Landscaping health-care system using functional records management activities Ngoako Solomon Marutha Department of Information Science, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa Abstract Purpose – The paper sought to investigate the landscaping of electronic system through the use of the functional patient’s records management activities. The rationale is to share views and guide organisations that are struggling with providing specification for a functional records management system. Design/methodology/approach – The study used qualitative approach to apply the literature in supporting the views about landscaping electronic system using functional patient’s records management activities. Findings – The study revealed that without consideration of records management activities the likelihood is that the system may be not properly functional. The best way to landscape electronic system for records management is using records management activities. This will assist in avoiding critical omission for inclusion of all records management system operational activities. Originality/value – The paper is proposing a new way of landscaping the electronic system by using the records management functional activities. It also provides a framework to guide the implementers or electronic system developers. The paper was partially extracted from the author’s Ph.D. thesis completed in 2016, to develop a framework for landscaping the electronic system by using the records management functional activities. Keywords Electronic system, Records management, Functions activities, Patients’ records, Health-care system, Landscaping Paper type General review Introduction Records management processes involve all the activities discharged in managing the records throughout the life cycle (Ismail and Jamaludin, 2009; Ngoepe, 2014). In a health-care institution, the health-care records are managed when handling, organising, and safety and security measures. Therefore, to ensure effective records management operation, an effective records management system framework needs to be established during the records management planning process (Lott, 1997; Ngoepe, 2014; Ndenje-Sichalwe et al., 2011). Specific records management operations or activities that need to be covered by the recordkeeping system include the following: [...] capturing records into the records system, determining the records retention period, registering records, classifying records, storage and handling procedures, access and retrieval, applying the disposal authority and documenting records management processes (Ismail and Jamaludin, 2009). The functional requirements for electronic records management also include records’ capturing, identifying, arrangement, description, classifying, storage, preservation, metadata and access, appraisal, retention, disposal, access management, security management and the rendering of search and retrieval services to clients (Horsman, 2001; International Council on Archives, 2008; Ndenje-Sichalwe et al., 2011). Additional to these, paper-based records also require accessioning as an activity on top of all the other operations (Katuu, 2012). Documentation of records management processes or the creation of policies and procedures also forms part of the key operational tasks for records management (Chinyemba and Ngulube, 2005; Ndenje-Sichalwe et al., 2011). This is because “management of records after their creation is just as important as ensuring that the right records have been captured” in the system (Chinyemba and Ngulube, 2005). Fundamentally, the records management process-guiding document should be created to clearly describe the legal, organisational and technical requirements of the recordkeeping operation. The document should also cover records management processes authorisations. Good examples of these processes include classification, disposition, indexing and review of records (ISO 15489, 2001; Granath et al., 2004; Nengomasha, 2009; Ngoepe, 2014; Ndenje-Sichalwe et al., 2011). Some of the records management operational activities need to be documented for approval by the appropriate authorities. For instance, the documentation of operational procedures regarding records’ capturing and the records retention period should also be properly documented and submitted to organisational management for approval. In most organisations, some activities are performed while others are not discharged (Ngoepe, 2014; Ngoepe and Van der Walt, 2010). For example, from the researcher’s experience, some of the organisations arrange and keep their records, even if they do not have a documented plan or guiding documents such as a file plan, also to find that the records kept are also not appraised The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9326.htm Collection and Curation © Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326] [DOI 10.1108/CC-03-2020-0006] Received 19 March 2020 Revised 21 April 2020 Accepted 23 April 2020