Evaluation of records management system : A case study of Reach Out Mbuya parish HIV/AIDS initiative (ROM)
Abstract
The study was aimed to evaluate the records management system at Reach Out Mbuya HIV/AIDs initiative parish (ROM). The objectives of the study were to find out the different types of records found at ROM, to identify the current records management system at ROM, to examine the record keeping practices at ROM, to examine the challenges faced and to suggest possible ways to overcome the faced challenges. The study adopted a mixed case study research design using a simple random sampling technique where every member of the population had an equal chance of being selected. The sampling method was used to select a study population of 25 people of which only 24 were used as the sample size. These included 8 action officers, 10 data entrants and 7 registry clerks. Data was collected through conducting an interview with the Management Information System Officer (MIS) and administering questionnaires to the sample size using pre-designed questionnaires and interview guides. The key findings of the study were that: ROM using both manual and an electronic records management system, the activities done at ROM lead to creation of different types of records like medical records, administrative, legal records and those records that are received from sister organisation, ROM’s challenges included lack of storage space due to the period taken to appraise records, lost records that arise due to misplacements, interrupted power supply and hacking of records stored online. The study recommended that: ROM should develop an operational framework for effective and efficient records management, to formulate institutional policies guidelines and regulations for records management and also should ROM practice regular appraisal in order to create space for the newly created records.