Abstract:

Technology has advanced beyond expectations. For instance, people use unlimited computing power at unlimited speeds with unlimited storage. The Internet also provides universal connectivity. Information technology (IT) is increasingly applied in the health sector. Applications of information and communication technologies (ICT) to the health sector include Electronic Patient Records, Health Information Systems (HIS), the setup of Intranets and secure Extranets via the Internet, and for sharing information among institution and individual participants in the health sector, the use of public networks such as the Internet to distribute information, Health Decision Support Systems, the provision of remote diagnostics via Telecentres, and Community Health Information System for local, regional and national health planning. The overall goal of the research was to investigate alternative applications of Telecentres and HIS to help assess healthcare information. In doing so, it enhances the knowledge of the development of healthcare information resources. It identified some key areas that planners of HIS should include in their strategic planning.