Data Visualization as a Tool to Strengthen Data-Based Decision Making and Communication of MNH Outcomes in Indonesia: Experiences From the Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival (EMAS) Program

Presentation at the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference, October 20, 2015

Background: The USAID-funded Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival (EMAS) Program supports reductions in maternal and newborn mortality through improving facility-based quality of care and by strengthening district-level referral systems. The project operates in 150 hospitals and 300 health centers across the 30 districts in Indonesia with the largest proportion of maternal and newborn deaths.

Methodology: Each month, EMAS supports the routine collection and reporting of evidence-based MNH interventions in health facilities, including ACS for preterm deliveries, MgS04 for PE/E, and uterotonic for the 3rd stage of labor. District-level maps are created for each of the six MNH interventions to display the proportion of women and newborns who receive care. Graphics are also created to display achievement of EmONC performance standards alongside related MNH outcomes.

Results: Data visualization, including mapping, is incorporated into routine analyses and results dissemination to more efficiently and effectively communicate about programmatic performance. For a decentralized program such as EMAS, maps have been especially useful to articulate the relative performance of districts. The availability of relevant data, in which program staff have confidence, has been key for visualization products to influence decision-making.

Conclusions: In Indonesia, the EMAS program has successfully introduced the routine collection of MNH intervention data and is using visualization to communicate about related outcomes. Effective use of this information requires continuous efforts to strengthen data quality as well as the capacity to analyze, display and interpret results.