Use of routine health information systems data in developing and monitoring district and facility health plans: a scoping review

BackgroundRoutine Health Information Systems data should be used in a systematic and institutionalised manner to support the making of plans, the monitoring of plans and in supportive supervision. To explore to what extent there is discussion about the linkage between planning, monitoring and supervision of sub-national programs using routine data we conducted a scoping review. The review question was: How are routine health information systems used in developing and monitoring health plans at district and facility level?MethodsFrom a search of Ovid Medline (all), EMBASE and Web of Science along with a review of grey literature and involving a number of key stakeholders in identifying any missing resources a total of over 2200 documents were reviewed and data from 13 documents were extracted.ResultsOverall, there are many descriptions of how to implement and strengthen systems, ways to assess and improve data availability and quality, tools to improve the data use context, training in data use and mechanisms to involve stakeholders and strengthen infrastructure. However, there are gaps in examples of routine health data being used in the development, monitoring and supervision of plans at district and facility level.ConclusionsThere appears to be no institutionalised obligation of planners to monitor plans, very little guidance on how to practically monitor programs and minimal discussion about how to use the routinely available data to supportively supervise the implementation of the plans. To overcome these shortcomings, we recommend that practical procedures to ensure linkage of existing district plans to regular monitoring of priority programs are institutionalised, that mechanisms for making managers institutionally accountable for monitoring and supervising these plans are put in place, and that practical guidelines for linking plans with routine health information system data and regular monitoring and supportive supervision are developed.