Electronic Health Legal Data

Exploring Laws and Regulations

By US Open Data Portal, data.gov [source]

About this dataset

This Electronic Health Information Legal Epidemiology dataset offers an extensive collection of legal and epidemiological data that can be used to understand the complexities of electronic health information. It contains a detailed balance of variables, including legal requirements, enforcement mechanisms, proprietary tools, access restrictions, privacy and security implications, data rights and responsibilities, user accounts and authentication systems. This powerful set provides researchers with real-world insights into the functioning of EHI law in order to assess its impact on patient safety and public health outcomes. With such data it is possible to gain a better understanding of current policies regarding the regulation of electronic health information as well as their potential for improvement in safeguarding patient confidentiality. Use this dataset to explore how these laws impact our healthcare system by exploring patterns across different groups over time or analyze changes leading up to new versions or updates. Make exciting discoveries with this comprehensive dataset!

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How to use the dataset

• Start by familiarizing yourself with the different columns of the dataset. Examine each column closely and look up any unfamiliar terminology to get a better understanding of what the columns are referencing.

• Once you understand the data and what it is intended to represent, think about how you might want to use it in your analysis. You may want to create a research question, or narrower focus for your project surrounding legal epidemiology of electronic health information that can be answered with this data set.

• After creating your research plan, begin manipulating and cleaning up the data as needed in order to prepare it for analysis or visualization as specified in your project plan or research question/model design steps you have outlined .

4 .Next, perform exploratory data analysis (EDA) on relevant subsets of data from specific countries if needed on specific subsets based on targets of interests (e.g gender). Filter out irrelevant information necessary for drawing meaningful insights; analyze patterns and trends observed in your filtered datasets ; compare areas which have differing rates e-health related rules and regulations tying decisions made by elected officials strongly driven by demographics , socioeconomics factors ,ideology etc.. . Look out for correlations using statistical information as needed throughout all stages in process from filtering out dis-informative subgroups from full population set til generating visualizations(graphs/ diagrams) depicting valid insight leveraging descriptive / predictive models properly validate against reference datasets when available always keep openness principal during gathering info especially when needs requires contact external sources such validating multiple sources work best provide strong seals establishing validity accuracy facts statement representing humans case scenarios digital support suitably localized supporting local languages culture respectively while keeping secure datasets private visible limited particular users duly authorized access 5 Finally create concrete summaries reporting discoveries create share findings preferably infographics showcasing evidence observances providing overall assessment main conclusions protocols developed so far broader community indirectly related interested professionals able benefit those results ideas complete transparently freely adapted locally ported increase overall global society level enhancing potentiality range impact derive conditions allowing wider adoption increased usage diffusion capture wide spread change movement affect global e-health legal domain clear manner

Research Ideas

• Studying how technology affects public health policies and practice - Using the data, researchers can look at the various types of legal regulations related to electronic health information to examine any relations between technology and public health decisions in certain areas or regions.
• Evaluating trends in legal epidemiology – With this data, policymakers can identify patterns that help measure the evolution of electronic health information regulations over time and investigate why such rules are changing within different states or countries.
• Analysing possible impacts on healthcare costs – Looking at changes in laws, regulations, and standards relate...

To effectively utilise hospital beds, operating rooms (OR) and other treatment spaces, it is necessary to precisely plan patient admissions and treatments in advance. As patient treatment and recovery times are unequal and uncertain, this is not easy. In response a sophisticated flexible job-shop scheduling (FJSS) model is introduced, whereby patients, beds, hospital wards and health care activities are respectively treated as jobs, single machines, parallel machines and operations. Our approach is novel because an entire hospital is describable and schedulable in one integrated approach. The scheduling model can be used to recompute timings after deviations, delays, postponements and cancellations. It also includes advanced conditions such as activity and machine setup times, transfer times between activities, blocking limitations and no wait conditions, timing and occupancy restrictions, buffering for robustness, fixed activities and sequences, release times and strict deadlines. To solve the FJSS problem, constructive algorithms and hybrid meta-heuristics have been developed. Our numerical testing shows that the proposed solution techniques are capable of solving problems of real world size. This outcome further highlights the value of the scheduling model and its potential for integration into actual hospital information systems.

System of health statistics. In recent years, intensive consideration has been given to a coherent whole statistics in the field of health (care) and welfare (care). Use has been made of previously developed for this area. concepts such as the “Stelection of Health Statistics” “Conceptual framework for well-being and health” and the "Operational model for statistics in the field of health and well-being”. In the end, these activities resulted in the creation of from the Strategic Project Care. The main objective of this project is the develop a complete and coherent statistical picture of care. This includes data on the health and well-being situation, the (medical) consumption (use), the cost and financing of the healthcare device, the (personnel) resources deployed, the production (services) and price and volume developments. It is obvious that for a description of all activities a functional angle of view of the land is necessary. A functional point of view means that all activities in the field of health and well-being under consideration should be involved, regardless of whether these activities are principal or as an ancillary activity of economic units (business units) Oh, den. In the CBS report "Consistent information on health care as a first step towards integrated healthcare statistics" is to this the idea of a coherent set of health statistics a more con— Crete (phaseed) interpretation.

WATCH OUT! The figures in this table do not yet describe the full area of care, as described in <a href=“https://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CC138517-AF54-4921-8AC2-C119B13F3BCD/0/2006beschrijvingvolledigzorgterreinart.pdf”

Description of full care area. As a result, the figures are in this table is not quite comparable to the figures for 2006 and 2007 in the table “Raming key figures on care.” By comparison of the figure for 2005 in this table on the one hand and, on the other hand, the table "Raming of key figures on health care," it becomes clear that there is a difference of approximately EUR 5 billion between the ‘old’ demarcation of the area of care and the full land cover. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the figures for the period 1998-2005 will be adjusted to ensure that they have the full area of care. describe and are therefore comparable to the figures for 2006 and 2007.

Changes compared to the previous version: This table has been discontinued and continued as

Healthcare accounts; expenditure and financing.

When are new figures coming? Have all figures at the first publication of a new reporting period a provisional character. The figures for the previous reporting period shall be in addition, for the time being. The figures for this period are then it’s definitely. If there is a difference between the corresponding preliminary and final figures, that must be attributed to the available from new or updated source material.

Data available from 1998 Frequency: discontinued as of January 2009

Copyright (c) Central Bureau of Statistics, Voorburg 2007

Citation of source is mandatory, reproduction for own use or internal use is permitted.

Poster presented at eResearch Australasia in Melbourne, October 2016.AbstractIn 2016 the Australian National Data Service (ANDS) ran the highly valued 23 (research data) Things program. The self-directed program, was designed for anyone who wanted to learn more about research data - what it is, why it is a global hot topic, finding it, re-using it, managing it, and more. ANDS has also been engaging with the medical and health community, through a series of ‘Sharing Health-y Data: Challenges and Solutions’ workshops across Australia, a ‘virtual’ health data community group within the 23 Things program, and their resources relevant to medical and health data collated on the ‘medical and health data’ page of their website.

As the active phase of running the 23 (research data) Things program throughout 2016 came to a close, ANDS produced a re-purpose toolkit. The 10 medical and health research data Things a part of this toolkit. It was developed from the 23 (research data) Things materials; adapting the Things that were most relevant to medical and health data, and also substituting medical and health examples in many of the activities. Each Thing has two or three activities. Some of the activities are intended as an introduction to a topic, and some delve a little deeper, to allow for a range of previous experience and knowledge. The program is intended to be reused and adapted as required, and accordingly it has a CC-BY licence. 10 medical and health research data Things is a flexible, adaptable resource for anyone working with medical, clinical or health data.

Background: Public engagement in health and biomedical research is being influenced by the paradigm of citizen science. However, conventional health and biomedical research relies on sophisticated research data management tools and methods. Considering these, what contribution can citizen science make in this field of research? How can it follow research protocols and produce reliable results?

Objective: The aim of this paper is to analyse research data management practices in existing biomedical citizen science studies, so as to provide insights for members of the public and of the research community considering this approach to research.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted on this topic to determine data management characteristics of health and bio medical citizen science research. From this review and related web searching, we chose five online platforms and a specific research project associated with each, to understand their research data management approaches and enablers.

Results: Health and biomedical citizen science platforms and projects are diverse in terms of types of work with data and data management activities that in themselves may have scientific merit. However, consistent approaches in the use of research data management models or practices seem lacking, or at least are not evident.

Conclusions: There is potential for important data collection and analysis activities to be opaque or irreproducible in health and biomedical citizen science initiatives without the implementation of a research data management model that is transparent and accessible to team members and to external audiences. This situation might be improved with participatory development of standards that can be applied to diverse projects and platforms, across the research data life cycle.

System of care statistics. In recent years, intensive consideration has been given to a coherent whole of statistics in the field of health(care) and welfare(care). Concepts previously developed for this field were used, such as the "System of health statistics", the "Conceptual framework for well-being and health" and the "Operational model for statistics in the field of health and well-being". Ultimately, these activities resulted in the creation of the Strategic Project Care. The main objective of this project is to develop a complete and coherent statistical picture of healthcare. This includes data on the health and welfare situation, (medical) consumption (use), the costs and financing of the healthcare system, the (human) resources deployed, production (services) and price and volume developments. . It is evident that for a description of all activities a functional perspective of the site is necessary. A functional perspective means that all activities in the field of health and well-being must be taken into consideration, regardless of whether these activities are the main or secondary activities of economic units (business units). In the CBS report 'Cohesive information about health care as a first step towards integrated health care statistics', this idea of ​​a coherent set of health care statistics has been given a more concrete (phased) interpretation. NB! The figures in this table do not yet describe the entire care area, as described in Description of complete care area. As a result, the figures in this table are not directly comparable with the figures for 2006 and 2007 in the table "Estimate of key figures on health care." By comparing the figure for 2005 in this table on the one hand and the table "Estimate of key figures on health care" on the other hand, it becomes clear that there is a difference of approximately 5 billion euros between the "old" demarcation of the care area and the full area coverage. . In the fourth quarter of 2008, the figures for the period 1998-2005 will be adjusted so that they describe the entire care area and are therefore comparable with the figures for 2006 and 2007. Changes compared to the previous version: This table has been discontinued and continued as Healthcare accounts; expenditure and financing. When will new figures be released? All figures are provisional when they are first published for a new reporting period. The figures for the previous reporting period are therefore more provisional. The figures for this period then become final. If there is a discrepancy between the corresponding provisional and final figures, it must be attributed to the availability of new or updated source material. Data available from 1998 Frequency: discontinued as of January 2009 Copyright (c) Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg 2007 Acknowledgment of the source is mandatory, reproduction for personal use or internal use is permitted.

Study Title Going the extra mile - cross-border patient handover in a European border region: qualitative study of healthcare professionals' perspectives. Study Description The main research questions for this study were: ‘What are the perspectives of healthcare professionals on cross-border handover?’ and ‘What do they see as challenges inherent in cross-border handover and opportunities for its improvement?’ We interviewed 43 healthcare professionals working in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion. All healthcare professionals were in some way involved in cross-border healthcare. We interviewed healthcare professionals with various roles in handover (e.g. physician, paramedic, nurse, nurse practitioner, support staff, manager, etc.). Respondents talked about specific cross-border handovers (using STAR-method) and their experiences (using Theory of Planned Behavior). Interviews were summarized from recordings by a researcher or a translator. All interviews were checked by a researcher. The summaries describe main themes in the interviews, accompanied by non-verbatim quotes. Summaries were sent to respondents for a check. Some respondents requested minor adaptions and no respondents rejected the summary. The main conclusions of this study were that healthcare professionals involved in cross-border handovers face specific challenges. It is necessary to take measures to come to a shared understanding while paying special attention to the above-mentioned challenges. Meeting in person around meaningful activities (e.g., training and case discussions) can facilitate sharing ideas and community building. Description of Data Type: Summaries (with quotes) of semi-structured interviews. Participants: Healthcare professionals working in cross-border healthcare (N=43). Language: Dutch, English and German.

In 2012, the Informed Decisions for Action in Maternal and Newborn Health (IDEAS) project, based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, collected data to answer the following research question: In Uttar Pradesh in India, Ethiopia, and Gombe state in Nigeria, where innovations to enhance frequency and quality of health care for mothers and newborns are in place, is there evidence to suggest that increases in frequency and quality of health care were linked to increases in the coverage of interventions that save maternal and newborn lives?"

Applying a cluster household survey design in the defined geographies, individual level data were collected in May (Ethiopia), June (Nigeria) and November (India) 2012. Women aged 13-49 years, who had had a live birth in the 12 months prior to survey, were asked a detailed set of questions about behaviours and practices during that pregnancy, birth, and during the first month of newborn life. From these data it is possible to answer questions about frequency and content of care along the continuum from pregnancy to newborn care in three high mortality settings where commitments are currently in place to improve health outcomes.

The data held at the UK Data Archive are an extract from a larger household dataset that recorded information about the knowledge of danger signs, experience of danger signs, access to health care, and costs of accessing care for individual women, and the characteristics of the households they were resident in. Further information on the project and findings for each country may be found on the IDEAS Resources webpages.

Medical Imaging CRO Market Outlook

The global medical imaging CRO market size is expected to grow from USD 8.5 billion in 2023 to USD 15.3 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 6.8%. This growth is driven by advancements in imaging technology and the increasing outsourcing of R&D activities by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases and the need for early diagnosis and personalized treatment further fuel the demand for medical imaging CRO services.

The escalating burden of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders is a primary growth factor for the medical imaging CRO market. As healthcare systems worldwide grapple with these conditions, the demand for advanced imaging technologies that can provide accurate diagnostics and facilitate effective treatment planning has surged. Medical imaging CROs offer specialized services that leverage cutting-edge modalities like MRI, CT, and PET scans to support clinical trials and drug development processes, thereby expediting the delivery of innovative treatments to the market.

Technological advancements in imaging modalities have significantly enhanced the capabilities of medical imaging CROs. Developments such as high-resolution imaging, real-time data acquisition, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based image analysis have revolutionized the field. These innovations not only improve the accuracy and efficiency of imaging studies but also enable the extraction of valuable insights from complex datasets. Consequently, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are increasingly partnering with specialized CROs to gain access to these advanced technologies and expertise, driving market growth.

The growing trend of outsourcing R&D activities is another crucial factor propelling the medical imaging CRO market. As pharmaceutical companies face mounting pressure to cut costs and streamline operations, outsourcing imaging services to CROs has become a strategic move. CROs offer a range of services, from project management and data analysis to regulatory consulting, providing end-to-end solutions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical trials. This trend is particularly pronounced in emerging markets, where the availability of skilled professionals and cost advantages make outsourcing an attractive option.

Medical Imaging Equipment Services play a pivotal role in the seamless operation of medical imaging CROs. These services encompass the maintenance, calibration, and upgrading of imaging equipment, ensuring that the devices function optimally and deliver accurate diagnostic results. As imaging technologies continue to advance, the complexity and sophistication of the equipment increase, necessitating specialized services to manage these assets effectively. By outsourcing equipment services to expert providers, CROs can focus on their core competencies, such as data analysis and project management, while ensuring their imaging infrastructure remains state-of-the-art. This strategic approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also supports the delivery of high-quality imaging services to clients, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the medical imaging CRO market.

From a regional perspective, North America dominates the medical imaging CRO market, accounting for the largest share due to the presence of a robust healthcare infrastructure, significant R&D investments, and a high prevalence of chronic diseases. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate, driven by increasing healthcare expenditures, rising awareness about early diagnosis, and a rapidly expanding pharmaceutical industry. Europe also holds a substantial market share, attributed to strong regulatory frameworks and extensive research activities in the healthcare sector.

Service Type Analysis

In the medical imaging CRO market, service types encompass a range of offerings, including imaging services, project management, data management, consulting services, and other specialized services. Imaging services represent the core component, involving the actual acquisition and interpretation of medical images using various modalities. This segment is crucial as it forms the foundation of the CRO's value proposition, offering clients access to state-of-the-art imaging technologies and expertise. The demand for high-quality imaging services continues to grow, driven by the need for prec

METHODS

Topic determination

The project was developed as a team science exercise during a course on Nutrient Biology (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, New Mexico, USA; BIOL 4089/5089). Students were all women pursuing degrees in Biology and Earth Science, with extensive internet search acumen developed from coursework and personal experience. We (students and professor) devoted ~5 hours to discussing women’s health topics prior to searching, defining search criteria, and developing a scoring system. These discussions led to a list of 12, non-cancer health topics particular to women’s health associated with human cis-gender female biology. Considerations of transgender health were discussed, with the consensus decision that those issues are scientifically relevant but deserving of a separate analysis not included here.

Search protocol

After agreeing on search terms, we experimented with settings in the Advanced Search feature in Google (www.google.com), and collectively agreed to the following settings: Language (English); search terms appearing in the “text” of the page; ANY of the terms “woman”, “women” ,“female”; ALL terms when using a single topic from list above with the addition of the word “nutrient”. Figure 1 shows a screenshot for how a search was conducted for endometriosis as an example. To standardize data collection among investigators, all results from the first 5 pages of results were collected. Search result URLs were followed, where a suite of data were gathered (variables in Table 2) and entered into a shared database (Appendix 1). Definitions for each variable (Table 2) were articulated following a 1-week trial period and further group discussion. Variables were defined to minimize subjectivity across investigators, clarify the reporting of results, and standardize data collection.

Scoring metric

The scoring metric was developed to allow for mean and variation (standard deviation, SD; standard error, SE) to be calculated from each topic, and compare among topics, and answer how much variation in quality is likely to be encountered across categories of women’s health issues. We report both variation metrics as SD encompasses the variation of the data set, while SE scales for sample size variation among categorical variables. When searching topics using the same criteria:

1. Are some topics more likely to result in results for pages with scientifically verifiable information?

1. Does the variation of quality vary between topics?

Peer-reviewed journal articles were included in the database if encountered in the searches but were removed before statistical analysis. The justification for removing those sources was that it is possible the Google algorithm included those sources disproportionately for our group of college students and a professor who regularly searches for academic articles. We also assume those sources are consulted less frequently by lay audiences searching for health information.

Scores were based on six binary (presence/absence) attributes of each web page evaluated. These were: Author (name present/absent), author credentials given, reviewer, reviewer credentials, sources listed, peer-reviewed sources listed. A score of 1 was given if the attribute was present, and 0 if absent. The total number of references cited on a webpage, as well as the number of those that were peer-reviewed (Table 2) were recorded, but for scoring purposes, a 1 or 0 was assigned if there were or were not references and peer-reviewed references, respectively. Potential scores thus ranged from 0 to 6.

We performed a simple validation experiment via anonymous surveys sent to students at our institution (New Mexico Tech), a predominantly STEM-focused public university. Using the final scores from the search result webpages, a single website from each score was selected at random using the RAND() function in Microsoft Excel to assign a random variable as an identifier to each URL, then sorting by that variable and selecting the first article in a given score category. Webpages with scores of 0 or 6 were excluded from the validation experiment. Following institutional review, a survey was sent to the “all student” email list, and recipients were directed to a web survey that asked participants to give a score of 1-5 to each of the 5 random (but previously scored) web pages, without repeating a score. Participants were given minimal information about the project and had no indication the pages had already been assigned scores. Survey results were collected anonymously by having responses routed to a spreadsheet, and no personally identifiable data were collected from participants.

Statistical analysis

Differences in mean scores within each health topic and the mean number of sources per evaluated webpage were evaluated by calculating Bayes Factors; response variables (mean score, number of sources) for each topic were compared to a null model of no difference across topics (y ~ category + error). Equal prior weight was given to each potential model. Variance inequality was tested via Levene’s test, and normality was assessed using quartile-quartile plots. Correlation analysis was used to test the strength of the association between individual scores per website and the number of sources cited per website. Because only the presence or absence of sources was considered in the score calculation, the number of sources is independent of score, and justifies correlation analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted in the open-source software package JASP version 0.19.2 (JASP, 2024).

Sudden shocks to health systems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt health system functions. Health system functions may also influence the health system’s ability to deliver in the face of sudden shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the health financing function in Kenya, and how specific health financing arrangements influenced the health systems capacity to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic.We conducted a cross-sectional study in three purposively selected counties in Kenya using a qualitative approach. We collected data using in-depth interviews (n = 56) and relevant document reviews. We interviewed national level health financing stakeholders, county department of health managers, health facility managers and COVID-19 healthcare workers. We analysed data using a framework approach. Purchasing arrangements: COVID-19 services were partially subsidized by the national government, exposing individuals to out-of-pocket costs given the high costs of these services. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) adapted its enhanced scheme’s benefit package targeting formal sector groups to include COVID-19 services but did not make any adaptations to its general scheme targeting the less well-off in society. This had potential equity implications. Public Finance Management (PFM) systems: Nationally, PFM processes were adaptable and partly flexible allowing shorter timelines for budget and procurement processes. At county level, PFM systems were partially flexible with some resource reallocation but maintained centralized purchasing arrangements. The flow of funds to counties and health facilities was delayed and the procurement processes were lengthy. Reproductive and child health services: Domestic and donor funds were reallocated towards the pandemic response resulting in postponement of program activities and affected family planning service delivery. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plans: Prioritization of UHC related activities was negatively impacted due the shift of focus to the pandemic response. Contrarily the strategic investments in the health sector were found to be a beneficial approach in strengthening the health system. Strengthening health systems to improve their resilience to cope with public health emergencies requires substantial investment of financial and non-financial resources. Health financing arrangements are integral in determining the extent of adaptability, flexibility, and responsiveness of health system to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the maintenance of the beneficial effects of the Vida Ativa Melhorando a Saúde Program, six months after its completion. Methods A randomized controlled community trial was conducted in two poles of the Academia da Saúde Program, randomly identified as control or intervention groups. The study involved 291 adults and elderly involved in the routine activities of the Academia da Saúde Program. Individuals in the intervention group also participated to the Vida Ativa Melhorando a Saúde Program for 12 weeks. Accelerometers were used to evaluate physical activities, questionnaires for the evaluation of eating habits and anthropometric measures for nutritional status. Results Six months after completion of the intervention, the beneficial results obtained for physical activities and nutritional status were not maintained. The benefits related to eating habits remained, but not exclusively due to the effect of the intervention. Conclusion The Vida Ativa Melhorando a Saúde Program, in the applied format, was not able to promote lasting beneficial effects on physical activities and nutritional status. The Program is being restructured regarding the extension of the intervention time and its didactic material.

Sudden shocks to health systems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt health system functions. Health system functions may also influence the health system’s ability to deliver in the face of sudden shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the health financing function in Kenya, and how specific health financing arrangements influenced the health systems capacity to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic.We conducted a cross-sectional study in three purposively selected counties in Kenya using a qualitative approach. We collected data using in-depth interviews (n = 56) and relevant document reviews. We interviewed national level health financing stakeholders, county department of health managers, health facility managers and COVID-19 healthcare workers. We analysed data using a framework approach. Purchasing arrangements: COVID-19 services were partially subsidized by the national government, exposing individuals to out-of-pocket costs given the high costs of these services. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) adapted its enhanced scheme’s benefit package targeting formal sector groups to include COVID-19 services but did not make any adaptations to its general scheme targeting the less well-off in society. This had potential equity implications. Public Finance Management (PFM) systems: Nationally, PFM processes were adaptable and partly flexible allowing shorter timelines for budget and procurement processes. At county level, PFM systems were partially flexible with some resource reallocation but maintained centralized purchasing arrangements. The flow of funds to counties and health facilities was delayed and the procurement processes were lengthy. Reproductive and child health services: Domestic and donor funds were reallocated towards the pandemic response resulting in postponement of program activities and affected family planning service delivery. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plans: Prioritization of UHC related activities was negatively impacted due the shift of focus to the pandemic response. Contrarily the strategic investments in the health sector were found to be a beneficial approach in strengthening the health system. Strengthening health systems to improve their resilience to cope with public health emergencies requires substantial investment of financial and non-financial resources. Health financing arrangements are integral in determining the extent of adaptability, flexibility, and responsiveness of health system to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Analysis of emergency hospital stakeholder interests.

World Relief South Sudan (WRSS) was supported by USAID/OFDA (Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance) to implement lifesaving interventions of health, nutrition and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) activities between June 2018 and February 2019. The purpose of this project was to address emergency needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled violence and settled in Bentiu PoC, Rubkona County in Unity State and Fangak Counties in Jonglei State, as well as other conflict-affected populations in those areas. The emergency health and nutrition activities were implemented in both places, WASH was implemented in Fangak. The Health sector supported a primary healthcare center (PHCC) in Sector two of the Bentiu PoC and two primary healthcare units (PHCUs) in Fangak County, at Wicmuon and Tiep. The health facilities provided basic health services focusing on reproductive, maternal and child health services, immunization and health education programs, including capacity building activities for health facility staff, the trained community midwives, community health workers (CHWs) and Community Health Promoters (CHPs). The Nutrition sector implemented Management of Acute Malnutrition (MAM) services by providing screening, treatment, referral services for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and MAM cases, including follow-up services for malnourished children under five years of age and the malnourished pregnant and lactating women. The Nutrition sector also implemented Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E), community education focusing on feeding practices for infants and young children and behavior change for mothers and caretakers. WRSS worked with the local community structures consisting of community nutrition volunteers (CNVs) and mothers’ support groups (MSGs). The project provided training/ refreshers training on MAM and IYCF-E aligning with national guidelines. WASH activities focused on hygiene promotion activities where both Community Hygiene Committees and Water User Committees (WUCs) were trained and moved house-to-house promoting health and hygiene messages. They also conducted hygiene promotion campaigns which included handwashing and jerrycan cleaning demonstrations. WASH was also integrated with nutrition and health by ensuring availability of WASH infrastructure in facilities like handwashing stations, sanitation and waste management apparatus. This knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey was conducted between 14th and 28th February, 2019. A total of 974 mothers and caregivers of children 0-23.99 months were interviewed through semi-structured household questionnaire and 49 through Focused Group Discussions (FGDs). The purpose of the KAP survey was to identify and assess key issues of the project, to obtain data for key indicators and to inform the future project interventions with regard to health, nutrition and WASH so as to implement approaches that increase access to high quality services. The KAP Survey collected qualitative data through a semi-structured questionnaire. Findings were triangulated with Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) held with MSGs and CNVs, community health and hygiene promoters and Community leaders. The summary of key findings and recommendations of this KAP Survey are included in the attached survey report.