Background
The RMIS is not only about health information systems and indicators, but also, and primarily, about making data-based decisions in rehabilitation. It is amazing (to see) how you can conclude on various rehabilitation areas from a few seemingly simple numerical data and, hereby, look for the best ways to strengthen the system. The RMIS toolkit is a reliable tool that, I believe, healthcare systems will be increasingly eager to use.
Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems requires considerable planning and decision-making in countries, which should be underpinned by quality data and information. Therefore, a key action to strengthen rehabilitation is to collect relevant information, including facility-level rehabilitation data, data on sector capacity and performance, and information on functioning.
The WHO Rehabilitation Management Information System (RMIS) toolkit, one of the technical products developed as part of the Rehabilitation 2030 Initiative, contains a guidance document that lists standard indicators for routine health facility reporting. This resource serves as a global standard to guide Member States in capturing information from health facilities that reflects the status of rehabilitation services in the country.
What are the key benefits of using the RMIS toolkit?
- Standardized data collection: ensures consistency across different health facilities and regions.
- Enhanced decision-making: provides health authorities with crucial insights for strategic planning.
- Strengthened health systems: facilitates the integration of rehabilitation services into overall health services delivery.
- Global comparability: allows for benchmarking and sharing best practices across countries.
To support country implementation, the toolkit comes with a digital package developed in DHIS2 at the University of Oslo. This package facilitates data reporting, analysis, and quality assurance. DHIS2 is an open-source platform for data collection, storage, and analysis. Countries with their own digital platform may adapt this package based on the proposed rehabilitation metadata.
Global training in Dakar (Senegal)
A 3-day global training workshop for 15 participants from all WHO regions was held from 29 to 31 October 2024, in Dakar, Senegal, and supported by USAID, WHO AFRO, and WHO Senegal Country Office.
The workshop aimed at building the capacity of WHO staff from regional and country offices to support countries in strengthening their routine data collection and reporting on rehabilitation services utilizing the WHO RMIS toolkit. In addition, it was designed for external experts who are anticipated to technically support countries for specific implementation steps.
Participants of the Global training on the Rehabilitation Management Information System during the workshop in Dakar.
Photo credit: Wouter de Groote
Participants coming from very diverse settings shared some of the same challenges when trying to integrate rehabilitation data into routine health information systems, and when using those data to manage rehabilitation services and programs at facility and regional levels. I was very happy to have the chance to take a deep dive into the WHO recommended rehabilitation indicators, especially those for case-based reporting.
Typically, implementation involves WHO, the Ministry of Health (usually represented by the department for monitoring and evaluation), national or local rehabilitation service providers, and other partners at country level. With the support of WHO, the Ministry of Health commonly leads a process that includes a readiness assessment for routine facility reporting for rehabilitation, the development of a country indicator set, defining standard operating procedures, the configuration of the country DHIS2 system or other digital platform based on rehabilitation routine reporting requirements, and training of rehabilitation professionals for rehabilitation data capture and entry.
The training was run in-person and included lectures, interactive activities, group work, and case studies. Sessions were led by Dr Wouter De Groote (WHO Rehabilitation Programme technical adviser), Mr Yury Rogachev (University of Oslo DHIS2 implementer), Dr Chu Anh (WHO Department for Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact), and Mr Gerald Okello (ReLAB-HS Uganda).
Participants of the Global training on the Rehabilitation Management Information System during the workshop in Dakar.
Photo credit: Wouter de Groote
This training will give us the opportunity to improve the integration of rehabilitation data into our routine data collection system and into the DHIS2. The availability of data will help us to target interventions more effectively, adjust programs efficiently to meet changing health needs, optimize the use of resources and improve the quality and efficiency of health services. The sharing of flagship indicators tracked by the WHO in this area requires us to review or revise primary data collection tools in order to incorporate essential aspects of indicator measurement. This will facilitate harmonization of analysis and comparability with other entities and countries. All of this needs continued efforts, and we are counting on technical assistance and financial support from the WHO to make it happen.
Next steps
Training participants, such as WHO staff from across the organization and external experts, will further support Member States with implementing the WHO RMIS toolkit for improved rehabilitation data collection and reporting, making relevant information available for health authorities' decision-making. It is expected that many countries from across WHO regions will have the data available over the next few years, enabling the planning of a better response to their population rehabilitation needs.
By embracing the RMIS toolkit, we're not just collecting data – we're paving the way for a future where every individual has access to the rehabilitation services they need.
Learn more about the RMIS toolkit here.