Strengthening eHealth Systems to Support Universal Health Coverage in sub-Saharan Africa

Ojo, Adebowale; Tolentino, Herman D.; Yoon, Steven S.

doi:10.5210/ojphi.v13i3.11550

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Strengthening HIS and achieving ISHO goals requires understanding strengths, gaps, and maturity supported by an appropriate framework to effectively track and assess the core functions and capabilities of an HIS (10,11). HIS maturity assessments are often conducted as part of a governance function to learn and provide evidence for decision-making.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging Health Information System Maturity Assessments to Guide Strategic Priorities: Perspectives from African Leaders

Vumbugwa,

Puttkammer,

Majaha

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Central to a functional public health system is a strong health information ecosystem and robust data use. Many low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) face the task of digitizing their health information systems (HIS). For health leaders, deciding what to prioritize when investing in HIS strengthening is central to this daunting challenge. Objectives The study explores how HIS maturity assessment contributes to HIS strengthening, describes the facilitators and barriers to HIS maturity assessments, and how health leaders can prioritize conducting maturity assessments. Methods This descriptive qualitative study employed key informant interviews (KIIs) with fourteen eHealth leaders at national and international levels working or supporting Ministries of Health’s national HIS in LMICs. Results were analyzed using Dedoose Version 9.0 to develop themes based on the health systems' building blocks as a framework for identifying facilitators and barriers to conducting HIS maturity assessment. Results Participants identified maturity assessments as a critical beginning step to HIS strengthening, showing the system’s performance, and building a baseline response to systematic data quality challenges. Barriers to conducting HIS maturity assessment include lacking collaborators’ buy-in, fragmented vision, low financial/human resources, and overdependence on donor priorities. Non-supportive policies, a lack of execution champions, and an inadequately skilled workforce in conducting maturity assessments or negotiating for their prioritization hinder maturity assessment implementation. Frequently identified facilitators to promoting HIS maturity assessment include multi-stakeholder engagement, understanding the country’s HIS ecosystem, and priorities to appropriately integrate maturity assessment objectives. Recommendations include capacity building in data use and conducting maturity assessments at all health system levels to grow the demand and value of HIS maturity assessments. Conclusion Promoting HIS maturity assessments can help leaders prioritize areas to improve in the HIS ecosystem, making appropriate decisions that steward HIS maturity advancement. Addressing challenges that hinder HIS assessment implementation holds promise to identify a pathway to a strengthened health system.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging Health Information System Maturity Assessments to Guide Strategic Priorities: Perspectives from African Leaders

Vumbugwa,

Puttkammer,

Majaha

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…eHealth on the other hand, is the use of ICTs in health (Ojo et al, 2021). Through eHealth, platforms and systems have been deployed within the health ecosystems in support of various functions, including financing (D. R. Wilson et al, 2023), communication, information, and monitoring systems (Ojo et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within developing countries, there has been notable penetration of technology in health, supporting digital health. Over time, innovative approaches continue to be proposed in support of digital health, such as frameworks to advance digital health for UHC (Olu et al, 2019;Ojo et al, 2021) conceptual models (Okuzu et al, 2022;D. Wilson et al, 2021), research that focusses on equity and considers quantitative research methods to capture user needs (O'Brien et al, 2023), as well as reworking digital health systems to pave way for UHC (Rinke De Wit et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Literature Review of Digital Health Strategies for Equitable Access to Universal Health Coverage in Developing Countries

Wambua

2024

JSIC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Digital health is at the nexus of Health and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This study aims to explore and provide a comprehensive systematic literature review of digital health strategies for equitable access to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in developing countries. The study also seeks to identify gaps for further research and highlight future research opportunities in digital health for equitable access to UHC in developing countries. The research method employed was a structured literature review, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Journal articles published in the year 2018 to the year 2023 were considered. A total of 77 articles were initially identified, and with 5 articles finally being included and considered. From the findings information systems, services, programmes, and policies, and an appropriate consideration of technologies, influence digital health for equitable access to UHC. Future research should consider the development of guiding frameworks and models that are user-centred, have multi-sectoral involvement, and consider appropriate technology.

show abstract

“…Quality assurance in the health system is vital for ensuring that the appropriate quality standards are followed (Ojo, Tolentino & Yoon 2021 :5). South Africa implemented a quality assurance system to assure quality healthcare delivery in public health institutions, by means of establishing operational norms and standards for the country’s health establishments (National Department of Health [NDoH] 2013 :8).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring quality standards implementation at a South African municipality’s health facilities

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives: This study aimed to explore and describe factors affecting the implementation of quality standards at public health facilities based on quality assurance managers' lived experiences in the research setting.Method: This qualitative study used phenomenological design by conducting individual indepth interviews with nine purposively selected quality assurance managers in 2021. The collected data were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis framework.Results: The study's findings revealed that the legislative framework and the policy environment were motivators for quality standard compliance among the participants. Furthermore, human resources, materials-related issues and poor infrastructure were found to be barriers to the implementation of quality standards in health facilities. Conclusion:The explored and described barriers must be addressed to improve compliance with the National Core Standards at public health facilities in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. In addition, capacity-building for quality assurance managers should be ongoing to ensure the highest quality implementation standards and to strengthen the enforcement of quality standard regulations. Contribution:The study's findings explored and described the factors that influence the implementation of quality standards. Addressing these factors could improve the quality of healthcare delivery in the research setting's health facilities.

show abstract

Strengthening eHealth Systems to Support Universal Health Coverage in sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Leveraging Health Information System Maturity Assessments to Guide Strategic Priorities: Perspectives from African Leaders

Leveraging Health Information System Maturity Assessments to Guide Strategic Priorities: Perspectives from African Leaders

A Systematic Literature Review of Digital Health Strategies for Equitable Access to Universal Health Coverage in Developing Countries

Exploring quality standards implementation at a South African municipality’s health facilities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About