Kadhim Alabady
Background: Analysts need data from multiple sources/systems to produce meaningful insights. Health informatics have done a great job of acquiring data, especially over the last ten years such as:
• Electronic health records became common.
• Improved disease registries.
• Collection of improved quality of mortality and birth data.
• Conducting health and health related survey.
• Implementation of new tools to standardise data collection.
However, the data still sits in a dark warehouse without creating value for decision makers (data are sitting unused in storage).
Purpose: Data is not created equally and implementation of new technology i.e. software is not enough to improve data collection. Therefore, it is important to understand the key challenges that necessarily requires intervention to provide meaningful data through applying proper processes during integration data.
Method: In order to carry out this assessment we applied qualitative and quantitative methodology.
• We performed structured in–depth interviews and focus groups with 50 identified health, informatics experts.
• We assessed currently healthcare information data such as hospital, mortality, birth, population health related surveys.
Key findings:
• Further work is undertaken within primary health care to establish disease registries with the aim of helping GP practices to improve their disease registers.
• Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has made great strides towards improving health data collection. In 2015 has approved to have a new Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) under Salama and NABIDH initiatives, which will help to provide every patient in Dubai with a single electronic record at DHA and private sector.
However, there are is still issues with data quality and completeness with lack of total commitment on data submission. DHA should provide continuous training to their healthcare professionals on how to use EMR. The ICD 10 coding need to be assigned correctly to each patient in the EMR including ophthalmology departments.
• Improving the reporting of births and deaths by healthcare facilities, including completeness and appropriateness, and ensuring that all births and deaths that occurred reported properly.