An effective health information is the need of hour for making the appropriate decisions and programme planning, timing and best use of facts determines the success or failure of any organization. Success of an executive depend up on the availability of timely and authentic information which is essential for managing the followings,

1. To set up the objectives

2. To mobilize and optimal utilization of resources

3. Formulation and implementation of plan

4. To evaluate the processes at every step and outcome and if needed take an corrective measures

5. Utilization of results as and when required.

By judging the importance of M.I.S. and as per recommendation of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) study group in 1957, that in order to get a comprehensive picture of a disease or health related matter, more and more studies have to be carried out, Garg Narenra K.(1) and Garg Narenra K. and Sharma A.B.(2) the authors have under taken this study with the objectives to analysis the role of M.I.S. in health care.

SETTING THE OBJECTIVES

1. Clear definition of the objective to be achieved

2. Objectives should be meaning full and in measurable terms

3. Time in which objective is to be achieved

4. Clear specification of the geographical area

Intermediate and ultimate objective.

Resources -

Assessment of resources in terms of-

Man,

Money,

Material/equipment and

Time.

For achieving the set objectives, organization will have to be fully equipped with the available information or prevailing condition and resources specifically precious time.

Evaluation

Evaluation is an essential and integral component of all system as without evaluation we can't know the success or failure. It is only through evaluation one can know the real impact i.e. achievement against the set objectives. What were the problems faced, what were the changes and modifications with reasons there of? The most important principle is that good performance must be rewarded and the poor must be corrected.

Management-Information-System-

Management

Management literally meaning is administration, is a function of guiding and directing the activities of others to achieve the set objectives. A good manager will take it as service not control.

Information

Each data can't be treated as information under M.I.S. It is only when the data is processed, it is called information otherwise it is just data.

System

System is a group of elements or parts those are integrated with the common purpose for achieving the objectives. Various functional areas are integrated through the common data base which is an integral part of the information system in an organization (Figure-1).

Thus MIS is an organized method of providing past, present and future information related to internal operations and external intelligence. It supports the planning, control and operational function of an organization by providing pertinent information in specified time to assist the decision making processes.

In health care, a lot of information have to be collected from both formal and informal sources but unfortunately many of the available information are not fully utilized due to-

1. Lack of uniformity

2. Lack of completeness

3. Lack of accuracy

4. Ignorance about the importance of the health data

5. Some time knowingly or unknowingly duplicate efforts are being made by workers in collection of data from field which may lead to fragmentation

At all level there is an urgent need for bringing improvement and uniformity in data collection. This can be achieved by streamlining the data collection. Data generated at grass root level must provide information which lead to decision making, supervision and evaluation both intermediate and terminal should be an integral part of the information system at all levels. Grass root level workers like Multipurpose health worker (Male and Female), Angan -Wadi Worker (AWW), Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) etc. must be provided regular feedback for effective management. An effective and efficient management of information system will have to be evolved for programme planning, implementation and evaluation of the health care delivery system.

Function of an information system consist of collection, analyzing and transmission and finally put the available information for display to the all stake holders including Public, Government and NGO etc. For collection of information there should be some uniform system to avoid duplication, to put a check on irregularities and wastage of precious resource time.

Storage of data -for this purpose as per Government of India (GOI) an effective utilization of electronic media and computers will be pursued. Thus a lot of data can be kept in a small space. Though the quality of data stored in the computers is dependent on what we feed?

Transmission

Collected information ,ideas ,thoughts, feeling ,behavior is to be communicated from one person or group of persons to other persons or groups with a view to disseminate the same and thus to obtain a desirable changes expected what is being communicated. The key elements in transmission are communicator on the one hand and on the other it is receiver. Communicator communicate to the receiver through channels for effective communication communicator must be familiar with the available channels, their capacity, operation etc.

Transformation of data

Transformation literally means change from one form to the other. Data should be transformed in such a way that it should be understandable i.e. preferably in local languages to all concerned, clear, specific and timely. Transformed information should be according to the mental capacity of all concerned and oriented to meet the needs (both basic needs i.e. what the administrators see and felt needs i.e. what people felt about themselves).of concerning community.

Display of information

All transformed information is to be displayed for proper utilization. Display can be done through various methods and Medias suitable to the local needs.

METHODS

i.Lecture

ii.Group Discussion

iii.Panel Discussion

iv.Symposium

v.Workshop

vi.Demonstration

vii.Conference and seminar

viii.Continued Medical Education (C.M.E.)

ix.Role Playing(Drama)

x.Institution

xi.Conversation at Chaupal

Television (T.V.) an Audio-Visual (A.V.) aids, a potential force of change, good or bad. T.V. engaged a child, when parents are not around house, T.V. can be called as third parent, Garg Narendra K. and Sharma A.B.(2). A decadal census of household amenities and assets released on 13-03-2012 (Tuesday) revealed that “TV KILLED THE RADIO”-Number of homes with TV grew by about 50% but radio vanished from 2.1 crore households between 2001and 2011 (3).Judicious use of two or three media i.e. media mix (modern and traditional medias) as happening now a days when Traditional media like Folk songs and folk dances, Kathputali etc. were telecast on modern media T.V. for communicating messages to the masses Bansal A.K. and Garg Narendra K.(4), thus we can strengthen the M.I.S.in achieving the target.

In present time use of A.V. aids are increasing day by day because of (i)they supply a concrete basis for conceptual thinking and hence reduce meaningless word responses of the receiver (ii) because of both picture and voice a high degree of interest has been automatically take place (iii) A.V. aids help in developing continuity of thoughts, Park J.E.(5).

Skype, biometrics, M-health (use of mobile phones) and e-health are all set to make an entry in to India's primary health centers (PHCs) and sub health centers as the health ministry steps on the gas to go hi-the.

The steering panel on health has said that in 12^th plan (2012-17),all district hospitals would be linked to leading tertiary care centers through telemedicine, Skype, and other A.V. media's M-health will be used to speed up transmission of data (6).

India will also put in place a Citizen Health Information System (CHIS) –a biometric based health information system which will constantly update health record of every citizen .The system will incorporate registration of births, deaths and cause of death.

Maternal and infant death reviews, nutrition surveillance, particularly among under- six children and women, service delivery in the public health system, hospital information service besides improving accesses of public to their own health information and medical records would be the primary function. The committee further said that the "overreaching goal is to develop a biometric based health information system which begins with universal vital registration, is portable and accessible to service providers and to the family themselves. Based on this foundation, a network links all service providers, public and private laboratories and also generate the figures needed at different levels for policy making as well as generates the alerts needed for disease surveillance".

According to the panel, CHIS will incorporate information on service delivery in the public health system helping to make evidence-based and guideline compatible clinical decisions and make morbidity and mortality profile available. This will help estimate the burden of disease and facilitate policy decisions at state and national levels.

Placed on a GIS platform, it can identify geographic concentration of disease. The system will also provide hospital information service to improve the quality of care to patients through electronic medical records, to lower response time in emergency and improve hospital administration. It will support emergency response systems and referral transport arrangements, the organ retrieval and transplantation scheme", lt added.

The ministry plans to give a big push to support telemedicine services in primary, secondary and tertiary care. Disease surveillance based on reporting by providers and clinical laboratories (public and private) to detect and act on disease outbreaks and epidemics would be an integral component of the system. The system will also support financial management-from resource allocation, resource transfers, accounting and utilization to financial services like making of payment facilities to providers and beneficiaries". It will provide platform for continuing medical education and support regulatory functions of the state by creating a nation –wide registration clinical establishments, manufacturing units, drug testing laboratories, liscensing of drugs, and approval of clinical trials".

Though each and every methods/medias had its own advantage but before selecting for communication to the community we must have knowledge about tradition and culture, literacy status etc. of the community and accordingly methods and media is to be selected then only it will help in creating interest of the people resulting a long lasting and permanent impact of the messages.

Plan of operation

During formulation of plan of operation it must be make clear to each and every person from top to bottom that Who(the person responsible),What( nature of activities),Where(place of activities),When(time period in which activities to be completed),and How(the processes of performing the activities) the activities will be accomplished including of supervision and co-ordication. The work must be allotted to each worker as per their capacity. Their knowledge and skill should be up dated by organizing training/retraining/C.M.E./orientation camp etc. and also on spot i.e. during the job as per need.

DATA

Data related to deaths, births, marriages, eligible couples, infants, under five children, male, female, environment, cases of communicable and non communicable diseases(7), nutrition surveillance particularly among under –six children, Census etc.

PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE:

Three committee overseeing all matters related to MIS in health care in the country is to be set up at national level, state level and district level. National committee will receive report from state and the state from district. Similarly district level committee will receive report from the periphery. Composition of the committee has been given in the following chart –

Budgeting:

The funding for the MIS should be through the budget of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India.

FEED BACK:

National committee will act as nodal point and will receive reports from all states and union territories. States / Union territories will receive report from their respective districts and district will receive from the periphery as the case may be. It is expected that each level will report regularly to their higher levels .For efficient functioning of MIS, periodic and regular feedback is essential from higher level to their lower levels.

CONCLUSION:

From above observations and discussion the authors reached to the conclusion that for effective M.I.S., the plan of operation must be clearly specified that Who (the person responsible), What (activities), Where (place of activities), When (time period in which activities to be completed), and How (the processes of performing the activities) the activities will be accomplished. Apart from these, followings should be given due importance –

· As far as possible, all reports should be integrated in one report.

· Before introducing the tools e.g. Formats etc. must be discussed in detail with all concerned and doubts if any must be made clear.

· Periodicity of report must be clear since beginning.

· Regularity of the report must be ensured i.e. report should reach in time for proper and timely utilization of information.

· From time to time periodicity of report, contents of formats must be updated as per requirement of the organization.

· To avoid undue delay the authenticity of data should be verified by someone (designated person) prior the report reaching to the head of department/chief executive or as the case may be.

· Where necessary reports should be supported by tables/maps/charts/graphs/diagrams/pictures etc as per need.

· Data once collected must be arranged purposively in order to bring out the important points clearly and strikingly.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors express their cordial thanks to Dr. A.K. Bansal, Ex. Professor and HOD Dept. of Community Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur (C.G.) India for his motivation and valuable guidance for the study.

REFERENCES:

1. Garg Narendra K.: Evaluation of the impact of emesis and emesis plus purgation therapy; Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics: 2 (2) March-April; 2010:201-202.

2. Garg Narendra K and Sharma A.B. : Epidemiological profile of patients attending a tertiary care hospital, Muktsar, Punjab (India); Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics:3 (6) November-December; 2011:311-317.

3. Chandramouli C; Good news from census: Indians better off, but ignore sanitation; Hindustan Times, New Delhi, March 14, 2012, pp-10

4. Bansal A.K. and Garg Narendra K.:Information, Education and Communication in context of Reproductive and Child health including H.I.V./AIDS; J of Ravishankar Uni.vol.14:No.B (Science)2001;pp.28-34.

5. Park J.E.: Text Book of Preventive and Social Medicine (Treatise on Community Health) 1^st Edition, 1970; M/S Banarsi Das Bhanot, Jabalpur, India: p.p.542-598.

6. Telemedicine to boost health services : The Times of India.New0Delhi;19-03-2012;pp 06

7. Garg Narendra K and Bansal A.K.: Management Information System in context of health care delivery; J of Ravishankar University, 2001;Vol.14 No.B (Science) 35-40.

Received on 16.03.2012 Modified on 01.05.2012

Asian J. Management 3(4): Oct.-Dec., 2012 page 238-242