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Files
The Gauteng Department of Health says plans are underway to digitise a minimum of 800 million paper-based patient records across all 37 hospitals in the province.
This project started at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, where 800 000 patient files have so far been digitised.
The initiative aims to make patient records more accessible and easier to manage, while ensuring compliance with privacy and security standards.
Acting Chief Operating Officer for the Department, Dr. Percy Selepe says this initiative should yield positive results for the Gauteng public health care system.
“We are strengthening data security and we are reducing the risk of lost or misplaced files. As we know that as we lose files, we stand the risk of being litigated. We want to streamline hospital administration and reduce waiting times.”
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says this initiative is aimed at curbing unnecessary medico-legal claims,”Let me remind you that behind every patient file is a person, a story, and often a long journey through the healthcare system. For too long, those journeys have been interrupted by misplaced records, delayed care, or lost files. These are situations that compromise the safety of patients and sometimes expose the department to unnecessary medico-legal claims.”
Nkomo says their initiative has created some jobs and skills development.
“As part of this initiative, 100 young people from local communities have been contracted, trained and equipped with new skills in digital health records management.”
The security and confidentiality of patient data have been prioritised, with relevant stakeholders roped in to protect sensitive information from unauthorised access.
The Gauteng Department of Health in partnership with @MintGroupZA is hosting a media breakfast to reflect on the digitisation of 800 000 patient records at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital & plans to expand the initiative to other hospitals. #PaperlessHealthSystem📁💻 pic.twitter.com/cm0HK5KzNx
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) July 22, 2025
