consolidate surgical and obstetric modules, link laboratory and radiology services, and centralize all patient information on one platform.

Currently, staff must navigate separate systems, slowing processes and complicating care delivery.

ASPEN General Manager Dr Rigamoto Taito outlined the ambitious plan during the Fiji Medical Association Conference.

She said the EMR would enhance efficiency, improve clinical oversight, and support better decision-making for staff at both Lautoka and Ba hospitals.

Health Care Fiji, a public-private partnership between the Fiji National Provident Fund (holding 80% of shares) and Australia’s Aspen Medical (20%), took over the management of Lutoka and Ba hospitals in 2022.

The initiative aims to deliver healthcare services that meet international standards, aligned with Fiji’s broader push for Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.

“So the operational focus is again really emphasizing patient safety and the quality of care and this is really exciting. You know I’ve worked in the health care for many years and you know we strive to do this but there are many constraints and I think what’s experienced elsewhere particularly what experience in CWM we experienced that before but with this project we’re able to help us really pursue this you know to make it a reality for our for our people.”

Since the takeover, according to Dr Taito, significant strides have been made in patient safety, quality of care and workforce development.

Staff at both hospitals now report incidents more consistently, creating a culture of transparency and non-punitive learning.

Bar Hospital, in particular has improved reporting rates, exceeding Lutoka in some areas, signaling progress in building a robust safety culture.

The hospitals have also prioritized workforce training, ensuring mandatory programs like basic life support are completed by all employees, from cleaners to consultants.

Investment in nursing education, both locally and internationally has been a key focus, alongside postgraduate training supported by local universities.

Operational improvements extend to patient care metrics, with hand hygiene compliance rising across clinical and non-clinical staff.

Average lengths of stay have been optimized, with the hospitals benchmarking against leading standards, including insights shared from CWM Hospital.

Specialized services such as cardiothoracic surgery, chronic dialysis, laparoscopic procedures, and radiotherapy are being developed in partnership with the government and private partners.

The addition of a cardiac lab this year complements outsourced cardiothoracic services and aims to expand interventional cardiology capacity locally.

Dr Taito emphasized that international accreditation, technology integration and workforce safety are key to sustaining quality care.

Patient empowerment, has also become part of the safety strategy, with patients encouraged to engage actively in infection control, such as reminding healthcare workers to practice hand hygiene, a key requirement under JCI standards.

With the EMR upgrade and ongoing initiatives, Health Care Fiji is positioning itself to deliver

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.