Bringing Change by Measuring Impact

Health Information Management and Applied Epidemiology for Health Care Workers in South Africa

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Course Overview

Purpose

The purpose of the training is to equip you with knowledge and skills in using data to improve health services. The course will build your understanding of the meaning of data, the importance of data quality, and how to analyse and use data for quality improvement. In understanding all aspects of data, you’ll be in a better position to use data and information to enhance your work with the health system. This will support overall programme improvement.

Description

This distance learning course is available in two comparable formats: paper-based workbook and elearning. The course is comprised of 10 modules, with a certificate of completion available for each module as well as for the overall course. The modules include multiple parts, which have interactive and practical learning exercises, realistic vignettes, case studies, and quizzes for self-assessment. Each module also has a pre- and post-test. The proposed overall contact time for this course is 60 hours.

Intended Audience

The intended audience includes health sector personnel based within local health facilities (such as Primary Health Care, Community Health Care), District Hospitals, District and Provincial Health Departments, and non-governmental organisations. The course is suitable for any cadre that would like to improve their understanding and use of data within their various systems.

This course is targeted to:

  • Deputy Directors for health programmes
  • Programme Coordinators
  • Facility Operational Managers
  • Doctors
  • Professional Nurses (with experience or entering the workforce)
  • Social Workers
  • Environmental Health Practitioners
  • Ward Based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams (WBPHCOTs)

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible participants should have at least one or more of the following qualifications and experience within the following fields in relation to health service provision and programme management:

  • A diploma or degree in a health related field such as Public Health, Nursing, Social sciences, Health Policy, Environmental Health
  • Experience providing or supporting health service delivery in health facilities
  • Experience planning and managing health programmes within the public health sector
  • Experience with programme monitoring and evaluation
  • Knowledge of programme indicators and reporting requirements

Structure

Depending on your preference and available resources, you may take this course from the paper-based workbook or by the elearning modality. Both of these modes teach the same information, but in different ways. This is the e-learning version. Each module is made up of narrated self-paced segments, or parts. There are interactive exercises in each part. This orientation will teach you how to navigate the segments.

Click to open the orientation module.   Click here to start the orientation module

Self-Study Modality

This course is entirely distance based. There are no in-person activities. You’ll be in charge of understanding and applying this course in your role as a healthcare provider. By reading or listening to all the materials, thinking about the self-reflection questions, answering the quiz questions, and doing all the exercises, you’ll be able to pass the post-tests at the end of each module. If you don’t complete the work, then you won’t learn the information very well and may have difficulty passing the post tests and understanding the concepts in the next module (and, more importantly, you won’t learn information critical to improve your ability to perform your role as a healthcare provider).

Self-study requires motivation and discipline, but allows you to learn when and where it’s convenient for you.

Good luck!

Requirements

To complete the modules, you will need:

  • Workbooks for each of the 10 modules
  • Answer keys for each of the 10 modules
  • Access to a computer with Microsoft Excel or comparable spreadsheet software (e.g., Google sheets, Open Office) and Microsoft PowerPoint, for use in practical exercises.
  • Access to the Internet to register for the course via the XX website to login to submit pre- and post-tests for each module.
  • Access to email to register for the course and to receive regular reminder messages and other notifications related to the course. Any certificates of completion for modules in the course will be returned to you via email.

Expectations

Each module in the course will take about 4-6 hours to complete. This includes time for you to review the course material, complete the practice exercises, and take the pre- and post-tests to assess your knowledge and skills. You are welcome and encouraged to go at your own pace.

At the end of each module, if you submit a post-test with a passing score, you will receive a certificate of completion for that module.

This course is designed so that a module can be finished in one week, for a total of 10 weeks to complete the entire course. Some learners, however, may require more time. You have up to 180 days (6 months) to complete the entire course.

Objectives (goes in objectives box)

Once you have completed all 10 modules in this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the importance of data, measurement, and performance in public health and apply that knowledge to your jobs
  • Perform basic numeracy and data analysis functions including measurements, using Excel, and creating charts and graphs to appropriately and effectively display data
  • Explain how to use South African data collection and reporting systems to gather data and indicators to improve the quality of care in health settings
  • Describe how data systems work and the role of facility personnel in using these systems
  • Explain concepts of applied epidemiology, and how data use and local decisions that are evidence based can really serve to inform health workers to improve health facilities and systems
  • Outline how to evaluate data, conduct analyses, interpret results, and draw and present conclusions and recommendations for improvements in health care and public health services based on real-life case examples

Acknowledgements

This course was developed by I-TECH South Africa (International Training and Education Center for Health South Africa) at the request of the Department of Health of South Africa. Contributors to the course materials include:

  • National Department of Health
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)
  • The University of Witwatersrand (Wits)
  • University of Kwazulu Natal (UKZN)

University of Washington Contributors:

  • Nancy Puttkammer, MPH, PhD Research and Evaluation Advisor
  • Deb M. Winters, APRN-BC, AACRN, Clinical Advisor
  • MaryLou Thompson, PhD, Research Professor, Biostatistics
  • Leslie Wall, Senior E-learning Developer
  • Julie Stein, Training Development Specialist
  • Lisa A. Querido, Technical Officer
  • Molly Lauria, Graduate Student
  • Anne Njoroge, Doctoral Student
  • Tracy Sandifer, Doctoral Candidate

I-TECH Contributors:

  • Evasen Naidoo, Director of Strategic Information
  • Ncazelo Mlilo, Assistant Director of Strategic Information
  • Matilda Monageng, Senior Program Manager
  • Lebogang Ntswane, Program Manager
  • Simamkele Bokolo, Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant

NICD - National Institute of Communicable Diseases Contributors:

  • Dr Natalie Mayet, Co-Director SA Regional Global Disease Detection Centre
  • Dr Carl Reddy, Director SA Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP)
  • Dr Lazarus Kuonza, Senior Medical Epidemiologist

Wits – University of Wits Watersrand Contributors:

  • Dr Richard Cooke, Director, Family Medicine

UKZN - University of Kwazulu Natal Contributors:

  • Dr Mayra Taylor, Professor, Public Health Medicine
  • Dr Glenda Matthews, Associate Professor, Statistics