The role of Information Communication and Technology in achieving Universal Health Coverage
Information, Communication and Technology plays a big role towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Basing the foundation on Primary Healthcare to achieve universal health coverage, ICT plays an important role in supporting, enhancing and accelerating the education on primary health care. Though It’s an effective means of developing workforce capacity, It helps to recruit and retain professionals and It is cost-saving. It facilitates social and collaborative learning which has great impact on patient outcomes, brings contextualized care to where it’s needed and It improves the quality of care by facilitating access to evidence-based medicine and reflective learning.
The ICT and Mobile Health Committee held it’s quarterly meeting at Kenya Healthcare Federation offices on 23rd August 2018, to contrive on how ICT can contribute towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. The meeting was chaired by the committee chair, Mr. Mark Achola.
Mr. Joel Lehmann from infospective research, presented on the data exchange and information exchange that the data exchange framework subcommittee has been working on. The main purpose of health data and information exchange is: Private-to-private information exchange – for more cost-effective delivery of quality service through continuity of care/ managed care, prevention of fraud, better equipment utilization rates, Industry benchmarks and indicators for business intelligence and advocacy with government which can also help for the design of viable reimbursement mechanisms and value-based care approaches and simplified private-to-public data submission which will reduce the cost of compliance with mandatory requirement and contribute to public health goals and health security (e.g. surveillance).
The data exchange framework subcommittee will; Help create the required political environment through: Identifying quick-wins and no go areas, Collaborating with industry leaders, Provide a trusted environment of common (rather than particular) interest, Help facilitate technology adaptation, Set up a demo-case of improved information exchange, Develop easy-to-understand documentation of government policies and investment scenarios and Support the development and adaptation of industry-wide standards.
The subcommittee outlined a road map towards enhacing the heath data and information exchange as follows; Make the case for private sector data exchange among industry leaders, including demonstration of analytics and high-level meeting, Practical documentation of current policies, standards, and investment scenarios (cost/benefit for individual companies) and Industry information meeting on current regulation and self-regulation, concrete steps required, benefits & costs for information exchange and Small-scale, fully functional information exchange with a selected number of providers/payers.
There was a suggestion that ICT committee needs to present key issues during the ministerial stakeholder forum(MSF) to this effect a public – private partnership sub – committee (PPP) was formed so as to present any ICT issues and advocacy during the MSF meetings. There was an election conducted for the new committee leaders and Dr. Tooroti Mwirigi was elected as the chair and Ms. Serah Mohammed Vice Chair. This was the first meeting under the directorship of newly elected Director, Dr. Daniella Munene.