The district health information system and its potential in the management of district and rural hospitals.
A study to assess the role that the HIS plays in the management of district and rural hospitals in Zvimba district (Zimbabwe) was carried out by the authors between August and October 1993. It revealed that there is an elaborate and well-developed set of tools which mainly collect data on morbidity, mortality, births, coverage and health activities. Cost and financial data as well as community-based data are not entering the HIS at the peripheral level. Very little analysis and interpretation of data takes place at the rural and district hospitals, therefore limiting the indicators that could be derived. Staff use the raw data they collect mostly for patient care. In terms of processed data, there is little use made of it.
Instituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
M A
MA
Omar
L S
LS
Charimari
A
A
Pinto
D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003625:Data Collection; D003906:Developing Countries; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015030:Zimbabwe