Influence of Preservation and Conservation of Records Practices on Healthcare Delivery System in Nigeria

Abstract

The influence that proper preservation and conservation, practices will have on health records will determine the sustainability, availability and access for use in health care sector. Health records play a significant role in improving the quality, safety and value of health care services. In recent times, health records have improved health care services, reduce medical errors and provide safety benefits due to development approaches undertaken by introducing electronic health records (her) system in the public health sector. There are cases where the absence of records at the time of assessing a patient will negatively affect appropriate testing, drug administration and patent treatment. It then means that health records facilitate good care, allow subsequent care giver to understand patient condition, allow basis for the current investigation or treatment provided, show method of communication with other team members, satisfy legal ethical and legislative requirement as evidence. Quality patient record is defined by how it is being processed, preserved and conserved, hence the concept of preservation and conservation of records have to be taken seriously. Many reasons for record deterioration should be given serious attention. Some of the reasons for deterioration of records are due to nature of records and nature of materials that are used for creation of records. For instance many records are created on the paper materials that are acidic. Other causes are excessive temperature and relative humidity, excessive exposure to light, air pollution and water as well as destruction caused by biological agents such as moulds, insects etc. Utilization of preserved and conserved patient information is very important in meeting user’s need and also satisfying the objective of the organization. Due to incomplete, inaccessible and poorly maintained patient records in most of the tertiary health institutions in Nigeria, lack of information has become a hindrance to efficient delivery of health care, hence preservation and conservation of records encompass a series of activities designed to extend life expectancy of records and facilitate long term accessibility to the information therein.