Scalability as Institutionalization - Practicing District Health Information System in an Indian State Health Organization

This paper is based on an analysis and of the introduction and scaling processes of a health management information system in the public health care system of an Indian state. The system is developed and implemented by an international action-research network in close collaboration with the local health department. The purpose of the system is to improve health information circulation and use within the health system by establishing action-nets to get institutionalized into organizational practices. Data is being collected by directly participating in this project within an action research framework. This ongoing initiative is presented by introducing the two main organizations involved (the health services and HISP, the implementing organization), and then focusing on the way they are interweaving part of their activities around the health management information system. The conclusive part discusses how this process is relevant for learning and the scaling up of these kinds of systems.