Health Information Systems in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs): Issues, Challenges and Opportunities

1. Health Information Systems in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs): Issues, Challenges and Opportunities HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

2. Presentation at the WHO SEARO/ WPRO Consultation on Strengthening Health Information System in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, 13-15 December 2004 • Presented by Dr Salanieta T Saketa, Fiji • 13th December 2004. HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

3. Issues in the Pacific for HIS • Diverse in terms of level of HIS development, population size and infrastructure development • Lack of skilled workforce in HIS • Similarities in health systems • Oceans of data and drops of information • Data quality and integrity • Strategic planning for HIS • Use of HI as a management tool to improve health care delivery HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

4. Diversity • Vastocean with many islands • Volcanic to coral atolls • Population range from 5million to less than 20,000 • Varied government commitment to HIS development • IT infrastructure development is varied • Differing HIS systems in place HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

5. Workforce for HIS • Staff strength and skills lacking • No clear career structure • Lack of leadership • Lack of commitment • High turnover with loss of corporate memory HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

6. Health systems • System similarities related to colonisation linkages (British, US, French, NZ) • Strength in networking and support possibilities • Common training institutions • Healthy competitiveness in health care system development HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

7. Use of health information • Mismatch between supply and demand • Overwhelming data collection with limited analysis and feedback • Capacity for analysis often lacking • Culture of information use maybe lacking • Resources limited to enable free flow of information HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

8. Data quality and integrity • Checking systems ill-defined • Capacity to validate information maybe lacking • Lack of clear procedures and guidelines • Coordination and consolidation of various data sources • Centralised systems with limited delegation of responsibilities and authority HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

9. Strategic Planning for HIS • Few countries have a Strategic Plan for HIS in place • Leading to lack of monitoring and evaluation of the system • Poor prioritisation of resources • Success of organisational performance dependent on use of information for planning HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

10. Evidence-based decision making • Nurturing of culture of information use • Demand for information by management at every level • Timeliness of available high quality information • Information use in management and in clinical settings HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

11. Challenges • Leadership • Political/Financial commitment • Identification of roles and responsibilities • Manpower (brain drain) • Level of management awareness of health information • Geography • Support system • Telecommunication infrastructure HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

12. Opportunities Health reform • Improvement and decentralisation of HIS • Regional network • Collaboration and support Monitoring and Evaluation of Performance in MDGs Open Learning Centres HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

13. Fiji Health Information System HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

14. Issues in Fiji Health Information System • Complex with extensive data collection processes • Minimal information feedback • Public health information well documented • Varied and poor medical record filing procedures • Centralised system • Capacity and skills of staff HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

15. Fiji Health Management Reform :Patient Information System (PATIS) HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

16. Objectives of PATIS • Improve patient services and outcomes • Assist health service administration • Collect information for timely public health surveillance and health programme monitoring HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

17. Fuctionality • Software developed on Access database • Registers all persons who have been serviced at hospital, health centre and nursing stations • Person registered within their locality • Local area networks linking into wide area networks HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

18. Coverage of PATIS • Piloted in 2001 in Northern division • All 3 major hospitals with 2 subdivisional hospitals on line • Rollout limited by funds and staffing capacity • Rollout also dependent on infrastructure availablity HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

19. Summary • HIS in Pacific Island Countries • Issues • Challenges • Opportunities • Issues in Fiji HIS • PATIS HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

20. Thank You Vinaka vakalevu HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004

21. References • Websites • www.spc.int/phs • WHO website • Documents • Discussion Paper “ A Pacific Health information Network: in the Context of Health Reform- AusAID • Evaluation of the Fiji Health Information System- AusHealth International • Samoa Health Information System Project Review-AusAID • Fiji Patient Information System (PATIS)- AusHealth Insternational • Fiji Management Information Plan- AusAID • Evaluation of PATIS pilot- Dr S Saketa • Evaluation of Fiji HIS- Dr Y C Chong, WHO HIS in Asia/Pacific 2004