Table 1

Main systems for collecting service provision data in maternity wards of included hospitals

Name of system	Abbreviation	Components	Official purpose	Introduced by
Health Management Information System	HMIS	Printed registers, daily tally sheets, monthly report forms, DHIS2 software	Health system planning	Ministry of Health
Government of Tanzania Hospital Management Information System	GoTHOMIS	Electronic registry	Health system planning	President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government
Antenatal Care Card	ANC card	Printed card handed out to client	Clinical documentation for decision-making	Ministry of Health
Electronic Information System (locally developed for one included hospital)	EIS	Electronic registry	Hospital management & planning, clinical management & decision making	Hospital management
Clinical patient file	–	Locally printed forms (admission, labour monitoring, delivery, postpartum care until discharge) Observation charts	Clinical documentation, support to HMIS documentation	Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Hospital management
Partograph	–	Form integrated in clinical patient file	Clinical labour monitoring, decision-making, number of completed partographs entered in monthly report form	Ministry of Health
Admission register	–	Hand-written register	Support to HMIS documentation	Hospital management
Discharge register	–	Hand-written register	Support to HMIS documentation	Hospital management
Informal documentation	–	Referral register Ward round register Maternal/newborn death register Shift report register Work plan register (district hospital) Theatre/Caesarean section register Equipment/supplies register (District hospital) Emergency drug register (Regional hospital) Loose paper notes	Various unofficial purposes	Nurse in charge of maternity together with maternity care providers

DHIS, District Health Information System.