Date of Award
January 2012
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Department
School of Public Health
First Advisor
Jennifer P. Ruger
Second Advisor
Achyuta R. Adhvaryu
Abstract
Health Management Information System (HMIS) is a specially designed information system that assists in the management and planning of health programs, within the overall national Health Information System (HIS) that integrates data collection, processing, reporting and use of information to improve health service effectiveness and efficiency through better management at all levels, for all actors and institutions. HMIS plays a fundamental role in the overall HIS through organizing and streamlining the business processes of health programs and links the purchasers and providers.
In this study, data was collected through case study methods during a field visit to the Vientiane Province. Observations and interviews were conducted during site visits to the central processing offices (CPOs) of the insurance schemes and Vientiane government health facilities. Results show that the existing HIS is fragmented, unstandardized and repetitive because the HMIS processes are disparate and operate separately around the individual needs of the different insurance schemes. Analysis of results from the case study in Vientiane, Lao PDR points to three major underlying issues that must be addressed across the central, provincial and district levels of management and among the insurance CPOs - 1) lack of HIS awareness and collaboration, 2) need for coordination of international donor agencies and respective data requirements, and 3) need for capacity building to properly support and execute HMIS processes.
The development and implementation of a HMIS is particularly important in the current landscape of Lao PDR, with the recent National Merger of the insurance schemes. Effective integration of HMIS processes, will contribute to the Lao PDR vision towards developing "a unified HIS to provide timely, high quality, evidence-based information for policy formulation, decision making, program implementation, monitoring and evaluation for all national and international health stakeholders by 2015."
Recommended Citation
Lim, Ava Grace, "Steps Toward An Effective Health Management Information System In Lao People's Democratic Republic" (2012). Public Health Theses. 1172.
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/1172
Comments
This is an Open Access Thesis.