The world needs better data for better health - reporting on health interventions #ICHI

Did you know? There are worldwide standard #WHO #classifications for (statistical) reporting on causes of death and morbidity (#ICD) and on human functioning (#ICF). These are invaluable instruments for countries, yielding comparable steering information for health policy at all levels - local, regional, national, and international! Their outputs are used as building blocks for further population health studies such as Global Burden of Disease studies (#GBD) and public health foresight studies.

Lacking thus far is a standard classification for international comparable reporting on interventions in health care. Gathered in the WHO Network for the Family of International Classifications (#WHOFIC), member states are working on a standard reporting framework for health interventions: the International Classification of Health Interventions (#ICHI).

ICHI covers the entire spectrum of health interventions - from surgical to speech therapy to public health, and from hospital to home based - thereby yielding comparable information on the kind of resources used. ICHI’s added value is also in offering a common understanding of health interventions - a shared vocabulary if you want.

Adding ICHI to the suite of WHO’s reference classifications gives member states the unique opportunity to get integral information on the health of their populations in terms of mortality, morbidity and functioning, and what resources have been used or will be necessary. Again, informing health policy at all levels, from local to international.

For more information on #ICHI and WHO’s suite of classifications, take a look at?https://icd.who.int?and stay tuned! The world needs better data for better health!