RFI: Health Information Systems (5)
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While specific policies on national health information systems vary
from country to country, this is an area of increasing activity in-
ternationally. I could suggest two places to start for an overview of
how the U.S. and Australia are addressing this issue.
In the U.S., the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics
serves as the primary advisory group to the Secretary of Health and
Human Services in the area of health information. Their web site
<http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov> has a variety of information which you may
find relevant. It also has links to other sites. Of particular inter-
est would be the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA), which was passed into law in 1996. While focused primarily
on administrative data, it does address the various aspects of imple-
menting national health information standards.
The Australians have also developed a national strategy on health in-
formation, which includes, I think, a very well developed organiza-
tional structure to administer the policies. Information on their ap-
proach can be found on the web site of the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare <http://www.aihw.gov.au>.
It should also be noted that there is an ISO Technical Committee on
Health Informatics (TC215), which works internationally to develop
health information standards. Of note is that both South Africa and
Zimbabwe are members of that Committee and an effort is underway to
create a regional mirror group in southern Africa to work on these
standards in a regional context. As part of the support for this ac-
tivity, the TC215 will hold its April 2002 meeting in South Africa.
More information on TC215 can be found at <http://www.ansi.org> under
the Technical Committees heading.
Hope this is of some use.
Bob Mayes
Senior Health Informatics Specialist
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Global AIDS Program - Zimbabwe
38 Samora Machel Ave., 2nd Floor
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel. +263-4-796-040 (work)
Tel. +263-4-796-032 (fax)
Tel. +263-11-613-195 (cell)
mailto:mayesb@zimcdc.co.zw
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