- This topic has 31 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 11 months ago by
Aphitchaya Tankhanarak.
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AuthorPosts
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2023-09-08 at 9:46 pm #41676
Saranath
KeymasterDuring the COVID-19 outbreak, information technology has played an important role in outbreak management. Many health information systems, Applications have been developed which aim to assist the outbreak monitoring and control. In your point of view, is there any Health IT project that you think could perform better if we applied some public health informatics knowledge and skills on it?
-Give an example of the existing project
-Problems or limitations of the project
-What knowledge and skills of health informatics could help improve the project? -
2023-09-12 at 11:54 am #41697
Weerapat Pipithruengkrai
ParticipantFor this discussion, I would like to discuss about MOHPROMPT (“หมอพร้อม”), the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System Platform in Thailand. This platform is mainly used for booking COVID-19 vaccines, issuing COVID-19 vaccine certificates, and checking RT-PCR/ATK test results.
In my experience as a user, there are 3 main problems with the “MOHPROMPT” application below:
1. Data Vulnerability: There was a recent case in which a patient’s sensitive data was leaked.
2. Connectivity Problems: There was a frequent data synchronization issue with signing in and receiving information in the application.
3. Interoperability Issues: The patient data retrieved from the National ID card is sometimes not complete or incorrect.In my point of view, the following knowledge and skills from health informatics can be applied to solve the mentioned problems and improve the project:
1. Information science and Computer science
– Use strong encryption as well as limit those who are authorized to manage sensitive data to prevent possible data breaches.
– Implement efficient data synchronization and failover mechanisms to ensure server reliability.
2. Healthcare skills
– Collaborate with healthcare organizations and use EHR to promote consistent and complete data exchange as well as promote interoperability.-
2023-09-12 at 9:52 pm #41699
Nichcha Subdee
ParticipantI think the “MOHPROMPT” application is the best application that was created during the pandemic in Thailand, even though it has been having many problems as you mentioned. If the “MOHPROMPT” application gets rid of its cons, I think it has the potential to develop into a vaccine passport application, not only for the COVID-19 vaccine but also for other vaccines.
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2023-09-14 at 5:10 pm #41716
Saranath
KeymasterI agreed. The App had been developed in a short period. I think the App has a good data connectivity with healthcare facilities throughout the country. This project also showed that government enforcement is a main factor for the successfulness of the IT application.
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2023-09-12 at 9:30 pm #41698
Nichcha Subdee
ParticipantAnother application that was developed during the pandemic in Thailand is called “Mor-Cha-Na.” This application was created to prevent virus transmission by tracking users and notifying them when they are close to infected individuals or in high-risk areas. Also, users could assess their virus infection risk by answering a set of assessment questions within the application, ranging from the lowest risk to the highest risk.
– Problems or limitations of the project
As a former user, I encountered a problem while using this application. This app significantly drained my battery because it required users to enable location and Bluetooth all the time for optimal performance of the app. As a result, many users decided to disable location or Bluetooth, or even uninstall the application, leading to a decrease in the available information regarding the user’s location and risk level.Another issue with the application was that, no matter how users answered the risk questionnaire, they would always receive a low-risk result. This was because people in high-risk and highest-risk groups would be updated by the Department of Disease Control only to deter users from providing false information. However, there was a report indicating that the application developer faced challenges in obtaining good cooperation from the official staff. Therefore, the status of the high-risk or risky users was not updated in real-time, which contradicted the application’s purpose of tracking and avoiding potentially risky people and areas in real-time.
– What knowledge and skills of health informatics could help improve the project?
1. Computer science and IT
Even though in the end, the app developer has already fixed the battery-consuming problem after receiving complaints from several users, the Mor-Cha-Na application is no longer available since the situation of COVID-19 is improving in Thailand. In my opinion, the idea of creating an application for tracking and reporting the risk areas of infected people in real time might be applied to other diseases like influenza. Additionally, to avoid encountering the same problem as the Mor-Cha-Na application, the app developer probably needs to design an app that consumes less battery, such as decreasing the frequency of check-ins at the location of the users (every 30 minutes or an hour). In the event that the user is in the high-risk group, they can update the status of the risk by scanning a provided QR code at a hospital or a pharmacy when they go to get the medication, as they have already been verified by a doctor or pharmacist as high-risk individuals.2. Management and social sciences
Since the pandemic is an urgent issue that needs to be solved, the Mor-Cha-Na application was created with the possibility that the creator might not have the best enterprise architecture. Therefore, when the app was launched and one of the stakeholders did not cooperate very well, the application could not perform at its highest performance in the real world. Thus, before creating an application, having discussions and communication among the organizations to create a well-structured enterprise architecture will provide good results for the project. -
2023-09-13 at 10:51 pm #41710
Soe Htike
ParticipantIn Myanmar, I used a DHIS-2-based web application aimed at contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This app tracks individuals who have been near confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Problems or Limitations of the Project:
Data Integration: The app faced challenges integrating data from various sources, such as multiple healthcare facilities, testing centers, and private hospitals, leading to delays and inaccuracies in contact tracing.
Privacy Concerns: Users had concerns about data privacy and security, which can hinder adoption and cooperation.
Limited Analytics: The app lacked advanced analytics capabilities to identify potential outbreaks and hotspots proactively.
How Public Health Informatics Knowledge and Skills Could Help:
Data Integration and Interoperability: Public health informatics experts could develop data integration strategies and implement interoperability standards to ensure seamless data exchange between healthcare systems and the app. This would enhance the accuracy and timeliness of contact tracing.
Privacy and Ethical Considerations: Experts in public health informatics could design and implement robust privacy protections and data governance frameworks. They could ensure that the app complies with relevant regulations and follows ethical guidelines, thus addressing privacy concerns and building public trust.
Advanced Analytics: Public health informatics professionals could implement advanced analytics algorithms within the app. This would allow real-time data analysis to identify potential outbreaks and high-risk areas, enabling more effective outbreak management strategies.-
2023-09-14 at 5:15 pm #41718
Saranath
KeymasterI think we also faced the same problems in Thailand. But at least, the pandemic has forced us to begin using or applying IT in the health practices.
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2023-09-15 at 10:47 am #41719
Weerapat Pipithruengkrai
ParticipantI agree that data integration and interoperability is essential for the application that concentrate on the ongoing pandemic, as various healthcare organizations need to cooperate with each other. Also, privacy concern is a factor that makes the public trust and utilize the application. From my point of view, if this issue is solved the application will be more effective as there will be more users willing to use the application and people able to know where they should be aware of COVID-19.
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2023-09-15 at 11:35 pm #41727
Ching To Chung
ParticipantIn Hong Kong, a contact tracing app was launched known as “LeaveHomeSafe”. All citizens are required to scan QR codes when entering public spaces such as malls, restaurants, and government facilities. Anyone found not using the app could be fined. The purpose of the app was to trace everyone that had been at the same location with a potential COVID patient. However, there are many problems associated with the app.
First is the User Experience problem. The app was rather inconvenient to use. Users have to find a hard copy QR code whenever they enter a new location and physically scan it through the app. They are also expected to remember to log out and re-scan whenever they enter another location. This has caused huge inconveniences for people’s daily lives. For example, if you wanted to eat at a restaurant that is inside a mall after reading a book at the library, you are expected have to scan three separate QR codes! This could be improved through utilising other technologies. For example, geolocation and proximity based contact tracing, such that people in the general area could be identified instead of having people scan codes for each specific places.
Second is less about the app but more about the “people” side of health informatics. As emphasised, health informatics is not only about the technology but also about the people. While the Hong Kong government has the draconian policy of punishing anyone not using the app with a fine, not all elderly knows how to operate a smart phone and scan a QR code themselves. There are not enough guidance and education for the elderly to teach them how to use the app, and no exceptions or alternatives to the system if the users do not know how to use the system to begin with. It is therefore important that we remember the “people” element of informatics, offering more guidance and make sure that the system we implement could accommodate people with different age range and characteristics.
Third is the problem of privacy. Even though the app uses the very traditional way of scanning QR codes, the app asks for the user’s permission to all sorts of unrelated things on their phones, such as contacts. This has built a source of distrust within the general public as to why the app would require so much permission for unrelated things, and thus many people are reluctant to use the app. To solve this, we must ensure the privacy and security of the users to relief their concerns, with the app asking for the minimal necessary amount of data. An even better approach would be to store user’s location offline locally on the phone and download the data of the new cases. The users would only be alerted if there is a match. Users would then be more ensured that there is no suspicious upload of their personal data.
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2023-09-18 at 11:31 am #41768
Saranath
KeymasterWe have a similar app in Thailand called “Thai Chana App”. Teerawat did a good explanation of the App and challenges of the App in the discussion below.
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2023-09-18 at 2:39 pm #41774
Pyae Thu Tun
ParticipantThank you for sharing your experience, Ching To Chung. It reminds us how important it is to involve users, especially elderly individuals who might not be as familiar with technology. We should always make sure that new health technology is easy for everyone to use, including these communities.
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2023-09-16 at 6:52 pm #41729
Teerawat Pholyiam
Participant“Thai Chana app” was initially developed by the government of Thailand, this app has been built and launched during the unexpected circumstance. The main purpose of this app is to prevent and decrease infected patients of COVID-19 and the users will have to aware and avoid to visit high risk areas. I totally understand how challenged the responsible team had to build the app and market to public effectively during hard time.
Thai Chana app provides basic services that can collect user’s records of travelling and allowed the applicable team to access records of those in quarantine to analyze information for further study, however the users will be required to scan QR code of locations where they visit and they may get notifications if visited risk areas.
As I viewed complaints from other users and based on my experience of using Thai Chana app, I can see the following problems and limitations.
– The app drained too much battery and overheating when devices turn on location map and Bluetooth to track travelling in real-time capture
– There are too many apps of Covid-19 tracking record that have been developed by government (e.g. Mor Chana app, Mor Prom app), users may not cooperate to install newly launched app
– The app required users to enable other unnecessary settings e.g. phone number, location that these may be violation of personal rights
– Notification reminder has not been triggered while users were visiting red zone areas
– No application support team in case of users may require solutions of access or anything to update instantlyThe following knowledge and skills from health informatics field can improve and develop this app for better stage.
– One stop service; the initial application (Thai Chana app) could be upgraded/developed to add-on other necessary functions due to most of users they feel familiar with this and people’s database have been already collected, so alternative functions that could be upgraded such as to remove the process of scanning QR when visiting new places (this idea has been developed into Mor Chana app as well as to add the function of booking Covid-19 vaccine queue, records of certificate and ATK test result (this idea was built into Mor Prom app)
– AI/robotics; to avoid contact with people who have suspected or infected Covid-19, Artificial intelligence could be able to provide in a variety of health care service e.g. AI could be developed to diagnose suspected Covid-19 patient by analysis a forced-cough cell phone recording or to capture the surface of eyes by applicable to the detection of Covid-19 suspected patients
– Privacy and confidentiality of users; e.g. in Singapore, the app is called “Trace Together” that aware of personal rights and confidentiality of users, how does this app work is nearby other devices, which installed the same app, they exchange anonymised proximity information using Bluetooth and data will be automatically deleted if longer than 25 days, the applicable team will reach out to users if contact tracing is required
– Well-organized skill; the app could be planned and developed to use for long term purpose that users can utilize the app effectively and an existing app should be upgraded rather than to build new applications
– Interpersonal skill; for optimal results, the users should be provided/educated the training of app use, then they will collaborate with health care providers-
2023-09-17 at 7:43 pm #41749
Panyada Cholsakhon
ParticipantI agree with K.Teerawat that during the pandemic, there were too many applications developed for Thai people to use for being safe and keep eyes on this global serious situation. But it will be better if those applications are merged into all-in-one service and use for various essential purposes such as tracking, monitoring or for vaccination purposes so people will not get confuse which app is usable for them and sometimes this can cause people avoid to use it as it’s quite complicated.
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2023-09-18 at 11:31 am #41769
Saranath
KeymasterBelieve it or not! I rarely used this App.
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2023-09-18 at 9:07 pm #41778
Teeraboon Lertwanichwattana
ParticipantIn my opinion, I fully acknowledge the drawbacks of the application. However, I would like to highlight some of its benefits. At the time when the world was grappling with the outbreak of an unknown disease, it was crucial to take preventive and control measures to avoid a high death toll. Despite the fact that many applications were being used, some of which consumed a significant amount of battery, they played a pivotal role in limiting the pandemic through contact tracing. At the very least, I believe these applications served as a reminder for us to be vigilant during this crisis.
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2023-09-16 at 9:02 pm #41730
Supida Bamrungtrakulsuk
ParticipantThai-Chana is one of the COVID-19 disease-control tracing mobile applications as an online registration system for people entering public venues. This system aims to determine crowdedness of business and public locations for disease-control measures of physical distancing management. The app allows users or visitors to ‘check-in’ and ‘check-out’ by scanning QR code when visiting places. They are notified and provided trace information of infected visitors to track down visitors with close contact to them based on location and timeline. However, criticisms and concerns of using Thai-Chana app include data privacy, data redundancy, and data integrity and quality.
Data privacy and security:
Thai-Chana application requires real-time location of users by coercing visitors to give their private information before entering some places, which is considered as a privacy violation. For those with no smartphone, writing down their private information is also requisite by using a given pen as the same as others. This measure not only increases a contact of disease but also induces a leakage of personal data to third parties, resulting in problems of scam calls and spam messages have arisen until these days.Data redundancy :
Apart from Thai-Chana, another COVID-19 tracing application with similar functions is MorChana. While visitors check in to the Thai Chana system and MorChana recording the location by GPS, both applications collect the same user’s personal information and location. These systems lead to data redundancy that wastes excessive resources to store the same data in separate databases of these two apps, since the redundant data is eventually transferred to the Disease Control Department (DCD).Data integrity and quality :
As aforementioned, there is a gap of data collection between users who can and cannot access the Thai-Chana system via smart devices. Since the data from visitors with no smartphone results in paper-based records, some collected data with poor handwriting affect the data integrity when digitizing data from paper to database. Moreover, unwillingness to give private information could coerce visitors to provide false information intentionally.Solutions :
To apply knowledge and skills of health informatics to the Thai-Chana system project, well-planned implementation of data privacy regulations and management of information technology security could prevent user’s data violation and leakage, which is crucial to the reliability of the database owner or government to the users. If the users trust in the data privacy and security system of the application, they would be more willing to reveal the real personal information that is advantageous to the data quality for the disease control measure. Using tools and technology, such as tablets, for data collection instead of digitizing paper-based records could encourage data integrity. Furthermore, a health informatics interoperability system designed by enterprise architecture could avoid redundant data entry if there were an organization (or DCD itself) controlling data flow and centralized data from different application databases. The interoperability also prevents the development of duplicated applications/projects, saves the cost of wasted data storage, and utilizes information technology resources more efficiently during pandemics. -
2023-09-17 at 7:52 pm #41750
Panyada Cholsakhon
ParticipantFrom my point of view, as I have direct experience only with Thai-Chana application at the beginning of the outbreak, its operation was very simple to use, just check-in and check-out by scanning the QR code in every places you visited. It is also useful in disease control in letting you know the timeline if infected people was detected. I think this app is the first application that let me open my eyes about the useful of smartphones and technology using for tracing the disease when there is a serious outbreak. For Moh-Chana application, it is different form Thai-Chana as they use GPS tracking automatically which can reduce time for the government in disease investigation, but by its operation people’s personal information might be at risk. Mohprompt is another application that is still exist and useful lately especially on vaccination purposes such as vaccination registration and providing vaccination certification.
– The problem in each applications in my opinion are similar to my classmates mentioned above including it is not an one-stop-service, some apps consume the battery, it might provide an inaccurate information if putting false information, and also security concern such as personal information of users were hacked by the hacker. Even though the last and currently use app such Mohprompt project tried to have global interoperability in terms of digital COVID certification, I have experienced the problem in having digital vaccine pass as I got vaccinated out of Thailand for first two doses and the system recognised only my Thai ID No. not passport no. which causes an incomplete information and might affect when traveling abroad. However, these limitations would be good for future development when it comes to such this pandemic.
– Apart from knowledge in health and principle of public health, IT and computer science will be the main skills that use for this improvement. If we learned that having many applications launched caused people confuse, user-friendly design and one stop service application must be considered. Data security and privacy is another important issue that needed to be more aware for not causing the problem in the future. To boost interoperability across the organisation, country, and global, management and social science skills are required as the well system interoperability and data standard is the result of good enterprise architecture which need the collaboration and communication with all involved stakeholders.
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2023-09-17 at 11:11 pm #41755
Sirithep Pl
ParticipantExample of the existing project:
During the outbreak, “Thai Chana” was the widely used mobile application in that situation. It was easy to use, only scanned the QR-code to check-in and check-out in each place where the people went to. This application aimed to collect these data and used to trace the people who came to the COVID-19 outbreak place. Another objective for this application was providing the data to registered place for evaluation the crowding of the people in own place for adjustment the entry or serviceProblems/Limitation:
After this application was launched, some problems were discovered.
– First was the user experience. Although this application was easy to use for checking-in to the place, some people (e.g. me) frequently forgot to check-out. These may affect the data integrity for management and tracing.
– Another concern was about personal data privacy. The people were concerned about the privacy of their data and how the government would secure them and manage when the data were leaked.
– In the late phase of the pandemic, we had many applications other than Thai Chana, which had to register in each new application. There was a lack of interoperability between each application.How to improve the project:
The well architecture of the application is the essential knowledge and skill to improve the implementation of the application. All stakeholders should be included such as healthcare providers/administrators for providing the requirement in the health science aspect and communicate to IT technicians to design and develop the user friendly application.
As aforementioned, the data privacy and security were the concern of this application. Thus, in the application development, the essential data should be collected. The data security method should be ensured.
Finally, interoperability between each application should be available to decrease redundancy of the data entry and improve the data sharing between applications. -
2023-09-18 at 11:34 am #41770
Saranath
KeymasterWe have a lot discussion on Application that allowed people to check-in places where they visited. The App is called “Thai Chana” in Thailand, “LeaveHomeSafe” in Hong Kong. I was wondering if Myanmar has a similar Application. Friends from Myanmar can help to discuss on this..
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2023-09-18 at 3:10 pm #41775
Pyae Thu Tun
ParticipantDear Ajarn, it took a while to post this week discussion although I read and learned colleagues’ comment for your topic because it was a bit challenging to pinpoint a specific application in Myanmar during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there were some efforts to implement a useful application by the government, I haven’t come across any outstanding applications that were widely used by the community, aside from certain platforms that provided information about high-risk locations and areas potentially contaminated by COVID-19.
So, I think Ko Soe Htike only mentioned the DHIS2 platform (which can be regarded rather as IT project than a mobile application) which is used only by government and possibly some NGO partners, and surely cannot be accessed by the community. So, I have to browse to see if there were any other applications that played a significant role during that time. However, I acknowledge that I might not have the complete picture, and I hope that other friends from Myanmar can share their insights here. -
2023-09-19 at 9:49 pm #41786
Myat Htoo Linn
ParticipantYes Ajarn, as Ko Pyae discussed, this was difficult to identify the specific application utilized for COVID-19 monitoring and response in Myanmar among the public. I didn’t also have the experience of using an outbreak monitoring application.
Regarding the information system, there had been only a few private-sector individuals and teams took the initiative to establish a network for data collection through telephone or personal inquiries for the COVID-19 information and resources such as testing centers, private care facilities, quarantine sites, and oxygen available locations at that time. As I had experienced as a member, we had to collect the information through telephone interviews per our assigned townships, subsequently, we collated this data on a shared Google Sheet that was accessible to all team members. This consolidated information was then disseminated through widely used social media platforms like Facebook, which played a significant role in disseminating COVID-19 response information to the public.
COVID-19 surveillance dashboards were also developed by some private-sector and also the Ministry of Health and Sport (MoHS) at that time as part of the information system but this was also limited accessibility to the general public.
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2023-09-18 at 2:33 pm #41773
Pyae Thu Tun
ParticipantCertainly, during the COVID-19 outbreak, various health information technology (Health IT) projects emerged to assist with outbreak monitoring and control. One such project that could potentially perform better with the application of public health informatics knowledge and skills is contact tracing mobile applications.
Problems or limitations of the project
Many users are concerned about the privacy of their personal data, as these apps collect location and proximity data. This has led to low adoption rates among users.
Another issue I observed was the lack of effective communication between different contact tracing apps. This made it difficult to track cases across different regions or countries, which is crucial during a global pandemic.
Moreover, I found that some of these apps were not very user-friendly. Notifications were often unclear, and user engagement was quite low. If users don’t regularly update their status or if the app doesn’t provide clear information, it can seriously hinder its effectiveness.
What knowledge and skills of health informatics could help improve the project?
Reflecting on these challenges, I believe that experts in public health informatics could make a significant difference. They could ensure that these apps implement strong data privacy rules, making sure our personal information remains safe and anonymous while still serving its purpose.
Furthermore, having standards in place for interoperability between different contact tracing apps would be incredibly valuable. It would mean that no matter where I am or where I go, these apps could work together seamlessly to provide a more comprehensive view of potential exposures.
Improving the user experience is also essential. Public health informatics experts could help design these apps to be more user-friendly, with clear notifications and features that encourage regular use. By applying principles from behavioral psychology, they could motivate users to actively engage with the app.
Lastly, bringing public health informatics specialists on board could bridge the gap between app developers and public health authorities. This collaboration could ensure that the apps align with public health goals, follow guidelines, and adhere to epidemiological best practices.
Incorporating these health informatics knowledge and skills into contact tracing mobile applications would not only ease my privacy concerns but also make these apps more effective, user-friendly, and ultimately more useful in monitoring and controlling outbreaks like COVID-19. -
2023-09-18 at 8:51 pm #41777
Teeraboon Lertwanichwattana
ParticipantIn my opinion, one of the projects that has proven highly beneficial is AMED Telehealth. It was implemented to support Home Isolation and Community Isolation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, the fourth wave of the pandemic was particularly severe. Initially, all patients were admitted to hospitals for disease control. However, when the Delta variant emerged, in-hospital management became insufficient. Consequently, the Ministry of Public Health had to revise the protocol for treating COVID-19 patients, shifting towards home isolation care. AMED Telehealth served as a back-office operating platform to facilitate telehealth services provided by hospitals. This platform was integrated into the LINE app, enabling isolated patients to daily report their health conditions and engage in video calls with medical personnel for close monitoring via the LINE app.
However, this platform had some issues. As a physician, I had to switch between online platforms and the LINE app, which lacked synchronization. Additionally, the platform did not display information about the delivery status of items sent to patients’ homes. We had to directly inquire with patients via the LINE app. Furthermore, the platform did not support the system for transferring patients to hospitals when their condition deteriorated. This made it challenging to identify patients in need of urgent care.
For improvement, if I were to develop this platform further, I believe it would be beneficial to create a patient portal. This portal would enable the treatment of patients regardless of where they received care. It could also facilitate direct transfers to other hospitals with interoperability protocols and data standardization, making it easier to exchange patient information. Moreover, it could maintain a unified record of patients’ demographic characteristics, eliminating the need for referral papers issued by doctors. This would streamline the process, reduce redundancy in patient information collection, and ensure that crucial details are not overlooked in patient care. This is particularly crucial when a patient’s condition deteriorates after their initial assessment, ensuring continuity of care and the preservation of important patient data.
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2023-09-19 at 7:41 pm #41784
Teerawat Pholyiam
ParticipantHi Khun Teeraboon,
During the pandemic, I totally agree that Telemedicine was very helpful option to provide health care and avoid physical distancing.
As your career is performing as a frontline health care worker, may I please ask a question?
I found that telemedicine has the limitations to conduct an in-person physical examination, based on your experience. How did your team at the hospital perform and assess the patients if they may be required to do health assessments e.g. blood test, urine test or 12-lead ECG or whatever that need to be conducted in person?
As I have no experiences in frontline health care working, this would be really appreciated if you do not mind to share krub. Thanks in advance!
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2023-09-19 at 4:07 pm #41782
Phyo
ParticipantI noticed there are several apps and platforms mentioned above for COVID-19 response in certain countries. Although I have few experiences of using Thai Chana apps, I have limited knowledge of using the apps because of my language barrier. On the other hand, I have no experience using COVID-19 apps in Myanmar. Thus, I would like to describe a health IT project that is not directly related to the COVID-19 response. It is about a chronic patient tool in my organization. Due to the late presentation nature and the financial burden on the health program, the organization developed a chronic health disease tool to register and monitor the chronic patients in the project area. Chronic patient information coming to health facilities is all recorded and uploaded to the server. The patient information has been linked with another tool which is the community health workers (CHWs) database for home visits and health education records. Those tools are Microsoft Access-based software from which data can be extracted easily for data analysis, visualization, and presentation.
Challenges
• Technical: There were several bugs and errors that occurred especially when starting the project. We have collected many data in the system and those data are not linked properly from one database to another.
• Cost: Developing a database requires a software developer and it is expensive. Only a few internal staff have knowledge of access database. The organization has to recruit staff to run the project smoothly and efficiently.
• Training: A series of training has to be provided to multiple levels of staff for maintaining a database and collecting and reporting data.
• Human resource: Some existing staff have been trained to use data properly and other staff are newly recruited for the project.Knowledge and skills of health informatics to improve the project
• Data Standardization and data integration
○ Familiarity with healthcare data standards like HL7 can facilitate interoperability and data sharing.
○ Knowledge of how to integrate different data by using data-integrating tools could help the project run efficiently.
• Data analytics and reporting
○ Skills in data analysis and visualization tools to derive insights from patient data with experience in clinical knowledge of chronic disease.
• Data privacy and security
○ Knowledge of cybersecurity to protect sensitive patient data from any kind of cyber threat could also prevent unwanted threats to the clients.-
2023-09-19 at 8:45 pm #41785
Pyae Thu Tun
ParticipantDear Ko Phyo, thanks for sharing your experience with MS Access for monitoring the chronic patient health status in your project. I totally agree with the technical challenges in our country as most of the databases are not standardized to operate seamlessly with each other. Another one is that there are a limited number of experts in particular areas of manipulating the software for starting up properly for project requirements and maintaining and adapting the nature of the database. It mainly relies on those focal and becoming vacant of that expert is a burden to the organization for continuous improvement of the project.
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2023-09-19 at 10:16 pm #41787
Thitikan Pohpoach
ParticipantI totally agree with my classmates above. Another service widely developed during the pandemic is telepharmacy.
Give an example of the existing project
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telepharmacy (the delivery of pharmacy services using information technology for patients at a distance) played an important role in several clinical services. This service involved a wide range of pharmacy services, such as medication reviews, drug information services, and patient counseling.Problems or limitations of the project
– Data security – The service involves the transmission of personal and health-related information. Therefore, the security of information becomes a concern.
– Lack of interoperability of systems
– Lack of technological infrastructure and skills.
– a delay in the implementation of new lawsWhat knowledge and skills of health informatics could help improve the project?
Knowledge and skills in health informatics are essential to improve telepharmacy. Besides the core skills my classmates mentioned above, enterprise architecture is an interesting concept to integrate telepharmacy into routine practice. EA is valuable tool to assist the digitalization of patient experiences, operational processes, or entire business models themselves. -
2023-09-20 at 1:05 am #41789
Myat Htoo Linn
ParticipantDuring this discussion, I got the insights that public health informatics professionals need to initiate or support the development of applications that can be beneficial for outbreak monitoring and management, especially in Myanmar.
Example of the existing project:
Rather than using the application during epidemic and disease outbreaks, I would like to discuss one IT project in which I was involved which is an electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS) that used m-Supply software for health commodities at different levels of health centers under MoHS in Myanmar. This is an open-source supply chain management software primarily designed for managing health commodities in low-resource settings, such as healthcare facilities and organizations in developing countries.Problems or limitations of the project:
As far as I have had experience using it, there are challenges associated with its implementation:Infrastructure and Connectivity: Most of our health facilities are low-resource settings with limited internet connectivity and IT infrastructure. Implementing mSupply requires these facilities (i.e. computer, modern, internet, etc.) to support the software and this was one significant challenge.
User Acceptance: There had been some resistance to change and reluctance to adopt new technology also hindered the successful implementation of this project.
Complexity: Coordinating between multiple entities of various health commodities, levels of healthcare facilities, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and healthcare providers with the use of software and system development was challenging.
Data Quality: In my experience, this was very difficult to receive accurate or complete data entry and report at the software for various reasons which leads to stockouts or overstocking, which may have serious consequences in healthcare.What knowledge and skills of health informatics could help improve the project?
I think using a range of knowledge and skills in health informatics that could improve to the success of such a project:Project Management: The first and most important one is to apply the project management skills including planning, resource allocation, risk assessment, and monitoring progress for this project.
Training and Education: We will need to provide the proper training and educational materials to equip healthcare staff with the skills to use mSupply effectively including computer literacy.
User-Centered Design and Communication: I think the development of a user-friendly interface and functionality for the healthcare staff and effective communication for conveying project benefits to the stakeholders can enhance user acceptance and usability.
Interoperability and Domain Knowledge: A deep understanding of the operations and healthcare interoperability standards (such as HL7) can facilitate the integration of mSupply with other multiple entities.
Data and Information System Management: This is essential to know software deployment, and the processes of data entry, collection, storage, analysis, and reporting are essential for the proper management and application of health commodities information. -
2023-09-20 at 10:46 pm #41812
Noi Yar
ParticipantI had experience using a contact tracing app called “Taiwan Social Distancing App” to help manage and control the spread of COVID-19. This app was developed by the Taiwanese government and was used to track individuals’ movements and monitor their quarantine status during the pandemic using GPS and Bluetooth tracking.
There were some limitations of this app:
1. Privacy Concerns: It has faced privacy concerns, with users hesitant to share personal information due to potential misuse or data breaches.2. Limited User Engagement: User adoption rates for contact tracing apps have been uneven, partly due to user interface issues and a lack of engagement strategies. Since the app was only availabe in Chinese, it was difficult for foreign residents to widely use it. It also received several complaints in Playstore for not being able to use in some phone models and brands.
Knowledge and Skills of Health Informatics to Improve the Project:
1. Ethical Considerations: Health informatics experts can help identify and address ethical dilemmas related to data collection, storage, and usage, building public trust in the app.
2. User-Centered Design: Health informatics professionals can apply user-centered design principles to create a more user-friendly interface, improving user engagement and overall usability.
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2023-09-21 at 10:29 pm #41814
Suppasit Srisaeng
ParticipantBesides apps that others have mentioned, the Digital 506 (D506) project in Thailand is currently focused on modernizing disease surveillance. It automates data reporting from various Health Information Systems (HIS), such as HosXp. Although promising, it faces challenges like delayed executive approvals, interoperability issues among HISs, and concerns about data quality. Health informatics could provide solutions: user-centric design can improve usability, standardized data protocols like FHIR could enhance data sharing, and machine learning algorithms may improve outbreak detection. Incorporating time-to-event analysis can also lead to faster public health responses. Integrating health informatics could make Digital 506 more efficient and effective.”
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2023-10-02 at 10:43 pm #42100
Aphitchaya Tankhanarak
ParticipantDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand had two useful apps. First, the Mor-Cha-Na app aimed to help track and prevent virus transmission by telling users if they were close to infected people or high-risk areas. However, it often gave a low-risk status, which made it less helpful for quarantine.
The second app was Mor Prom. It let people access vaccination services, like making reservations, tracking vaccinations, and staying updated on COVID-19. It even had a feature to check for vaccine side effects. People could get vaccinated at any hospital where they were registered.
To make things simpler and more user-friendly, it would be a good idea to combine these two apps into one. This all-in-one app could handle tracking, monitoring, and vaccination services. That way, people wouldn’t get confused about which app to use. Also, these apps didn’t share data, which means health data couldn’t be used to its full potential.
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