How can HRIS strengthening improve training programs for health workers?

IntraHealth President Pape Gaye and Assistant Director of Communications David Nelson have published a commentary in Human Resources for Health: "Effective scale-up: avoiding the same old traps". In it, they discuss common pitfalls experienced in implementing training programs for health workers. HRIS strengthening is addressed as an activity that can actually impact and improve training programs.

An electronic HRIS can answer questions such as whether health workers are employed in facilities or jobs that match their training and whether they are receiving appropriate in-service training. Our iHRIS Manage system allows HR managers to track in-service training programs and assess competencies that employees earn from trainings. Our iHRIS Qualify system enables professional associations and licensing boards to assess whether health workers have achieved continuing education requirements. And the iHRIS Plan software can assess the costs of training programs and the impacts of pre-service training on the available health workforce.

The paper points out that these "Open Source solutions offer great promise for decreasing implementation and ongoing maintenance of these systems...". With the global shortage of health workers, new approaches and tools to training are required. HRIS strengthening is an important part of that toolbox.

Read the full article in Human Resources for Health.