Modernizing Data Collection to Improve Health Care in Sheki
Dr. Qinyaz Mammadov is the Chief of the Statistical Department at Azerbaijan’s Sheki Central District Hospital, a medical institution that coordinates the work of 66 medical facilities in the surrounding region. Yet just a few months ago, Mammadov lacked a full understanding of the role his department played in improving and managing health care in his district.
Because the health information system is poorly organized and ill-equipped at the district level, it is difficult for statisticians to collect accurate and timely information. Although Sheki, with a population of 160,000, is one of the main districts within Azerbaijan, the Central District Hospital’s statistical department has not been provided with even a single computer.
“For years, we have not been able to submit a proper data report to the Ministry of Health,” -says Mammadov. “It may sound funny, but we could not even get accurate information about the situation in the district itself.”
Recognizing the importance of this issue, the USAID Primary Health Care Strengthening (PHCS) Project partnered with the Ministry of Health and World Bank Health Sector Reform Project for the introduction of a new hospital information system that will, within the next few years, link community and regional health care facilities across the district and provide healthcare workers with access to the most up-to-date patient information more quickly than ever before. It will also allow district authorities to make informed decisions for improving health care management and to monitor providers’ performance.
During spring 2007, the PHCS Project has been conducting a comprehensive training course on “Improving Health Information Systems” in the three main districts of Azerbaijan: Ismayilli, Sheki and Gakh.
 |
| Empowered by the Project, personnel of statistical departments at district hospitals are ready to improve delivery of health care in their region |
Most healthcare professionals would agree that being able to share detailed, up-to-date patient information is vital to the delivery of quality healthcare services. Mammadov, among 104 health care professionals trained on the new information system, believes that the training has empowered statistical department staff to improve existing health care services. He credits the Project with completely changing his vision of health care. “I have not received such a comprehensive and professional training for years,” he says. “Thanks to this Project, now I am more prepared to better organize the work of the statistical department, which will improve the entire health care system in Sheki.”
While the Ministry of Health has developed special software for the health information system in Azerbaijan, it still could not be applied at the district level because of the low computer literacy among health care providers and the lack of computers at hospitals.
To address this issue, the Project provided computers to statistical departments of hospitals in all three districts. In addition, statistical department staff was trained how to use the new software.
“Now the documentation is stored in a solid database,” says Mammadov. “The modern forms allow separation of data due to social and age groups. The previous forms did not always present accurate information, but with the help of codification and this new computer system, we can easily prepare accurate statistical reports.”
Through the Project, a sophisticated hospital information system has now been implemented in three district hospitals. According to the Ministry of Health, all district hospitals will introduce the new information system in the coming years. Patients, health professionals, administrators, as well as the public, will all benefit from the Azerbaijan Hospital Information System.
“We are thankful to the PHCS Project for empowering us in the use of the information system,” says Mammadov. “We are proud that it is being piloted in our district with our input.”
Back to Top ^ |
