1.1 INTRODUCTION

Integration of documentation and knowledge based computerized services in information system is a tremendous means of helping health professionals in their daily practices and to improve the quality of service delivery.

Effort is continuously being made in designing and developing economically and reliable database system to satisfy a clinical database information system. This project is about the design and implementation of a clinical database system for clinical management of the IMSU Medical Centre and shows how record and data can be handled and stored within the system.

The system will store patient’s records, drug inventory and dispensation as well as other relevant clinical information within the University Community. The system will be used by the staff (Doctor Nurse, Clerks, Consultants and other relevant authorities as the demand may be) within the clinic. It will process data speedily and accurately provide information when and where required.

The clinical database system will be used to store data produce reports and handle management inquiries. In clinics that are made up of Doctors, Nurse, Patients and other personnel staff, an information system is required to keep track of the day-to-day transaction of the clinic and  to improve the communication skills. Also this system will help, in highlighting risk/complex patients for consultant input alert of DNA; easily identify all patients taking certain medications, monitor frequency of major complication e.g. peptic ulcer, check for known drug interaction, and improve evidence based practice, record questions.

Therefore, it is hoped that the design and implementation of a clinical database system would provide a flexible and reliable management of the University clinic. This program is carefully designed to work in a stand alone system or in a multi user environment 

1.2 BRIEF HISTORY OF IMO STATE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.

The history of IMSU medical center is dated back to 1st of June 1993, with only one Doctor as the medical Director (Dr. Ihekwasu), by 1st of July the same year additional six nurses where employed, subsequently three attendants and Lab technicians where employed. The medical center was started in a one room apartment in the admission block. Later it was moved to its present permanent site, located toward the extreme end of the university campus.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is observed that in Imo State University Medical Centre, most of its record on staff, students, patients, drug, ward and bed allocation,  inventory and drug dispensary are handled manually. The problems associated with the manual method include inaccurate data, poor quality of patient care and administrative inefficiency. The task involved in this design is as follows:

i. Careful study of the manual operations of Imo State University Medical Centre

ii. Collection of information on general problem comforting the  medical centre

iii. Study the identified problems, design and develop a clinical database  system that will help in solving these problems

iv. Develop computer software that will help in the management of the medical centre