Technology Salon

In this month’s Technology Salon, National Health Information Systems: Who Uses What, Where?, we discussed a recently-completed study by Vital Wave Consulting that surveyed the global landscape of national HIS ecosystems in the developing world. The overall outcome may surprise development practitioners, but its well known to IT experts: basic change management matters more than fancy technology.

It often seems that there are as many health information systems (HIS) as there are governments – from custom legacy systems to new web-based applications. But which governments are using a HIS, what system do they employ, how has it helped them, and and what can we all learn from their experiences?

Health information system in practice

For the next Technology Salon, we’ll focus on a recently-completed study by Vital Wave Consulting that focused on the global landscape of national HIS Ecosystems in the developing world. This study was sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to:

1. analyze the developing-country landscape of national HIS ecosystems
2. review prominent individual examples of HIS implementations
3. identify critical success factors for projects to strengthen health systems

We’ll have Brendan Smith of Vital Wave Consulting lead us through the report highlights, India case study, and an accompanying online HIS forum with an engaged discussion around the various HIS fulled by by hot coffee and Krispe Kreme donuts sugar rush.

National Health Information Systems: Who Uses What, Where?
June Technology Salon
Friday, June 26, 8:30-10am
UN Foundation Conference Room
1800 Mass Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20036 (map)

Do note that this Salon is on Friday morning, instead of Thursday, seating is limited and the UN Foundation is in a secure building. So the first fifteen (15) to RSVP will be confirmed attendance and then there will be a waitlist.

For November, we have a very special Technology Salon. In coordination with the World Bank e-Development Thematic Group and infoDev, we will have a World Bank ICT and Education Community of Practice Discussion on Total Cost of Ownership:

How much does it really cost to introduce and sustain computers in schools? A discussion of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and models of affordable computing for schools in developing countries.

Come join what we hope to be a lively presentation and discussion of the findings of both activities, their potential implications, and the underlying methodologies and assumptions underpinning the models explored in this work.

Speakers:

• Karen Coppock, VP of Consulting Services, Vital Wave Consulting
• Brendan Smith, Senior Consultant, Vital Wave Consulting
• Jon Camfield, Director of ICT, Youth Service America

Logistics:

11am to 12:30pm – 6 November 2008
The World Bank “J” Building,
701 18th Street, NW, room J-B1-075

While this Technology Salon promises to be larger than usual, seating is still limited, so please

Get Invited to Future Salons