PAHO supports the Ministry of Health in implementing the Health Information System Maturity Model (IS4H-MM) – PAHO/WHO
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (PAHO), July 19, 2023 — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has partnered with the World Bank and the Government of Japan to support the Ministry of Health in developing the Maturity Model workshop. health information system” to strengthen management and analysis for data management and information technology, knowledge management, innovation and monitoring.
The initiative is part of the analytical project “Strengthening the Dominican Health System with Digital Data and Information Systems” developed by MSP, funded by the Japanese Government Policy and Human Resources Development Foundation. (PHRD) and supported by the World Bank.
The maturity model evaluates information systems on four components: data management and information technology, management and leadership, knowledge management and innovation.
Organized through the Department of Health Information and Statistics of the Vice Minister for Strengthening and Development of the Health Sector, the event was led by Vice Minister for Strengthening and Development of the Health Sector Miguel Rodríguez Viñas, who explained that the workshop would provide the necessary knowledge to set priorities from the point of view of digital data that contribute to obtaining timely and high-quality information about the country’s health care system.
He said that by implementing a Health Information System Maturity Model (IS4H-MM) analysis, one can identify strengths and opportunities for improvement based on the implementation of IS4H-MM and see priorities for next steps.
“This exercise will allow us to know organizational capacity related to the main pillars of the instrument, which covers aspects such as: governance, data management, quality standards and interoperability, technological infrastructure, leadership, human and financial resources, in addition to legislation. and policy, knowledge management and strategic communication, digital health, e-government and open government, among others, to facilitate the development of strategic plans based on timely and reliable information,” he said.
Similarly, Dr. Bernardino Vitoy, Adviser for Family, Health Promotion and Life Cycle and Interim Representative of the Pan American Health Organization, stressed that this is the first time this tool has been used in the country as a way to create a unified vision of the specific elements that make up health information systems in the subregion of Central America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and the formulation of a common operating framework, including technical and common infrastructure.
“IS4H is a work program created with and for countries that are looking to strengthen their information systems, improve data management processes, create methods of analysis, scenario building, policy formulation and informed decision making for public health development,” Vitoy said.
In his speech, Mr. Kota Sakagushi, Resident Representative of Japan’s Japan Cooperation Agency JICA-DR, said that although there are some structural shortcomings in the country in terms of digital health data, there is an interest in reaching maturity and achieving a health care system with the necessary information to improve the quality of services.
He stated that the country needs to improve the infrastructure in the system and at the moment they are focusing on collaborating on some projects in the northeast along with the World Bank to include it in their activities.
General provisions
The Maturity Model Guide (IS4H-MM) is a set of tools and methods developed by PAHO/WHO that enable countries to collaboratively determine not only the maturity level of their health information systems, but also develop an action plan. and a roadmap based on solid evidence.
The model allows assessing the maturity of the country’s information systems in four components: data management and information technology, management and management, knowledge management and innovation. The analysis provides the information necessary to plan further actions using plans and roadmaps for information systems.
The workshop was attended by various public and private entities of the national health system, as well as representatives of the central government.
