Health Information Systems

The paper describes the conceptual literature on the determinants of routine health information system (RHIS) performance and its role in improving health systems functioning and performance at the local level, strategies to improve RHIS performance, evaluation challenges, and makes suggestions to improve RHIS design and information use. [adapted from abstract]

This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of errors in the case identification process in the existing routine health information system in the Philippines by measuring the risk of committing errors for health program indicators. [from abstract]

Routine health information systems generate potentially useful data, but it is often of low quality and not trusted for decision making. This document outlines PRISM Tools, which provide a structured way to assess the quality of data and use of information in its routine health information system. [adapted from author]

This pocket manual serves as a cursory reference to the tools used to improve the demand for and use of information in health decision making. [from author]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity and usefulness of the Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM) framework and its associated data collection and analysis tools designed to assess, design, strengthen and evaluate routine health information systems. [adapted from abstract]

How can countries gather and use health workforce data to increase access to care? This brief presents an overview of the issue of health worker information systems along with suggested actions, key considerations, and resources. [from publisher]

Kabelo Bitsang, iHRIS administrator at the Botswana Ministry of Health, explains how the Ministry is using CapacityPlus’s free, open source software to track and manage the country’s health workforce. [from publisher]

This edition of CapacityPlus Voices highlights the value of free, open source health information applications such as human resources for health information system software. [adapted from author]

This self-paced online course provides instructions on the basic skill set needed to administer and customize CapacityPlus’s human resources information systems (HRIS) software, iHRIS Manage and iHRIS Qualify. [from publisher]

This training course on improving routine health information systems is an international course on the comprehensive assessment of information use, with an emphasis on problem-solving. The course uses the Performance of Routine Information System Management conceptual framework and tools. [abstract]

This article describes Uganda’s transition from a paper filing system to an electronic HRIS capable of providing information about country-specific health workforce questions. It examines the ongoing five-step HRIS strengthening process used to implement an HRIS that tracks health worker data at the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council (UNMC) and describes how HRIS data can be used to address workforce planning questions. [adapted from abstract]

This Voices features Kayode Odusote’s experiences with helping West African countries to gather and use health worker data. [from publisher]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized Health Management Information System (HMIS) in a rural health system in India. [from abstract]

This assessment evaluates a health service mangement systems project undertaken in the Aceh province after the 2004 earthquakea and tsunami. The project implemented information systems for hospitals and primary care, and this evaluation details the lessons learned and challenges from health workers as well as the short term impact the systems have had on health service delivery processes.

This paper reports on a research study to investigate the introduction of new information management strategies intended to promote an informational approach to management at the operational health service level in low-income countries. It aims to understand the process taking place when externally developed training materials, which are intended to strengthen health management information systems, are introduced to potential users in an east African country. [from author]

The Capacity Project worked to strengthen HRIS in several low-resource countries to assist decision-makers and human resources managers in identifying and responding to critical gaps in HRH. The findings and recommendations in this report cover the Capacity Project’s implementation of HRIS in Swaziland, Rwanda and Uganda. [from summary]

This presentation for the APHA Annual Meeting illustrates the use of geographic and health information systems to identify gaps in service delivery and vaccination coverage in Yemen in order to assign human and technical resources.

In resource poor settings, informatics represents an important and emerging focus in healthcare settings. However, in developing countries, the need for training and retention of health professionals in informatics remains one of the greatest public health challenges. This article outlines a training program in informatics in Peru. [adapted from introduction]

This brief provides an overview of results from a qualitative evaluation study of the Capacity Project’s HRIS strengthening in Swaziland, Uganda and Rwanda. In addition, it draws on results from a regional workshop on data-driven decision-making in Tanzania hosted by the Capacity Project in collaboration with ECSA-HC and WHO. [from author]

Current estimates indicate that between 30% and 70% of health care services in Africa are operated by faith-based organizations. However, these resources are not effectively integrated into national health information systems. While most partners providing health care in sub-Saharan Africa agree that FBOs play an important role in providing health services, there are few comprehensive data about the scope and scale of their contribution. This document details a project to collect facility location and personnel information to support the mapping and database development processes.

This video and its accompanying paper describe the experiences of two Ugandan nurses in coping with staff shortages and challenging conditions, as well as the use of data by the Ministry of Health and the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council to support the country's health workers and improve health care in the districts. [adapted from description]

The Health Metrics Network (HMN) was launched in 2005 to help countries and other partners improve global health by strengthening the systems that generate health-related information for evidence-based decision-making. HMN is a global health partnership focused on the core requirements of health system strengthening in low and low-middle income countries. To help meet these requirements and advance global health, there is an urgent need to coordinate and align partners around an agreed-upon framework for developing and strengthening health information systems. [adapted from introduction]

Developing countries and the global network of donors, programs and NGOs agree that health systems need to become stronger if gains in health are to be achieved and sustained. A major factor contributing to this current situation is that the excessive burden of data collection falls to health workers. A national health information system capable of supporting day-to-day management, long-term planning, and policy development for the entire national health system is required. [adapted from abstract]

This issue of Voices describes the Capacity Project’s work on the health management information system (HMIS) in Uganda including an assessment of the HMIS performance and support in setting standards for using it effectively.

Ethiopia does not have a sufficient health care workforce to meet the population’s demand for services and the burden of disease. The objective of this project was to assess the usefulness and feasibility of collecting key participant and training information for monitoring and planning of HIV/AIDS services. This paper describes a project that uses training data to follow up with providers after training to assess whether they are still working in HIV/AIDS-related services. [adapted from introduction]

A Health Management Information System (HMIS) can be a powerful tool to make health care delivery more effective and far more efficient. This paper describes how an HMIS can also be used for organisational development and reports on the experiences of the HMIS programme of the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) in Uganda. [from abstract]

This toolkit provides a package of HRIS procedures and tools to HRH stakeholders, HR information system managers and software developers to facilitate applying the HRIS strengthening processes and iHRIS software developed by the Capacity Project. The toolkit collects briefs, forms, case studies, resources and other materials to assist with all five steps of the HRIS strengthening process: introduction, building HRIS leadership, assessing and improving existing systems, developing software solutions, using data to make decisions, and ensuring sustainability. [from author]

Clinical research activities have suggested that the current records of physicians registered to practice in Jamaica may not be accurate. Our objective was to determine whether the Medical Council of Jamaica (MCJ) accurately records and reports the identities, number and specialty designation of physicians in Jamaica. An additional aim was to determine the countries in which these physicians were trained. [from abstract]

The Capacity Project has been helping to strengthen human resources information systems (HRIS) in several African countries, and many of the systems are now able to produce useful reports about the health workforce. [from author]

To help build the health workforce in Uganda, the Capacity Project is assisting the Ministry of Health to strengthen its human resources management and ability to gather and use accurate data for strategic planning. Drawing on key policy questions developed by the Health Workforce Advisory Board, the Capacity Project installed a certification and licensing information system at the four health professional councils and a human resources management system at the Ministry of Health.