Health Information Systems (HIS), the internet and telemedicine in the delivery of health care in Uganda

Abstract

Recent advances in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the capability of these ICT facilities to process, store, retrieve and disseminate data and information is dramatically changing the ways in which the health sector operates. In order to bring about improvement in the performance of the health sector in a developing country like Uganda, there is need to have access to appropriate and timely information on all aspects of health. This can only be achieved if there is an efficient and well functioning health information system (HIS) based on the new ICT. This paper explains and highlights some of the roles that HIS, including the Internet and telemedicine, can play in the delivery of health care as well as initiatives being undertaken to promote access to Internet-based information resources needed to carry out effective healthcare services in Uganda.

University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal Vol. 7(1) 2005: 20-31