Assessing records storage and retrieval at Pakwach Hospital

Abstract

The study was conducted at Pakwach Hospital. It aimed at assessing records storage and retrieval. Records are very important in ensuring that the organization is governed effectively and efficiently and is accountable to its staff and the community it serves. The information contained in organization needs to be stored and retrieved in a planned and coordinated way because records support decision-making, provide evidence of transaction and assist in proper accountability in the organization. The objectives of the study were to establish the current status of records storage and retrieval, to find out how records storage and retrieval is managed, to identify the challenges of records storage and retrieval and to suggest best practices for records storage and retrieval at Pakwach Hospital. Data was collected using three data collection methods; interview, observation and document analysis. A sample size of thirteen (13) respondents was selected during the study using purposive sampling technique, the researcher consulted the senior administrative staff (3), records officers (6) and medical staff (4) who provided information to the researcher about the research topic entitled assessing records storage and retrieval at Pakwach Hospital. The major findings of the study were that, records storage and retrieval management at Pakwach Hospital used both manual and electronic systems. The challenges encountered in records storage and retrieval were; misfiling of records, inadequate storage space, poor labelling of files, lack of file indexes and unskilled personnel in managing web records. The study recommended that, Pakwach Hospital has to expand its records storage space in order to accommodate all the records created, generate file indexes, properly label its files, proper use of filing systems, draft records management policy to guide and govern all the records management activities and lastly to employ skilled personnel to manage web records.