Information System Development

This concept paper summarizes an approach based on the principles of organizational development that is aimed at complementing health information systems (HIS) strengthening efforts to make them more effective. [from summary]

Given that IT projects may take a long time to be fully institutionalized, sufficient resources are required to build the local capacity to support and sustain the project after the withdrawal of donors. Inadequate donor support often contributes to weakening rather than strengthening human resource capacity and effective system design, since it emphasizes the technology itself at the expense of the needs of the users. These factors contribute to the design and implemntation of unsustainable health information systems in developing countries. [from abstract]

Developing countries and the global network of donors, programs and NGOs agree that health systems need to become stronger if gains in health are to be achieved and sustained. A major factor contributing to this current situation is that the excessive burden of data collection falls to health workers. A national health information system capable of supporting day-to-day management, long-term planning, and policy development for the entire national health system is required. [adapted from abstract]

This document is an early version of procedures for use by national health and statistics constituencies in planning and carrying out the design of strategies and operational plans for strengthening their national health information systems. [from summary]

This publication provides a framework for health and information professionals, as well as stakeholders, for improving the use of information to guide policymaking, program design, management, and service provision in the health sector in developing countries. [adapted from introduction]

This brief will discuss the concepts of data quality and provide examples of the importance of data management specific to the field of HRH, illustrated by the Capacity Project’s experience with HRIS strengthening in developing countries. [from introduction]

To help build the health workforce, the Capacity Project assisted Uganda’s Ministry of Health to craft and implement a comprehensive agenda for human resources for health… Improved human resources information systems (HRIS) will help the Ministry to plan for recruitment, training and retention of health professionals. [from author]

This Manual is designed to be a quick-and-easy, user-friendly reference for the development of health management information systems (HMIS), with the focus on applications. It serves as a primer on HMIS development and provides a general overview of the basic principles, as well as the fundamental steps and issues involved in the different activities to be undertaken. It aims simply to provide the basic elements on HMIS development for people who do not have the time or the need to read deeply on the subject. For those who wish to develop a more in-depth knowledge, the Manual can also serve as

This report was developed to outline broad strategy, create a common vision for developing a new core health information system, and describe specific technical development tasks in detail. The new information system must be designed from the top down based on information demand. This should focus development on clear data collection and processing priorities, eliminate collection of unused data, and produce an efficient and relevant system.

In Egypt there is increasingly strong political support for health sector reform including a widespread recognition that a working information system is necessary to undertake and monitor this reform. This paper assesses the role of USAID technical support to help build health management information systems in Egypt. The major objectives of the report are to: identify constraints to building the necessary information systems, identify and describe available resources, determine the most constructive role for the technical assistance element of the initiative, recommend a development strategy, and outline necessary resources.

HRH policy decision making requires good quality and adequate baseline census data and information on current availability, profiles, and distribution of HRH. Such data is crucial to compute indicators necessary to guide, accelerate, improve and target program and policy development at the national level. Regularly updating such data allows countries to determine whether HRH benchmarks are being achieved, and whether policies and programs designed at the country and sub-national level are indeed working. [author’s description]


This document was presented at the ECSA Workforce Observato

This presentation was part of the ECSA Workforce Observatory Meeting in Arusha. It discusses how to find data sources for information system development and gives qualitative feedback on these potential sources.


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This presentation was part of the ECSA Workforce Observatory Meeting in Arusha. It discusses quality control issues in data entry for a human resource information system.


To view this presentation, you must have either Microsoft PowerPoint or download the free PowerPoint Viewer.

The Health Management Information System (HMIS) in Kwale District, Coast Province is Kenya’s first computerised district-level HMIS. A joint effort of the Ministry of Health and the Community Health Department of the Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya, the system uses simple, user-friendly software developed by Data Dynamics Limited to collect and analyse data from local health facilities. Benefits to date include a significant increase in reporting by local health facilities, more timely information for planning and decision-making, and evidence that the reports have enhanced immunisation coverage.

This document focuses on the rationale, approaches and vision required for strengthening health information systems, the components and standards of a health information system, and the guiding principles for health information system development along with practical steps for implementation. [adapted from author]