Transforming South Africa’s health sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadrack Katuu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Content Management ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges of transforming South Africa’s health sector through the country’s eHealth Strategy and particularly one of its key components, the implementation of an integrated Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). Design/methodology/approach The study conducted an extensive review of literature and used it as a basis to analyse the challenges as well as opportunities in South Africa’s transformation path within its health sector based on the nation’s eHealth Strategy. Findings South Africa’s health sector faces three main transformation challenges: inequity, legacy of fragmentation and a service delivery structure biased towards curative rather than preventive services. Health information systems provide a solid platform for improving efficiency but, within South Africa, these systems have been highly heterogeneous. A recent study showed the country had more than 40 individual health information systems scattered in all provinces, with over 50 per cent not adhering to any national or international standards and more than 25 per cent being stand-alone applications that shared information neither locally nor externally. The eHealth Strategy offers a robust platform to start addressing the legacy of fragmentation and lack of interoperability. However, it also raises a few other concerns, including the use of different terminology such as Electronic Medical Record (EMR) interchangeable with Electronic Health Record (EHR), or EDRMS parallel with Electronic Content Management (ECM). In addition, there is the opportunity to explore the use of the maturity model concept in the EDRMS implementation experiences within South Africa. Originality/value This paper demonstrated the complex nature of the legacy of fragmentation in South Africa’s health information systems and explored three aspects relating to terminology as well as maturity models that should be considered in the country’s future eHealth Strategy.

Health information systems in Namibia

2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 358-376
Author(s):  
Cathrine Tambudzai Nengomasha ◽  
Ruth Abankwah ◽  
Wilhelm Uutoni ◽  
Lilian Pazvakawambwa
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Quality Of Healthcare ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Data Survey

Purpose This paper aims to report some findings of a study that investigated health information systems (HISs) in Namibia with a view of establishing the nature of these systems and coming up with recommendations on how these could be enhanced. Design/methodology/approach This study applied a mixed methods research approach, using interviews and survey questionnaire to collect data. Survey data were analysed for descriptive statistics using SPSS and data from interviews were analysed applying content analysis for data analysis. Findings The findings of this study indicate fragmented HISs resulting in duplication of diagnosis, tests and treatment. The findings show that there were errors in capturing data into the systems, which could compromise the reliability of the data and compromise service delivery. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to two (Khomas and Oshana) of the fourteen regions in Namibia; therefore, further studies could look at other regions, as the study findings cannot be generalised to the entire country. Practical implications The findings and recommendations, particularly those relating to the public health sector, could inform policies and procedures, especially those relating to the patient health passport (card), and the way health information is shared within and across health sectors. Originality/value This study focused on health information sharing, whereas a previous study on HISs concentrated on quality of healthcare.

Towards Multi-Agent Health Information Systems

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 20-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Claudi ◽  
Paolo Sernani ◽  
Aldo Franco Dragoni
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Radiology Workflow ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Multi Agent

One of the key challenges in the healthcare sector is to adapt Health Information Systems to requirements coming from changing societies. In recent years, governments and international healthcare organizations defined a series of requirements for new generation Health Information Systems: they have to preserve past investments on legacy systems, but must also integrate new technologies, include the patient among their users, and ensure that clinical information are available at all times, even in places far from where information are physically stored. This paper proposes a multi agent-oriented architecture for Health Information Systems, which uses international standards for communication and management of clinical documents. The architecture tries to effectively model a generic healthcare organization, and aims at being easily extensible and adaptable to the particularities of specific healthcare systems. The authors present two experimental scenarios to test the proposed multi-agent health information system. In the first, they show how to model a specific use case, a radiology workflow, using agents and well-known standards; in the second one the authors demonstrate how a mobile application can use the services provided by the agents to support the medical staff in an emergency situation.

Strengthening Healthcare Systems and Health Information Systems

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundeep Sahay ◽  
T Sundararaman ◽  
Jørn Braa
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Health Systems Strengthening ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Public Health Informatics ◽  
Reform Processes

Establishment of health information systems has been a central objective of health sector reform in nearly all LMICs over the last two to three decades. Historically, reform processes have taken introduction of health information systems as inhertently strengthening health sector performance. But today it is more appropriate to talk of health sector strengthening as co-evolving with health information systems strengthening, each reinforcing the performance and reform agendas of the other. The need to build synergies is heightened as there are a multitude of global and national health reform processes underway, like those assoicated with the sustainable development goals or with universal health coverage and each of these have expanded informational needs, requiring robust, flexible, and evolving health information systems. An understanding of the challenges faced by efforts at health systems strengthening helps provide meaningful inputs into health information systems design and vice versa. Such an understanding will enrich public health informatics as an academic discipline, as an area of practice, and as a policy domain.

COVID-19 image transmission using convolutional neural networks based algorithms for medical applications

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gangadhar Ch ◽  
Nama Ajay Nagendra ◽  
Syed Mutahar Aaqib ◽  
C.M. Sulaikha ◽  
Shaheena Kv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Ct Scan ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Convolutional Neural Networks ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Ct Images ◽  
Chest Ct ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chest Ct Scan

Purpose COVID-19 would have a far-reaching impact on the international health-care industry and the patients. For COVID-19, there is a need for unique screening tests to reliably and rapidly determine who is infected. Medical COVID images protection is critical when data pertaining to computer images are being transmitted through public networks in health information systems. Design/methodology/approach Medical images such as computed tomography (CT) play key role in the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. Neural networks-based methods are designed to detect COVID patients using chest CT scan images. And CT images are transmitted securely in health information systems. Findings The authors hereby examine neural networks-based COVID diagnosis methods using chest CT scan images and secure transmission of CT images for health information systems. For screening patients infected with COVID-19, a new approach using convolutional neural networks is proposed, and its output is simulated. Originality/value The required patient’s chest CT scan images have been taken from online databases such as GitHub. The experiments show that neural networks-based methods are effective in the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients using chest CT scan images.

Computer-Based Health Information Systems

2008 ◽  
pp. 2209-2231
Author(s):  
C. R. Ranjini ◽  
Sundeep Sahay
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Information Management System ◽  
Health Information Management ◽  
Information Management Systems

Large investments are being made to reform the health sector in developing countries as the various reports that indicate this potential of ICT is not being fully realized on the ground in particular settings. In this chapter, an empirical investigation of the introduction of health information systems in the primary health-care sector in India is reported. Three cases—the India Health Care Project, Family Health Information Management System, and Integrated Health Information Management Systems—are presented. The authors argue against adopting a technocentric approach during the development of the HIS and suggest that these efforts should be sensitive to the sociotechnical context. Furthermore, a variety of constraints are identified. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the potentials of integration to address some of the identified constraints.

Utilisation of Health Information Systems for Service Delivery in the Namibian Environment

2016 ◽  
pp. 169-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Karon
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
The Public

The use of Health Information Systems (HIS) is considered to be a major contributing factor to healthcare service delivery. However, the utilisation of HIS which includes use and management is critically challenging in the public health sector in many developing countries. The manifestation of the challenges results in poor service delivery, which includes patient deaths. This is the main motivation for this study, to investigate how HIS can be used to improve service delivering in the hospitals from developing countries perspective. The study was carried out in Namibia, using two hospitals in the public healthcare. The study adopted the qualitative case study. The study revealed that the use of parallel systems, lack of systems integration, lack of portable devices and users' incompetency are some of the factors which impact the use and management of HIS in hospitals.

Waste in health information systems: a systematic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Awang Kalong ◽  
Maryati Yusof
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Tool Selection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Lean Transformation ◽  
Lean Tools

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss a systematic review on waste identification related to health information systems (HIS) in Lean transformation. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted on 19 studies to evaluate Lean transformation and tools used to remove waste related to HIS in clinical settings. Findings Ten waste categories were identified, along with their relationships and applications of Lean tool types related to HIS. Different Lean tools were used at the early and final stages of Lean transformation; the tool selection depended on the waste characteristic. Nine studies reported a positive impact from Lean transformation in improving daily work processes. The selection of Lean tools should be made based on the timing, purpose and characteristics of waste to be removed. Research limitations/implications Overview of waste and its category within HIS and its analysis from socio-technical perspectives enabled the identification of its root cause in a holistic and rigorous manner. Practical implications Understanding waste types, their root cause and review of Lean tools could subsequently lead to the identification of mitigation approach to prevent future error occurrence. Originality/value Specific waste models for HIS settings are yet to be developed. Hence, the identification of the waste categories could guide future implementation of Lean transformations in HIS settings.

Computer-Based Health Information Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 266-292
Author(s):  
C. R. Ranjini ◽  
Sundeep Sahay
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Information Management System ◽  
Health Information Management ◽  
Information Management Systems

Large investments are being made to reform the health sector in developing countries as the various reports that indicate this potential of ICT is not being fully realized on the ground in particular settings. In this chapter, an empirical investigation of the introduction of health information systems in the primary health-care sector in India is reported. Three cases—the India Health Care Project, Family Health Information Management System, and Integrated Health Information Management Systems—are presented. The authors argue against adopting a technocentric approach during the development of the HIS and suggest that these efforts should be sensitive to the sociotechnical context. Furthermore, a variety of constraints are identified. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the potentials of integration to address some of the identified constraints.

scholarly journals Designing for scale: optimising the health information system architecture for mobile maternal health messaging in South Africa (MomConnect)

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. e000563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Seebregts ◽  
Pierre Dane ◽  
Annie Neo Parsons ◽  
Thomas Fogwill ◽  
Debbie Rogers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Health Information ◽  
South African ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Health Information Systems ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
The South ◽  
National Implementation ◽  
Technical Platform

MomConnect is a national initiative coordinated by the South African National Department of Health that sends text-based mobile phone messages free of charge to pregnant women who voluntarily register at any public healthcare facility in South Africa. We describe the system design and architecture of the MomConnect technical platform, planned as a nationally scalable and extensible initiative. It uses a health information exchange that can connect any standards-compliant electronic front-end application to any standards-compliant electronic back-end database. The implementation of the MomConnect technical platform, in turn, is a national reference application for electronic interoperability in line with the South African National Health Normative Standards Framework. The use of open content and messaging standards enables the architecture to include any application adhering to the selected standards. Its national implementation at scale demonstrates both the use of this technology and a key objective of global health information systems, which is to achieve implementation scale. The system’s limited clinical information, initially, allowed the architecture to focus on the base standards and profiles for interoperability in a resource-constrained environment with limited connectivity and infrastructural capacity. Maintenance of the system requires mobilisation of national resources. Future work aims to use the standard interfaces to include data from additional applications as well as to extend and interface the framework with other public health information systems in South Africa. The development of this platform has also shown the benefits of interoperability at both an organisational and technical level in South Africa.

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