Govt Introduces Information Sharing System Among All Healthcare Providers Ahead Of SHIF Rollout

• The government will transition the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) in October 2024
• Social Health Authority (SHA) announced the introduction of the National Health Information Exchange (HIE) among all public and private hospitals
• The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiative aims to digitise health services across the country
• SHA invited developers to submit their applications to start building the system before the October 1 SHIF rollout

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All public and private hospitals will share patient medical records and information in a harmonised system.

Social Health Authority (SHA), the body charged with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) transition to Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), announced the introduction of a National Health Information Exchange (HIE).

The authority said HIE is an initiative under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) digitisation program aimed at building the digital transformation of Kenya's health sector.

How hospitals will share patients' data under SHIF

"The HIE is a shared service that will consolidate and harmonize patient records across all levels of care and make data portability a reality," read SHA notice in part.

The HIE will enable the creation of encrypted digital patient records, allowing all healthcare providers to access a patient's medical history.

However, the information will be shared upon authorization and consent from the patient.

"HIE will easily relay patients' information if they consent, enabling faster diagnoses, smoother referrals, and more accurate treatments in compliance with data protection laws," SHA added.

Requirements for HIE developers

The authority said the system should be developed before the SHIF rollout on October 1, 2024, and invited developers to submit applications.

Developers are required to access Health Information Exchange APIs through AfyaLink.

"Developers must register to begin building applications that connect to the Health Information Exchange ahead of the 1st October 2024 rollout date," the notice continued in part.

The government directed all Kenyans and employers to register for SHIF on or before October 1.

Safaricom to offer digitisation service under SHIF

Meanwhile, Safaricom is part of a consortium contracted to implement the Integrated Healthcare Information Technology System (IHTS) under SHIF.

The consortium, including Apeiro Limited and Konvergenz Network Solutions, will invest over KSh 104 billion over ten years to roll out, maintain, and support the IHTS.

Safaricom said it will provide digital solutions to enhance public health facilities, improve pharmaceutical supply chain transparency, and ensure secure healthcare data infrastructure.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke