The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health. This “Call for Experts” provides information about the Strategic Advisory Group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Issued on: 4 April 2024
Deadline: 17 May 2024
Background
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recognizes the growing importance of Information Systems and Digital Transformation of the health sector in the delivery of healthcare services, health management, and public health efforts across the Americas. On that regard, PAHO’s Member States approved 2 important mandates in 2021 at the 59th Directing Council: Document CD59/6
- Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of the Health Sector in the Region of the Americas, and Document CD59/7 - Policy on the Application of Data Science in Public Health Using Artificial Intelligence and Other Emerging Technologies.
In response to this, PAHO seeks to establish a Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) on Information Systems and Digital Health. The SAG will serve as an advisory body, providing expert guidance and support on high-level actions and priorities in the field of information systems and digital health. The primary objective of the SAG on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health is to provide strategic advice and technical expertise to PAHO to enhance the implementation of interconnected and interoperable information systems and digital health technologies in the delivery of healthcare services, health data management, and public health efforts.
Functions of the Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health
In its capacity as an advisory body to PAHO, the SAG shall have the following functions:
- To advise on the development and implementation of regional strategies and policies related to information systems and digital transformation of health.
- To provide guidance on the adoption of innovative digital health technologies and best practices to improve health outcomes, healthcare delivery, and public health responses.
- To advise the adoption of international standards and guidelines for interoperability, security, and privacy of health information systems in the Americas region.
- To offer recommendations on capacity building and training initiatives to strengthen the digital health workforce in member countries.
- To monitor and assess emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in information systems and digital health, and recommend appropriate responses.
Operations of the Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health
The SAG shall normally meet at least twice each year, with one in-person meeting and one virtual meeting with the working languages being English and Spanish, however, PAHO may convene additional meetings. SAG meetings may be held in person (at PAHO headquarters in or another location, as determined by PAHO) or virtually, via video or teleconference.
Who can express interest?
The Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to initiatives aiming to strengthen information systems for health and advancing the digital transformation of the health sector. Approximately 15 members may be selected.
PAHO welcomes expressions of interest from:
- Scientists, healthcare professionals, Information Systems and Data managers, Public Health experts working on Digital Transformation of Health, Public Health Informatics, with expertise the following areas:
- Telehealth, especially in low and middle-income countries
- Artificial intelligence, especially with expertise in emerging technologies, ethics and regulatory frameworks
- Data Science applied to health
- Behavioural sciences, especially with expertise on analytics and infodemic management
- Data platforms, especially with expertise in governance frameworks
- Vital statistics and health indicators
- Semantic interoperability, especially with expertise on ICD-11 and SNOWMED implementation
- Digital Transformation, especially with expertise in eGovernment initiatives
- Emerging technologies and mobile applications, especially with expertise in digital public goods
- Cybersecurity, especially applied to health sector's priorities.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health, please submit the following documents by 17 May, 11:59pm, Washington, D.C. time to garciasseb@paho.org and dagostim@paho.org, using the subject line “Expression of interest for the Strategic Advisory Group on Information Systems and Digital Transformation of Health”:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore, do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer;
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests form for PAHO/WHO Experts (PDF, 279.47KB).
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by PAHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of PAHO SAGs must be free of any real, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the PAHO Declaration of Interests for PAHO Experts, and the selection as a member of a SAG is, amongst other things, dependent on PAHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to PAHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All SAG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions, or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for PAHO Experts. SAG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and PAHO’s Secretariat to enable PAHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant SAG. The selection of members of the SAGs will be made by PAHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of SAG members will also take into account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by PAHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter. Appointment as a member of a SAG will be subject to the proposed member returning to PAHO the countersigned copy of this document, as well as the Declaration of Interests Form and the confidentiality undertaking mentioned above.
PAHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for PAHO's action. PAHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the SAG, disband an existing SAG or modify the work of the SAG.
PAHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
PAHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the PAHO internet.
SAG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the SAG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of SAG members to participate in SAG meetings will be covered by PAHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules, and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to garciasseb@paho.org and dagostim@paho.org, well before the applicable deadline.