The Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria (HRORBN) has commenced an assessment of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, as a clinical training site for Paul University, Awka’s Health Information Management Programme.
The assessment forms part of the accreditation process, with final approval by the HRORBN still pending.
The exercise focused on the hospital’s facilities, manpower and professional standards required to provide practical training for students of the programme.
Through its partnership with Paul University, COOUTH provides the clinical environment where Health Information Management students acquire practical experience in hospital records management, health information processes and other related professional duties, complementing their academic training at the university.
Receiving the HRORBN assessment team on behalf of the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Ifeoma Njelita, welcomed the officials and expressed satisfaction with the growing partnership between COOUTH and Paul University.
Dr. Njelita said the relationship had continued to progress, particularly following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering areas including clinical training and professional development.
Leading the assessment team, Professor Kayode Adepoju of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, said the exercise was aimed at determining whether the hospital’s clinical training environment met the academic and professional requirements for preparing future Health Information Management professionals.
The team inspected relevant units and facilities within the hospital and commended the professionalism of staff in the Health Information Department.
Adepoju particularly praised the Head of the department, Mrs. Nkiru Chinedu-Okoli, for her efforts in ensuring that professionals maintained the required licensing standards.
He also commended the hospital management for providing a clean and conducive environment for healthcare delivery and professional training.
The team, however, identified some areas requiring improvement, including the need to place the Health Information Department under the appropriate clinical directorate and deploy additional qualified Health Information Management professionals.
Adepoju urged the hospital management to address the manpower gaps, stressing that adequate staffing was essential for effective health information management and quality clinical training.
He further commended the CMD for overseeing COOUTH’s transition from paper-based records to Electronic Health Records (EHR), describing the development as an important step towards modernising health information management and improving healthcare administration.
Adepoju expressed optimism that the performance of the various units assessed would contribute positively to the accreditation process. He encouraged the hospital management to sustain its efforts towards improving healthcare delivery and professional training.
The assessment is part of the ongoing accreditation process, and final approval by the HRORBN is still awaited.
The Paul University delegation included the Coordinator of the Health Information Management Department, Chief Kingsley Ukariwe; the Acting Head of Department, Mrs. Emepuru A.C.; and other members of the department.
