Request for Proposals (RFP)

Electronic Medical Records System for Vision Community

Based Rehabilitation Association
12/16/2013
Peace Corps
Joshua Cook (Iyyassuu)
Information Communication Technology Volunteer
Telephone Number: +251 922.53.04.71
P.O. Box 612 Ambo, Ethiopia
Email: jscook@gmail.com

Background:
Vision Community Based Rehabilitation Association (VCBRA) is a non-governmental organization
specializing in rehabilitation. They help people with disabilities, such as deafness, blindness, physical
and mental impairments. Community based rehabilitation starts by identifying a person with a disability
and then referring her to a health facility for treatment or providing home based rehabilitation.
Currently, they are serving two communities, Ambo and Welliso in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia.

Vision
A user friendly database which contains community based rehabilitation information on
patients.
Goal
To manage, categorize, and organize all forms, documents and software into a comprehensive
database design which encompasses patient information for VCBRA Vision Community Based
Rehabilitation Association.
Objective 1
Collect all information related to patients from VCBRA and construct a logical user diagram
within 3 weeks.
Objective 2
Construct a diagram that contains domains, primary & foreign keys and organizes the patient
care information into 2nd normal form within 10 weeks.
Objective 3
Build the database and allow users to give feedback and adjust the database to suit the users
within 4 months.

Vision Database project

A database is needed to transfer information from paper format into a structured database for VCBRA.
This will provide easy access to find information about a patient. The project will begin from scratch, by
interviewing, collecting forms and gathering other important information. Then the information will be
organized, normalized, and put into an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD). Using the ERD as a guide, the
database will be built, tested, and documented. Then the front end will be designed and build. The
written reporting forms will be changed to better reflect the organization of the front end of the
database. Finally, a user manual and training will be organized for staff.

Statement of Work
Peace Corps Information Communication Technology Volunteer: Joshua Cook
Sponsor: Vision Community Based Rehabilitation Association (VCBRA)
Purpose
This project seeks to gather patient information about the clients of Vision Community Based
Rehabilitation in order to better plan field activities and report key pieces of information to project
donors. Much of the data collection has been completed and needs to be transferred into digital form.
The project will be completed in three phases. The first phase including information collection and
database design will be completed by Jan 1st. The second phase, learning MS Access and building the
database will be completed Feb 15th. The last phase, training and documentation will be complete by
May 1st.
Useful queries such as the number of patients under home based rehabilitation, the number of children
referred to outside facilities, and the socio economic background of patients are key pieces of
information donors want to know. Also, GPS coordinates of each patient will be taken to help the field
coordinator assign and plan the routes of his field staff for their clients.
Scope Statement
This project will be responsible for the following:

Include all information about a patient from VCBRA

Produce a database design which clearly defines the relationships of the data
A way to synchronize databases offline
Documentation that clearly communicates how to use, enter, and query the database
User profiles

The project considers the following to be out of scope:

HR and patient activities will not be included in this portion of the design or building phase
Recruit database subject-matter-expertise
Identify people who will enter information into the database
Schedule the database training
Scheduling system for field coordinator for his field staff

Deliverables
1. Interview questions and documentation
2. Database design documents i.e. ERD, table normalization etc

3.

An Electronic Medical Records System about patients at VCBRA which includes information
about:
a. Demographics
b. Home base rehab
c. Referral services and provider information
d. Discharge
e. Disability and diagnosis type
f. Progress note
g. Screening
h. Daily assessment
4. User Manual
5. EMRS training for staff
Cost Estimates
This project is considered funded by the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The
volunteer is given a stipend to live on and he carries out work in his community in relation to the project
framework outlined by Peace Corps. Thus, this project comes at no cost to the sponsor VCBRA. All
equipment is already available and ready to use so there is no material cost.

Schedule Overview
Estimated Project Completion Date: 5/1/2014
Major Milestones:

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3

1/1/2014
3/16/2014
5/16/2013

Measures of Success
1.

The information collection and follow up is completed. The ERD is finished with feedback
incorporated.
2. MS Access is learned in such a way the database is built and tested using the database design as
a guide. The old paper forms are replaced with new ones and the staff can accurately fill out the
paper forms.
3. The users have been trained to fluently use the forms on the front end to enter patient
information. The executive director and other select individuals can query the database for the
information he wants.

Stakeholder Analysis
Name and Role
Joshua Cook
Designer, Builder, and Implementer
Demelash (Executive Director)
VCBRA

Major Responsibility
Design, Build, and train staff on usage of EMRS for
community based rehabilitation
Allow access to all information needed to build the
EMRS. Also provide feedback on usage and system
ease of use. Select staff to train and use the
database.
All access to information and test the database.
Test and provide feedback to user friendliness.
Provide feedback to all phases of the project. She
is the consultant on the project as she has
experience with EMRS.

Getuu (Field Coordinator) VCBRA

Field Staff VCBRA
Jennifer Klein
Peace Corps
Feedback Consultant

Chain of Command
Demelash Executive Director
and Project Sponsor

Jennifer Klein Monitoring and

Feedback

Joshua Cook Designer, Builder,

and Implementer

Getuu - Monitoring
and Feedback

Field Staff - Data

Collectors, Testers
and Users

Communication Plan

Stakeholder

Demelash

Jennifer
Getuu

Field Staff

Information needs

Status Updates
Changes to design
Upgrades costing
the organization
money, but decisions
that might outweigh
the cost
Any design or
database questions
Updates to field
worker or patient
information
Updates to database

Frequency

Medium

Response

Monthly

1. Meeting

Verbal or email

Daily

2. Meeting

Verbal

Monthly

3. Meeting

Verbal

Quarterly

4. Meeting

Verbal or memo

Responsibility Matrix
Activity
Database
Design
Build Database
Test Database
Database
Training
Data Entry
Data Collection
(Paper)
Maintain
Organization
Contacts
Financial
Responsibility
GPS Training
GPS Patient
Collection
(Field Staff)
System
Security
Database
Maintenance
Needs
Assessment

Demelash

Iyyassuu

Jennifer

Getuu

Fieldstaff

A&C

A&C

A&C
E

E
E

A&C&E
C&E

I
E

I
E

E&C

E
E

A&C&E

E
A&C

E
I

E
E

New Field
Collection
Forms

A&C

E&C

Execution responsibility. Stakeholder responsible for getting the work done. Not necessarily a
decision maker, but drives the group to make decisions in a timely manner.

Approval authority. Final approval on accepting the outcome of this activity. Makes decisions.

Must be consulted. As work is performed this stakeholder contributes information. Does not make
decisions, but is asked for input prior to decisions.

Informed after a decision is made. Wants to stay updated on progress of this activity.

Risk Management
First we begin with the technical risks.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Design difficulty Although much information was collected and organized, the designer is a
beginner
Viruses are common
Pirated Versions of MS Office
No backup and recovery are in place
Will an overly normalized design complicate the database relationships?
How will data entries be transferred from one computer to another without Internet connection

Second are the methods, procedures, and tools used to produce the product.
1. Will the design enable the user to query the database for the information he is searching for?
2. Will the users understand the language well enough to enter it correctly?
Lastly, are the resource constraints.
1. Does the staff have the capacity to navigate the database forms with such little training?
2. Maintainability To this point only one developer is responsible for the project. If he leaves
who will be trained to take it over?

3.

Will learning MS Access be too difficult and set back the database construction completion
date?

Work Breakdown Structure

1

Phase 1

Information Collection & Interviewing

2.1

Needs Assessment

2.2

Gather all paper forms

2.3

Interview Executive Director

2.4

Interview Field Coordinator

Categorize Information Into Logical Groupings

3.1

Patient Care

3.2

Human Resources

3.3

Disability Activities

Design Database (Conceptual Design)

4.1

Create Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) and Normalize Tables

4.2

Define Primary and Foreign Keys & Data Types

4.3

Request Design Feedback

4.4

Incorporate Feedback

Phase 2

Learn MS Access

6.1

Complete MS Access Book Review (Database Construction)

6.2

MS Access Book Review (Building Forms)

6.3

Select MS Access Version i.e. 2007, 2010, or 2013

Construct Database

7.1

Build Tables

7.2

Establish Relationships using ERD

7.3

Setup Primary and Foreign Keys

Design User Interface (Front End)

8.1

Build user interface

8.2

Build forms

Test Database

9.1

Users test functionality

9.2

Users query database

9.3

Document user feedback

9.4

Incorporate feedback

10 User Permissions
10.1 Assign user permissions
10.2 Setup synchronization and merge processes
11 Phase 3
12 Publish Documentation & User Manual
12.1 Break the user manual into categories
12.2 Create step by step examples of each form
12.3 Redesign paper forms for field staff
12.4 Train staff on new forms
13 Database Training
13.1 Instruct Staff on Usage, Functionality, and Applications
13.2 Create step by step exercises

13.3 Users enter information into dummy database

14 Enter Records Into Database
14.1 Staff collects information in field using paper forms
14.2 Data Entry Operator transfers from paper form to EMRS

Action Plan

VCBRA EMRS Action Plan

Project Manager: Joshua Cook

Task
ID

Task Name

Assigned
to

Baseline
Start

Phase 1

Joshua

10/1/2013

Information Collection &

Interviewing
Needs Assessment

Joshua

Gather all paper forms

Joshua

Interview Executive Director

Joshua

Interview Field Coordinator

Joshua

Categorize Information Into

Logical Groupings

Joshua

Patient Care

Joshua

Human Resources

Joshua

Disability Activities
Design Database (Conceptual
Design)
Create Entity Relationship
Diagram (ERD) and
Normalize Tables
Define Primary & Foreign
Keys
Submit Design Feedback

Joshua

Incorporate Feedback

Joshua

Phase 2

Joshua

Learn MS Access

2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
5
6

6.1
6.2
6.3
7

Actual
Start

Baseline
Finish

Actual
Finish

10/7/2013

1/1/2014 12/12/2013

10/8/2013
10/8/2013
10/8/2013
10/8/2013
10/9/2013

10/9/2013
10/9/2013
10/9/2013
10/9/2013
10/9/2013

Joshua

10/12/2013
10/12/2013
10/14/2013
10/15/2013

10/16/2013
10/12/2013
10/14/2014
10/16/2013

Joshua

11/1/2013

12/12/2013

Joshua

11/2/2013

11/20/2013

Joshua

11/3/2013
11/27/2013
11/30/2013

11/25/2013
11/27/2013
12/12/2013

Joshua

Joshua

1/6/2014
1/7/2014

1/19/2014
1/19/2014

Complete MS Access Book

Exercises (Building Tables
and Defining Relatinships)

Joshua &
Jennifer

1/8/2014

1/15/2014

MS Access Book Exercises

(Building Forms)

Joshua &
Jennifer

Select MS Acces Version

Joshua

Construct Database

Joshua

1/16/2014
1/19/2014
1/20/2014

1/19/2014
1/19/2014
1/31/2014

7.1
7.2

Joshua

1/20/2014
1/26/2014

1/25/2014
1/29/2014

Joshua

1/26/2014

1/31/2014

Joshua &
Jennifer

2/1/2014

2/4/2014

Build user Interface

Joshua &
Jennifer

2/5/2014

2/16/2014

8.2

Build Forms

Joshua &
Jennifer

2/5/2014

2/16/2014

Test Database

Joshua &
Jennifer

2/17/2014

3/2/2014

9.1

User's test functionality

Demelash
& Getuu

2/18/2014

3/2/2014

9.2
9.3
9.4
10
10.1

User's query database

Demelash
& Getuu

Document user feedback

Joshua

Incorporate Feedback

Joshua

User Permissions

Joshua

Assugn user permissions

Joshua

2/19/2014
2/20/2014
2/21/2014
3/3/2014
3/4/2014

3/2/2014
3/2/2014
3/2/2014
3/16/2014
3/6/2014

Setup synchronization and

merge processes

Joshua

Phase 3

Joshua

3/7/2014
3/17/2014

3/16/2014
5/16/2014

12

Break the user manual into

categories

Joshua &
Jennifer

3/18/2014

3/19/2014

12.1

Publish documentation & User

Manual

Joshua &
Jennifer

3/20/2014

3/30/2014

12.2

Create step by step examples

of each form

Joshua &
Jennifer

3/21/2014

3/30/2014

Redesign paper forms for field

staff

Joshua &
Jennifer

Train staff on new forms

Joshua

Database Training

Joshua

3/22/2014
4/1/2014
4/7/2014

3/30/2014
4/5/2014
5/2/2014

13.1

Instruct staff on usage,

functinality and applications

Joshua

4/14/2014

4/30/2014

13.2

Create step by step exercises

Joshua &
Jennifer

4/7/2014

4/13/2014

13.3

User's enter information into

dummy database

Demelash
& Getuu
& Staff

5/1/2014

5/5/2014

14

Enter records into database

Getuu &
Staff

5/6/2014

5/16/2014

14.1

Staff collects information in

field using paper forms

Staff

3/18/2014

5/16/2014

Build Tables

Joshua

7.3

Build Relationships
Setup Primary and Foreign
keys

Design User Interface (Front

End)

8.1

10.2
11

12.3
12.4
13

14.2

Data Entry Operator enters

records

Joshua

5/17/2014

Continous