BLN Design Collaborative Preview, 1st-4th December 2014
By Chilunga Puta, BLN Director, BID Initiative
Nov 18, 2014
Posted in BID Learning Network (BLN)
BID Learning Network launch. Kigali, Rwanda. May, 2014.
The BID Learning Network (BLN) is a mechanism within the BID Initiative for peer-to-peer learning, problem analysis and exchange of ideas that are expected to culminate into solutions appropriate to participating countries. Its intent is to promote deeper connectivity between immunization and eHealth communities to share best practices, innovations and together interrogate challenges and propose solutions. The BLN is a platform to acquire practical skills and knowledge that strengthen existing in-country efforts. To facilitate contributions, the BLN regularly conducts webinars, publishes blog posts, prompts discussion through Google Groups and holds technical and general meetings that afford opportunities for learning and interaction among participants.
As a part of these ongoing efforts, the BLN will host a Design Collaborative meeting from the 1st– 4th of December, 2014, in Lusaka Zambia. The meeting will bring together eHealth personnel from Ministries of Health in ten countries in West, East, Central and Southern Africa, to evaluate requirements and systems for immunization data generation and management.
The meeting intends to carry participants through a process of applying individualized country immunization systems needs to vendor and product selection processes including: identifying key user needs and scenarios; identifying key requirements; identifying and evaluating vendor/product options; calculating total cost of ownership; and developing a vendor RFP. Participants will test live electronic immunization registry systems and assess them against country needs, ascertaining gaps between requirements and product functionality.
During the meeting, we will review the Product Vision which documents the steps to organize how processes and ICT infrastructure can be integrated and standardized to meet a Ministry of Health’s vision and requirements. Participants will also provide feedback on vendor and product selection processes for inclusion in the future BID Initiative “Buyer’s Guide.” Finally, attendees will visit a health facility in order to follow a business process from start to finish in a realistic setting.
At the end of the meeting, we hope participants will have gained skills and knowledge to determine country requirements and be able to appropriately evaluate requisite software to suit their specific country conditions, including the assessment of the total cost of ownership. This meeting will therefore contribute to the ability of countries to make the right choices and appropriately invest their resources.
Although this meeting is by invitation only, if you are interested in further exploring these topics with the BID Initiative, please join our Google Groups to voice your ideas and join our discussions or contact me directly at cputa@path.org.
Stay tuned for highlights from the BLN Design Collaborative after the meeting has concluded!