Modernizing Healthcare Delivery for Displaced Persons in the Middle East Pubblico

Abstract

Inequitable healthcare delivery for displaced populations, particularly refugees in the Middle East who have escaped their countries due to war and political uprise, is perpetuated by the lack medical record history that is synchronized in a health-record tracking system. The establishment of a secure, cloud-based health information system, following the example of RFID wristband use throughout the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, could modernize healthcare and public health surveillance in these areas, but must consider relevant barriers and guidelines. The goal of this literature review was to discover what the most effective and user-friendly electronic health record (EHR) system currently existed in the Middle East that could be integrated into refugee camps and communities with displaced persons. Literature that was reviewed focused on the implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs) in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. The review finds that there is a lack of a synchronized, cloud-based EMR models across the Middle East, resulting in gaps in quality of care, inconsistent treatment for chronic conditions, and inaccurate patient medical records. The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is high in the region, with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancer being the most common. The implementation of EMRs in cross-border settings has been shown to improve continuity of care, accuracy of patient data records, and chronic disease management. EHR systems in the Middle East vary in effectiveness and implementation across countries, with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health being a main supporter of their implementation. Hajj, a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, was a driving factor for advocating for EHR implementation due to the spread of NCDs and the need for crowd control. Two favorable recommendations for EHR integration during Hajj were suggested, including an RFID wristband tag and a secure cloud-based system accessible through a key-shaped USB drive called Sijilli. The integration of Sijilli, a secure and accessible EHR cloud innovation, and an RFID wristband is suggested as the optimal way to synchronize refugee health records in the Middle East due to its coverage for refugees of any nationality, low-cost, and potential for cross-border migration. The use of cloud-based EHR systems, like Epic in the US, has transformed medical records, and a similar system in countries with weak healthcare infrastructure could greatly benefit families who have escaped political crisis across the Middle East.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………......1

1.2 Problem Statement…………………………………………………………......2

1.3 Purpose Statement………………………………………………………...…...2

1.4 Objectives…..……………………………………………………………….......2

1.5 Significance Statement…………………….………………………………......3

Chapter 2: Literature Review…………….......………………………………………...….4

Chapter 3: Results…..........…………..……………………………………………………18

Chapter 4: Discussion and Public Health Implications………………...………………..19

References………………………………………………..………………...…………….….20

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Hubert Department of Global Health
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health
Parola chiave	electronic health record EHR refugee
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Dr. Scott JN McNabb, Emory University

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