The Digital Health Agency has announced the introduction of the National Health Information Exchange (HIE) ahead of the Social Health Authority (SHA) rollout in October 1, 2024.
The HIE is a shared service that will consolidate and harmonize patient records across all levels of care and make data portability a reality.
According to information from the Ministry of Health, HIE will enable the creation of encrypted digital patient records allowing healthcare providers – both public and private across the country to access a patient’s medical history with ease upon authorization and consent from the patient, enabling faster diagnoses, smoother referrals, and more accurate treatments in compliance with the data protection laws.
“The HIE is an initiative under the Universal Health Coverage digitalization program that is a cornerstone of digital transformation of the health sector in Kenya. Developers are required to access Health Information Exchange APIs through AfyaLink,” the Ministry stated.
“Developers must register to begin building applications that connect to the Health Information Exchange ahead of the 1st October 2024 rollout date.”
Other tech initiatives
The government is also introducing the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) for all Public Health Facilities, which will digitise the operations of all public health facilities allowing doctors and healthcare professionals to access (under consent management) patient records instantly.
Healthcare workers will be provided with 70,000 mobile tablets and 5,000 laptops ahead of the Social Health Authority (SHA) rollout in October 1, 2024.
The gadgets, meant for HIE, will be backed up with reliable internet connectivity and power backup systems country-wide.
The government is also introducing locally hosted health cloud to securely store and manage patient data in line with all applicable Kenyan data protection laws.
The health workers will also enjoy AI and Machine Learning tools to support proactive health management and clinical decisions.
The government is also digitizing the health products supply chain which will facilitate visibility of the movement of pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical products across the healthcare system, ensuring that hospitals are stocked with the medicines and supplies they need.
Also in the pipeline is the Health Insurance Platform (HIP), which will allow for the authentication of claims in real-time, fraud prevention and automation of all activities of the Social Health Authority.
Read:Â AI, 70,000 Tablets And 5,000 Laptops: Govt Goeas All Digital Ahead Of SHA Rollout
>>>Â SHIF: How Does Social Health Insurance Fund in Kenya Work?
Leave a comment