Clinical Data Flow in Botswana Clinics: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Assessment.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health
• Health Care Systems Research

Background:

• Botswana has invested in health information infrastructure for child health, HIV, and TB programs.
• Over 18 data collection and reporting systems present integration challenges, leading to parallel reporting and inadequate information flow.
• Existing strategies highlight the need for system communication and data integration at the national level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To visually map health data processing across system levels.
• To understand frontline health care workers' perceptions of data sharing across platforms.
• To assess the impact of data sharing on health care service delivery.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach using qualitative and quantitative data was employed in 30 diverse health care facilities.
• Participatory research, rapid assessment process, and technology assessment model informed the study design.
• Data collection involved digital surveys and in-depth interviews with health care workers, utilizing purposive sampling.

Main Results:

• The study engaged nearly 44 health care facilities, with 27 providing survey and interview data.
• Over 200 quantitative surveys and 90 semistructured interviews were collected from health care professionals across clinics, hospitals, and health posts.
• Preliminary analysis focuses on the perceived value of health data and experiences with data collection and sharing.

Conclusions:

• The health care community shows strong engagement, validating the study's objectives and methodology.
• The participatory approach is crucial for understanding the health care data ecosystem.
• Future work will focus on analysis to develop recommendations for enhancing data flow in Botswana's health care system.