Key aspects of the DHIS-1.4
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Organisational hierarchy
Organisational units (“OrgUnits”) and
their grouping
Data elements / indicators and their
grouping
Overview of the DHIS 1.4
The Organisational Hierarchy
“Reporting OrgUnit”
DHIS 1.4 supports an “infinite”
number of OrgUnit levels in the
hierarchy, but standard setups
would be between 3 and 7.
The lowest level is in this case
called the “reporting OrgUnit”.
The Organisational Hierarchy
“Parent OrgUnit”
Country
Health district
Facility
“Parent OrgUnit”
“Reporting OrgUnit”
Reporting OrgUnits belong to
parent OrgUnits, which are
either physical health facilities
(clinics, hospitals) or
administrative OrgUnits
arranged in a hierarchical
structure. Parent OrgUnits
can also be reporting
OrgUnits, but the norm is to
collect as much data as
possible at the lowest level.
Adding data to the org units
“Parent OrgUnits”
“Parent OrgUnits”
“Reporting OrgUnit”
Data that is collected is
“attached” or “linked” to
reporting units. All data will
also have a Validity Period
(start and end date)
“Semi-permanent data”
Adding data to the org units
“Parent OrgUnits”
“Parent OrgUnits”
“Reporting OrgUnit”
Routine data set (monthly, weekly,
quarterly, annually, daily, etc)
•Data element 1
•Data element 2
•Data element n
“Semi-permanent data”
Adding data to the org units
“Parent OrgUnit”
“Parent OrgUnit”
“Reporting OrgUnit”
Routine data set (monthly, weekly,
quarterly, annually, daily, etc)
“Semi-permanent data”
Survey data set
•Data element 1
•<Survey_name>Data element 1
•Data element 2
•<Survey_name>Data element 2
•Data element n
•<Survey_name>Data element 3
Adding data to the org units
“Parent OrgUnit”
Data can also be added to
higher level OrgUnits (i.e. data
can be captured at multiple
levels)
“Parent OrgUnit”
“Reporting OrgUnit”
Routine data set
“Semi-permanent data”
Survey data set
•Data element 1
•<Survey_name>Data element 1
•Data element 2
•<Survey_name>Data element 2
•Data element n
•<Survey_name>Data element n
Understanding org units, org unit groups, and
org unit group sets
Org unit 1
Group 1
Org unit 2
Group 2 a
Group set 1
Org unit 3
Org unit 4
Group 2 b
Group set 2
Org unit 5
Org unit 6
Group 2 c
Groups are defined in the lookup
tables. They define a
characteristic about the org unit
(whether it is urban/rural,
clinic/hospital, provides maternity
services, and/or emergency
services, and/or immunisation
services
People are interested
in a grouping in one
way or another
Group sets have specific properties of being compulsory
and/or exclusive.
For instance, whereas each of the OrgUnit types from
1.3 become a separate group, the collection of those
groups will be defined as belonging to the group SET
"OrgUnitType". This set is then specified as compulsory
(all OrgUnits must belong to a group type) and exclusive
(no OrgUnit can belong to MORE than ONE group - a
facility cannot be a clinic and a hospital at the
same time).
They are defined in the maintenance menu under org
units.
Understanding org units, org unit groups, and
org unit group sets
Org unit 1
Group 1
Org unit 2
Group 2
Org unit 3
Group 3a
Group set 1
Exclusive
Org unit 4
Group 3b
Group set 2
Compulsory
Org unit 5
Org unit 6
An example:
Group 3c
• Org unit types
• Location
• Ownership
Understanding org units, org unit groups, and
org unit group sets
Exclusive
Org unit 1
Group 1
Org unit 2
Group 2
Org unit 3
Group 3a
Org unit 4
Group 3b
Org unit 5
Org unit 6
Group 3c
Group set 1
Compulsory
Examples:
• Accreditation
• Inclusion in Training
programmes
Group set 2
• Inclusion in research
projects
Importance of this function
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Health services are often in a state of flux
Hard-coding various types of classification (e.g.
groupings might thus block specific use
Enabling the user to determine these options increases
functionality in an environment that is constantly
changing (and with large variations between DHIS-using
countries)
Main purpose of these groupings is to allow analysis to
be performed on certain groups
Limits on groupings in version 1.3 have been a
significant impediment, with a lot of tinkering and ad-hoc
modifications necessary to make it work
Understanding data elements, and data element groups
(which are also used as indicator groups)
Routine data set
•Data element 1
•Data element 2
•Data element n
Indicators
Data element groups
Understanding the data elements, and data element groups
Raw
data
Routine/semi-permanent/survey
data sets:
•Data element 1
•Data element 2
•Data element n
Processed
information
Indicators
Data element groups
Understanding data elements,
and data element groups
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
Data element
People are interested
in a grouping in one
way or another – this is
what we analyse
Data Element & Indicator
Groups are defined in the
lookup tables.
The grouped data elements /
indicators have some
characteristic in common (a
data entry form, a
programme/service, whether
they are gender sensitive or
not)
Understanding data elements, and data sets
Data element 1
Data set 1
Data element 2
Data element 3
Data element 4
Data element 5
Data element 6
The DHIS “back-end”
data file uses One
table to store all data
elements.
Each data element
can be assigned to
one or more data sets.
Data set 2
Each data set can be used to capture or import
data for a number of OrgUnits – but it may not
be necessary for all org units to complete all
data sets.
When naming data sets, be clear what the data set represents (don’t
call it “xxx form” unless the data set is linked to only one form).
Typically, a data set reflect either one paper form, a collection of data
that “belong together” (e.g. Census data), or a collection of data
elements traditionally updated in a similar manner (e.g. semipermanent data)
Understanding data elements, and data sets
Data element 1
Data set 1
Data entry form 1
Data element 2
Data element 3
Data element 4
Data element 5
Data element 6
Data set 2
Data entry form 3
A data entry form can be created
to address the specific needs of:
•A dataset, or
•An org unit.
When naming data entry form, give it a name
ending in form “DC10 Form”
Understanding data elements, and data sets
Data element 1
Data set 1
Data entry form 1
Org unit 1
Data element 2
Org unit 2
Data element 3
Org unit 3
Data element 4
Org unit 4
Data element 5
Org unit 5
Data element 6
Data set 2
Data entry form 3
Org unit 6
For routine data:
If org unit structures in Data set 1 and 2 are the same,
then the software will ensure that the value for Data Element 4/5 in any single
period, will be the same in each dataset.
Each dataset can be completed for a set of orgunits – but it may not
be necessary for all org units to complete all datasets.
Useful Articles
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Braa, J., O. Hanseth, et al. (2005). "Standardisation of Health Information
Systems in Developing Countries - flexible standards the "third way"."
Braa, J. and C. Hedberg (2000). Developing District-based Health Care
Information Systems: The South African Experience. IRIS 23.
Braa, J. and C. Hedberg (2002). "The Struggle for District Based Health
Information Systems in South Africa." 18: 113-127.
Braa, J., E. Monteiro, et al. (2004). "Networks of Action: Sustainable
Health Information Systems Across Developing Countries." MIS Quarterly
28(3): 337-362.
Wilson, R., C. Hedberg, et al. (2003). South Africa's District Health
Information System: Case Study, EQUITY Project: 17.
HISP Websites (follow links from confluence)
Manual on DHIS 1.4 (early, limited draft only!!)
Manual on DHIS 1.3 (comprehensive but occasionally complicated)
GIS User Manual