Health Information Systems

Health information is an integral part of a functioning health system. Health information systems (HIS) provide evidence for policy and program decisions to support better health outcomes for individuals and for populations overall. However, the meaning of the term “HIS” varies across sources, often with no clear or precise definition. For example, a literature review may yield thousands of HIS-related documents, and the results of these searches will cover routine health information systems (RHIS), health management information systems (HMIS), health information technology, and other terms used interchangeably. Importantly, HIS refers to a system involving producers, users, and other factors contributing to the production and use of health information.