Georgian Experience in Telecytology

Background

Healthcare information technology models are constantly evolving with technology as the industry expands. Whether these are a large hospital or a medium sized hospital, nursing home or a clinic, HIS is a comprehensive solution that automates the clinical, administrative and supply-chain functions and enables the healthcare providers to improve their operational effectiveness, consequently reducing costs, and medical errors, while enhancing quality of care. So, HIS is just one instance of health information systems, with a hospital as healthcare environment, respectively, health care institution. The aim of HIS was and is as simple as relevant: to contribute to a high-quality, efficient patient care. This aim is primarily centered towards the patient, so it is a patient-centered approach and towards medical and nursing care, and the administrative and management tasks needed to support such care. The relevance of ‘good’ HIS for high-level quality of care is obvious, as without having appropriate access to relevant data, practically no decisions on diagnostic, therapeutic or other procedures can be made, with fatal consequences for patients.

A new healthcare information system (HIS) was launched in Georgia. Its primary goal is patient management. However, the system is also targeted at creating a unified information space in the framework of the wider medical organization. The application of HIS in everyday practice of Georgian healthcare organization started in October, 2008.

Quality assurance programs in cytology are one of the most important methods to maintain and improve the diagnostic acumen of cytologists, but there are difficulties in carrying out such programs. A long turnaround time for the circulation of glass slides is a major drawback, particularly when there are many participants and in widely spread institutions.