Routine Health Information System Rapid Assessment Tool

The RHIS Rapid Assessment Tool was developed to assist health information system (HIS) managers and evaluators identify gaps and weaknesses—aspects of health facility and community information systems that do not meet the standard—with a view to strengthening the RHIS and improving the data

The World Health Organization (WHO) and MEASURE Evaluation have identified and harmonized standards for data management of the routine health information system (RHIS). The standards, which are best practices, promote the production of timely, accurate data for use in program planning and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

The RHIS Rapid Assessment Tool was developed to assist health information system (HIS) managers and evaluators identify gaps and weaknesses—aspects of health facility and community information systems that do not meet the standard—with a view to strengthening the RHIS and improving the data. The RHIS Rapid Assessment Tool compares a country’s RHIS to the global standards and indicates where resources should be invested to improve the system.

The tool can be applied in a range of ways depending on the needs of the RHIS at the time it is used. The primary applications of the tool are:

  • Facilitator-guided workshops
  • Sample of health facilities and subnational RHIS units
  • Self-assessment

The RHIS Rapid Assessment Tool includes an Implementation Guide and two Microsoft Excel workbooks: the Data Entry Module and the Data Analysis and Dashboards Module. Data are entered in the Data Entry Module and then transferred to the Data Analysis and Dashboards Module. There are as many completed copies of the Data Entry Module as there are respondents (or groups of respondents, in the case of the facilitator- guided workshop), whereas there is only one completed copy of the Data Analysis and Dashboards Module.

RHIS Rapid Assessment Tool components:


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Validating the Effectiveness of a Rapid Assessment Tool for Routine Health Information Systems

Filed under: Tools , Routine Health Information Systems , RHIS , Assessment