Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries
Abstract Background Health information systems are crucial to provide data for decision-making and demand for data is constantly growing. However, the link between data and decisions is not always rational or linear and the management of data ends up overloading frontline health workers, which may c...
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doaj-4bd7f949e4af4e619204071f149b65972021-08-15T11:18:50ZengBMCHealth Research Policy and Systems1478-45052021-08-0119111010.1186/s12961-021-00768-0Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countriesXavier Bosch-Capblanch0David O’Donnell1L. Kendall Krause2Christian Auer3Angela Oyo-Ita4Mamadou Samba5Graça Matsinhe6Abdullahi Bulama Garba7Damaris Rodríguez8Meike Zuske9Anthonia Ngozi Njepuome10Sofia Micael Mandjate Lee11Amanda Ross12Suzanne Gajewski13Artur Manuel Muloliwa14Richard B. Yapi15David W. Brown16Swiss Tropical and Public Health InstitutePost Normal PLCBill & Melinda Gates FoundationSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteDepartment of Community Medicine, University of CalabarMinistère de La Santé et de l’Hygiène PubliqueExpanded Program on Immunization, Ministry of HealthDirector Planning, Research and Statistics, National Primary Health Care Development AgencySonder CollectiveSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteSwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteFaculty of Health Sciences, Lúrio UniversityCentre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’IvoireBCGI LLC / pivot-23.5°Abstract Background Health information systems are crucial to provide data for decision-making and demand for data is constantly growing. However, the link between data and decisions is not always rational or linear and the management of data ends up overloading frontline health workers, which may compromise quality of healthcare delivery. Despite limited evidence, there is an increasing push for the digitalization of health information systems, which poses enormous challenges, particularly in remote, rural settings in low- and middle-income countries. Paper-based tools will continue to be used in combination with digital solutions and this calls for efforts to make them more responsive to local needs. Paper-based Health Information Systems in Comprehensive Care (PHISICC) is a transdisciplinary, multi-country research initiative to create and test innovative paper-based health information systems in three sub-Saharan African countries. Methods/Design The PHISICC initiative is being carried out in remote, rural settings in Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Nigeria through partnership with ministries of health and research institutions. We began with research syntheses to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge on health information systems. These were coupled with fieldwork in the three countries to understand the current design, patterns and contexts of use, and healthcare worker perspectives. Frontline health workers, with designers and researchers, used co-creation methods to produce the new PHISICC tools. This suite of tools is being tested in the three countries in three cluster-randomized controlled trials. Throughout the project, we have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and have maintained the highest scientific standards to ensure that results are relevant to the realities in the three countries. Discussion We have deployed a comprehensive research approach to ensure the robustness and future policy uptake of findings. Besides the innovative PHISICC paper-based tools, our process is in itself innovative. Rather than emphasizing the technical dimensions of data management, we focused instead on frontline health workers’ data use and decision-making. By tackling the whole scope of primary healthcare areas rather than a subset of them, we have developed an entirely new design and visual language for a suite of tools across healthcare areas. The initiative is being tested in remote, rural areas where the most vulnerable live.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-021-00768-0Primary healthcareDecision-makingHealth information systemHuman-centred designSub-Saharan AfricaCôte d’Ivoire |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch David O’Donnell L. Kendall Krause Christian Auer Angela Oyo-Ita Mamadou Samba Graça Matsinhe Abdullahi Bulama Garba Damaris Rodríguez Meike Zuske Anthonia Ngozi Njepuome Sofia Micael Mandjate Lee Amanda Ross Suzanne Gajewski Artur Manuel Muloliwa Richard B. Yapi David W. Brown |
spellingShingle |
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch David O’Donnell L. Kendall Krause Christian Auer Angela Oyo-Ita Mamadou Samba Graça Matsinhe Abdullahi Bulama Garba Damaris Rodríguez Meike Zuske Anthonia Ngozi Njepuome Sofia Micael Mandjate Lee Amanda Ross Suzanne Gajewski Artur Manuel Muloliwa Richard B. Yapi David W. Brown Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries Health Research Policy and Systems Primary healthcare Decision-making Health information system Human-centred design Sub-Saharan Africa Côte d’Ivoire |
author_facet |
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch David O’Donnell L. Kendall Krause Christian Auer Angela Oyo-Ita Mamadou Samba Graça Matsinhe Abdullahi Bulama Garba Damaris Rodríguez Meike Zuske Anthonia Ngozi Njepuome Sofia Micael Mandjate Lee Amanda Ross Suzanne Gajewski Artur Manuel Muloliwa Richard B. Yapi David W. Brown |
author_sort |
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch |
title |
Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries |
title_short |
Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries |
title_full |
Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries |
title_fullStr |
Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries |
title_full_unstemmed |
Researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (PHISICC) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-Saharan countries |
title_sort |
researching, co-creating and testing innovations in paper-based health information systems (phisicc) to support health workers’ decision-making: protocol of a multi-country, transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research programme in three sub-saharan countries |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Health Research Policy and Systems |
issn |
1478-4505 |
publishDate |
2021-08-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Health information systems are crucial to provide data for decision-making and demand for data is constantly growing. However, the link between data and decisions is not always rational or linear and the management of data ends up overloading frontline health workers, which may compromise quality of healthcare delivery. Despite limited evidence, there is an increasing push for the digitalization of health information systems, which poses enormous challenges, particularly in remote, rural settings in low- and middle-income countries. Paper-based tools will continue to be used in combination with digital solutions and this calls for efforts to make them more responsive to local needs. Paper-based Health Information Systems in Comprehensive Care (PHISICC) is a transdisciplinary, multi-country research initiative to create and test innovative paper-based health information systems in three sub-Saharan African countries. Methods/Design The PHISICC initiative is being carried out in remote, rural settings in Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Nigeria through partnership with ministries of health and research institutions. We began with research syntheses to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge on health information systems. These were coupled with fieldwork in the three countries to understand the current design, patterns and contexts of use, and healthcare worker perspectives. Frontline health workers, with designers and researchers, used co-creation methods to produce the new PHISICC tools. This suite of tools is being tested in the three countries in three cluster-randomized controlled trials. Throughout the project, we have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and have maintained the highest scientific standards to ensure that results are relevant to the realities in the three countries. Discussion We have deployed a comprehensive research approach to ensure the robustness and future policy uptake of findings. Besides the innovative PHISICC paper-based tools, our process is in itself innovative. Rather than emphasizing the technical dimensions of data management, we focused instead on frontline health workers’ data use and decision-making. By tackling the whole scope of primary healthcare areas rather than a subset of them, we have developed an entirely new design and visual language for a suite of tools across healthcare areas. The initiative is being tested in remote, rural areas where the most vulnerable live. |
topic |
Primary healthcare Decision-making Health information system Human-centred design Sub-Saharan Africa Côte d’Ivoire |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-021-00768-0 |
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