Enhancing Interoperability among Health Information Systems in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of Challenges and Strategies

Prabath Jayatissa; Roshan Hewapathirana

doi:10.59573/emsj.7(3).2023.31

Authors

Prabath Jayatissa
Roshan Hewapathirana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59573/emsj.7(3).2023.31

Keywords:

interoperability, health information systems, low and middle-income countries (LMICs), challenges, strategies, standardisation

Abstract

The review article aims to provide an overview of the challenges and strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Achieving interoperability in LMICs presents unique challenges due to various factors, such as limited resources, fragmented health information systems, and diverse health IT infrastructure. The methodology involves conducting a comprehensive literature review, synthesising findings, identifying challenges and strategies, analysing and interpreting results, and writing and finalising the article. The article highlights that the interoperability challenges include a lack of standardisation, fragmented systems, limited resources, and data privacy concerns. The article proposes strategies to enhance interoperability in LMICs, such as standardisation of data formats and protocols, consolidation of health information systems, investment in health IT infrastructure, and capacity building of health IT professionals in LMICs. The article aims to provide insights into the current state and potential strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in LMICs, intending to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes in these.

References

Alpana, V., Vinayak, P., & Ajay, V. (2016). Mobile phone usage among youth. International Journal of Applied Research and Studies, 5(3), 1-16.

Adefioye, O. A., Adeleke, I. T., & Adewumi, A. O. (2019). Interoperability of health information systems in low-income countries: a systematic review of barriers and facilitators. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 19(1), 16.

Adefioye, O.A., Asaolu, I.O., Ajayi, T.A., et al. (2019). Ethical and Legal Issues in Health Information Exchange in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. BMC Medical Ethics, 20(1), 84.

Adler-Milstein, J., DesRoches, C. M., Kralovec, P., Foster, G., Worzala, C., Charles, D., & Searcy, T. (2013). Electronic health record adoption in US hospitals: progress continues, but challenges persist. Health Affairs, 32(8), 1478-1485.

Adler-Milstein, J., Jha, A.K. (2013). Sharing Clinical Data Electronically: A Critical Challenge for Fixing the Health Care System. JAMA, 309(10), 991-992.

Blaya, J. A., Fraser, H. S., & Holt, B. (2017). E-health technologies show promise in developing countries. Health Affairs, 36(12), 2168-2175.

Blaya, J.A., Fraser, H.S.F., Holt, B. (2017). E-health interoperability. In: Marschollek, M., Bauer, A., Wolf, K.H., Gradinger, M. (Eds.), eHealth2016 - Health Informatics Meets eHealth: From Sensors to Decisions (pp. 9-14). IOS Press.

Braa, J., Sahay, S., & Westerlund, M. (2017). The role of participatory design in strengthening community-based health information systems: a case study from Mozambique. Health Informatics Journal, 23(3), 180-189.

Braa, J., Hanseth, O., Mohammed, W., et al. (2017). Developing Health Information Systems in Developing Countries: The Flexible Standards Strategy. MIS Quarterly, 41(1), 309-322.

Jayatissa, P., & Hewapathirane, R. (2023). A review of dental informatics: Current trends and future directions. ArXiv Pre-Print Server. https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.03686

Jayatissa, P., Hewapatirane, R. (2022). Development of Minimum Clinical Data Set For Master Patient Index (MPI) for Sri Lankan Context. Dent Res Int J DRIJ, 4(4), 1–18. Retrieved from https://airccse.com/drij/papers/4422drij01.pdf

Jayatissa, P., Vajira, H.W.D., Roshan, H. (2017). Review of Master Patient Index. Dent Res Int J DRIJ, 3(2), 37–48. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.00451

Jayatissa, W. G. P. T., Vajira, H. W. D., & Roshan, H. (2017). Developing a functional prototype Master Patient Index (MPI) for interoperability of E-Health systems in Sri Lanka. Dent Res Int J DRIJ, 2(2), 9–26. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.00451

Jayathissa, P., Sareban, M., Niebauer, J., & Hussein, R. (2023). Patient-Generated Health Data Interoperability Through Master Patient Index: The DH-Convener Approach. In Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/shti230413

Kamadjeu, R. (2019). Impact of interoperability among electronic health records in low-resource settings: A systematic review. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 123, 27-34.

Kamadjeu, R. (2019). Challenges of Implementing eHealth in Developing Countries: An Example of a Web-Based Asynchronous Telemedicine System. Health Informatics Journal, 25(1), 62-71.

Karim, A. M., Ahsan, H., & Uddin, M. J. (2019). Interoperability in e-Health: A Systematic Literature Review. Health and Technology, 9(4), 687-697.

Karim, A.M., Nematzadeh, A., Gombera, F., et al. (2019). eHealth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Findings from the Center for Health Market Innovations. Health Affairs, 38(5), 711-718.

Seebregts, C.J., Mamlin, B.W., Biondich, P.G., et al. (2017). The OpenMRS Implementers Network. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 108, 117-121.

Seebregts, C. J., Mamlin, B. W., Biondich, P. G., Fraser, H. S., & Wolfe, B. A. (2017). Human factor considerations in developing and implementing information and communication technologies for health in low-resource settings. Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 26(01), 123-130.

Sharma, A., Wickramasinghe, N., & Gupta, D. (2017). Leveraging the capabilities of electronic health records for enhancing decision-making processes in low-resource settings: a literature review. Health Informatics Journal, 23(2), 89-99.

Sharma, A., Kamadjeu, R., Mirza, S., et al. (2017). Development of a National Health Information System in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Case Study from Liberia. Health Informatics Journal, 23(4), 295-306.

Tchouaket, ?. N., Charrier, R., & Henry, S. (2019). Addressing the lack of interoperability among health information systems in low-income countries: a socio-technical approach. Health and Technology, 9(5), 729-742.

Tchouaket, ?.N., Moine, M.P., Adedokun, A., et al. (2019). Challenges to Interoperability of Health Information Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Literature Review. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 264, 1399-1403.