This week IntraHealth International announced the launch of the iHRIS Foundation, a new structure to manage the continuing growth of the iHRIS platform of open source health workforce information systems software and the global community that supports it.

Developed by IntraHealth with funding from USAID beginning in 2006, iHRIS is now used by 24 countries to manage over one million health worker records. Health sector leaders use iHRIS data to inform decisions related to addressing health workforce shortages and issues such as health worker distribution, training, licensure, and retention. A number of other donors in addition to USAID now support iHRIS implementations, along with some installations that are being managed independently. The global support community of programmers, implementers, and iHRIS champions has nearly 300 active members.

The iHRIS Foundation is intended to be a sustainable platform for the global iHRIS community to build on the success of iHRIS, set future direction for developing new iHRIS resources and tools, and ensure the governments and organizations depending on iHRIS continue to receive support for their use of the software.

”So many different types of community members have a vested interest in the future of iHRIS,” says Carl Leitner, IntraHealth’s associate director of digital health. “The iHRIS Foundation will ensure representation of these voices as we prioritize future developments and updates.”

An iHRIS Foundation Secretariat will be responsible for governing iHRIS community activities, including setting strategic goals and prioritizing development, allocating resources, and making decisions on new features and updates for the iHRIS software. IntraHealth is looking for individuals and organizations with technical, community, industry, and legal expertise to join the iHRIS Foundation Secretariat. To inquire, email ihris-secretariat [at] ihrisfoundation.org

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