“Unfortunately, despite the prevalent occurrences of eye injuries in the country, our medical institutions are having a hard time in monitoring and getting insights from the available records.”
Said Geliza Alcober, the Information System Development and Training Unit (ISDT) Project Head of FEU Institute of Technology (FEU Tech), on the need for a system that can efficiently store and manage eye trauma patients’ data.
To solve this gap, last Sept. 25, FEU Tech and the Department of Health (DOH) Eye Center, unveiled a groundbreaking initiative in the field of ocular health–the first-ever ocular registration system in the Philippines.
The collaboration materialized after a meticulous process that spanned back to 2020. Numerous challenges in creating the program arose and the ISDT played a pivotal role in surmounting these obstacles. With a focus on real-world system development projects and community outreach programs, the ISDT team, alongside project managers, exhibited exceptional dedication in bringing this vital initiative to fruition.
The pioneer web platform empowers eye specialists and DOH Eye Center administrators to efficiently manage trauma patient data, transcending the limitations of traditional record-keeping methods and providing easily printable softcopies of trauma patient data.
A standout feature of this system lies in its data visualization capabilities. The platform can provide an illuminating heatmap, offering a quick overview of the concentration of cases across different regions of the Philippines.
Such data serve as a foundation for preventive measures, enabling organizations to proactively address the underlying causes of eye trauma by strategically allocating resources and deploying specialists in the needed areas. Additionally, the system supplies comprehensive statistics and accompanying charts to assist eye specialists’ interpretation of patient data.
In terms of privacy and security of patient data, the online platform employs a vigorous framework fortified with state-of-the-art data encryption technologies. The system is also equipped with comprehensive audit logs and is diligently maintained by FEU Tech's dedicated team of developers.
The cutting-edge online ocular registry would not be possible without the brains behind it. Dr. Jose Ma. D. Martinez, with his team, is fully involved in the system and its processes. The ISDT project Managers, Joseph Calleja and Dr. Angelo Arguson provide the best tools and framework to design the system. Marie Jocelle Mina led the graphical user interface of the platform. Most importantly, Ivan Dwane Gloria, the full-stack developer and an alumnus of FEU Tech, ensures that the system is user-friendly, secure, and efficient.
The registry is currently deployed to the DOH Eye Center at East Avenue. Plans to deploy the system to several other eye care centers in the country are also ongoing.
Through this initiative, FEU Tech was able to reach out to the community and contribute to the efforts of achieving good health and well-being. With this collaboration and innovation, solving real-world problems and achieving optimum health outcomes is more feasible and efficient.