The role of medical secretaries in data w ork in healthcare Facilities

Abstract

This paper investigates the often neglected area of data work by
medical secretaries, specifically in the context of hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
Since the 1930s medical secretaries have played a steadily more central
role in meeting the growing need for health data. With health records (HIS)
and promises of data automation, the profession has been put at risk of
redundancy. While there is a considerable base of research on the
datafication of health care, the data work emerging from datafication
remains undescribed. Hence, we are conducting a socio- technical study of
clinical-administrative data work in Makkah Governmental hospitals. In this
paper we present early insights of this research, indicating the vital role of
medical secretaries’ data work in securing clinical information at the point
of care.