Abstract:
Routine Health Information is faced with huge challenges which reduce its decision making and planning yields.
The objective of the study was 1) to undertake competency gap analysis of health staff’s performance in routine
health information tasks, 2) implement quality improvement process training module, 3) to measure the
improvement in the competency level of health staff in performing RHIS tasks after application of Quality
Improvement Process principles. A quasi-experimental, uncontrolled before and after study was conducted in 18
health facilities in the Ejisu Juaben Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana. The study involved assessment of
competency level and training of 141 staff using Data Quality Improvement Process (DQIP) training module over a
twelve-month period. RHIS task competence was measured by a pencil and paper test that measured the ability of
respondents to perform calculations, and to interpret and use RHIS results, based on the same indicators as used
dimension of confidence level. The study found huge competency gaps among staff amidst high confidence in
undertaking RHIS tasks while their performance of these tasks scored objectively, yielded low average scores of
improvements in competency gaps; data analysis (-36.9%: +3.6%), data interpretation (-42.2%: +9.8%) and use of
data (-44.6%: +2.6%) in the baseline and endline evaluations respectively. The study concludes that Quality
Improvement Process (QIP) centred training drives the effectiveness of staff competency in performing RHIS tasks,
but not necessarily their confidence level.
