Message-ID: <3188B258@SmtpOut.em.cdc.gov> Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 17:00:00 EST From: "Martin, Daniel W." <mailto:dwm5@EPO.EM.CDC.GOV> Subject: Re: MONITORING SYSTEMS To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Scott:As of this moment, there is no published paper on DDM as we do it, but that's about to change. A batch of manuscripts is in the works that wonks around here think may be published in one of the journals by late summer or early fall. . .stay tuned.
meanwhile, to address your question more directly, let me describe what's going on in Zambia. We conducted an initial site visit last July, and a follow up workplan development visit in February, where an epidemiologist, a systems analyst/programmer, and I travelled to Lusaka (the capital) and out to several field locations, to meet with the producers and potential users of health data, to assess current data needs by direct observation, to review how data are being collectec and processed (or not), etc.
On the basis of these two visits, we are now preparing to hold a nationwide consensus conference, at which we will bring together stakeholders from the national ministry and categorical programs, the provincial and district health leadership, a representative group of clinical and information officers from the healthcare provider level, and the various donor and development agencies (among others). At this conference we will do two things--educate the participants about data use as we see it, and engage them in a series of directed workshops to elicit consensus about what data are needed and how they can be collected. The results of this conference will form the basis for our ongoing efforts in actually designing and implementing a system.
The implementation, it is believed at this point, will involve some reform of the paper-based system at the provider level, and computerization using a CDC-developed software based on CDC's EpiInfo package at the district level and above. It will also involve establishing useable case definitions, defining action thresholds, and setting other related data use parameters.
Finally, we hope to involve a variety of subject-matter experts from CDC in the review and enhancement of training curricula currently in use across Zambia, with a view to improving the capacity of the various public health cadres to effectively generate, analyze, and communicate data at their own levels, and to increase the use of that data in decision making at all levels of the system.
I hope this summary addresses some of your questions--I shall be happy to respond to any further questions you might have.
Regards
Dan ---------- From: Scott P. Overmyer To: Martin, Daniel W. Subject: Re: MONITORING SYSTEMS Date: Thursday, May 02, 1996 08:04
Dear Mr. Martin,
At 03:16 PM 5/1/96 EST, you wrote: >In the information systems area, DDM assists with an assessment of the
>existing sources of health and management information, and works with the
>Ministry of Health to develop an integrated information system designed to
>provide timely collection, analysisis, interpretation, and reporting of
that >information. This system can involve a variety of both electronic and
>non-electronic means, depending upon available resources and local needs.
> Examples of this effort are a past project in the Philiippines and a
>relatively new one in Zambia.
I'm not a 3rd world nation, but I saw your posting on devel-l and was wondering if I could get more information on the proceedures that CDC uses when assessing IS needs in situations like you describe above. I wasn't aware that CDC is involved in such activities (although it seems to make sense that you are), and would like to get more information either through published or unpublished sources.
Thanks. scotto... -- Scott P. Overmyer, Ph.D. | Those of us who create technology College of Business Admin. | should at least try to consider University of Maine | who might be displaced by it. 308 Donald P. Corbett Hall | Fone: (207) 581-1995 Orono, ME 04469-5723 | Phax: (207) 581-1956