Health Information Systems’ Architectural Evaluation with Architecture Trade-off Analysis Method (ATAM): a case study in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper identified what should be architectural quality attributes for health information system (HIS) architectural evaluation. It raises awareness of the importance of stakeholders in the architecture process. This was with a view to ensuring that HIS follow a specific architecture for the quality to be determined exactly at all times. ATAM was used to validate the analysis using the architecture of the Made in Nigeria Primary Healthcare Information System (MINPHIS). The paper demonstrates the applicability and usefulness of architectural evaluation in HIS context. The analysis with ATAM showed the generation of quality attributes utility tree, priorities, the scenarios, sensitivity points, risks involved and its benefits towards healthcare system. Evaluating the system showed that the database system needs to be migrated from hierarchical to relational structure. By implication, the evaluation is useful for quality improvement in the earlier stages of HIS development, which supposes an indirect impact on patient care.