Initial experience of using a knowledge based system for monitoring immunization services in Papua New Guinea.

A knowledge based system (KBS) which helps health service managers to interpret immunization coverage rates was installed in two provinces of Papua New Guinea. It was assessed over a period of 4 months to determine whether it was a potentially useful management tool. One province used the system but did not adjust its activities significantly because it was meeting its targets for immunization. In the other province the KBS helped provincial managers to detect problems and respond to them. Consequently, improvements in performance indicators were detected. It is difficult to attribute the improvements entirely to the KBS but several actions were taken to strengthen immunization services and the KBS appeared to support these. It appears that interventions which make routinely collected data more understandable and readily usable by health service managers can lead to improvements in the delivery of health services.