New Normal Services on Outpatient Medical Records services in Health Care Provider under Ministry of Public Health, Ratchaburi Province

Abstract

This qualitative research aimed to explore procedures of medical record services before COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the services, patterns of medical record services in the new normal, and needs of supporting innovation for the “new normal” outpatient medical records service at healthcare providers under Ministry of Public Health, Ratchaburi province. Eight key informants, who worked as new normal medical records service providers at outpatient department in eight hospitals, were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected by in-depth interviews and analyzed by content analysis.

The results showed that the outbreak of COVID-19 had the effects on medical records services at outpatient department acting as a frontline of the service at the hospital. The services provided had risk opportunity for infection and may receive inadequate personal information of clients. During the pandemic of COVID-19, health care facilities organized the services following the disease prevention guideline and adjusted the appropriate services accoding to the new normal medical service model applied. The services were redesigned by cutting down inappropriate steps of the services and estrablishing  the “one stop” services. The services were provided following the guidelines of Ministry of Public Health. The high-risk clients were screened effectively for COVID 19 infection before entering the hospital. Innovations needed for improving medical records services at outpatient department should develop and employ technologies in order to reduce steps of the services and face-to-face contacts, increase quick services, as wellm as have secured data and satisfaction of the clients.    

It could be suggested that the services of medical records during the pansemic of the emerging disease should be organized for preventing infection of providers and clients, and also employ innovations for reducing direct contacts between providers and clients.