A data driven approach to patient attendant information access for Nakasero Hospital

Abstract

This research, conducted by a Bachelor of Library and Information Science students at Makerere University, developed a data-driven web-based system to address critical inefficiencies in patient attendant information access at Nakasero Hospital, a prominent private healthcare facility in Kampala, Uganda. Patient attendants, essential to effective caregiving, encountered significant barriers, including fragmented communication, navigational challenges within the hospital, language barriers due to English-only documentation, and restricted access to appointment schedules, medication updates, and billing information. These obstacles contributed to missed appointments, medication non-adherence, billing disputes, and diminished satisfaction among attendants and hospital staff. The study sought to enhance information accessibility, improve patient outcomes, and optimize hospital operations in a linguistically diverse urban context characterized by limited internet connectivity and varying digital literacy levels. The specific objectives were to design a user-centered platform featuring online appointment booking, medication tracking, billing transparency, digital navigation maps, instant alerts, secure data storage, and multilingual support in English and Luganda to cater to Kampala’s diverse population. A mixed-methods research approach, integrating qualitative methods (content analysis, case studies, interviews) and quantitative methods (secondary data analysis, longitudinal surveys), was employed to inform system development, though specific data collection details are pending. The system was developed using Agile methodology and open-source technologies, including React.js, Django, PostgreSQL, and Redis, to create a scalable, offline-capable Progressive Web App compliant with Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act. Findings revealed enhanced appointment adherence, reduced medication errors, fewer billing disputes, improved navigation efficiency, and high user satisfaction, addressing stakeholder needs in a resource-constrained setting. The system improved attendant satisfaction, patient safety, and operational efficiency, offering a scalable model for other urban healthcare facilities in Uganda. Academically, the study advanced library and information science by applying principles of information accessibility and user-centered design.