Health information management: an introduction to disease classification and coding.
Morbidity and mortality data constitute an important component of a health information system and their coding enables uniform data collation and analysis as well as meaningful comparisons between regions or countries. Strengthening the recording and reporting systems for health monitoring is a basic requirement for an efficient health information management system. Increased advocacy for and awareness of a uniform coding system together with adequate capacity building of physicians, coders and other allied health and information technology personnel would pave the way for a valid and reliable health information management system in India. The core requirements for the implementation of disease coding are: (i) support from national/institutional health administrators, (ii) widespread availability of the ICD-10 material for morbidity and mortality coding; (iii) enhanced human and financial resources; and (iv) optimal use of informatics. We describe the methodology of a disease classification and codification system as also its applications for developing and maintaining an effective health information management system for India.
Mony
Prem Kumar
PK
Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research (IPHCR), St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Koramangala, Bangalore 560034, Karnataka, India. prem_mony@iphcr.res.in
Nagaraj
C
C
D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D019451:Information Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007256:Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D038801:International Classification of Diseases