Saturday, 17 October 2020

Reassessment in provision of Health Libraries and Information Services among HIS students in Health Organizations-Tanzania, 2020.

Tanzania Health Information Science Association

Background

Health information science is a hybrid curriculum that encompasses multi discipline including Basic health sciences, Information & Communication Technologies (ICT), HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases, LIBRARY & information sciences, General health informatics concepts such as Research data and health records management. In 2017/2018 academic year HIS programme was started under Ministry of Health at CEDHA-TANZANIA. The program intends to train competent health information specialists with the skills to manage the changing landscape of Tanzanian and other developing nations health information needs.

Objective

To reassessment of the responsibilities, challenges, roles, workin places, working depertments and impact of health Information Sciences students during internship at Health Organizations in Tanzania

Methods

A reassessment was carried out using Online Training Evaluation Survey of Tanzania HIS Students, including Students from Mwanza College of Health and Centre for Educational and Development in Health Arusha - CEDHA, Health care providers. A focus group approach was used to gather data from students during Internship.

Results

Results from this reassessment revealed that Health Information Science Students in Tanzania are faced with the challenges of lack of health sciences libraries for training during field Practices, Outdated and insufficient resources at Health Organizations and low knowledge of trainers in Health information provision.

Conclusions

The findings obtained from this reassessment are Strong Services delivery in Medical Libraries through competent Clinical/ medical aweresnes of Health information Science students, sufficient services delivery of information in Health Libraries due to aweresnes of Information Technology, Data quality management through efficient data collection, analysis and interpretation and analytical skills, increased the quality of healthcare services delivery through Saving time and reduce the length of stay

Key Words

health information,

health information Science students,

health sciences libraries

Tanzania

Introduction

In 2017/2018 academic year HIS programme was started under Ministry of Health at CEDHA-TANZANIA

The program intends to train competent health information specialists with the skills to manage the changing landscape of Tanzanian and other developing nations health information needs.

The Health Information Science training programme was established to produce competent Health Information Science professional who possesses relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes in the design and management of health information systems in health training institutions and care settings. The programme will produce personnel who will discharge duties in information collection, processing, storage and dissemination of health information and other related in information

Methodology

The study was carried out using Online Training Evaluation Survey of Tanzania HIS Students, including Students from Mwanza College of Health and Centre for Educational and Development in Health Arusha - CEDHA, Health care providers. A focus group approach was used to gather data from students during Internship aimed to discuss the following objectives

R01: Responsibilities of Health Information Science Students during internship

R02: Working Places where Health information students attached during internship

R03:Working Department that Health Information Science students were attached

R04:Impacts of Health Information Science Students during internship

R05: The role of these Health Information Science students during internship were to

R06: Challeges faced HIS students during internship

Data Analysis.

The qualitative data gathered through focus groups discussion and Online Training Evaluation Surveys were initially analyzed by the HIS 6 Students and the note takers involved in conducting the focus group discussions. After completion of the focus group discussions, HIS 6 was able to compile the evidence into a online data matrix form and Google Analytics

The discussion using guiding questions (protocol) to gather in-depth information; the note takers recorded the matters arising from the discussion.

The entire data matrix is available as a PDF electronic file of supplemental mateRESULTS

RESULTS

A summary of findings with representative comments from HIS Students is organized around the six themes. The results offer a compelling snapshot of the health information students practices in field area

Theme 1. Responsibilities of Health Information Science Students during internship

Question: Mention responsibilities of Health Information Technician in Health Organizations?

HIS Students mentioned responsibilities such as

1. To assist in providing health information during surveillance and rapid response to public health threats

2. To Maintain health records in and health information resources centre

3. To support client’s health information needs on learning, teaching and research

4. To assist in maintaining Health Management Information System. For example DHIS 2, GoT-HoMIS

5. To promote conduct marketing of health information resources and services through e-networking market.

6. To provide health information literacy training to clients such as students, staffs, patients.

7. To design and manage database for health information services resources

8. To assist in planning, developing, maintaining and operate computerized health information resource center

9.To conduct and collect health information user’s statistics to get total number of patients admitted and discharged in health facilities.

10. To ensure proper arrangement of health data and information resources through filling, shelving, tracing by using file cabinet, shelves, computer

Theme 2. Working Places where Health information students attached during internship

Question: What do you know about the working place where Health information technician practices work?

All of the HIS Students from CEDHA and MWACHAS was responded such as

1. National Hospital (Muhimbili National Hospital)

2. Zonal Referral hospitals (Bugando Hospital)

3. Regional Referral hospitals (Mount Meru Hospital , Morogoro Hospital,

4. District hospitals ( Kasuru Hospital)

5. Health Centers (Levolosi Health Centre, Kaloleni health Centre)

6. Dispensaries (Agha khan Dispensary)

7. Academic, Library and Health research institutions (CEDHA, IAA Library, Nelson Mandela Library)

8. HIV/AIDS Department In Hospital Or Non Organization (EGPAF)

3. Working Department that Health Information Science students were attached

Question: What about the departments that health information Technician practices work?

All Students answered this Question effectively

1. Health Records Department/Unit/Section (Referral Hospital, Regional Hospitals, District Hospital, Health Centres and any other health Institutions)

2. Health information Resource Centre (Health Institutions - CEDHA, Nelson Mandela, IAA).

3. Health Management Information Systems Department/Unit at Regional and National level.

4. Medical library and health information resources centres

5. Health insurance organizations. For examples NHIF, NSSF, CHF

6. Medical research department (Ifakara Health Institute).

7. HIV/AIDS Department as Data clerks

8. Non-government organization and government organization ( EGPAF - Arusha branch)

4. Impacts of Health Information Science Students during internship

1. Increased the quality of healthcare services delivery through Saving time and reduce the length of stay

2. Increase Saving time and reduce the length of stay

3. Data quality management through efficient data collection, analysis and interpretation and analytical skills

4. Production of competent human resource for health through sharing health information skills such as employee relation, teamwork and collaboration

5. Reduction of HIV/AIDS infections through the power of relevant health-related information

6. Reduction of Support in inaccuracies inhealth data collection, analysis during -related research through competent Health information skills using SPSS, EPI infoand innovation

7. Reduction of operational cost such Medical errors in billing, registration, coding systems through monitor vulnerable population

5. The role of these Health Information Science students during internship were to

1. Provide evidence based medicine resources to clinicians

2. assist medical and nursing students

3. Provide appropriate information resources to patients, families, and public

4. Assist in the organization of medical records

5. facilitate the transition to electronic systems for medical records management

6. Management of health information systems and databases

Friday, 31 July 2020

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTH INFORMATION SCIENCE

Health information science is a hybrid curriculum that encompasses multi discipline including

Basic health sciences,

Information & Communication Technologies (ICT),

HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases

LIBRARY & information sciences

General health informatics concepts such as Research data and health records management

In 2017/2018 academic year HIS programme was started under Ministry of Health at CEDHA-TANZANIA

The program intends to train competent health information specialists with the skills to manage the changing landscape of Tanzanian and other developing nations health information needs.

AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME

Purpose of the Programme

This level is meant to provide basic health information science knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes to students. All modules are fundamental and are intended to build students’ knowledge and skills necessary for acquiring competences for management of Health Information Science;

instil motivation for life-long learning and good foundation for professional advancement studies in Health Information Science

Program Intend to

1.Establish a foundation in professional practice and career advancement in HIS field

2.Equip students with the appropriate basic knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to HIS practice

3.Equip students with high level of skills, knowledge and understanding to undertake health information science responsibilities.

4.Promote creativity and innovation in response to challenges associated with health information management practice, training and healthcare delivery

5.Promote teamwork culture, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in HIS

6.Promote a good sense of citizenship, accountability and responsibility

7.Promote professional ethical practice and medico-legal aspects of health records and information science

8.Provide life-long learning behavior for HIS personnel and advancement of the profession

9.Provide a wider outlook of the learning content and context so as to increase learners’ advantages into regional and international labour markets.

Expected responsibilities