← Back to team overview

dhis2-users team mailing list archive

Re: Sharing Pivot Table details between DHIS instances

 

On 20 June 2014 10:11, Greg Rowles <greg.rowles@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Bob+Knut,
>
> Yip, we agreed on a dual coding system for orgunits a few weeks back:
> [OrgUnitCode] to support data collection activities (in mobile, paper &
> electronic registers) and [UID] for data warehousing tasks (although UIDs
> could be used to support either).
>
> With regards to Indicators and Data Elements - UIDs make sense for
> standardization between EHRs, Mobile systems, DHIS2 instances and other
> types of systems. Unfortunately disaggregation has created a new challenge
> for standardization/alignment but I believe any "global" repository could
> cater for this by creating a "library" of non-disaggregated indicator &
> element definitions. That way mappings could be developed to support the
> numerous styles of disaggregations out there...
>
> Just to be clear - a "global" metadata repository is to act only as a
> reference point for data-definitions & orgunit-lists or does it also exist
> as a type of data-warehouse to store aggregated data?
>

I think these are different responsibilities ie. you could setup a metadata
repository/registry and start storing data into it but you lose then the
sense of your metadata registry.  What you have instead (which is also a
valid concept) is the plainer notion of an authoritative source.  So for
example you might nominate the routine hmis system in a country as the
authoritative source of orgunit information because you know the collection
of routine data provides the best governance mechanism for your orgunit
data.  I see this as a slightly different idea to a registry, though
related..


>
> Greg
>
> On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 9:40 AM, Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> A multinational organisation should almost certainly maintain a registry
>> of all *their* sites if they are to use dhis2 efficiently.  And a
>> standardized metadata repository where possible.  For smaller setups this
>> could lean towards a single global instance.  For others a separation
>> between registry and data warehouse(s).
>>
>> Designing the same reports across many countries does sound onerous.
>>
>> Opinion: I think uids are a little too "in-house" to provide the best
>> means of sharing/linking data between distinct systems.  If you are
>> curating a collection then you should probably also curate coded
>> identifiers.
>>
>>
>> On 20 June 2014 07:59, Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Greg,
>>>
>>> In DHIS2, the number of levels are deduced from the hierarchy, so there
>>> are no fixed levels. It's quite feasible to add a new root node "above" the
>>> national level (one could of course also think of regional nodes below the
>>> "global" level, e.g. Africa, Europe etc).
>>>
>>> If you mean that a multinational organization can set up a "global"
>>> metadata repository with orgunits from all their countries, that is
>>> certainly possible - it would in effect be using DHIS2 as a multinational
>>> "Master Facility Registry". DHIS2 could serve this function - and the same
>>> "global" instance could also house all data element and indicator
>>> definitions. This would then be a real metadata repository, in other words
>>> a mechanism for sharing CONTENT which could even host HTML Standard Report
>>> templates (though probably not yet "shared and reusable
>>> PT/Chart/GIS/Dashboard templates").
>>>
>>> I guess we currently would require login, though there is usually little
>>> reason such metadata could not be shared publicly for anyone on the
>>> internet to access - in fact I think we really should technically
>>> facilitate and even actively promote the sharing of metadata openly, for
>>> the benefit of all. This is a crucial step towards the vision of OpenData
>>> [0] (which of course is a much larger undertaking, and is much less
>>> straightforward as it can involve sensitive data, in particular when you
>>> move beyond aggregate figures).
>>>
>>> More generally, there have been some efforts at the international level
>>> (not involving DHIS2) towards establishing registries for health facilities
>>> internationally, though I think few of them are very active. A challenge is
>>> that it takes committment from each country to keep it up-to-date (though
>>> crowd-sourcing efforts such as OpenStreetMap also seem to have quite a few
>>> facilities). Technically, there should not be major challenges to setting
>>> it up, and if DHIS2 were to be the platform it would certainly be easy to
>>> link with national DHIS2 instances. We have also already linked DHIS2 to
>>> other systems such as the Kenyan Master Health Facility List [1] and the
>>> Rwanda Health Facility Registry [2]. DHIS2 has also implemented the FRED
>>> API [3], which is meant to facilitate such interoperability.
>>>
>>> [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_data and https://opendata.go.ke/
>>> [1] http://www.ehealth.or.ke/facilities/
>>> [2]
>>> https://confluence.dimagi.com/display/facilityregistry/Facilities+Registry
>>> [3] http://hingx.org/Share/Details/1319
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 7:15 AM, greg.rowles@xxxxxxxxx <
>>> greg.rowles@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>> In DHIS2 can't "global" be set as OUlevel zero (above national/OU1)?
>>>> If multiple countries were to be integrated into one instance it would
>>>> require all existing OUlevels to be incremented unless level zero could be
>>>> accommodated with some dynamic settings for different 'branches' (assuming
>>>> all country instances share a common and proportionate number of vertical
>>>> levels).
>>>> The other option is going a much more sophisticated route and
>>>> virtualizing a DHIS2 instance from multiple 'live' instances but that would
>>>> be a whole new kind of approach - probably unnecessarily complex ...
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my HTC
>>>>
>>>> ----- Reply message -----
>>>> From: "Knut Staring" <knutst@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> To: "Greg Rowles" <greg.rowles@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Cc: "Lars Helge Øverland" <larshelge@xxxxxxxxx>, "DHIS Users" <
>>>> dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Subject: [Dhis2-users] Sharing Pivot Table details between DHIS
>>>> instances
>>>> Date: Fri, Jun 20, 2014 04:47
>>>>
>>>> And more generally we could then have objects that are more akin to
>>>> meta-meta-data:
>>>> Parametrizable map, chart and PT favorites that include legend sets, as
>>>> well as Dashboards.
>>>>
>>>> I guess supporting Relative periods and User Org Unit has been our
>>>> first stab at this.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 4:43 AM, Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I guess I am talking about somehow parametrizing the PT favorites -
>>>>> and being able to share the parametrizable favorites between DHIS2
>>>>> instances.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 4:39 AM, Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> While I agree on the recommendation of a common meta-data
>>>>>> repository for Data Elements and Indicators, this obviously does not help
>>>>>> in the least when it comes to OrgUnits in different countries. We have
>>>>>> OrgUnit as a parameter in the "ordinary" reports, but not for pivot tables
>>>>>> (periods are of course already standardised across most countries -  those
>>>>>> that use ISO calendars).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I suppose the question highlights the increasing use of more flexible
>>>>>> PT for reporting in addition to (or completely replacing) conventional
>>>>>> reports. Does it make sense to think of an App that makes it easy to pass
>>>>>> parameters (OU, periods) to ready-made pivot layouts - or would that really
>>>>>> just be recreating the PT GUI? Is the API already capable of handling this?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Knut
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2014 at 8:49 PM, Greg Rowles <greg.rowles@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi, Also agree with the abovementioned. We're working towards a
>>>>>>> "master" data-dictionary for indicator and data element definitions to
>>>>>>> ensure alignment and standardization here in South Africa. It might be good
>>>>>>> to begin assessing alignment possibilities starting with indicators as they
>>>>>>> determine which elements get collected...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>> Greg
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2014 at 8:33 PM, Lars Helge Øverland <
>>>>>>> larshelge@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi, agree with Jason. On an additional note, if the meta-data (data
>>>>>>>> elements in particular) actually are consistent across several instances it
>>>>>>>> might be a good effort to standardize the UID, will be useful if you want
>>>>>>>> to do comparative analysis across countries at a later stage.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Lars
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2014 at 7:34 PM, Jason Pickering <
>>>>>>>> jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I would think the best way to go about this would be to have a
>>>>>>>>> common meta-data repository. It would seem to be quite a bit of effort to
>>>>>>>>> try and map metadata definitions between different instances, but the usual
>>>>>>>>> approach here would be to have a "master" instance, which other "slave"
>>>>>>>>> instances would draw their metadata from. In this case, the exchange of
>>>>>>>>> pivots/reports would be possible, but very troublesome otherwise.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> It is certainly possible, but building the transformation would be
>>>>>>>>> one more piece to maintain and would be quite fragile, as changes on either
>>>>>>>>> side would break it.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>>>>> Jason
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jun 19, 2014 at 7:29 PM, Laura E. Lincks <
>>>>>>>>> laura.lincks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> We have individual DHIS instances installed for individual
>>>>>>>>>> countries. Many configuration needs are similar across countries including
>>>>>>>>>> the set up of many reports. Is it possible to take a pivot table definition
>>>>>>>>>> set up in one country and export that definition to another country's DHIS
>>>>>>>>>> instance? I see that details can be exported for a pivot table using
>>>>>>>>>> Meta-Data Export but it of course contains unique identifiers for that
>>>>>>>>>> country which will not apply in another country's instance. Is there a way
>>>>>>>>>> to query the data from the backend, create an output script, changing the
>>>>>>>>>> unique IDs to the new country's respective IDs and then insert the data in
>>>>>>>>>> the new country's database? It may be more trouble doing it that way than
>>>>>>>>>> simply manually creating the pivot table structures in the new country, but
>>>>>>>>>> I thought I'd ask if anyone has had success doing it in a more automated
>>>>>>>>>> fashion.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> *Laura E. Lincks*
>>>>>>>>>> Database Developer
>>>>>>>>>> ICAP - Columbia University
>>>>>>>>>> Mailman School of Public Health
>>>>>>>>>> 60 Haven Ave, Floor B1
>>>>>>>>>> New York, NY 10032
>>>>>>>>>> Tel: 212 304 7132
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>>>> Post to     : dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>>> Post to     : dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>> Post to     : dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Business Intelligence Planner
>>>>>>> *Health Information Systems Programme*
>>>>>>> *- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **-
>>>>>>> - - - - *
>>>>>>> Mobile  :    073 246 2992
>>>>>>> Landline:   021 554 3130
>>>>>>> Fax:          086 733 8432
>>>>>>>  Skype:      gregory_rowles
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>> Post to     : dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>>>>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Knut Staring
>>>>>> Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo
>>>>>> +4791880522
>>>>>> http://dhis2.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Knut Staring
>>>>> Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo
>>>>> +4791880522
>>>>> http://dhis2.org
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Knut Staring
>>>> Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo
>>>> +4791880522
>>>> http://dhis2.org
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Knut Staring
>>> Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo
>>> +4791880522
>>> http://dhis2.org
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>> Post to     : dhis2-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-users
>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
> Business Intelligence Planner
> *Health Information Systems Programme*
> *- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **- - - - - - - **- - - -
> - *
> Mobile  :    073 246 2992
> Landline:   021 554 3130
> Fax:          086 733 8432
> Skype:      gregory_rowles
>

References