Development and use of a master health facility list: Haiti's experience during the 2010 earthquake response.

Alyson Rose-Wood,Roody Thermidor,Antonio Zugaldia,Bill Lang,Kimberly Konkel,Fanor Joseph,Nathan Heard,Carmen-Rosa Torres,Gerald Lerebours,Jessica Chan,Michael Edwards

doi:10.9745/ghsp-d-14-00029

Abstract

Master health facility lists (MHFLs) are gaining attention as a standards-based means to uniquely identify health facilities and to link facility-level data. The ability to reliably communicate information about specific health facilities can support an array of health system functions, such as routine reporting and emergency response operations. MHFLs support the alignment of donor-supported health information systems with county-owned systems. Recent World Health Organization draft guidance promotes the utility of MHFLs and outlines a process for list development and governance. Although the potential benefits of MHFLs are numerous and may seem obvious, there are few documented cases of MHFL construction and use. The international response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake provides an example of how governments, nongovernmental organizations, and others can collaborate within a framework of standards to build a more complete and accurate list of health facilities. Prior to the earthquake, the Haitian Ministry of Health (Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population [MSPP]) maintained a list of public-sector health facilities but lacked information on privately managed facilities. Following the earthquake, the MSPP worked with a multinational group to expand the completeness and accuracy of the list of health facilities, including information on post-quake operational status. This list later proved useful in the response to the cholera epidemic and is now incorporated into the MSPP's routine health information system. Haiti's experience demonstrates the utility of MHFL formation and use in crisis as well as in the routine function of the health information system.

Highlights

Global Health: Science and Practice 2014 | Volume 2 | Number 3 extensive external donor presence
The first iteration of the master health facility list (MHFL) that contained only the signature domain fields was created on January 29, 2010, by blending the Haitian Ministry of Health (MSPP)’s existing Haiti Health Information System (HSIS) health facility list with partial lists, volunteered geographic information, and local knowledge on the post-earthquake status of health facilities in order to produce a more comprehensive list (Table 2)
Regularly updated, and freely accessible national MHFL is important for effective routine planning and the delivery of health care services

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Global Health: Science and Practice 2014 | Volume 2 | Number 3 extensive external donor presence. The first iteration of the MHFL that contained only the signature domain fields was created on January 29, 2010, by blending the MSPP’s existing HSIS health facility list with partial lists, volunteered geographic information, and local knowledge on the post-earthquake status of health facilities in order to produce a more comprehensive list (Table 2). Commune, and department IDs in the MHFL were matched to the MSPP_2010 list; official facility names were added; inaccurate values for the various codes used by the MSPP were corrected; geocodes of numerous MSPP sites were corrected; and about 20 duplicate records were removed. This version included all 2010 MSPP health facilities. The WHO guidelines provide information on how the content of an MHFL can be made accessible and maintained over time

CONCLUSION

Findings

13. Crisis Mappers