Robotic Process Automation (RPA) on Medical Records Tracking System
Care Process & Redesign
Technology
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
National Healthcare Group
9 October 2025
To replace the costly Medical Records Management System (MRMS) with a cost-effective Robotic Process Automation (RPA). The RPA-based solution successfully addressed the high costs and inefficiencies of the legacy MRMS, demonstrating the potential of RPA.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 09 October 2025
Tags: Workflow Redesign, Cost Saving, Productivity, Quality Improvement, Records Management, Automation, Robotics Process Automation, Digital Platforms, Technology, Care Process ＆ Redesign
About this Content
Aims
To replace the costly Medical Records Management System (MRMS) with a cost-effective Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution to reduce operational costs, simplify the folder tracking process, maintain or improve tracking efficiency, and ensure system sustainability.
Background
The Medical Records Office (MRO) faced significant challenges with its legacy MRMS, which was expensive and over-engineered for its core function of tracking folder locations. The MRMS incurred an annual operating cost of $100,000, straining the hospital's budget.
Methods
The project involved a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the Medical Records Office (MRO) and the Information Technology Office (ITO). The RPA solution was developed using Plumber, a free tool from Open Government Products, and was implemented in phases to ensure a smooth transition.
Results
The RPA system eliminated the $100,000 annual cost of the MRMS and reduced the average record location time from 5 minutes to 2 minutes, resulting in a 60% improvement in time efficiency.
Conclusion
The RPA-based solution successfully addressed the high costs and inefficiencies of the legacy MRMS, demonstrating the potential of RPA in optimizing healthcare administration.
Lessons Learnt
Empowering end-users to maintain the system independently leads to long-term sustainability. Simplifying complex systems can greatly improve efficiency and user satisfaction. Involving end-users throughout the development process ensures the solution meets practical needs.
Keywords
RPA, Medical Records, Automation
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Institute of Mental Health |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Healthcare Administration |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Healthcare Administrators |
Project Lead(s) | Tiang Mee Ne |
Project Member(s) | Tiang Mee Ne |
Connect with this contributor!
Ms. Tan Yuen Peng - yuen_peng_tan@imh.com.sg