Health Information Systems

Theresa Finn, MEASURE Evaluation

Health information systems (HIS) are set up to produce timely and accurate information about what is happening in health sectors. Ideally, this information is then used to guide day-to-day operations of the health system, track performance over time, learn from past results, improve continuously, increase transparency and strengthen accountability.

However, the systems designed to track health data often fall short of this ideal. Data quality may be low, processes for using data other than sending reports may not exist, or managers and staff may have little incentive to give data processes the appropriate care and attention. Traditional assessments answer only part of the question of how to improve a health information system, because they look narrowly at technical issues such as data collection methods or information technology.

M&E as a Systems Strengthening Intervention

This presentation, Beyond Indicators and Reporting: M&E as a Health Information Systems Strengthening Intervention, illustrates some of the tensions that arise when implementing M&E interventions and discusses options for resolving them. This presentation reviews recent experiences and lessons learned in M&E system strengthening; the presenter, Sian Curtis, MEASURE Evaluation project director, places the experiences in the context of current global discussions related to country ownership and health information systems strengthening.

Routine Health Information Systems

MEASURE Evaluation has done much work to improve routine health information systems (RHIS). RHIS focus on ongoing data collection of health status, health interventions, and health resources. Examples include facility-based service statistics, vital events registration, and community-based information systems.

MEASURE Evaluation developed PRISM Tools for Assessing, Monitoring, and Evaluating RHIS Performance that acknowledges the broader context in which RHIS operate.

MEASURE Evaluation formed the Routine Health Information Network (RHINO) to promote the use of routine health information in decision making and the improvement of routine health information systems in resource poor countries globally. For more information, visit the RHINO Web site.

Health Management Information System Scale-up in Ethiopia

MEASURE Evaluation activities in Ethiopia include the Health Management Information System Scale-up Project. The project supports scaling-up the HMIS and M&E systems in the South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region, a very populous region. A scaled-up HMIS is expected to improve planning, management and efficient decision making at all levels of government.