title: Implementation of Hepatitis Information Management System in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays, hepatitis is of the most important health priorities around the world, where information plays a very significant role in specialized diseases prevention planning, and policy- and decision-making processes. Thus, this study addressed challenges of hepatitis information management and investigated the outcomes of establishing a hepatitis information management system to overcome such challenges. To this end, this research intended to study the implementation of an Electronic hepatitis information management system.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an applied-developmental study with following specifications and procedures: preparation of study proposal and design, justification of the design's stakeholders, approval of the design by the Postgraduate Education Council of Faculty, determination of pilot hepatitis control center, software development, deciding on control, prevention, and treatment centers, and finally development of a network-based system for collecting and managing hepatitis information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated that the inconsistency and lack of integrity of data, as well as the lack of communication between related units prevented timely information register of viral hepatic patients and services that are provided to them. This inhibited the possibility of considering a follow-up process. However, the implementation of this system and involvement of relevant units greatly solved these problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results show that the implementation of an electronic system for the management of hepatitis control, prevention, and treatment is a regional and national requirement; since, this system with its empowered infrastructure is capable in providing desired services to all laboratories, counseling and health centers, specialized clinics, and physicians connected to the hepatitis network. This enables them to follow up and monitor patients' conditions. That mentioned system paves the way for the analysis of gathered information, managers' and specialists' access in different regions to the data for making appropriate and accurate decisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences,Tehran University of Medical Sciences ,Tehran. rsafdari@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Safdari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reza
authors.forename: Farzi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jebraeil
authors.forename: Nasiri Ali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Akbar
authors.forename: Ghazisaeedi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marjan
authors.forename: Taghavi Mohammad
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Reza
authors.forename: Afshari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehdi
authors.forename: Sargolzaee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahlagha
authors.forename: Taji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farhad
mesh_terms: D063025:Health Information Management / Q000379:methods*; D006505:Hepatitis; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran