UNHCR - Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the HIS changing in 2008?

The HIS is designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the people who use it the most, i.e. our UNHCR and implementing partner staff at camp level. We received a lot of recommendations in 2007 on how the HIS could be further improved, in addition to receiving comments from technical experts at an HIS conference in March 2007. We've worked hard to incorporate as many as possible in the 2008 revision.

What are the main changes?

The changes in 2008 vary from minor design changes to major differences in the way data is collected. These were important to stay aligned with best practice and new advancements in the monitoring of public health programmes.

Click here to see the major changes in each HIS section. A table listing all the revisions in detail can be downloaded from the website [PDF, 35Kb].

When will I receive the new toolkits?

The new registers, tally sheets and report forms have been printed and are expected to arrive in the UNHCR branch offices from 14-25 April. Please liaise with the UNHCR Health Coordinator to ensure they are received and promptly distributed to the field.

How have they been packed and labelled?

The toolkits have been packed and labelled according to each camp in the country. Your UNHCR health coordinator will help to ensure that they are distributed promptly to the partners in each camp.

How can I distinguish the new tools from the old ones?

All the new registers, forms, reports and guidelines have the HIS 2008 logo stamped on the cover (see below). This will help you easily distinguish new from old tools.

HIS Logo 2008

What should I do with my old tools?

Not all your tools need to be replaced immediately. Some can continue to be used in 2008 until they are filled. However, other tools will need to be recalled and replaced entirely. Click here to see a table showing which toolkit items need to be recalled, and which can continue to be used until they are full.

Please don't throw your old books away! We would be very interested to look at the data you have collected and use them. Please write to us or your UNHCR health coordinator so we can make arrangements to collect them.

How long will the new toolkits last for?

We have estimated that the toolkits will last for 12 months.

How do I order more?

Each country will be sent a country supply kit which contains spare materials should you run short of materials during the year. Please contact your UNHCR health coordinator if you would like to receive items from this stockpile.

You will also be sent a CD-ROM containing electronic copies of all tools, from which you can print spare copies. All the items can also be downloaded and printed from the website.
When should I start using the new toolkits?

It is very important that all new registers, forms and reports are filled consistently from the start of a reporting month.

We hope that the new tools will arrive in the field ready for you to start using them from the beginning of May. The first reports will then be entered into Excel and imported into the new database at the end of this month.

What happens if I don't manage to start on time?

Don't worry. Please keep us informed if you have any problems. If you need to start reporting your data from June this is fine, though we would prefer to keep to a May start if possible.

What support is available for training?

All guidelines and exercises for the new toolkits are available for download from the website.

If you need further assistance with organizing camp-level trainings please contact us.

How can I access more support?

For tools, guidelines and training materials: www.unhcr.org/his

For database releases and software downloads: www.unhcr.org/HISdatabase

For any questions, please write directly to: Health Information System

For discussions with other HIS users in the field we plan to soon launch a Health Information System discussion group .

MS Excel Sheet

Will my Excel sheet need to change?

Yes. A new 2008 Excel sheet be available to download from the website for you to enter your new data. This will be compatible with the new 2008 toolkits and also has a number of other new features which include:

Weekly reporting
Selective reporting
Multiple language / multiple country use

See questions 14, 15 and 16 for more information on these features.

Will I be able to enter my data into Excel each week?

Yes. On the first worksheet of the new Excel form there is an option to Select reporting frequency. This is either Weekly Reporting or Monthly Reporting.

If Weekly Reporting is selected, you will be able to enter your data directly from the green weekly report forms according to the numbered weeks in the reporting calendar. The weekly Excel sheets can then be imported into the database in the same way as the monthly sheets, and the computer will automatically add them to form monthly totals.

NOTE – you will not be able to graph or map your weekly data in the next release of the database. This will be included in a release later in the year.

What if I don't implement all the health services monitored in the HIS?

The majority of health care services monitored through the HIS should be provided in all countries. However, in some settings specialized services such as growth monitoring, TFP/CTC, VCT and PMTCT are not always offered routinely.

In the new Excel sheet, you will be able to use Selective Reporting and turn these programmes on/off depending whether or not they are offered. Simply select the Yes/No responses in the pull-down menus at the top of the relevant worksheets to show or hide the data tables.

Will a single Excel sheet be used to monitor all HIS countries?

Yes. In the new 2008 sheet, we have integrated English / French language and all HIS countries into the same Excel form. Before filling your sheet, please ensure that you have selected the appropriate language and country from the pull-down menus.

HIS Database

Will my Database need to change?

Yes. The database will be updated to reflect the new 2008 changes. You will be sent an e-mail when this is ready for download from the website (expected in mid-May).

How do I install a new database on my computer?

Download the Full installer from the HIS database website.
The first time the HIS database is opened, the user will be asked to trust content from the publisher Information Management and Mine Action Programmes (iMMAP).
Click the Options button on the bar at the top of the screen, and select "Trust all documents from this publisher". The database will then open successfully. You only need to do this the first time you open the database.

How do I upgrade my existing database to the latest version?

Download the Upgrade installer from the HIS database website.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT use the full installer to upgrade an existing version of the HIS database as this will overwrite your data.

How do I make a backup of my data?

Press the HIS Backup button on the top right of the Main Menu.
This sends a complete copy of all your data to your My Documents/HIS/Backups folder.
Every time you press the button a new backup is made. Note that each file is labelled with the date and time that you backed it up.

How do I delete a report?

If the quality of a report is very poor when first imported into the database, you may want to delete it and re-import the Excel sheet again after corrections have been made. To do this, simply select the report from the pull down list in Step 2, and select Delete. Confirm your request, and you're done.

How can I view all the reports inside the database?

Go to the Logbook and select Camp Reports. The cover sheet gives you a summary of the number of reports inside the database by month. The other pages gives you a breakdown of the individual camp reports inside the database, the date they were imported, the name of the health coordinator, and the version of Excel which was used.

Data Sharing and Access

How do I share my reports with other partners?

The data in your monthly reports is likely to undergo a number of changes and edits once inside the database (for example to correct broken validation rules or to replace missing values). This means that, by the time you are ready to submit your report to a higher level, the original data in the Excel form is no longer up-to-date and you will share data directly from the database with other partners.

See question 24 for details on how to export your reports from the database.

How do I export my reports?

Select the report from the pull down list in Step 2, and press Export.
This sends a complete copy of your monthly report to the My Documents/HIS/Camp Reports folder.
To send your data, simply copy the Camp Export file from the My Documents/HIS folder/Camp Reports folder and attach to an email.

Where is the master copy of the data kept?

The original master copy of the data is kept in the computer where initial import of Excel sheet takes place. In most cases this will be at camp level and will be managed by the partner organization. On rare occasions, it will be kept at the UNHCR sub-office until partners are able to take responsibility for database management themselves.

If you are a partner organization who wishes to use the database, please contact your UNHCR health coordinator and click here for more details.

Who should make edits and corrections to the data?

Only the original master database should be edited and corrected. All other users of the HIS database are looking at a copy of the data. Therefore, if you are not using the master database and spot mistakes or errors in the data please inform us directly or contact the owners of the master database at camp level. Please do not make changes to copies of the database, as these will not be synchronized back to the master original.

If I edit my master data, can others see the changes I made?

It is likely that some reports will be corrected or edited after they have been shared with partners. To ensure that all partners receive this update and have data which is synchronized with the master database, you need to:

Select the Data Edits Only from the pull down list in Step 2, and press Export.
This sends a complete copy of all the edited data to your My Documents/HIS/Camp Reports folder.
To send your data, simply copy the Data Edit file from the My Documents/HIS folder/Camp Reports folder and attach to an e-mail.

When other partners import this file, their database will then be updated with all the edits that were ever made in your database. It is recommended that you share your data edits with all partners regularly every 2-3 months and also before major reporting intervals (e.g. before annual reports are prepared).

Can I access my database from multiple computers?

Yes. The HIS database can be networked, to allow multiple users to access the same data from different computers. This is particularly useful if you are working in an office and have a number of colleagues who wish to use the database at the same time. For more information on how to set up a networked database, please write to us.

How do I load a backup of my data into another database?
1. Open HIS database and click on the HIS version number at the top of the Main Menu.
2. The HIS Status form opens and shows the datapool you are currently connected to.
3. Press the Select button and browse for the saved datapool file which you would like to load.
4. Press Change datapool and you will then be able to log in as a user for the updated datapool.
NOTE following these steps will delete the current datapool you are using and replace it with the version which you are loading. To avoid losing data it is recommended you make a backup prior to doing this.

Data Management

What happens if camps open or close during the year?

Please let us know if a camp is due to open or close in your programme. We will update this information into the database and ensure that the camp reports are handled appropriately.

What happens if my HIS starts part way through the year and I need to prepare annual reports in December?

Not all countries will have complete data inside the database for 2008 and we recognize that this will present a challenge when you need to report your complete annual data at the end of the year. If you have electronic copies of your pre-HIS data we may be able to enter this into the database for you. Please write to us and we can see how to help you.

What happens to the old data I collected in 2007 that will no longer be collected in 2008?

Don't worry. We will make a note inside the database to specify when data started or stopped being reported. The database will then automatically handle this "legacy" data and ensure that any analyses and reports are updated appropriately.

Computer requirements

What are the minimum computer requirements for HIS database?

The HIS database is recommended for use on computers running MS Windows XP operating system (SP2). It is not yet approved for use with Windows Vista.

We recommend that you use MS Access 2002 (SP3) or MS Access 2007.

If you do not have MS Access installed on your computer, you may run the HIS using MS Access 2007 Runtime. It is available for free download here.

Will an internet version of the HIS database be available?

Yes. We are working on a web-based version of the HIS which will allow you to automatically submit and receive your data online. The web version will also mean we can add more sophisticated analysis and reporting functions. This will be available for piloting later in 2008.

Can UNHCR provide a computer for HIS in my office?

In certain circumstances, yes we can. Please first speak with the UNHCR health coordinator and UNHCR programme officer to see if computers can be provided from within your regular programme budget. If this is not possible, please write to us and we can see if we can help.

Learn More

Is my data private?

Rest assured that access to the complete HIS database will remain private and will only be accessed by UNHCR and partner organizations that collect the data. We also sometimes share summary HIS reports when specifically requested by donors.

A number of external collaborators have expressed an interest in preparing publications with HIS data, but this will not be done without the prior consent of the field teams involved. To help you learn more about how we protect the privacy of HIS data, we will soon be publishing a Privacy Policy on our website.

How do I uninstall the HIS database from my computer?

You can uninstall the HIS database from your computer at any time. Simply click Start Menu > All Programs > HIS > Uninstall HIS.

How can I change the language settings?

You can change your database language settings by toggling on the yellow EN or FR symbol on the Main Menu. Please note that this will also translate all of the individual and summary reports inside the database. The narrative reports, and the analysis features, are not yet fully translated. We plan to add these very soon.

Where can I send feedback or report problems?

We'd love to hear what you think. Please write to us here.

Where can I discuss HIS with other users?

We plan to launch a Health Information System discussion group soon, so you can ask questions online and share your expertise with others in the field. We will keep you updated as to when this is ready.

Major revisions to technical sections in 2008

Population
Mortality
Morbidity
IPD and Referral
Laboratory
Disease control
EPI and Vitamin A
Nutrition
Reproductive Health
HIV/AIDS

Major revisions to technical sections in 2008

Population

We recommend you continue to use proGres as the source of population in HIS countries where it is available. If it is not operational, or if you think that it is inaccurate, you are free to use your own source of population data if you wish. Please indicate this using the Population Source drop-down menu on the first Excel worksheet.

Please also ensure that you continue to regularly review indicators in the database and assess whether the population figures are accurate.

For UNHCR health coordinators: a specific HIS reporter tool is now available for use inside proGres. This should be installed in all the proGres databases which are supplying HIS population denominators to partners regularly on the 15th of each month. If you are not yet using this – or are unsure – please write to us to request a copy.

Mortality

We made a change to the terminology in how deaths should be classified in the camps. The categories are now "Direct", "Underlying" and "Primary". Information how these categories should be used can be found in the Illustrated Guides on the inside front covers of each register.

We also added two new blank cells for countries to define their own surveillance categories for mortality. The objective is to try to keep proportional mortality to "Others" below 25 percent.

We added a new indicator to monitor the "proportion of maternal deaths which are investigated" in your camps. The standard for this is 100 percent. Maternal death investigation forms and guidelines can be downloaded from the website.

Morbidity

We are collecting more disaggregated national data, to make it equivalent to our refugee data.

To accommodate this extra detail an important change was made to the tally sheets. You will now need to use a separate tally sheet to record refugee data and national data. Please use the options at the top of each tally sheet to indicate which type of data is being recorded. Both the refugee and national tally sheets should continue to be entered into the same green reporting form at the end of the week.

We added "Unknown" as a reporting category for morbidity, as partners found this was contributing significantly to the group "Other".

IPD and Referral

No change.

Laboratory

We added an indicator for monitoring of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) positivity for malaria.

We changed the blood donation indicator. Instead of monitoring HIV prevalence in donated blood, we are now tracking the proportion of donated blood units that are screen for HIV in a quality assured manner. This is an UNGASS indicator.

Disease control

We are collecting more disaggregated national data within the TB and leprosy programmes, to make it equivalent to refugee data.

EPI and Vitamin A

We are collecting more data on nationals for EPI and tetanus toxoid programmes, to make it equivalent to our refugee data.

We also enabled you selectively report growth monitoring data into the Excel sheet. If you implement growth monitoring, please select 'Yes' in the option at the top of the sheet. Click here for more information on selective reporting.

Nutrition

We added a brand new section 8.3 to monitor Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC). This is made up of two parts: 8.3a – Stabilisation Centre; and 8.3b – Outpatient Therapeutic Programme. Quick illustrated guides are available in the inside covers of each register. Detailed guidelines will soon be available in the revised HIS manual soon.

We added a new category of exit from the Supplementary Feeding Centre (SFP) called "non-cured". This is to overcome the problem of children who have prolonged admissions in SFP without recovering. In the new registers, if a child reaches 12 weeks in the register, s/he should be classified as "non-cured" and reported in the weekly report. The child should not be discharged at this point. She or he should then be entered into the next available row in the register and continued to be monitored until the discharge criteria are met.

We also enabled you to selectively report your Therapeutic Feeding data in the Excel sheet. If you implement Therapeutic Feeding Programmes (TFP), please select "Yes" in the option at the top of the sheet. If you do implement TFP, and it is the new CTC approach, please select "Yes" for this option also. Click here for more information on selective reporting.

Reproductive Health

We are collecting more disaggregated national data within the antenatal, delivery and postnatal programmes to make it equivalent to our refugee data.

We added implantable contraception (e.g. Norplant) as a new method in the Family Planning section.

We changed the delivery indicators to make them consistent with the UN Process Indicators. Click here to download more information ([PDF, 445Kb], external link, new window) on the UN Process Indicators.

HIV/AIDS

We are collecting more disaggregated national data within VCT and PMTCT, to make it equivalent to our refugee data.

We also changed the way that you report HIV/AIDS data into the Excel sheet, to allow selective reporting of VCT and PMTCT programs. If you implement VCT and/or PMTCT services, please select "Yes" in the relevant options at the top of the sheet. Click here for more information on selective reporting.

We started to monitor the number of HIV positive mothers and infants who are routinely started on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis within the PMTCT program.

Which HIS items should I replace, and which can continue to be used?

No.	Item	Replace	Continue
1	OPD Tally Sheet	Y	N
2	Vaccination Tally Sheet	Y	N
3	Vitamin A Tally Sheet	Y	N
4	Tetanus Toxoid Tally Sheet	Y	N
5	Growth Monitoring Tally Sheet	Y	N
6	Antenatal Tally Sheet	Y	N
7	Outbreak Alert Form	N	Y
8	TFP Clinical Patient Form	Y	N
9	PMTCT Referral Form	N	Y
10	Mortality Register	Y	N
11	OPD Register	Y	N
12	IPD Register	Y	N
14	SFP Moderate Malnutrition Register	Y	N
15	SFP Pregnant Register	N	Y
16	SFP Lactating Register	N	Y
17	SFP Medical Register	N	Y
18	TFP Severe Malnutrition Register	Y	N
18a	CTC Stabilisation Centre Register	Y	N
18b	CTC OTP Register	Y	N
19	TFP Medical Register	N	Y
20	Antenatal Register	Y	N
21	IPD (Pregnancy) Register	N	Y
22	Delivery Register	N	Y
23	Postnatal Register	Y	N
24	Family Planning Register	Y	N
26	VCT Client Register	Y	N
27	VCT Results Register	Y	N
28	PMTCT Client Register	Y	N
29	PMTCT Results Register	Y	N
30	PMTCT L&D Register	Y	N
31	Mortality Report	Y	N
32	Morbidity Report	Y	N
33	IPD Report	Y	N
34	Laboratory Report	Y	N
35	Disease Control Report	Y	N
36	EPI Report	Y	N
37	Nutrition Report	Y	N
37a	CTC Report	Y	N
38	Reproductive Health Report	Y	N
39	HIV/AIDS Report	Y	N
40	Case Definitions	N	Y
43	Standard & Indicator Guide	Y	N
44	HIS Training Manual	N	Y

Updated 30 March 2008

Health Information System (HIS)