Support tool to strengthen health information systems: guidance for health information system assessment and strategy development

ABSTRACT

It is essential for policy-makers to have a reliable and clear picture of how health is distributed in a given population, and what indicators contribute to or reduce opportunities to be healthy. Therefore, the surveillance of population health and well-being is the first of ten essential public health operations defined by WHO. WHO has a long tradition of providing support to Member States to strengthen their health information systems (HISs). Support tool to strengthen health information systems, is only one of WHO tools which provides guidance for HIS assessment and strategy development.The tool was first published in 2015, and an updated version was published in 2021. Current edition contains refined assessment methodology for the core module and four new add-on modules – Emergency response information management system, Geographic information system, Long-term care, and Migration health data - complementing the add-on modules included in the 2021 update (Health data governance, Health information for the Thirteenth General Programme of Work and the European Programme of Work 2020–2025, Human resources for health, Infectious disease surveillance, and Noncommunicable diseases monitoring).The tool has two main parts guidance for performing an assessment of a full HIS and guidance for the subsequent development of an HIS strategy. The assessment methodology aims to achieve a good balance between data collection and actual data use and reflects the growing importance of electronic health records and other digital solutions. Add-on modules provide support for a more in-depth assessment of specific functions of HISs. Based on the outcomes of the assessment, the tool describes a stepwise and practical approach for HIS strategy development. The HIS assessment item sheets that are part of the assessment methodology are also available in the form of an excel sheet and published as a separate Web Annex.