Records retrieval in HIV/AIDS Department of Rushere Community Hospital

Abstract

A study was undertaken to assess records retrieval at HI V/AIDS department. The objectives were to establish the current status at records retrieval at HIV/AIDS department to find out how records retrieval at HIV/AIDS department is managed, to identify the challenges of records retrieval at WV/AIDS department and to make suggestions for the best practices in records retrieval at HI V/AIDS department. The study adopted a case study research design. Purposive sampling method was used and permitted the researcher to gather information from the targeted population without undertaking a complete inventory. The study considered 6 respondents;2 records officers, 3 data clerks and 1 senior records officer.

Data was collected using observation, interview and use of questionnaires. The findings revealed that records about patients were stored in soft copy on computers and external hard drives and hard copies were kept in filing cabinets, shelves and boxes.

The study established that records at HIV/AIDS department were retrieved on appointments with the doctor. Retrieval was managed by chronological arrangement of records, labelling of files following the filing system and alphabetical arrangement of files.

HIV/AIDS department faced challenges of inadequate funding, inadequate space, limited storage equipment and misplacement of records. The study recommended that HIV/AIDS department should recruit trained records management personnel as a crucial element to enable effective timely retrieval of requested records because the study established that most the people dealing with records are not qualified nor trained enough in records management practices.