Module 1 - Introduction to Health Information Systems Study Guide PDF 2024-2025

Module 1 – INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS Study Guide Second Semester 2024-2025 Introduction Health information systems (HIS), defined by the World Health Organization as integrated effort...

Module 1 – INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS Study Guide Second Semester 2024-2025 Introduction Health information systems (HIS), defined by the World Health Organization as integrated efforts to‘collect, process, report and use public health information and knowledge to influence policy making, programme action and research’, are essential to the effective functioning of public health systems worldwide. Every day, public health care workers at all levels of the health system (from ftontline health care workers or managers) use data and information to make good decisions (ranging from for care and treatment of patients, planning programs, to managing resources). Knowing health information systems can help in improving efficiency and effectivity at their work. For purposes of this course, the topics covered will deal with public health management information system (HMIS) which collects, stores, analyses, and evaluates health-related data from health facility to district, regional and national administrative levels. It provides analytical reports and visualisations that facilitate decision making at all these levels. HMIS are also referred to as routine health information systems. Based on “Lippeveld T., Azim T., Boone D., Dwivedi V., Edwards M., AbouZahr C. (2019) Health Management Information Systems: Backbone of the Health System. In: Macfarlane S., AbouZahr C. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Health Data Methods for Policy and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, London. ”: A HMIS derives much of its information from patient-provider interactions in health facilities. Hospitals, health centres, and community outreach services provide health care across preventive, promotive, medical and surgical, rehabilitation, and palliative care interventions. The HMIS also collects data from beyond government-run facilities including from non-profit, for-profit, faith-based facilities and from service delivery sites such as prisons, schools, workplaces and communities.  Facilities collect data – which are integral to the services they provide – to ensure good management of patients.  Health managers aggregate and report the data to higher administrative levels, for example district, regional and national levels.  When aggregated, the data provide information for epidemiological surveillance and for monitoring health services performance in terms of access, coverage, quality, and equity at all levels of the health system. IH 231. Los Baños: University of the Philippines Open University  The information generated show the range and volume of services delivered to the population, including: prevention such as immunisation, antenatal, delivery and postnatal care; treatment of acute conditions such as malaria, diarrhoea, and upper respiratory tract infections; chronic conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, high blood pressure; and management of surgery and trauma.  In addition to generating information on interventions – admissions, treatments administered and health outcomes – a HMIS also produces data on the availability of services, infrastructure, equipment and supplies needed to deliver such interventions. The HMIS provides information for local planning. It also contributes to country level monitoring and evaluation, research, policy and planning and generates indicators about outputs, outcomes and impact. Module Learning Outcomes/ Objective After working on this module, you should be able to: 1. Define health information systems (HIS) 2. Understand the importance of health information systems with efficient health service management 3. Provide examples and cite the importance of different types of health information; 4. Be acquainted with the various levels of information need; 5. Provide examples of different information sub-systems; 6. Identify common problems in HIS; 7. Provide examples of national, regional and global health information systems. Key Concepts and Activities 1.1 Introduction to Health Information Systems Lippeveld (2000) defines a health information system as a set of components and procedures organized with the objective of generating information which will improve health care management decisions at all levels of the health system.. The health information system collects data from the health sector and other relevant sectors, analyses the data and ensures their overall quality, relevance and timeliness, and converts data into information for health-related decision-making. In order to understand and appreciate this definition better, try to dissect this definition by accomplishing the following matrix: Level of Important health care In what specific way can the management decisions HIS improve health outcomes health Individual (patient level) Health facility level Population level (country) Population level (international / global) Page | 2 IH 231. Los Baños: University of the Philippines Open University Public health surveillance 1.2 Sub-systems within a health information system There are many sub-systems within a national health information systems depending on the type of data being collected. 1.2.1, Preventive health information systems are set-up for the systematic collection and generation of service statistics from the vertical public health programs like maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, environmental health and the various disease control programs like TB, malaria, etc. 1.2.2. The hospital information and medical records system is a whole world in itself with a lot o f components like the individual patient medical records, pharmacy, laboratory, and so many other subsystems within the hospital. 1.2.3. The disease surveillance system is one of the most important sub- systems of a health i n f o r m a t i o n system where timeliness of information is of prime importance since it has a m o n g its major functions the monitoring of disease outbreaks and epidemics. 1.2.4. Population/community-based health information systems are generally for public health f u n c t i o n s and include information from both the users and non-users of health service 1.2.5. Geographic information systems deal with the spatial dimensions of health and health care and contain geographic information and its attributes. Maps are the most commonly used products of a geographic information system. 1.2.6. Vital registration system involves the systematic collection, storage and dissemination of data about vital e v e n t s occurring in the population, namely births, deaths and marriages. For each of these sub-systems of the health information system: 1. Can you give a specific example of an actual information system which has been established under this category? (For example, the Field Health Information System (FHSIS) of the Philippine Department of Health is an example of a preventive health information system. 2. Identify at least 2 important uses of the specific health information system you have identified. 3. Give examples of specific data elements which are routinely collected under this type o f health information system Page | 3 IH 231. Los Baños: University of the Philippines Open University 1.3. National, Regional and Global Health Information Systems National, regional and global databases on health are generally maintained by the international health and health Development Program (UNDP) maintains the database for the levels of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the UN-member countries. Among the international organizations, WHO, the World Bank and OECD have global databases which are very widely used. In the case of WHO, the global databases are maintained by the WHO Headquarters in Geneva but the various regional offices like the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) or the South East Asian Regional Office (SEARO) maintain their own regional databases. Visit the websites of these major international health and health-related organizations like WHO, the World Bank, OECD and others and explore what kinds of databases they maintain. 1.4. Common problems faced by health information systems Lippeveld (2000) lists the following common problems of health information systems: a. Irrelevance of the information gathered b. Poor quality of data c. Duplication and waste among parallel health information systems d. Lack o f timely reporting and feedback e. Poor use of information Page | 4  For each of the above problems, answer the following questions: a. Why is this problem commonly faced? What factors contribute to the existence of this problem? b. In what way are health workers affected because of the existence of such problem in health information systems? c. How can this problem be addressed? To organize your thoughts better, you can record your answers in the following matrix: PROBLEM CONTRIBUTIN EFFECT(S) SOLUTIONS G FACTORS OF PROBLEM TO MINIMIZE ON HEALTH EFFECTS Information gathered are irrelevant Poor data quality Duplication among parallel information systems Lack of timely reporting and feedback Low level of data utilization In addition to the five problems identified by Lippeveld, can you think of other problems faced by health information systems - related organizations; for example, the United Nations and the World Health Organization.. References globalhealthdata.org (n.d.). Health management information systems. Retrieved Jan 24, 2023, from https://globalhealthdata.org/health-management-information-systems/ Lippeveld, T, et al, eds. Design and implementation of Health Information Systems. Geneva. World Health Organization. 2000, pages 1-10 Health Information System Module from USAID 5