Presentation: Benefits of iHRIS

Objective

Present the problems to be solved and the benefits of using iHRIS to stakeholders.

Use the presentation to make the case for iHRIS to stakeholders. Include examples that are relevant to your context, such as ways that similar countries or organizations are using iHRIS to address HRH challenges. The goal is to get consensus from the leaders on the outcomes they expect from the implementation.

Advocating for iHRIS

A project manager is also an advocate for the project. As a first step for implementing iHRIS, make a clear case to all stakeholders for the need for iHRIS and the improvements it will bring. A business case statement reinforces these benefits by linking iHRIS’s capabilities to specific problems to be solved. Defining the project’s desired outcomes at this phase moves it from the abstract to the possible.

Here are some key points to make when promoting the benefits of iHRIS:

• Reliable, accurate, updated health worker information is necessary for planning and setting policy. Unless it is computerized, this information cannot be easily accessed or analyzed.
• iHRIS is open source software, which reduces costs and ensures local ownership of the system, since it can be freely downloaded and modified.
• iHRIS includes three separate applications that meet different needs: iHRIS Manage, iHRIS Qualify, and iHRIS Train. (Refer to the implementation scope that you defined in Before You Begin.)

Demonstrating existing systems will help those who are new to information systems visualize the final product. For example, use of iHRIS Qualify in Uganda was facilitated by a study trip to the Kenya Nursing Association to see it in operation. Similarly, the West Africa Health Organization first learned about iHRIS Qualify from a video of its impact at the Nursing Council of Uganda.

You may also want to list specific benefits of implementing iHRIS for different stakeholder groups. Here are some examples of these benefits:

• More accurate understanding of workforce
  • Better measure of impact
  • Improved license monitoring
  • Eliminate redundant trainings
  • Accurate retirement projections to fill gaps
  • Improved health system support
  • Easier identification of quacks
  • Greater accountability
  • Eliminate ghost workers
• More informed workforce planning
  • Improved financial and services planning
  • Improved projections
  • Better match of educational programs with country needs
  • Improved deployment
  • Establishment of and adherence to staffing norms
  • Greater services coverage
  • Improved understanding of needs
  • Improved budgeting and projections
• Better HR policy and governance
  • Policy control
  • Greater registration and licensure compliance
  • Education standards
  • Clearer and more consistent performance and compensation management
  • Better workload balance
  • Better monitoring and evaluation
  • Tighter cost controls
• Greater process efficiencies
  • Reduced costs
  • Reduced time for registration and licensure processing
  • More effective trainings
  • Shorter recruitment and deployment times
  • Faster hiring and promotion times
  • Faster, more complete services
  • Lower cost of interventions
  • More effective use of resources

Refer back to the Introduction of this Toolkit, Before You Begin, for iHRIS handouts that can help when making the case for the implementation.