The introduction of Electronic Health Records (EHR) into the healthcare system of Kyrgyzstan has unlocked new opportunities for maternal healthcare. Omurbek Zakirov, a family doctor at Family Medicine Center No. 2 in the city of Osh, uses these digital tools daily in his practice. His responsibilities include registering pregnant women for prenatal care and monitoring their health status thereafter. Thanks to digitalization, this process has become efficient, transparent, and comfortable for patients.
"Shifting to digital rails was not a beautiful picture from a presentation, it was a challenge inside the examination rooms," says the doctor. "Imagine a family doctor who has spent thirty years writing everything by hand, suddenly asked to work from a screen. In the first weeks, computers seemed like a wall separating doctors from their patients. The internet would freeze, lines got mixed up, and appointment time was melting away. Now that we have moved to the electronic ambulatory card, it has become a massive relief. It is fast and efficient, and control and statistics management have improved."
Behind these reserved words lie hours of despair, when after a shift he had to stay in the office until late at night to figure out the new program. Nurses feared making a mistake in a pregnant woman's card, since two lives were at stake. The hardest part was reshaping the mindset, defeating the internal voice that whispered, "The old way, on paper, was easier." But they did not give up.
The electronic record is proving highly effective, especially for early registration before 12 weeks of pregnancy, which is critical for preventing risks. Omurbek cites a recent case of a 20-year-old woman who came to him for her first pregnancy.
"We immediately opened an EHR for her and filled in all the data," the family doctor recalls. "Now we refer her for all tests and examinations exclusively in electronic form. We book appointments online, which helps save time. We set a clear visit schedule for her, and as soon as the test results are ready, she can see them right away on her phone. It is convenient for everyone."
For the women themselves, the EHR has significantly simplified interaction with medical professionals, sparing them from hours spent in hospital corridors.
"Sitting at home, future mothers can now book an appointment with us online and come strictly at their designated time without standing in line," Omurbek explains. "This is also very convenient for us. We know in advance when a patient will arrive, so we can open her data and prepare for the appointment. But most importantly, all information is stored in the system and will never be lost. At any moment and in any place, we can open the card and look up everything."
Previously, doctors had to manually fill out a massive amount of paperwork, which took time away from interacting with patients. Paper test results would sometimes get lost, causing unnecessary anxiety.
"When we were just starting to work the new way, there were difficulties," the doctor admits frankly. "Mostly of a technical nature. Somewhere we didn't fully understand the computer, missed some fields, got confused with diagnoses, or registered a woman for care late. There were such moments. But now we have completed training, and day by day we are sharpening our knowledge. I believe this brings immense benefit to everyone. All our prescriptions and recommendations are saved in the system, and patients can view them at any time through the 'Tunduk' application."
A crucial step in mastering the system was a two-day training session for healthcare workers, held in Osh from June 9 to 10, 2026, delivered as part of the joint programme's work to bridge the digital divide in healthcare.
"During this training, we analyzed many of our mistakes, realized where we were falling short, and were able to correct them," Zakirov emphasizes. "This training was an excellent support for us, family doctors. After all, we are in constant contact with patients, and the digital card is equally important for both us and them."
Today, the doctor is confident that the electronic health record is a successful experience that has elevated maternal health monitoring to a fundamentally new level.
"For women, it has become a colossal relief," Zakirov concludes. "The main advantages of the new system are the absence of waiting lines, fast testing, rapid receipt of results, and a continuous, close connection with the attending physician."
Note:
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