Strategies for Managing Information Flow in Nigeria Healthcare System

Abstract

The healthcare system is an information intensive domain that is responsible for capturing, processing and storing large volumes of health information which could be clinical, research or administrative in nature. Healthcare information is primarily used for making decisions, improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare systems as well as conducting research to enhance medical science in both developed and developing countries. Healthcare information is usually stored in paper form, physical files or digital formats. However, developing countries such as Nigeria are faced with the challenge of moving from paper based health information system towards the digital formats that facilitates an integrated computerized health information system. Nevertheless, healthcare information is usually transmitted among disparate healthcare providers within or across different healthcare institutions. However, healthcare entities in developing countries are plagued with the difficulty of how to successfully and effectively manage information as it flows across the continuum of care. Consequently, this results in inappropriate decision making, ineffective planning, increase in medical errors and cost as well as a decline in the quality of patients' care. Based on this background, this paper appraises how information flows within and across diverse healthcare organizations in developing countries with a particular reference to Nigeria. The paper also recommends ways of managing information flow within the Nigeria healthcare system.