Media statement

South African Primary Healthcare Information System scoops prestigious global award

Rosemary Foster of the Medical Research Council’s e-Health Research and Innovation Platform  and Ian de Vega of the Western Cape Department of Health, last week won the IT @ Networking 2012 award in Brussels for the world class project which has developed and implemented a Primary Healthcare Information System in the Western Cape Province.

Foster and de Vega are full of praise for the dedicated and gifted team that in only five years has transformed a vision into a reality. Since work started on the Primary Healthcare Information System (PHCIS) in 2006, it has been implemented at 115 facilities and has created electronic records for 4 million patients. PHCIS processes more than 130,000 patient visits a month and tracks 5.6 million folders. The implementation of this system has transformed the way work is done in primary healthcare facilities in the province. It enables the delivery of high quality care, empowers users, assists managers and gives dignity to patients.

Organised by the European Association of Healthcare IT Managers (HITM) and the European Association of Hospital Managers (EAHM), the competition is a global healthcare IT and technology competition, which aims to recognise and promote outstanding healthcare IT and medical technology projects across the world.

Second place was awarded to "Individualised Patient Disease Diagnosis and Treatment through Whole Genome Sequencing and Comparison" (presented by Professor Peter van de Spek from the Netherlands). Third place went to "eyeSmart EMR - Intelligent IT Solution for Eyecare" (presented by Dr Anthony Vipin Das from India)

In addition to the IT @ Networking Awards 2012 trophy and cash prize, the winning IT @ 2012 project will be featured in several leading European healthcare management publications.

Dr Rosemary Foster, MRC

Mr Ian De Vega, Western Cape Department of Health