Abstract:
Design and Implementation of a Patient Appointment Information System," focuses on addressing the inefficiencies present in traditional methods of managing patient appointments. These inefficiencies, such as delays, miscommunication, and poor record-keeping, negatively impact healthcare providers and patients alike. The aim of the study is to develop a reliable, user-friendly, web-based system that efficiently schedules, tracks, and manages patient appointments, providing a centralized platform that enhances the accuracy and accessibility of appointment records. The system also aims to streamline communication between healthcare providers and patients and generate comprehensive reports for administrative purposes.
In terms of methodology, the waterfall Model was employed for software development. The Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology (SSADM) was applied during the system analysis phase to map the information flow and ensure the system aligns with user needs and the overall organizational structure. Data collection methods included interviews with stakeholders, observations of current appointment management practices, and a review of archival records to identify the most pressing issues in the current system.
For the technical implementation, the development environment comprised XAMPP as a local server, MySQL for database management, and PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and the W3Schools CSS framework for coding and styling the application. Visual Studio served as the primary development tool for writing and debugging the code, ensuring the system's robustness and functionality.
The findings from the study indicate that the developed system successfully addresses the identified challenges. It provides a user-friendly digital platform accessible via the internet, allowing healthcare staff and patients to easily schedule, view, and manage appointments.
In conclusion, this project effectively meets its objectives by introducing a digitalized appointment system that reduces operational bottlenecks and improves patient satisfaction at Heal Africa. The study suggests that future research could expand on this work by integrating advanced features like automated reminders and mobile health application compatibility to further improve patient engagement and healthcare delivery efficiency.
