RTI International Shares Lessons Learned from Project to Implement Electronic Medical Record System in Zambia
Posted: 07-03-2007 : RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- RTI International will host a webinar July 26 to discuss lessons learned and future applications from its project to create a perinatal electronic medical record system to improve health outcomes among perinatal patients attending urban health clinics and University Teaching Hopsital in Lusaka, Zambia.

The project, called the Zambian Electronic Perinatal Record System or ZEPRS, was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham and including partners at RTI International and the Center for Infections Disease Research in Zambia.

RTI International developed the Web-based medical records application, which was designed to improve access to patient information, improve patient treatment and support analysis of treatment interventions.

ZEPRS is one of the few electronic-first networked facility systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and provides valuable insights into the challenges and potential of electronic medical records (EMR) in Africa. ZEPRS is now used by 20 clinics to manage care for 40,000 perinatal patients in Lusaka.

RTI has released the ZEPRS application under a free open-source license, and is coordinating closely with other open-source medical record system efforts in Africa to share knowledge and technology and leverage combined efforts.

The webinar will be presented Thursday July 26 at noon EDT by Niamh Darcy, RTI senior systems analyst for ZEPRS and Chris Kelley, RTI lead software developer for ZEPRS. The event is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For details on attending the webinar or bios on the presenters, go to www.rti.org/zeprswebinar.

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About RTI International
RTI International is one of the worldıs leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. With projects in more than 40 countries and a staff of more than 2,600, RTI offers innovative research and technical solutions to governments and businesses worldwide in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, democratic governance, economic and social development, energy, and the environment. For more information, visit www.rti.org.