Implementing a Hospital Patient Admission and Records Management System

Client Background

Case Study: Implementing a Hospital Patient Admission and Records Management System
Role: Systems Analyst (ANZSCO 261112)
Client Location: Sri Lanka
Target: ACS RPL for Skilled Migration – ANZSCO 261112

The client is a professional Systems Analyst with over 9 years of experience in healthcare technology projects. Employed by a private multispecialty hospital group in Colombo, the client was assigned to lead the business analysis, system design, and implementation of an integrated Patient Admission and Records Management System (PARMS) to replace legacy paper-based processes and siloed digital tools. The client holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing Administration, which is non-ICT by ACS classification. However, their long-term ICT involvement in managing requirements, workflows, system integration, and hospital-based compliance justified an RPL submission under ANZSCO 261112 – Systems Analyst. We prepared their submission including the Key Areas of Knowledge (KAA) section and two detailed project reports, ensuring alignment with ACS standards.

Step 1: Scope of Work and System Overview

The patient records transformation was one of the hospital’s core digitalization projects. The primary goals were:

• Centralization of patient data and admission records
• Alignment with medical data privacy and security policies
• Integration with diagnostic labs, pharmacy, billing, and discharge processes
• Process modeling, system prototyping, test case documentation
• Ensuring system readiness across outpatient, inpatient, and emergency departments

Key Tools and Platforms:

• Modeling: BPMN (Lucidchart), UML (Draw.io), Use Cases, ERD
• System Platforms: OpenEMR, customized HIS modules, Microsoft SQL Server
• API Interfaces: HL7-supported REST APIs for lab systems
• Tools: Jira, Confluence, Figma (UI flows), Microsoft Teams
• Reporting & Dashboards: Power BI, Excel Macros
• Security & Compliance: Role-based access, audit trails, basic HIPAA-aligned documentation standards

Step 2: ACS Key Areas of Knowledge Mapping

The following core systems analysis activities were highlighted:
a) Stakeholder Requirements Gathering
Led functional workshops with clinicians, nurses, lab technologists, admission desk staff, IT support, billing teams, and medical records management department. Gathered pain points such as repeated form entry, inconsistent insurance tagging, and loss of internal discharge summaries due to poor process alignment.
“By centralizing the patient record lifecycle across modules, we reduced duplicate data by over 40% and established a golden record per patient ID.”
b) As-Is and To-Be Workflow Modeling
Modeled “As-is” processes using BPMN, showcasing redundancies and error-prone manual steps. Designed “To-be” models introducing queue tokening for OPD, document templates, automated insurance checkpoint, and ICD code compliance in diagnosis entry.
c) System Specification and Functional Design
Authored comprehensive BRD and FSD documents including logical system behaviors per module:

• Admission
• ID tagging
• EMR linkage
• Transfer
• Physician note entry
• Lab requisition
• Discharge summary

d) Data Exchange and Integration Architecture
Designed message queues and APIs for ordered lab data transfer, visit linkage across departments, and outpatient record synchronization. Managed database matching rules to map patient demographic entries with existing digital footprints.

Step 3: Project Report 1

Project Title: Design and Implementation of Centralized Patient Admission & Transfer System
Role: Systems Analyst Duration: January 2021 – October 2022
Objective: Centralize and digitize patient admission workflows across all departments, integrate existing EMR capabilities, and streamline end-to-end patient movements with less administrative load.

Responsibilities:

• Collected data from 5 departments including ER, OPD, and Billing
• Mapped process stages: Registration → Vital Signs → Doctor Allocation → Admission or Discharge
• Developed role-based behavior model: Registration Clerk, Duty Doctor, Nurse, Admin Head
• Designed UI wireframes with Figma and created BPMN maps with time markers per node
• Authored validation logic for duplicate ID detection via national ID, phone number, or patient name algorithm
• Collaborated with IT to test dropdown auto-fill fields (e.g., diagnosis code lookup)

Tools and Technologies Used:

• Lucidchart, Jira, SQL Server, OpenEMR, REST APIs
• Draw.io ERD and Swimlanes, Figma, Confluence

Key Results:

• Admission-to-bed assignment time lowered from 28 minutes to 8 minutes
• Enabled 99.4% discharge summary compliance prior to final billing
• Internal audit report accuracy improved by 62% year-over-year
• Reduced manual data entry requirements by 47%

Step 4: Project Report 2

Project Title: Lab System Integration and Medical Records Synchronization Project
Role: Systems Analyst Duration: November 2022 – June 2023
Objective: Implement interoperability between the hospital’s core medical record system and standalone laboratory reporting infrastructure to reduce wait times and ensure accurate report logging across patient histories.

Responsibilities:

• Gathered integration scenarios: walk-in lab, doctor-requested, emergency test, wellness package
• Wrote message structure documentation (JSON + HL7 simplified translation) for request and result transmission between LAB and EMR module
• Defined connection/API logic between lab servers and core SQL patient visit tables
• Collaborated with lab vendors to develop logic for test grouping, multi-sample identifiers, and report mapping validation
• Authored field-level protection logic to redact sensitive data from printed vs. digital reports
• Helped QA team develop 28 integration test case scripts including fallbacks and lab reprint triggers

Tools and Technologies Used:

• SQL Server, HL7 middleware translator, REST APIs
• Jira, Swagger (API testing), Excel (test scripts)
• Power BI (for turnaround time dashboard)

Results Delivered:

• Lab result turnaround reporting improved by 88% within 3 months
• Real-time test tracking logged in over 16,000 visits/month
• Reduced failed test-result mappings from 5% to under 0.8%
• Discharge delay due to pending labs lowered by 35%

Step 5: RPL Completion and ACS Submission

Client requested additional detail on:

• Search logic for existing patient records in case of misspelled names
• HL7 to JSON field mapping diagram for testing

These were added and the document finalized with professional formatting as per ACS requirements. After submission, the client received a positive ACS RPL assessment under ANZSCO 261112 within 4 weeks.

Conclusion

This case study showcases a Systems Analyst working within a sensitive and high-responsibility environment: hospital information systems. From transforming manual admission processes to integrating vital records and lab results into a unified system, the client demonstrated deep engagement across process design, system specification, compliance alignment, and stakeholder delivery—core competencies expected under ANZSCO 261112 – Systems Analyst.