Patients urged to value and keep their medical records

28 October 2026, 4:21 pm

By Otim Moses

Patients and community members have been urged to value and keep their medical records to improve healthcare delivery and ensure proper documentation at health facilities.

Speaking during Tembo Doctor on Wednesday, Gladys Anena, a medical records officer at Yotkom Hospital in Kitgum Municipality, said medical records play a vital role in helping health workers provide appropriate treatment to patients.

Anena explained that medical records help doctors track medicines prescribed to patients and monitor the number of patients attended to daily, weekly, monthly and annually.

She added that medical records are important for training medical interns, conducting medical research, planning and allocating resources, promoting accountability, and identifying gaps in healthcare service delivery.

Anena urged patients to understand their responsibilities in maintaining accurate medical records. She encouraged them to provide correct personal information to health workers, openly discuss their illnesses, carry their appointment cards whenever they visit the hospital, and inform doctors about any changes in their health conditions.

She noted that patients should not feel shy about discussing their health concerns with medical personnel, as providing accurate information helps doctors make appropriate diagnoses and prescribe the right medication.

The medical records officer also highlighted the responsibilities of health workers, including correctly recording patients’ names, writing clearly so that information can be easily read and understood, and maintaining the confidentiality of patients’ medical information.

According to Anena, documents patients may receive from health facilities include appointment cards, discharge summaries, laboratory results, prescription forms, antenatal cards, death notifications and birth certificates, among others.

She called on community members to keep their medical documents safe and present them whenever they visit health facilities to support proper documentation, continuity of care and the provision of appropriate medication.

Anena emphasised that proper management of medical records is a shared responsibility between patients and health workers and is essential for improving the quality of healthcare services.