The records system in health centers is also slowly being integrated using the Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS), a computerized datagathering system that is networked to the reports of various regions. CHITS forms part of the Field Health Service Information System (FHSIS), which helps various department heads in the health sector in their decision-making. Currently, there are 49 health centers that utilize the system. And to further enhance the program, NTHC plans to integrate it in other platforms. "We also plan to integrate CHITS in mobile phones," says Noel A. Bañez, telehealth nurse and coordinator, CHITS, NTHC.

To provide solutions for private health institutions, NTHC also created a customizable system that can cater to the complex IT needs of hospitals. "Right now we are implementing the Open Medical

Records System (MRS) for hospitals, which is also used in different countries like the US and many African nations," Bañez explains.

"With telemedicine, I foresee that our health sector will be more integrated, wherein the transfer of data between one facility to another will not be a problem anymore -- retrieval of information and quality of health care will not be a problem anymore," Pedreña says.

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