Exploring the potential of Open Source solutions to deliver Clean, Clear Information for Health Service Improvement. (360G-Wellcome-110314_Z_15_Z)

This mixed-methods health systems research project aims to use semi-structured interviews with managers and clinicians involved in Electronic Health Record (EHR) system implementation. Interviewees will be identified through a snowballing technique until saturation of new information from interviewees is reached. A specific case study will be performed of an individual EHR implementation project in Machakos County that uses open-source EHR software (OpenMRS) to identify the barriers and opportunities of using open-source EHR software in the county public health system in Kenya. The results of the case study will inform the development of an innovative in-silico simulation of the Machakos County health system as it would be envisaged in the planned roll out of open-source technology to support clinical care, centralised data collection and on-demand registry services (such as the Master Patient Index and a Master Facilities Index). Finally, a co-design workshop will be held with key EHR stakeholders in Kenya (including policy-makers, researchers, hospital administrators, clinicians, patients, EHR vendors, IT companies, programmers and consultants). The workshop will aim to bring together the results of the survey, case report and simulation with experience from across Kenya to develop a set of research objectives to inform the development of the next stage of research aimed at development and re-use of clean, clear information from data gathered by EHR systems to improve health systems broadly while fostering growth of innovative health services research.