Integration of Health Information SystemsPaperback, 1 December 2008

Health information system is generally recognized as a tool to significantly address health service delivery problems. This fact is evident from ongoing reform efforts in most developing countries which among many other things, seek to revamp health information systems by ensuring availability of key information to support decision making processes. However, ensuring a working health information system is quite a challenge due to proliferation of of donor funded fragmented disease and service focused vertical systems. This book presents an in-depth theoretically underpinned empirical analysis of the challenges to integrate fragmented health information systems within a health care system of a low income country. Specifically, the book explores the challenges in the processes of achieving integration; and challenges and opportunities emanating from the way users received and related to the newly integrated health information system. Strategies used to curb the challenges are also explored. The study showed that user participation does not always lead to compliance due to the power that users have to apply agency and enact different ways to respond to the new technology.