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In honor of World Social Work Day 2019, we want to share and celebrate the hardworking Case Management Team at the Child Rescue Centre! We are so grateful for all that they do as they go above and beyond to care for the children in CRC programs!  Imourana Bockarie, CRC Case Manager Imourana Bockarie As a CRC Case Manager in charge of more than 60 students, and the Coordinator of the Tier 3 students, Imourana Bockarie is a busy man. “I enjoy meeting with parents and children on site visits to discuss the welfare of the children,” he says. He believes that case management is critically important to the CRC’s mission. “Case Management brings out detailed information information on each child so the CRC knows how to help them, and it helps the parents to value their children.” Imourana graduated with honors, earning a Bachelors of Science in Environment and Development Studies. He finds that the biggest challenge he faces in his role has to do with carrying a high caseload of more than 60 cases, coupled with transportation constraints. “It’s hard to reach all the homes,” he says. “Of course the CRC has two motorbikes, but with five Case Managers capable of riding them, it’s sometimes a challenge to access one when you need it.” Imourana has high hopes for the children on his caseload, and hopes that they will all find a career that rewards them, and that they will become leaders of Sierra Leone.  Joseph "JJ" Junisa, CRC Case Manager and Sponsor A Child Coordinator Joseph "JJ" Junisa CRC Case Manager Joseph Junisa, or “JJ” as he is affectionately known, grew up in the CRC’s residential program, before earning a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Makeni. In addition to managing a caseload of more than 60 CRC children and their families, JJ is also the Sponsor A Child Coordinator. JJ most enjoys conducting school visits to the children in his caseload. “School visits are the most enjoyable part of case management. I am always happy when I’m among our students and also enjoy talking to their teachers about their grades and trying to motivate/encourage them to do more. The biggest challenge he faces is when he learns that a child is not doing well in school. JJ believes that case management is “so important because it helps us to understand the problems affecting our students especially about their educational input. When we do our home and school visits it helps us to know what their problems are especially in terms of education because it’s the key to their future success.” JJ’s greatest hope is “to see these kids grow up educationally, spiritually and personally, and become potential leaders in the future.”  Amie Nallo, CRC Case Manager Amie Nallo “The most enjoyable part [of being a CRC Case Manager] is whenever I’m in the community for site visits, I get to meet and talk with many people,” Amie Nallo shares. Amie enjoys getting to know each child and their needs, as well as how they are doing in their. Amie has a Diploma in Food and Nutrition, but is currently studying Community Development Studies at Every Nation College in Bo. Amie feels that the biggest challenge she faces is that sometimes families in her caseload will move from one place to another without notifying her or the CRC. Tracking these itinerant families down adds additional stress to the management of a caseload of more than 60 cases. However, she believes strongly in the importance of case management in ensuring the success of every child in her caseload. “I get to know the attributes and behavior of these kids in their homes and schools, and that helps me know whether they are doing well and how I can help them if they’re not,” she says. “My hope is that they will do well in school, and that they will help other vulnerable children to become better citizens as well.”  Henry Kebbie, CRC Case Manager and Assistant Sponsor A Child Coordinator Henry Kebbie Henry Kebbie works at the Child Rescue Centre (CRC) as the Assistant Coordinator for the Sponsor A Child Program. Henry is also responsible for a caseload of 70 children supported by the CRC’s programs. Engaged to be married soon, Henry is the proud papa of a young daughter. Henry’s story is unique in that he was a child supported by the CRC’s Child Support Program, which provided health and education support from primary through secondary school. After graduation, he applied for and won a Promise Scholarship which enabled him to attend university. Graduating with honors, Henry holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Njala University. Henry credits his being a CRC student with his path toward becoming a social worker. “It has always been my desire to be a social worker so that I could return to work with an organization like the CRC which is working to save helpless families and especially destitute children,” Henry says. Henry applies the lessons he’s learned to his work with the children on his caseload. “I always encourage them to take their studies very seriously, as I did,” he says. “I went through the same program at the CRC, and now I am working for the CRC. I believe it is important that children are educated and grow up to be a good example for others, just like I am.” Henry Kebbie was drawn to social work out of a desire to help people - particularly those who are vulnerable. At the Child Rescue Centre (CRC), Henry found an opportunity to help the most vulnerable children and their families. He was deeply interested in community development and wanted to engage in work that would have a deep, lasting and positive impact. Being a case manager for vulnerable children and their families helps him see that impact every day. Henry finds the work at CRC particularly rewarding because of the CRC’s vision and focus to give something positive to the community of Bo. Henry’s deepest hopes for the children on his caseload are that they all do well in school and find a bright future, and that they all know how deeply they are blessed by God.  Emmanuel Lamin, CRC Case Manager Emmanuel Lamin Emmanuel Lamin is a Counselor at the Child Rescue Centre, and also serves as a Case Manager as part of the CRC’s growing Case Management Team. He is also the proud father of a young son. He graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Njala University, and is currently pursuing a certificate in Counseling. Emmanuel describes his field of work as follows: “After going through a calculated research into what I wanted to do as a career, I found the discipline of social work. It appealed to me because it is purposely concerned with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our society. I wanted to be a positive change agent in my society, by impacting the lives of others.” “The most rewarding part of my job is working at the Child Rescue Centre (CRC). The CRC has a vision and mission to be a positive force on the lives of those that are needy in our society. Also, working with children and their families is a great reward. I particularly love holding counselling sessions for kids and their families. The staff of the CRC works closely as a team to help these vulnerable children and their families, and that has a positive impact on communities as a whole.” “There are challenges, of course. Working with human beings is difficult because they are dynamic - children are particularly so. As a case manager and a counselor it is difficult to address certain behavior patterns, cases and complaints. Even some parents can be challenging.” “As a caseload manager, I am responsible for 68 children currently. It is difficult to keep up with such a large caseload. My hope is that the children I am responsible for will take their academic work seriously, so that they will become independent and help others. I hope that the families continue to develop their abilities to take good care of their children. I hope that families will work to maintain a good relationship with their children, and with the CRC.”  Deborah Kanneh, CRC Case Manager and Family Care Coordinator Deborah Kanneh Deborah Kanneh, works as a Family Care Coordinator and Case Manager at the Child Rescue Centre in Bo, Sierra Leone. Happily married and the mother of a young son, Deborah finds the work she does in providing support and care to the children and families in her caseload to be immensely satisfying. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Njala University, and graduated with honors. Deborah describes her field of work as follows: “It has been a dream of mine to become a social worker ever since I was in Senior Secondary school. I knew I wanted to work with children and individuals of all ages. Being a social worker enables me to help children, families and people facing problems in our society.” “The most rewarding thing about my job is that I work for a charity organization. The Child Rescue Centre has a mission focus to transform lives, strengthen families and work with children to improve their futures. I’m also grateful for the way that this work is helping me to develop as a leader.” “The most challenging aspect of my job is that I have a caseload of 100 kids, many of whom live in different parts of the country. They all have different characters, and are struggling with different issues. It’s also a challenge when children I’m responsible for don’t perform well in school.” “As a case manager and social worker, one of my hopes for my children is to see them all performing well in school so that they can become self-reliant, and perhaps even good leaders as adults. I also hope that children and families have good relationships with one another, and that parents form strong, healthy attachments to their children.”  Victor Kanu, CRC Case Manager and Family Strengthening Program Manager Victor Kanu Victor Kanu’s favorite part of being a case manager for the CRC is visiting the children on his caseload at their homes and school and helping plan and conduct various workshops for students and caregivers. He believes that case management is critical to the overall success of the mission of CRC, because “the process helps Case Managers have firsthand knowledge of the children they serve, connect with them and their parents, and even the community in which they live.” In addition to managing a caseload of more than 60 CRC students and their families, Victor also collects and shares the stories of the CRC activities with HCW, manages the Family Strengthening Program activities, and works as the CRC’s Tiers 2 and 3 Coordinator. Victor holds a Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, a Certificate in Sexual and Gender Based violence and Gender laws , a Diploma in Computer Software, H.N.D In Community Development Studies, and a B.A. in Project and Development Studies. According to Victor, one of the biggest challenges he deals with as a CRC Case Manager is the sometimes overwhelming caseload. He has high hopes for every child in his caseload, hoping they all are able to be successful in their studies, and that they will grow up to contribute to the development of Sierra Leone as adults.  Rosa Saffa, CRC Case Manager Rosa Saffa
Rosa Saffa has been working with the Child Rescue Centre since 2016 as the counselor for Residential Students, and transitioned into a CRC Case Manager during the CRC transformation to family-based care as residential students were reunified with their families starting in 2017. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Diploma in African Studies, as well as a Certificate in Peace and Counseling and Attachment Theory Workshop Facilitation. The most interesting and most important part of her job is being involved in the welfare of the children in the CRC programs. Rosa continues to provide counseling services for students and their families and caregivers during workshops and trainings held at the CRC. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with being a case manager. "Case management is important because it has helped in getting every child involved, checked on, and cared for," Rosa explained. "But the biggest challenge we face as case managers is when families move and their address changes, and they don't contact the CRC office or their assigned case manager. The greatest thing I can hope for is that the children I am responsible for improve and are successful in their academics."
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By Kimberly Nabieu, HCW Medical Programs Liaison
Mercy Hospital is making a concerted effort to strengthen connections among decision-makers at area health facilities. Since his arrival in the fall of 2016, Mercy’s Hospital Administrator, Jinnah Lahai, has held a series of meetings with other health professionals, and Dr. Amara has joined in these efforts since his arrival in early 2018. Sierra Leone is a small country with fewer than 200 doctors, and so most of them know each other. Mercy’s Dr. Amara already had strong ties to the health system in Bo through personal and professional connections, and he is utilizing those connections to increase collaboration. Mr. Lahai and Dr. Amara are dispelling the stereotypical view of some that ‘other’ hospitals are “competition” by deliberately reaching out and seeking connection. The new Bo District Medical Officer, Dr. Carson-Marsh, shares Dr. Amara’s views that working together makes more sense than working alone. Recently, Dr. Amara visited Bo Government Hospital to meet with Dr. Minnah. He found both Dr. Minnah and Dr. Kabba (from Gila’s Hospital) in surgery working on an acute abdominal case involving pain on the right side. Dr. Minnah was in the process of locating the appendix when Dr. Amara remembered a similar case he had recently done at Mercy with Matron Augusta where the appendix was wrapped in the omentum - a thin layer of tissue that holds the intestines in place - and pulled deep into the abdominal cavity behind a number of other structures. This made it extremely difficult to locate. Dr. Amara checked to see if this was also happening in Dr. Minnah’s patient and was able to locate the inflamed and infected appendix. They were able to successfully remove it, and the patient made a full recovery. After assisting Dr. Minnah, Dr. Amara was able to observe Dr. Kabba’s case. A more unique surgery, Dr. Kabba was working on an infant with a kind of spina bifida. This patient’s spinal column had not formed properly, leaving a section of the spinal cord and spinal nerves protruding through an opening in the column into a sac on the outside of the baby’s back. This happens when the child is developing and leaves a lump on the back. Dr. Kabba was able to repair the defect, returning the exposed nerves back into the spinal column and closing the opening. These types of defects are typically caused by nutritional defects that can be addressed through prenatal care early in pregnancy. Dr. Amara’s ability to observe this surgery not only broadens his knowledge of complex surgical cases, but also highlights the needs Mercy is addressing through its prenatal program. Mercy is also collaborating with Rural Health Care Initiative (RHCI), an NGO that works on community health projects, including a birth waiting home in Tikonko (one of Mercy’s outreach catchment areas). RHCI is piloting a Positive Deviance Hearth project that could potentially uncover some local solutions to malnutrition affecting infants and children under five. Those results will be shared with Mercy to improve Mercy’s own outreach nutrition program. Mercy is also working to assist the birth waiting home with occasional use of the portable ultrasound so the staff can know when mothers are expected to deliver. Helping Children Worldwide celebrates World Social Work Day (March 19) by highlighting the excellent work of the CRC’s Case Management Team. The CRC is focused on continuing to provide the best support possible to children and families in its programs, now through a case management system that is growing stronger every day. Plans to continue to build capacity include installation of a case management database, ongoing professional dialogue with others in the field, and a Case Managers’ Learning Collaborative project launching this July. Following in the footsteps of Mercy Hospital’s recent installation of an Electronic Medical Information System (EMIS), the CRC is also hard at work developing and installing an Electronic Case Management System (ECMS). The ECMS will enable case managers create and update individual, electronic case files for each of the children in their caseload, while ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information. All case files will be stored on a common server and Case Management Supervisor David Musa will have oversight of the CRCs entire caseload of 560 students. Eventually, aggregate data collected to analyze trends and improve and strengthen the program will be available through this system as well. Joseph Lamin, of Mercy Research Lab, Mercy Statistician Ishmael Vandi, and HCW Intern Sam Bundren will assist the Systems Coordinator and Database Manager Johanese Bans and the rest of the case management team with getting the system set up and for training the staff in its use. This month, the CRC launched a bi-monthly Case Management Zoom Teleconference with experienced social workers/case managers in the US. These calls are designed to create a space for case managers on both sides of the ocean to share best practices and strategies in case management, trouble-shoot particularly difficult cases, and engage in professional dialogue with colleagues. A small team of US case managers will join HCW’s July UMVIM team to launch the first Case Managers’ Learning Collaborative. Modeled after the successful Teachers’ Learning Collaborative launched last summer, the project will allow case managers from the US and Sierra Leone to share case management strategies with one another as equals. The project will include staff from two other Bo Children’s Homes, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Gender Affairs. Currently there is no formal, government-run case management system for vulnerable children in Sierra Leone. UNICEF is launching a three year project focused on strengthening the child protection system in Sierra Leone by building capacity of the government leading the application of a national Case Management System, which will ensure registration, assessment and needs-based referral for services, and follow-up for vulnerable children. Once that system comes online, the CRC will be ready to shift to connect to the national database.  Have you ever wondered if you should go on a mission trip? Mission travel is not for everyone, so how do you decide if this type of trip is right for you? Here are some reasons to apply for a team. Meet new people and forge new relationships. Mission teams are made up of people from different churches and sometimes different areas of the country. Even if there are others from your home church, you will get to know them in ways that you haven’t been able to before. Additionally, you will get to meet and enter into new relationships with the local staff and people on site where you are serving. Grow in your trust and relationship in God. When traveling on a mission team, you will have the opportunity to experience God’s provision on a daily basis, participate in daily devotions and prayers with your teammates, and with the local staff on the project sites. Because you are outside of your comfortable daily routine be prepared to see God in new and different ways. Grow in compassion and servanthood. The whole idea of traveling on a mission team is to serve other people. You will serve in ways that you may not have imagined. Even though your time will be spent in service to others, you will find yourself served as well. Increased global awareness and cultural appreciation American culture is very task oriented, while other cultures are more relationship focused. By spending time in and learning from other cultures, we can broaden our appreciation of God’s world and become more effective agents for change. Get out of your comfort zone Fear is a great immobilizer. If you let it stand in your way, it can keep you from some wonderful experiences. When we step out in faith and trust God - that is where we experience the greatest growth. Experience worship in a new way Worship in a new cultural setting is an amazing experience. Many of the worship elements are the same, but the difference in rhythms and context can bring a new appreciation to the services. Worshipping God together in a new place with new brothers and sisters can be an awe-inspiring experience. Support the staff and leaders on the ground It can be very draining to serve day to day in a resource poor environment without knowing that you are appreciated and supported. By working side by side with the staff and leaders at the programs, you will be encouraging and equipping them in their important work, making them feel cared for and valued. While these are some wonderful reasons to join a team, there are some cautions. We must pay attention to our motives when applying for a travel team. If we are not careful, the attitudes we bring to mission service can be more harmful than helpful. We must temper our expectations, as a two week trip is not going to do much to change the underlying causes of poverty that you will see. But we can bring love, care, compassion, and support for the ministry partners that are already in the field. Mission trips aren’t right for everyone, and there are some not-right reasons for joining a team. Here are some reasons not to join a mission team.
Evangelizing to the ungodly Many people initially want to travel on a mission team to “take the Gospel to the world”. God is already moving and working around the world. He invites us to go, see, and participate with Him in the work that is already being done. Gain some skills and complete some projects Many people sign up to travel on a mission team to get some work experience, or to complete some projects. Here again, we need to manage our expectations. If you would not be able to do a specific job in the US because you don’t have the skills or qualifications, then you shouldn’t expect to be able to do that job on the mission team. Also, we try to always hire local workmen to accomplish onsite work, as they have the knowledge and expertise to do things right within the environment and culture. Mission is something you do “somewhere else” Expect “mission” to become part of your lifestyle, not an “adventure” or “vacation” that interrupts your routine. You may try something for the first time on a mission trip, but don't go on mission to do what you would not do at home or pretend to be somebody you are not. And especially, don’t go just to do something you could not do at home. We know how to “fix” their problems Too often, Americans think that we have the best answers to every problem, if only others would just listen to us. We arrive on site and present our solutions to problems that we do not fully understand. These solutions are often inconsistent with the cultural, political, or social environment, but we don’t understand why they are reluctant to implement our amazing ideas. This attitude also ignores the real assets and local solutions that may be a better answer. Supporting those who live there to find and implement local solutions is much more sustainable. I’m going to change the world Be careful of high expectations. In the short time that you will be on your trip is it feasible that you will be able to learn the complexities of the underlying causes of poverty and deprivation that you see? And once you believe you understand, will you be able to implement projects and programs that will address those underlying causes? There are no quick fixes to the long-standing complex problems of poverty. It will make me a better person A mission trip experience often will spark spiritual, personal, and emotional growth. But don’t expect that a change in environment will transform you. Actually, the stress of travel and cultural change can bring much of our messiness out into the open. A spiritual whim Joining a mission team is not something to be taken lightly. Training is important, and you will need to commit to attending team training meetings. Spiritual, emotional and cultural preparation has immense value. Don’t be afraid to take some time to prayerfully consider joining a team. And if the deadline is too close for comfort, perhaps waiting for the next opportunity isn’t a bad thing.  CRC student Judith is visited at school by CRC Case Manager Deborah Now that every CRC child is living with their forever family, the focus for the CRC staff has shifted to one of case management. Global research and best practice indicates that it’s not enough to place a formerly institutionalized child into a family - continued support is critical for children and families to thrive. As a part of the transition last year to family-based care, 9 staff members were given specific caseloads of children to manage. The CRC case management team includes, Imourana Bockarie, Emmanuel Lamin, Henry Kebbie, Victor Kanu, Deborah Kanneh, Amie Nallo, Joseph Junisa, Rosa Saffa, and Princess Kawa. The team is currently hard at work developing and implementing a case management program. Already, case managers are conducting monthly site visits with nearly all of the children in the CRC Program alternating between home and school. This means that the CRC is currently meeting the global standard of monthly site visits with the children served by the program. The CRC is hoping to continue to build the capacity of their case management program by increasing their staff over the next three years, so that it can meet the global standard of caseloads of 25 students per case manager, as funding becomes available. Joseph Lamin, who helped install and train the Mercy staff on their brand new Electronic Medical Information System, has trained the CRC staff on a similar, computer-based system that will allow case managers to create individual case files on each child in their caseload, and store them on a server. This will include protocols to protect the confidentiality of each child and family. In July, a small team of social workers and case managers from the US will travel to Bo to participate in a Case Management Learning Collaborative with the CRC staff. They’ll work collaboratively to continue to refine the case management protocols and processes, and share best practices in case management as colleagues. About five miles outside of Mercy’s largest Outreach center of Tikonko is a tiny village called Gbanahun. The people of this village have had to walk almost 3 miles each day to a swamp in order to fetch water, carrying the heavy water buckets back to be used at home. This sole source of water was used for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, and waste. This made the water extremely unhygienic, causing high rates of deadly waterborne illnesses such as diarrhea and typhoid in the village. A well project funded by HCW Partner Church, Bethel United Methodist Church, has given the village new hope. Mercy Hospital identified the need for the well in Ghanahun, and hired Deep Well Ministries (A Christian organization) to dig it. The well has the capacity to serve 500 people. “I call this a redeemer project,” says Jinnah Lahai, Mercy Hospital Administrator. “The well has redeemed the people of Gbanahun from a condition of struggle. The stream they were using caused so many medical problems. I was really affected when I saw the water they were drinking from. I wouldn’t even give dogs water like that; it’s terrible to imagine people being forced to use it. There was just no other option until now.” Outreach Coordinator Mohamed Khadar shared his joy as well. “The well has made a huge impact on the village. Previously, they were drinking dirty swamp water that sometimes dried up during the dry season. Then they would have to walk even further to another village to get water, which was also not good. They now have the water facility and are able to carry on their daily activities.” The people of Gbanahun are so grateful that they are now hoping for help to build a church in the village, so that they may offer their praise to God for this gift.
 I am in charge of the outreach program. I make sure the schedule is planned and adhered to when we go on outreach. I make sure the mobile clinic is set up and supervise volunteers and staff to make sure their units are functioning well and doing what they are supposed to do. At the end of the month I ensure all statistics are collated and submitted on time.
Why do I like my job? Ah! It is the passion! It’s really a passion. I like serving people. I like saving lives. I like encouraging people. When they are sick they are stressed and I like to make them feel better. I really like my job as a whole. This job is very, very important. One, we are targeting vulnerable people, particularly the malnourished children. We have seen that the cases are many so we need to rehabilitate them and help them recover. Many of the protein rich foods are expensive here and families are too poor to afford them. We give them the pikinmix food and health talks to make sure they are helping their children grow. We also do a lot to prevent the malaria prevalence rate, which is so high here. HIV is another area where we can help. Many villages don’t have the facilities so we give them quality counseling and make sure they have access to their medication. Also the prenatal program helps so many people. We advise them to come to Mercy and not give birth at home and give them multivitamins that otherwise they would not get. Saturday, January 12, five Mercy staff attended the "Helping Babies Breathe" training held in the Great Hall at the CRC. The training, arranged by Carol Nelson of Rural Health Initiative was led by neonatologist Dr. Sulaiman Sannoh. Dr. Sannoh, a native of Bo, is currently working in New Jersey. Helping Babies Breathe teaches the initial steps of neonatal resuscitation to be accomplished within the first few moments after birth. The practice saves lives and gives a much better start to many babies who struggle to breathe at birth. The HBB curriculum was designed to specifically meet the needs of resource limited environments. HBB neonatal resuscitation techniques that have been shown to reduce neonatal mortality by up to 47% and fresh stillbirths by 24%. Mercy's lead midwife, Hawa Koroma, found the training highly effective. "We were taught how to help babies breathe in case you deliver a baby that has a heartbeat, but is not breathing. We were able to practice using a NeoNatalie newborn simulator, which was very much like a real newborn. Mercy was able to keep three of these simulators as well as a wide variety of face masks and supplies we did not have in the maternity unit. Most of us had learned these techniques, but this was good practice, and we love having the new equipment." The CRC welcomed all of the children in its program to their annual Sponsor-A-Child Christmas parties on December 20 and 21st. This included the 20 children from Fengehun Village. CRC case managers also visited Pujehun village to bring gifts and a small celebration to the CRC students there. Each student was presented with an inflatable solar light, a wristband and some toiletries. Students also enjoyed food and drinks, and a nativity play performed by students in the CRC program. HCW Missioner, Chris Davis was able to attend one of these parties and offer his services in assisting with the party. For the first time, parents were encouraged to attend and assist with serving food and drink. The staff entertained parents and their CRC students with a skit designed to teach them how to form stronger attachments with each other.  Ishmael Vandi (front), Joseph Lamin (left), Jinnah Lahai, and Cynthia Grant On Friday, January 18, Mercy Hospital officially launched its Electronic Medical Information System (EMIS) - a database which will enable the hospital to use electronic medical records to track patient data. The first electronic records management system in the country, the database will have a positive impact on patient care as it will be much easier to access a patient's history and chart. Hospital Administrator, Jinnah Lahai, is thrilled about this new addition to Mercy. “It has added more value to Mercy in comparison to other facilities. It will lead to greater transparency and data security."
Joseph Lamin and the Mercy Laboratory team, has led the effort in creating the software that will be used. District Medical Officer, Dr. Roland Carshon-Marsh, is working closely with Mercy to supervise compliance with standards for medical records management and confidentiality. While paper will no longer be used for data entry, communication, or analysis, every electronic medical records system maintains redundant electronic and paper record back up copies - and Mercy's EMIS is no exception. Once the electronic information system is fully operational, all units of the hospital will contribute to it, enabling all patient information to be stored electronically. The EMIS also tracks drug and supply inventory and staff shift time logs. EMIS produces valid research data on diagnosis as well as effective interventions and treatments. Under the current system, patients are tracked by a patient number, but if they forget or lose that number, the staff is forced to either sort through thousands of patient cards or start a new chart. Starting a new chart is easier, but it means the loss of all patient history that preceded it. The new system will make communication between units instantaneous which will mean that patients are able to receive input on their care from a variety of Mercy staff in real time. Registration of patients will include fingerprint identification as an element to permit accurately matching patient charts with medical histories. Sierra Leone has a high rate of illiteracy and poor records in villages. Patients often do not know how to spell their names or have current address information or know their date of birth. Paper records often become damaged and unreadable or lost. Fingerprint identification mitigates against all of these challenges. Creating reports based on the data will be much easier and more accurate. The database will greatly reduce the chances of error and leave more time for analyzing data and refining programs instead of painstakingly gathering numbers. Data will also be collected from the outreach programs, which will help Mercy identify trends in who is seeking care at Mercy or its outreach, what are the most concerning diseases, and how programs can be altered to best suit the needs of the community. Lamin projects that the Mercy staff will be comfortable using the system within two weeks of its mid-January launch, and adept by week six. Mercy Dr. Sao Amara, is looking forward to the system becoming fully operational, “it will help with tracking patients, increase financial accountability, reduce patient wait times, assure patient confidentiality and and allow staff to be informed about patient status quickly.” |
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