Role of an effective hospital information system in a depressed economy.

This work is based on practical experience acquired in the development of a hospital information system in a university hospital in Nigeria. The paper discusses how accurate, adequate and timely medical data can promote economy in health-care delivery in a depressed economy. Existing constraints are identified and solutions offered for an effective hospital information system. An effort has been made to illustrate how the application of informatics technology can be cost effective in the long-term, by ensuring effective and economic use of facilities and resources. Once an effective hospital information is operative, provision of affordable health care in a depressed economy would be feasible. To this end, the need for cooperation between countries to support technology and manpower is emphasized.