A framework for establishing e-health information management solution in a developing country: A case of Uganda

Abstract

e-health systems or solutions have several benefits, there adoption and implementation as well as maintenance in developing countries is affected by managerial and implementation deployment challenges (lack of a training plan, information management plan and human resource management plan). Therefore, this study aimed at developing a framework for guiding the establishment of an e-health information management solution in a developing country (EHIM), specifically Uganda. The specific objectives were: (i) To investigate i the challenges faced in e-health information management and the requirements to address them. (ii) To design a framework for guiding the establishment of an e-health information management solution, (iii) To evaluate EHIM to ensure that it fulfills its purpose. To achieve this, action research method was adopted and the research involved three phases. The first phase involved investigating challenges faced in e-health information management through collecting data using questionnaires, interviews and review of literature on e-health information management. Data was collected from health facilities from a rural (Arua) and urban (Kampala). Data collected reveals that that e-Health implementations in Uganda lacked prior planning stages of need and readiness assessment and several ICT infrastructural enhancements that can contribute to implementation of more e-Health programmes. The second phase involved designing EHIM to address the requirements derived from data in phase one implementation and managerial factors that are relevant for proper management information on e-health systems/solutions.