IplanRio has just completed another significant chapter in strengthening public healthcare in Rio. On July 22nd, the latest phase of the Carioca Mental Health Electronic Medical Record (PCSM)was implemented, now covering the inpatient unit at Hospital Municipal Philippe Pinel. This initiative expands the use of the system, which was already in place for emergency care at the facility, ensuring more continuous and integrated care for patients within the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS).

The proposal arose from the need to provide mental health professionals with a tool that consolidates a patient's entire history, from their initial emergency admission to their inpatient stay. With this new module, it is possible to integrate and maintain continuous care records, preventing information loss and redundant work while ensuring more effective follow-up. This measure reinforces the public administration's commitment to humanized, efficient, and data-driven care.

The solution is the result of a collective effort by the Technical Directorates of Planning and New Business, Systems, and Operations, who worked directly on requirements gathering, system development, and staff training at the facility. Three developers and one requirements analyst were involved, alongside ongoing support from an SMS manager who coordinates the needs of RAPS units with technical deliverables.

The implementation also reinforces the strategic role of technology in addressing historical public health challenges. The PCSM stands out for its national relevance, having been recognized in 2024 by the Espírito Público Awardin the Management and Planning category. With this new phase at Philippe Pinel, approximately 36 inpatients, with the potential to reach 50 during the testing phase, will now have their data recorded in a standardized, secure, and accessible manner for the professionals responsible for their care, marking an important initial step toward expanding this solution to serve more patients.

Digitizing medical records also offers environmental and economic benefits by reducing paper usage, eliminating redundant record-keeping, and optimizing human resources. The project is also beginning to take steps toward incorporating artificial intelligence, currently in planning with IplanRio’s Vice Presidency of Products and AI. The goal is for medical record data to eventually provide predictive insights and guidance for clinical and management decisions.

In addition to ensuring data security and privacy—accessible only by authorized SMS teams—the system is being connected to the City’s Datalake , strengthening information governance and creating a solid foundation for smarter public policies.

The project is managed through shared governance between the Municipal Health Department (SMS) and IplanRio, with weekly meetings for alignment, priority setting, and performance evaluation. To support the adoption of the new tool, two in-person training sessions were held in June, in addition to appointing an SMS focal point at the hospital for ongoing support.

More than just a technological delivery, the advancement of the PCSM at Philippe Pinel represents a commitment to the dignity of mental health care. In a scenario where social vulnerability is often linked to psychological distress, ensuring an integrated, humanized public care system is a concrete response to the challenge of providing quality service to the population that needs it most.

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