Project Overview
This information system was designed to support the operations of the proposed Inbound Health Assessment Unit, which is positioned under the Immigrant Health Unit of the Ministry of health, Sri Lanka. This system was securely link the designated panel physician employed by the IOM, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Immigration (DIE) and National Programme for Tuberculosis Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD), National STD and HIV Control Programme (NSACP), Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC) and Anti-Filariasis Campaign (AFC) for the Ministry of Health while ensuring secure and efficient data management, maintain the confidentiality of applicants’ data and to minimize possible introduction of fraud.
This system enables the Secure and robust active surveillance process which is integrated with the passport and biometric data verification. Also streamline the first line investigations with the routine management of HIV, TB, Malaria and Filaria cases. Through this system Periodic follow-up of the applicant by integrating business processes of Department of Immigration (DIE), IHA unit, IHAU and four vertical health programmes of the Ministry of Health, namely National Programme for Tuberculosis Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD), National STD and HIV Control Programme (NSACP), Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC) and Anti-Filariasis Campaign (AFC).
Currenlty IOM Offering an applicant focus service encouraging early completion of the IHA and proper follow-up throughout the stay in Sri Lanka with national vertical health programs. Applicants can reserve their appoitnment for health assessment through online applicaton according to the allocated time slots.
Key Objectives of the Project
The key objective of the proposed system is to link IOM, IHAU and DIE to facilitate the inbound health assessment process. At the IOM, the biographic and biometrics of the applicants will be recorded and verified against the passport biographics (and biometrics) of the applicants. There after a DPP shall update applicants health profile and the applicant shall be directed to the phlebotomy and radiology after getting the informed written consent (for pre-HIV test). The radiology component will consist of a comprehensive PACS and radiology reporting features, whereas the lab information component will support rapid test results for HIV, Malaria and Filariasis.
Scope of the Project
More than 60,000 foreigners apply for long term residence visa every year and around 60% of them arrive from countries with higher disease burden than Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka enjoys comparatively higher health standards and has set targets to maintain the Malaria and Filariasis free status, to end HIV epidemic by 2015 and to reduce TB incidence by 90% by 2025. In this context, TB, HIV, Malaria and Filariasis are identified as the health conditions to be assessed through a post arrival health assessment of long term residence visa applicants. To ensure the international standards and to adopt best practicesfor fraud prevention, it was decided to strengthen the Inbound Health Assessment with a comprehensive purpose-built information system. The system was expected to securely link the key stakeholders of the IHA process International Organization for Migrants (IOM), Immigration Health Unit (IHU) of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE). In addition, the system links the National Programme for TB Control and Chest Diseases (NPTCCD), National STD and AIDS Control Programme (NSACP), Anti Malaria Campaign (AMC) and Anti Filariasis Campaign (AFC) to support further follow up of the applicants of the residents visa.
Overview of Business Process
- Online booking of an appointment
- Applicant registration with integrated biographic and biometric verification
- Inbound health assessment process
- PACS and RIS integration and radiology reporting
- Laboratory information management system (LIMS) integration – phlebotomy, sputum
- Referral management and confirmatory tests by health programmes
- Summarizing / reviewing the health assessment by IHU and recommendation for residents Visa to DIE
- Follow-up of the applicants by health programmes and IHU to observe the follow-up of the applicant
Main System Functions
The key objective of IHAP system is to facilitate the active surveillance and following-up the applicants. In order to attain the above objectives, the IHAP performs the following broad functions:
- Verification of applicants (biographic/biometric)
- Appointment scheduling
- Registration to IHA and payment
- Counselling, consultation, referral and follow-up
- Radiographic imaging, storage and retrieval, radiology reporting (PACS compatible RIS)
- Phlebotomy, rapid diagnostic tests for HIV, Malaria and Filariasis, Malaria thin and thick films and sputum sampling, dispatch and results management (LIMS)
- Confirmatory tests and follow-up of the applicants
- IHA decisions and recommendation for Residents Visa
- Messaging and alerts
- Public health analytics
- System administration and back-up functionalities
