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PHTF Mission
- Identify and determine the most effective and efficient means of promoting access to relevant public health information (PHI) standards that are currently in use or in publication.
- Identify PHI standards gaps and ways to address those gaps.
- Recommend the adoption, adaption, or the development of public health information standards to support and facilitate the delivery of public health services.
- Act as a technical advisory group (TAG) to support HiWiki portal development as vital to supporting the development, availability of and access to public health information and related standards work.
- Identify ways to facilitate LIC and LMIC participation in ISO activities, including recruitment and mentoring.
- Advise and offer guidance to LIC and LMIC on standards adoption and ISO participation.
- Harmonize, leverage and streamline public health data collection and dissemination activities and coordinate resource mobilization.
Meeting minutes
Methods
The PHTF emerged out of increasing interest at ISO TC 215 in assisting low-income countries. Two expert working groups merged to form the task force with the goals of interpreting standards appropriately for these countries and making international experts more accessible.
The Technical Report ISO TR 14639 Capacity-based eHealth architecture roadmap, the first deliverable of the group, is a milestone in health system strengthening. It provides not only a comprehensive architectural model for designing systems but also a maturity model for each of the components of the model, providing a more accurate description of country systems than general health system descriptions.
The architecture and maturity models will guide the work of the group, helping to identify gaps and priorities. Ultimately, indicators associated with the components of the model may be identified or developed, enabling evidence-based analysis of low-income country needs for policy making.
By combining PHTF working group meetings with technical assistance, low-income countries will have access to international experts in health informatics. The expertise provided by this group will facilitate making health system decisions in these countries.
There is a high level of interest in assisting these countries. However, there has not been an effective mechanism for making the experts in this domain accessible until now with the creation of the PHTF.
In addition to the ISO experts that volunteer their time to participate in the PHTF, it is organized around a consortium of organizations that provide additional expertise and support. These are shown in the diagram below with the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) as the secretariat.
Some of the tasks described relate to specific USG PEPFAR activities. This is intended to leverage its comprehensive approach to health system strengthening to establish standards-based Health Information Systems (HIS). Management of clinical concepts and population-based indicators, and integration of clinical and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems, for example, would have significant spin-off benefits to countries.
Background
Beginning with an Expert Group meeting in Bellagio, Italy, in 2008, work items directed at the needs of these countries have been developed and published. Subsequently, the scope and structure of TC 215 was modified to include public health activities explicitly.
One of the work items in particular, the ISO TR 14639 Capacity-based eHealth architecture roadmap emerged which provides an internationally-vetted framework upon which other activities can be based. The two-part Technical Report includes:
- Part 1: Overview of national eHealth initiatives
- Part 2: Architectural components and maturity model
The capacity-based roadmap, having been through the initial Part 1 ISO balloting process with input from many ISO delegates, invited experts, and liaison organizations, is unique in its incorporation of an ehealth architecture maturity model (eHAMM). This model, which will be described in detail in Part 2, provides maturity levels for each component of the eHealth Architecture Model, which provides appropriate and relevant guidance to LIC.
As discussions relating to LIC proceeded, it became apparent that implementation activities associated with standards-based health system strengthening were lacking. The framework included in this Technical Report can provide a framework upon which other work of the PHTF can be based.
The PHTF Terms of Reference provide more detail on the activities of the group.
Training
There are a number of sites under discussion for joint ISO working meeting/training meetings. The agendas will vary depending on the ISO work items and training needs of the countries.
Projects
- ISO/TR 14639-1:2012 Part 1: Overview of national eHealth initiatives - This ISO Technical Report (TR) was the first product of the group. It landscapes a selection of Health Information Systems (HIS) and introduces the ISO eHealth Architecture Model and maturity model (eHAMM) described in Part 2 below and being published.
- ISO TR 14639 Part 2: Architectural components and maturity model - This Technical Report goes into detail about the components of the eHealth Architecture Model and describes the three levels of maturity for each component using the eHAMM. This work is currently under development by the group.
- PHTF Landscaping - This effort being developed by the group will describe efforts at health system strengthening in low-income countries (LIC) to assist with the development of PHTF strategy.
- Review of Developing Country Health Information Systems - A high level review to identify Health Enterprise Architecture assets in ten African countries. Dr Rosemary Foster.
