District Health Information system

Question 1

what is a health information system?

Answer 1

the effective and efficient collection, analysis, and evaluation of information relating to characteristics of people and communities, their external milleu and health, affecting intervention at individual and collective levels to enable informed decision making.

Question 2

differentiate between a HHIS and DHIS

Answer 2

HHIS:
- focuses on what happens within the gates of the hospital
- cannot provide answers about the population health status in the district
- focuses on that part of the of the population that is entering their premises as patients in a patient database

DHIS:
- not restricted to a hospital or facility
- main target is the district population and the various elements in the environments that affect their health
- resources and expertise in the district form a significant base for the entire district

Question 3

what are the 5 steps of setting up a DHIS?

Answer 3

1. select team and pilot site
2. do an information audit
3. set objectives targets and indicators
4. create district based information system and structure
5. develop staff skills

Question 4

what are the minimum national requirements needed in a DHIS?

Answer 4

• health resources
• management information
• maternal, child, and women’s health
• health service data
• oral health
• environmental health
• occupational health
• adolescent health
• infectious diseases
• care of the elderly
• mental health
• special surveys
• rehab data

Question 5

what is the rationale of the DHIS?

Answer 5

• to provide comprehensive, timely, reliable, and quality routine evidence for tracking and improving health service delivery
• to support improved district health management and planning
• improve the health status of the community through objective data on which to base decision making
• monitoring and evaluation of district health services