Combining data on health care utilization and socioeconomic status of a defined population: use of a population oriented health information system for regional planning.
Health services planning on a regional or national level needs information on health care utilization as well as data on the population to be served. Health or hospital information systems usually cover services provision and utilization, and population data for planning purposes must be obtained from other sources. In the health information system presented, hospital performance data are combined with census and socioeconomic data of the population. That makes cautious analysis of reasons for variation in health care utilization within the planning area possible. The HIS is regional, including 11 health care providers, and population based, linking data to municipality (38 in all). The system is described, including its structure, input registration, file content and output formats. An output example is presented. Necessary conditions for use of the HIS in planning activities are that the corresponding health care delivery system is comprehensive, the population served well defined, and that good control of patient flow and user behaviour is achieved. Use is limited by the character of information stored in the HIS: it is registered retrospectively and by routine. In a system covering various hospitals and municipalities, engaging different types of clerical and health care personnel, data reliability is also a critical issue.
D005387:Finland; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D011640:Public Policy; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors