Health Cards (48)
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Merrick Zwarenstein wrote:
Its hard to let this rampant technological optimism go by unchallenged!
Merrick,
I first want to apologize for not responding sooner. I have been out of
town for the past week and have not had sufficient opportunity to formulate
a reply. After having formulating my response I realized that in light of
current HIS methodologies in place, especially those in developing coun-
tries, the doubts you are expressing regarding the appropriate allocation
of resources in HIS are valid. Although I will always encourage interested
parties to develop HIS, I will, for the sake of persons such as yourself,
wait until we have demonstrated (other than the Haiti site) the cost effec-
tiveness of the IMPACT methodology through a controlled trial or pilot
site.
Two issues give relevance to my reconsideration of an in-depth response.
First, as stated above, most HIS in use may not be cost-effective, nor pro-
vide sufficient data for decision making. That translates into negative im-
pressions regarding the value of information. I include myself in that ap-
praisal. Secondly, you have not seen the IMPACT methodology which inte-
grates facility-based curative data with population-based preventive/pro-
motive data and the resulting exponential value of such a system. You have
every right to request proof (although our Haiti development site does have
ample evidence).
I think it would be a brave move if you subjected your optimism to some
form of controlled trial. Then at least we would know if you were right or
wrong! If you were right, it would give massive impetus to your idea and
the case you are arguing, if wrong it would save the world lots of money
which could be put into proven interventions.
Merrick, I couldn't agree with you more. When the demonstration site is in
place, and we have the evidence, you will be one of the first to see it. I
will post on the Afro-Nets a request for interested parties who would like
to participate in a pilot site program.
Cheers!
Bill
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William Billingsley
Impact Demographic Health Surveillance Information Systems
Application Software Technologies, Inc.
1841 South Ridge Road
Green Bay, WI 54304 USA
+1 (800) 992-0533 : Voice
+1 (414) 499-0533 : Voice
+1 (414) 655-3962 : Cell
+1 (414) 490-3218 : Fax
+1 (715) 823-6375 : Home
mailto:wbillingsley@aztechcon.com
--
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