Investigating on interoperability readiness of electronic health information systems. (eHIS) in Kigali healthcare facilities

Abstract

In most of public or private sector, information systems often handle sensitive data about individuals by using various kind of identifiers. The facility of HIS to share and exchange data (interoperability) is important to contribute to the quality and productivity of health care services. Healthcare providers are asking for data interoperability because they understand its huge potential, and how it could advance access, lower cost, update processes and improve patient care and result. The main problem in health informatics is the absence of interoperability between different HIS. The healthcare interoperability problem can be examined in different groups in the e-health field, such as the interoperability of the messages exchanged between healthcare applications, interoperability of EHRs, interoperability of patient’s identifiers and healthcare business process. A patient’s healthcare data may be blow-out over a number of different institutions which do not interoperate, and number of standardization efforts are progressing to provide the interoperability of EHRs. However, an exchange of well-structured EHRs has not been achieved yet in many developing countries. The aim of this study is to check if health centres in Kigali are ready for EHRs interoperability once the interoperability concept has been approved in the health domain. A background literature review will be undertaken for a general understanding by using different key words, such as, interoperability, health Information systems, electronic health records, standardization and readiness. A qualitative case study will be also conducted within two health centres in order to investigate on their interoperability readiness. The result show that The EHRs systems used today are little more than database management programs for generating patients form and producing report. The readiness of interoperability will depend on ICT skills and appropriate infrastructures.