Information Technologies

With external assistance, developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa are beginning to establish better human resources information systems (HRIS) as part of a comprehensive and integrated response to some of the fundamental challenges posed by the health crisis. While this is a positive development, it is equally important to begin thinking about simple, practical approaches for supporting HR planners and senior decision-makers to be effective leaders and managers of HR data. [from author]

This brief will discuss the concepts of data quality and provide examples of the importance of data management specific to the field of HRH, illustrated by the Capacity Project’s experience with HRIS strengthening in developing countries. [from introduction]

Telemedicine is viewed as a new way of offering medical services. It is seen as a means of overcoming the growing shortage of health practitioners in developing countries. The aim of this paper is to highlight the need for the formulation of guidelines for the ethical practice of telemedicine in South Africa. [from abstract]

In order to gain an understanding of the total health workforce in Swaziland, The Capacity Project worked with senior leaders of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop a program to strengthen the country’s human resources information systems. [from author]

This article focuses on the field of telemedicine in developing countries and its role in improving health, using examples from the experience of the International Development Resource Centre. [adapted from publisher]

This brief describes the Capacity Project’s work with health workforce planning using HRIS in Rwanda.

This edition focuses on the role of the private sector, a part of the health system that has not previously been accorded extensive coverage in the SAHR. The contrast between the public and private sectors remains stark in many facets and the deepening inequity is cause for profound concern. The significance of the private sector cannot be underestimated both with regard to its potential contribution to the health and well-being of this country’s people, as well as its role in drawing resources (financial and human) from the public sector.

These open source software solutions each address a specific human resources for health (HRH) leadership issue: iHRIS Qualify - a training, certification and licensure tracking database; iHRIS Manage - a human resources management system; iHRIS Plan - workforce planning and modeling software; and iHRIS Retain - costing healthworker retention strategies software. [publisher’s description]

The objective [of this report is] to describe the development, initial findings, and implications of a national nursing workforce database system in Kenya. [from abstract]

Uganda has been successful in implementing the national “Health Management Information System” (HMIS). Disease surveillance reports and monitoring of key output indicators within the health sector seem to be the areas with the most remarkable advance. But little mention has been made on the importance of the use of information for monitoring performance indicators and for management/decision making purposes. The existing HMIS makes this possible.

A goal of the health management information system (HMIS) is to provide reliable, comprehensive information about the health system to health managers, to enable them take decisions that will improve the services provided to the consumers. This study assessed the utilisation of HMIS data for decision making at the grassroots level in Bufumbira East Health Sub-District (HSD) of Kisoro District. [from abstract]

This presentation was given as part of the Christian Health Association’s Conference: CHAs at a Crossroad Towards Achieving Health Millennium Development Goals. It introduces geographic information systems (GIS), human resource information systems (HRIS) and the Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC). It outlines the progress made in creating the systems, the benefits and reasons to have GIS and HRIS and presents the preliminary results in terms of health infrastructure, human resources and programs and interventions.

To help build the health workforce, the Capacity Project assisted Uganda’s Ministry of Health to craft and implement a comprehensive agenda for human resources for health… Improved human resources information systems (HRIS) will help the Ministry to plan for recruitment, training and retention of health professionals. [from author]

There are few cost-minimisation studies in telemedicine. We have compared the actual costs of providing the telepaediatric service to the potential costs if patients had travelled to see the specialist in person. In November 2000, we established a novel telepaediatric service for selected regional hospitals in Queensland. Instead of transferring patients to Brisbane, the majority of referrals to specialists in Brisbane have been dealt with via videoconference.

South African citizens have experienced many inequalities and these have extended to the health care setting. one of the major challenges that needs to be addressed is the accessibility and availability of health care and specialized medical services in rural areas in South Africa. Telemedicine is a potential solution to address some of the challenges within health care in a developing country like South Africa. This article looks at the experiences of developing and implementing a telemedicine solution. [abstract]

The availability of medical human resource supply is a growing concern for rural and remote communities in many countries. In the last decade, various telehealth experiences in Canada have highlighted the potential impact of this technology on professional practice. The purpose of this study was to explore physicians’ and managers’ perceptions regarding the potential of telehealth to support recruitment and retention of physicians in remote and rural regions. [abstract]

This review of the South African Health Information System (HIS) maps essential health-related information, discusses the District Health Information System, details the current status of the HIS and the challenges the HIS faces.

This Manual is designed to be a quick-and-easy, user-friendly reference for the development of health management information systems (HMIS), with the focus on applications. It serves as a primer on HMIS development and provides a general overview of the basic principles, as well as the fundamental steps and issues involved in the different activities to be undertaken. It aims simply to provide the basic elements on HMIS development for people who do not have the time or the need to read deeply on the subject.

Public health decision-making is critically dependent on the timely availability of sound data. The role of health information systems is to generate, analyse and disseminate such data. In practice, health information systems rarely function systematically. This article discusses some of the historical problems inherent in these systems and describes the Health Metrics Network, a global collaboration intended to help bring solutions to the countries most in need. [adapted from abstract]

In Albania, the PHRplus Project developed and tested a series of tools designed to introduce family medicine concepts and strengthen primary health care (PHC) services. PHC facility managers will find the toolkits useful reference materials when developing strategies and tools to improve quality of care and monitor and evaluate PHC strengthening efforts. This series comprises three toolkits: PHC Service Delivery Toolkit; PHC Quality Improvement (QI) Toolkit; and PHC Health Information Systems (HIS) Toolkit. [from abstract]

This report was developed to outline broad strategy, create a common vision for developing a new core health information system, and describe specific technical development tasks in detail. The new information system must be designed from the top down based on information demand. This should focus development on clear data collection and processing priorities, eliminate collection of unused data, and produce an efficient and relevant system.

In Egypt there is increasingly strong political support for health sector reform including a widespread recognition that a working information system is necessary to undertake and monitor this reform. This paper assesses the role of USAID technical support to help build health management information systems in Egypt.

This document was presented at the ECSA Workforce Observatory Meeting in Arusha and describes an initiative in Malawi to provide regularly updated HRH information through an HRIS system including the current problems with collecting data, the steps to create the initiative and the indicators they will need.

This paper reports on research investigating the health management information system (HMIS) implementation process in Uganda, utilizing the diffusion of innovation and dynamic equilibrium organizational change models.

The aim of this interventional study was to assess, document and improve the Patient-held Record System in the Emtshezi Subdistrict. The study began in 1998 and was conducted using a Quality Assurance Cycle, which focuses on systems and processes and encourages a team approach to problem solving and quality improvement. [from abstract]

The Health Management Information System (HMIS) in Kwale District, Coast Province is Kenya’s first computerised district-level HMIS. A joint effort of the Ministry of Health and the Community Health Department of the Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya, the system uses simple, user-friendly software developed by Data Dynamics Limited to collect and analyse data from local health facilities.

This report reviews the implementation of a Health Management Information System (HMIS) in Tanzania to determine its success, identify issues and constraints, asses key issues, and identify additional capacity requirements.

This tool permits countries to compare performance with objective standards for health information and provides the basis for evaluation of country health information systems. The tool consists of a standardized questionnaire through which the current status of the health information system is evaluated against specific criteria. The tool provides both a baseline asssesment, diagnosis of critical gaps in health information results, processes, context and resources; and also serves as an ongoing monitoring tool to gauge performance and achievements. [author’s description]

This document focuses on the rationale, approaches and vision required for strengthening health information systems, the components and standards of a health information system, and the guiding principles for health information system development along with practical steps for implementation. [adapted from author]

This document discusses: definitions of a health information system (HIS); the main actors in HIS; tools and methods used by HIS; experiences in national HIS; and reforming national HIS.