Health Informatics: Improving Healthcare

Health Informatics

• Methods and systems used to acquire, process, and interpret patient data using scientific research
• Encompasses every aspect of data generation, handling, communication, storage, retrieval, management, analysis, discovery, and synthesis within healthcare
• A field combining healthcare, information science, and technology to improve patient care, clinical decision-making, and healthcare system efficiency

Key Aspects

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs): Improves access to medical histories and reduces paperwork through digital patient records
• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: AI-powered systems used for predictive analytics, medical imaging, and personalized medicine
• Telemedicine & Mobile Health (mHealth): Remote healthcare services delivered through digital tools

Health Information Management vs Health Informatics

Health Information Management

• Manages personal health information within healthcare organizations
• Ensures quality healthcare delivery
• Focuses on patient or individual-related data
• Responsible for the accumulation, storage, and accuracy of patient data
• Deals with medical records, billing, and data regulatory compliance
• Focuses on records management, terminology, coding, transcription, and the business aspects of healthcare records management

Health Informatics

• Rapidly advances medicine through computer technology
• Applies IT to create and manage knowledge in healthcare
• Responsible for the design, development, analysis, and utilization of patient and enterprise-wide data systems
• Foundation in information infrastructure, architecture, and computer information systems
• Focuses on database design and programming, information systems design, standards, analysis, and enterprise-wide health systems organization, including the business of healthcare systems

Health Information Technology

• IT area focused on designing, developing, creating, using, and maintaining information systems for healthcare

Health Information Systems

• Collects and analyzes data from health and other relevant sectors
• Converts data into information for health-related decision-making, ensuring quality, relevance, and timeliness
• HIT refers to the actual technology (hardware, software, networks) used in healthcare

Health Information Systems (HIS)

• A broader system involving technology, people, and processes to manage healthcare data and services

Application of HIS on Public Health

• Addresses different information needs of health planners and decision-makers

Health Determinants & Contextual Environment

• Collects and analyzes factors affecting health, including environmental conditions, socioeconomic status, and demographics
• Geographic Information System (GIS): Tracks environmental health risks, pollution levels, and disease outbreaks
• Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS): Collects data on socioeconomic factors, lifestyle choices, and health behaviors
• Surveillance Systems: Monitors disease trends based on environmental and demographic data

Health Service Inputs

• Tracks infrastructure, facilities, medical equipment, and workforce availability
• Ensures efficient resource allocation to areas with the greatest need
• Health Resource Availability Mapping System (HeRAMS): Tracks healthcare facilities, workforce, and medical supplies
• Hospital Management Information System (HMIS): Manages hospital infrastructure, staff, and medical equipment
• Supply Chain Management Systems (e.g., OpenLMIS): Ensures efficient distribution of medical supplies and vaccines

Performance or Outputs of the Health System

• Measures the effectiveness of healthcare services, such as patient wait times and treatment success rates
• Helps policymakers improve service delivery based on data insights
• Electronic Health Records (EHRs) & Hospital Information Systems (HIS): Tracks patient wait times, admissions, and treatment outcomes
• District Health Information System (DHIS2): Collects and analyzes healthcare performance data at regional and national levels
• Patient Satisfaction and Feedback Systems: Gathers real-time feedback on healthcare services

Health Outcomes

• Monitors key health indicators like mortality rates, disease outbreaks, and disability trends
• Supports early warning systems for public health emergencies (e.g., pandemics)
• Immunization Information Systems (IIS): Monitors vaccination rates and disease prevention efforts
• Vital Statistics Systems: Records birth, death, and disease mortality data

Health Inequities

• Identifies disparities in healthcare access and outcomes based on gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and location
• Helps design targeted interventions to improve healthcare equity
• Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Data Systems: Identifies disparities in healthcare access based on income, ethnicity, and location
• Health Equity Monitoring Systems: Tracks healthcare inequality trends
• Community Health Information Systems: Provides localized health data to address disparities in rural and under-served areas

Sex (Gender-Based Health Disparities)

• Sex, socioeconomic status, ethnic group, and geographic location are key social determinants of health (SDOH) that influence healthcare access and outcomes
• Maternal & Child Health Information Systems: Tracks maternal health, prenatal care, and childbirth outcomes
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Reporting Systems: Records cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse to improve interventions
• Nutrition Surveillance Systems: Monitors food security and malnutrition trends among low-income populations

Impact of a good HIS

• Ensures users of health information have access to reliable, authoritative, usable, understandable, comparative data
• Results in a more responsive and equitable health system
• Basis for creating program action, efficient resource allocation, enhancing quality, and improving the effectiveness of health at the delivery level

Challenges in Health Information Management in the Philippines

• Integration Issues: Health data comes from different systems that are not well connected
• Makes it hard to get a complete picture
• Weak Governance in ICT: No strong leadership or structure to manage health information technology properly
• Lack of Skilled Staff: Insufficient dedicated IT and technical support personnel to maintain and improve health information systems
• Poor Data Quality: Health records contain errors, missing details, or inconsistencies
• Makes them unreliable
• No Data Sharing Standards: Systems don't easily communicate, causing difficulties in sharing patient information
• Reporting Problems: Health workers struggle to submit accurate and timely reports due to system inefficiencies
• Low Use of Health Data: Data is not always used effectively for decision-making, even when available
• Weak Data Analysis: Lack of proper tools and expertise to interpret health data for better planning and policies

Opportunities in the HIM in the Philippines

• Recognition and adoption of EA to enhance ICT in the DOH
• Emerging technologies to automate or support business processes (Continuing upgrade)
• Move towards System Harmonization and/or Interoperability

DOH Enterprise Architecture (DOH EA)

• Describes strategies for aligning business and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and its underlying infrastructure
• Data collection based on standard sets of indicators
• Data storage from various sources into a single data store or warehouse
• Consolidation, analysis, and provision of reports in an integrated system
• Assess information needs of other health sector groups and the sharing of information among various agencies

DOH Enterprise Architecture Objectives

• Facilitate consolidation of systems and architecture
• Promote interoperability by providing a means for communication and coordination of electronic data among health domains
• Serve as a reference in the development of integrated information systems
• Increase accountability and ownership of data and information
• Harmonize and optimize processes and workflows for integrated health care
• Promote the use of standards to support the objectives of the Department

eHealth in the Philippines

• Improves information flow through electronic means to support and facilitate the delivery of quality and responsive health services
• Better management of health systems and service delivery networks