Background:
Ministry of Health & Wellness, Government of Jamaica (MOHW/GOJ) is seeking to strengthen Information Systems for Health (IS4H). IS4H is the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) renewed framework for strengthening country-level information systems. It may be described as the integrated effort for convergence of interconnected and interoperable systems, data, information and knowledge, processes, standards, people, institutions supported by ICTs that help to produce information for planning and decision-making. IS4H is therefore a mechanism for managing interoperable systems with open data that comes from different sources and that is ethically used, through effective ICT tools, to generate strategic information for the benefit of public health. It is thus a key strategy in the renewed efforts of the MOHW/GOJ to strengthen and expand its use of information technology to improve the efficiency, efficacy and safety of both clinical and business processes, and to improve the availability of quality information to support clinical, program and policy decision-making.
The Global Fund is partnering with the Ministry to support this initiative which is the design of the
National eHealth (Digital Health) Architecture. The architecture will be developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology and related institutions.
To date, the MOHW has obtained a Blueprint (i.e., conceptual-level architecture) and Blueprint Placemat for the eHealth Architecture. The Business, Information and Technical Architectures are the focus of this consultation.
What you’ll do: The primary function of this contract is to develop and validate the detailed architectural technical documentation that will enable the Ministry of Health and Wellness’s vision for 1S4H in Jamaica. This role is expected to be for a duration of 7 months starting in June 2021.
The Government of Jamaica has a vision for an interoperable national digital health architecture that facilitates the exchange of health information across both public and private health service providers, connecting local point of service platforms (e.g., electronic medical records systems, pharmacy information systems, laboratory information systems, telehealth systems, disease registries, patient portals, etc.) through a national health information exchange platform and repository.
The blueprint identifies key architecture components and services (e.g. patient registries, provider registries, clinical data repositories, terminology services, etc.), technical and data standards and data flows that will enable a secure and shared national electronic health record for all individuals in Jamaica, and the exchange of information between local point of service health information systems.
The detailed architectural documentation will extend the blueprint to provide the architecture specifications including business architecture (e.g., functions to maintain the EHR, stakeholder roles), information architecture (e.g., national data dictionary, information and messaging standards), and technical architecture (e.g., technical components, platforms and technical standards).
Note that this engagement does not include the evaluation or identification of specific technical solutions to support the blueprint nor does it include change management or other implementation services associated with development of the core architectural component.
Key responsibilities include:
- Review existing Government of Jamaica strategies and visioning documents for the national EHR architecture to understand the strategic context and priorities;
- Review the existing conceptual blueprint that establishes a technical vision for a national HER architecture in Jamaica that is based primarily on open standards, open technologies, global best practices and identifies a development roadmap over a multi-year period;
- Develop and maintain on an ongoing basis a stakeholder engagement and consultation approach to gather the required information from Ministry of Health and other health system stakeholders to understand the Jamaica health system, key stakeholders, business and clinical functions and alignment with national health system strategic priorities;
- Plan, facilitate and document stakeholder engagement and consultation sessions;
- Work with health sector representatives and other sectors’ stakeholders to develop and validate the EHR business architecture that describes the functions, responsibilities, and governance structure to maintain the EHR;
- Work with health sector representatives and other sectors’ stakeholders to develop and validate the information architecture that describes the data model and flows and the information and messaging standards for the EHR;
- Work with health sector representatives and other sectors’ stakeholders to extend and validate the blueprint to include detailed platforms and technical standards and components of the EHR;
- Establish a roadmap and work plan prioritizing the build of the technical components;
- Ensure the requisite knowledge transfer to appropriate health and other sectors’ Representatives
- Report on status at intervals
Deliverables:
Product 1: Work plan – A work plan outlining the key activities and schedule that you will undertake with a focus on stakeholder engagement and consultation activities. A review of the EHealth Architecture Blueprint and Placement are advised.
Product 2: Business Architecture Recommendations – A report and executive-level presentation describing the national functions and responsibilities for development and maintenance of the architecture, stakeholder roles, and the decision-making and governance structure.
Product 3: Information Architecture – A report and executive-level presentation defining the national conceptual data model, data dictionary, data flows, and information and messaging standards.
Product 4: Technical Architecture – A report and executive-level presentation describing in detail the required technical components (e.g. client registry, provider registry, interoperability layer, etc.), platforms and technical standards that should be adopted, and any other technical architecture components required to support the eHealth strategy.
Product 5: Roadmap and work plan – A high-level work plan outlining anticipated development and implementation activities, effort, and priorities to build the ehealth architecture
Payment Milestones:
| Milestone | Percentage of contract amount |
| Product 1: Work plan | 15% |
| Product 2: Business Architecture Recommendations | 20% |
| Product 3: Information Architecture | 25% |
| Product 4: Technical Architecture | 20% |
| Product 5: Roadmap and work plan | 20% |
Education: Post-secondary training or 10 years of equivalent experience in computer science, health informatics, or a related field
Experience: Minimum of 7 years developing enterprise technical architectures in a health environment; Minimum of 5 years of experience designing, developing, and deploying health solutions; Experience developing technical architectures for regional or national health information systems; demonstrated experience with planning and facilitating consultations with diverse stakeholder groups.
Languages: Advanced writing, communication, and presentation skills in English
Core and technical competencies: Experience designing and conducting software evaluation; Experience with health information systems; Experience reporting to executive-level stakeholders; Experience working in an international context is highly desirable; Strong organization skills; Ability to work independently without direct supervision.
Opportunity Summary:
Length of contract: Seven (7) months
Starting date: June 2021
Location: Country of Residency
Reporting to: The MOHW Lead for IS4H or other designated officer
Requirements: The successful individual may be required to obtain a Tax Compliance
Certificate (TCC) from Tax Administration Jamaica, Government of Jamaica upon contract award.