Strengthening Patient-Level Data Systems in South Africa
South Africa’s health system is in the midst of a critical transformation from legacy and often siloed data systems to a more integrated, patient-centred digital health architecture. One of the most fundamental challenges in this shift is ensuring that health records are consistent, accessible, and useful across every level of care. This is particularly important for managing long-term conditions like HIV, TB, and non-communicable diseases (NCD’S), where continuity of care directly affects outcomes.
Under this cooperative agreement, HISP South Africa has partnered with the National Department of Health to strengthen national health information systems with a specific focus on patient-level data. Funded through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the CDC, this five-year initiative is a key enabler of South Africa’s digital readiness for National Health Insurance (NHI) and future electronic health records.
Project Goals
- Build and scale digital health platforms to improve care delivery and data use
- Establish a single unique patient identifier to underpin longitudinal care tracking
- Strengthen technical capacity within the Department of Health to manage, maintain, and scale HIS infrastructure
- Enable interoperability between core systems aligned with NHI and electronic health record (EHR) requirements
Highlights & Achievements
Digital System Enhancements
- HPRS (Health Patient Registration System) deployed in 40 hospitals
- Integration between HPRS and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) established in 314 PHC facilities
- Enabled clinicians to access lab results in real time, reducing duplication and improving continuity of care
Platform Strengthening
- Technical reviews and enhancements of TIER.Net and DHIS2
- Design and delivery of SOPs, training modules, and digital toolkits for national and provincial users
Capacity Building
- 757 Department of Health staff trained through self-paced, hybrid, and in-person learning
- Daily Data Capturing (DDC) implemented in 109 facilities
- 519 additional staff trained in DHIS2 use and data quality standards
Strategic Impact
- Laid the groundwork for scalable Electronic Health Records (EHR) implementation across the public sector
- Strengthened health data governance and interoperability
- Improved efficiency and quality of patient services at national scale
- Embedded long-term sustainability through training, co-development, and institutional ownership