The growth in the numbers of patients' medical
records in Nigerian hospitals in recent times has
created problems for record storage and
retrieval. Describes the administration and
operation of the medical records system at the
University College Hospital, Ibadan, as a case
study. Provides statistics of the numbers of
records held, available storage space, staff, and
the numbers of records retrieved and created in
the various records units of the hospital. Data
were collected through observation, oral
interviews and a survey of official publications
and comments relating to the hospital and its
medical records department. Problems include
inadequate funding, storage and security
facilities. Recommends the introduction of new
information technologies, including Computer
Output Microfilm (COM) and microfilming of
existing records as partial solutions.
