Overview
The Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) unit of the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria is currently housed in the Strategic Information Department of the Institute. With technical oversight from the Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore, the unit is responsible for the patient management and monitoring activities of the ACTION project. Using Ryan White Program's CAREWare that was developed by Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA), the project captures longitudinal data on patient's clinical encounters which include clinical evaluation, pharmacy records, laboratory results, and adherence to medication, and care and support activities. Up to December 2009 CAREWare has stored over 79000 patients at 14 sites across Nigeria.

The activities of the unit include;

1. CAREWare installation and upgrades at supported facilities
2. System administration and troubleshooting
3. Oversight and supervision of all HMIS pilots and projects
4. Technical support to ACTION Project supported sites on patient information systems
5. Data quality assurance activities that range from data cleaning, gap analyses and validation
6. Support for Quality Improvement programs within the project e.g. ACTIONQUAL, CAREWare-Lab Interface
7. Liaison with program assistants at the Cohort sites on data quality issues
8. System design and implementation
9. Support the data management process of the ACTION Quality of Care program
10. Technical assistance to other thematic areas

Currently running projects and pilots include:

• The CAREWare-Labs Interface: A simple laboratory information system that makes use of CAREWare as its Electronic Medical Record (EMR), ensures the transfer of patient laboratory results for CD4 count/percent, hematology and blood chemistry using Health Level 7 (HL7)

• Clinical Encounter Report: Report provides the clinician with a snapshot of each visit

• Setting up a real-time clinic at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada

• Barcode-in-Action project: Aimed at creating and using barcode labels on patient encounter forms and laboratory samples The unit receives technical support on CAREWare and Jeff Murray's Programming Shop (jProg) in New Orleans, Louisiana.