Health information in primary care and family practice: Concept, status, and a vision for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR)

A health information system (HIS) is an “integrated effort to collect, process, report and use health information and knowledge to influence policy-making, programme action and research”. ¹ HIS is one of the essential building blocks of a health system, enabling decision-makers at all levels of the health system to identify health challenges and make optimal allocation of scarce resources to achieve health improvements. A robust HIS that generates reliable, timely, and high-quality data is among several factors that enable policy makers to make evidence-based decisions.