VHL Certification
The certification is the guarantee that the VHL follows the model proposed by BIREME and meets the criteria of quality, relevance and interoperability

 
VHL Network Portal VHL Model Certification

VHL evaluation

The evaluation process of VHL instances keeps evolving by the years, in tune with the evolution of the VHL Model itself. In its actual conformation, the evaluation that grants to a VHL the “Certificated” status – also called Certification Assessment of the VHL – is a solid process to ensure that the certification is granted only to those instances featured by their quality and dynamic and cooperative work of their consulting committee.

 

The certification recognizes the excellence standards in attending users’ needs and initiatives that may exceed their expectations in that matter, keeping the democratization of the access to information in health as a top priority.

 

The certification stamp
This stamp’s purpose is to inform which of the VHL network instances are certified and highlight them, acting at the same time as a quality control label to users. The planning and development of the certification stamp has been conducted by BIREME/PAHO/WHO team and is added to the footer of the VHL instance homepage, next to the indication of the institution that is responsible for that instance. The stamp provides a link to a page containing the certificate edited by BIREME, with some important information about the instance and date of certification.

  • Evaluation process

    Revisar conteúdo

    To uphold the VHL network evolution and adequacy to the VHL Model, BIREME/PAHO/WHO develops an evaluation process based on indicators and quality criteria that aims to guide the VHL instances in their update initiatives and create a report with positive highlights and aspects that shall be improved. Moreover, this process enables the classification of the VHL instance into on of the three development scenarios: Certified, Developing or Pilot.

    Evaluations are dispatched by an Evaluation Committee, compounded by experts from several areas of knowledge. The committee analyzes several aspects, such as the organization of the contents inside the portal, the comprehension and application of the three dimensions of the VHL (social networks, content networks and learning and informed environments) and of technologies and interfaces, along with the actualization of information sources, products and services, among other components. Moreover, the evaluation also contributes to the identification and recommendation of improvements and adjustments necessary to a better management, organization and update of contents, technological platforms, navigability etc.

    This procedure is also valid to already certified instances, that are constantly submitted to reevaluation in order to keep their certification status. The objective of the reevaluation process is to strengthen the VHL, enriching the fulfillment of the objectives proposed and widening the operation capability of the instances.

    • VHL instances’ evaluation indicators

    Some indicators are used to measure or place the development status of the VHL and support the evaluation process.

    The main evolution indicators of a VHL instance are:

    1.  Consulting Committee well established and in constantly working;
    2.  Development plan clearly designed;
    3.  Division of responsibilities well planned and up to date, in accordance to the VHL needs;
    4.  Portal and information sources up to date and working perfectly; and
    5.  Infrastructure and technological resources operating perfectly.

    • Know the steps of the evaluation process of VHL instances

    The evaluation process may begin from an initiative from BIREME who may, as the coordinator of this network, identify the possibility of a ”status” change, and it may also start after a request from the institution that coordinates that instance or from its Consulting Committee.
    When the solicitation comes from the VHL instance coordination, the evaluation committee is constituted by at least three experts, who start the evaluation of the portal based on the criteria presented in the Base Document of Evaluation of a VHL instance. The instances may also perform an auto-evaluation before presenting a formal evaluation request to BIREME, using this same document. The self-evaluation contributes to the development of that VHL instance, once it allows the identification of critical aspects and main adaptation gaps related do the VHL model by its own coordinators before the formal solicitation of certification.

    This document’s purpose is to orient and support the evaluation process of VHL’s portals and websites, contributing to the quality control of those instances and serving as a report model to VHL instances that seek the certification. The document may also be used to facilitate the self-evaluation by the VHL’s consulting committee or executive secretariat.

    Evaluate your VHL

    Base Document of Evaluation of a VHL instance

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  • Evolution steps of a VHL instance

    As the VHL develops, it moves through the evolution steps based on its achievements towards being recognized and used as a space for convergence of initiatives such as the organization, index, preservation, accessibility promotion, evaluation and utilization of sources of technical and scientific information in health (certification). Once this acknowledgment has been achieved, the instance may plead its certification (which may be conceived after the evaluation process).

    Deste modo, a avaliação de maturidade de instâncias BVS é um processo permanente que identifica o nível de maturidade de cada instância BVS na adoção deste modelo. Por meio da avaliação são observados aspectos que contribuem para a qualidade da BVS e seus conteúdos como:

    • Organização e atualização de conteúdos
    • Plataformas tecnológicas utilizadas
    • Design e navegabilidade

    O fluxo de avaliação é estabelecido de acordo com o nível de maturidade da instância BVS, conforme apresentado a seguir. 

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  • Maturity indicators

    VHL instances’ evaluation indicators

    Some indicators are used to measure or place the development status of the VHL and support the evaluation process.

    The main evolution indicators of a VHL instance are:

    1.  Consulting Committee well established and in constantly working;
    2.  Development plan clearly designed;
    3.  Division of responsibilities well planned and up to date, in accordance to the VHL needs;
    4.  Portal and information sources up to date and working perfectly; and
    5.  Infrastructure and technological resources operating perfectly.

    [ ← Show Excerpt ]