The Health Information and Quality Authority has published an International Review of Health Information Sources.

This review studies the practices and processes being followed internationally in the area of major national health information sources. It examines how other countries have approached this with a view to identifying the best way of developing and monitoring national standards for health information sources in Ireland.

Professor Jane Grimson, Director of Health Information with HIQA, said: “Following the recent cases of patient information being treated without the care and attention required, it is clear there is a real and present need for the introduction of Irish standards for national health information sources because many of these sources also contain private and confidential information. This review provides the international evidence to support the introduction of such Standards”.

“The findings have also shown that all the countries examined recognise the vital importance of national health information sources to ultimately improve the quality of care patients receive,” Professor Grimson said.

Six countries are covered in the review; Canada, Australia, Denmark, England, New Zealand and The Netherlands, and all are at different stages in the development and harmonisation of their national health information sources.

The Authority has established an advisory group made up of key stakeholders, who will use the themes and best practices identified in the review to inform the development of draft Standards for National health Information Sources.

This review will also enable the Advisory group use the experiences from other countries to produce standards which will reduce duplication, improve efficiency and effectiveness and make data available in a more timely fashion.

The draft Standards are aimed at improving the overall quality and use of our national data sources and ensuring value for money and improved safety for patients.

Further Information: 

Sinead Whooley, Communications Manager, Health Information and Quality Authority
Tel: 01 8147488/ 087 9221941 Email: swhooley@hiqa.ie

Notes to the Editor: 

Health Information Sources are national collections of routine, currently collected health and social care data (including administrative sources, censuses, national routine surveys, and patient registries).