1.1 Introduction
A medical duties scheduling system is an application software the enables doctors and other specialists to schedule appointments with their patients. It is also an important determinant of patient satisfaction (Chao et al., 2003). Medical duties schedule does not only involved the all capture of time duties to medical personnel, it also involve the careful allocation other resources; when all these factors are not adequately taken care of, it lead to classes which hinder the effective Hospital operation. Hospital is an aspect that schedule plays a vital role for successful achievement of its curriculums. Hospital work takes a succeeding step. Each step has a specified duration of time and a mapped out work coed associated with it. The time stipulated to be utilized maximally to enable you cover the work load elaborately. The issue of analysis the work load and time involved in an Hospital category and distributing the work load is time intervals. For maximum knowledge in pact it a great concern to the professorate in the field. This is where comprehensive medical duties schedule is always designed to suit the curriculum.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
According to Chao et al., (2003), appointment scheduling systems in the medical sector, guarantees the efficiency and timely access to health services. Timely access is important for realizing good medical outcomes. The ability to provide timely access is determined by a variety of factors that include fundamental questions about how Scheduled patient encounters include primary and specialty care visits, as well as elective surgeries. In each of these environments, the process of scheduling appointments (assigning a specific time when the patient is scheduled to start receiving care) is different, which we will describe shortly. In addition, there are unscheduled encounters that include walk-ins and urgent or emergency cases.
The former, occurring mostly in primary care clinics, can be directed to an alternate facility if the clinic in question is heavily booked. However, urgent specialty care and surgical patients often need to be treated as soon as possible. The goal of a well designed appointment system is to deliver timely and convenient access to health services for all patients. Appointment systems also smooth work flow, reduce crowding in waiting rooms and allow health systems to honor patient and provider preferences while matching supply and demand.
The challenges encountered that led to the execution of the research work is that, care providers waste precious time searching and browsing for unscheduled patient record to collect all information pertinent to the actual situation, Difficulty in accessing certain patient file location, the manual system of appointment scheduling of patient is usually stressful and may result to an incomplete daily scheduling of appointment with patients, and Inaccuracies in patient’s medical record keeping due to human errors.
It is against the background that the developments of this software to enable health workers schedule appointment meet-ups with patients, so the software users should not give false appointment information that is out of the software deeds. This research work is based on providing adequate information about medical records. At the end of this project, the research work, the software will be able to provide precise and concise patient records from the database.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed the challenges encountered that led to the execution of the research work include the following;
- Care providers waste precious time searching and browsing for unscheduled medical patient record to collect all information pertinent to the actual situation,
- Difficulty in accessing certain medical patient file location,
- The manual system of medical duties appointment scheduling of patient is usually stressful and may result to an incomplete daily scheduling of appointment with patients, and
- Inaccuracies in patient’s medical record keeping due to human errors.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to design an application that will eradicate the existing problems of the Online Medical Duties Scheduling System using University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital as a case study. In achieving this aim, the specific objectives below will be adhered to;
- Develop an application that will enable the care providers search and browse medical patient record without delay.
- Store patient medical file record in a database that will enable care providers to be able to locate patient files in the health facility.
- Develop an application that will accurately schedule multiple patient daily appointment meet-up with reference to time.
- Develop an application that will provide accurate patient’s start time and end time with the health worker.
1.5 Significance of Study
This system when completed and implemented it will help provide adequate information about patient’s medical record and facilitates quick medical appointment scheduling. This project will be beneficial to individuals such as: pregnant women, pharmacist and doctors, nurses, care providers by providing accurate and complete information about patient’s medical record thereby saving patient time during medical checkup. Besides, the study will serve as reference material for subsequent researcher in the field or related topics.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the design and implementation of an Online Medical Duties Scheduling System using University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital as a cases study.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Definition of Terms
Medication:
A medication is a substance that is taken in to or placed on the body that does one of the following things: most medications are used to cure disease or condition. (For example, antibiotics are given to cure an infection. Medications are also given to treat a medical condition).
Prescription:
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other qualified health care practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient.
Symptom:
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is apparent to a patient, reflecting the presence of an unusual state or of a disease. (For example: tiredness, cough or fever).
Administration:
An administration is the act of giving a drug to somebody or a patient. .
