Manila, Philippines – “If the Department of Health would really like to have every LGU to have a system like CHITS. The support should also come from them. Have a uniform standard of reporting from DOH,” expresses Parañaque City Health Officer Dr. Olga Z. Virtusio after the presentation of the Community Health Information Tracking System or CHITS during the regular meeting of the Association of Health Officers in Metro Manila (AHOMM) last February 10, 2011 at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Ermita.
“CHITS is very timely with global information that we at the local level is really working on. This is commendable and highly recommended to improve our health information system,” exalts Dr. Virtusio on the electronic medical record system for health centers. “Most of the local health officers here are more than willing to have this kind of system in place.”
The 17-strong city health officers of Metro Manila were in attendance as the CHITS experience in Pasay City was presented by District Officer Marie Irene R. Sy. “CHITS has been in Pasay since 2004 but slowly but surely, we are now on the verge of a citywide computerization as we have 10 out of 14 health centers that are automated using CHITS,” says Dr. Sy.
Highlights of the presentation were the history, benefits, current and future features of CHITS which drew excitement from city health officers. Inquiries on installation and deployment were answered by CHITS Project Coordinator Noel A. Bañez.
The AHOMM meeting is a quarterly gathering of local health executives from the 16 cities and 1 municipality from Metro Manila which includes Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela—and the municipality of Pateros. The meeting highlighted health program updates and initiatives from the DOH’s Center for Health Development – Metro Manila (CHD-MM) headed by Regional Director Dr. Irma L. Asuncion.