Data collection based on patient and service records and reporting from health workers and health facilities.
Programme-specific monitoring and evaluation (for example for TB, HIV/AIDS)
Administration and resource management (including budget, personnel, and supplies).
Health information Subsystems
The function of a health information system is to bring together data from all these different subsystems, to share and disseminate them to the many different audiences for health information, and to ensure that health information is used rationally, effectively and efficiently to improve health action
Routine health information is the information that is obtained at regular time of a year or less through mechanisms designed to meet predictable information needs:
Health service statistics for routine service reporting and special programme reporting (Malaria, Tuberculosis)
Administrative data (revenue and costs, drugs, personnel, and training)
The information that these different routine health information systems may generate will be used to support several health system functions, including service delivery, disease control, planning and management, and performance monitoring.
They are intended for immediate use to support day-to-day health system operations
Non-routine health information
Non-routine health information is usually obtained from data collected through surveys and special purpose studies conducted on non repetitive basis:
Large demographic and health surveys.
Impact studies of programme.
National health accounts.
The data generated by non-routine methods are not normally collected at predictable periods for routine decision making. They are not intended for immediate use to support day-to-day health system operations.
