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Health Information Management

Introduction

The thrust of the Medium Term Health Strategy is on quality care and efficiency. In addition, the decentralization of the Ministries, Departments, and agencies as well as local governance, requires that decision –making takes place at all level of the sectors. Managers, therefore, require adequate information for making informed decisions. This means that relevant data must be collected, analyzed and used at these levels. This expectation poses a challenge to data managers and medical record officers especially in the health sector at the district level.

The task of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data for decision-making falls in the domain of biostatistics staff at the various health facilities and units of the Ministry of Health. The current training of the existing staff is too basic in content focusing mainly on aspects of medical records keeping. This limitation does not enable the collection, analysis and interpretation of data in the broad context of health service delivery and management

Microcomputers are being introduced into the Health and other Sectors at various levels and are now being seen as essential tools for effective work performance. However, the impact of the technology in the Ministries and Departments is yet to be harnessed. Despite the increasing number of computers in the sectors, there has been very little impact on the quality of information generated. This is mainly because the staff lacks the skills and confidence to exploit the new technology, to analyse and solve information problems. This can only be achieved if key personnel are trained in the latest techniques to enable them to exploit the full potentials of the technology.

To meet the requirements of contemporary management environment, there is the need for improvement in capacity building towards health management information system, data collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination, decision-making and action, storage and retrieval of information.

Entry Requirements

Applicant must have Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) with aggregate score of Twenty-Four (24) or better in six (6) subjects, comprising three (3) core and three (3) elective subjects. The applicant must have Credits (A- D) in three (3) Core Subjects i.e. English, Mathematics and Integrated Science and Credits (A – D) in three (3) Elective Subjects.

Applicant must have West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) with an aggregate score of thirty-six (36) or better in six (6) subjects, comprising three (3) core and three (3) elective subjects. The applicant must have Credits (A1 – C6) in three (3) Core Subjects i.e. English, Mathematics and Integrated Science and Credits (A1 – C6) in three (3) Elective Subjects.

Holders of Diploma Certificate in Health Information Management and related fields shall enter at level 300.

Mature applicants must be at least 25years at the time of admission and must possess either five credits at GCE O-Level including English language and Mathematics or WASSCE/SSCE with credits in three core subjects (English, Mathematics and Integrated science) plus three electives in the following areas: General Arts, Agricultural Science and Home Economics and General Science.

Foreign students may be considered for admission if they hold qualification equivalent to those stated above, provided they are proficient in English Language, Equivalent qualifications include: Ordinary / Advance Levels and High School Diploma as will be determined by the National Accreditation Board of Ghana

Rationale for the Programme

The rationale for the programme is to train skilled personnel who would be capable of managing data at all levels where data is generated.

Aims and Objectives

To train personnel to manage data and its related functions in Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs

The specific objectives of the program are to train students to:

  • Design and implement systems for managing computer and paper based health records.
  • Identify information needs of an organisation and understand the complexities in the design and implementation of health information systems.
  • Describe the various types of information system applications in health service provision and management.
  • Understand the use of enabling information technologies in strategic management, financial management, clinical outcomes management and public health/population management, insurance and related services management, e-banking among others.
  • Understand and evaluate the evolution of information technology and its uses in health service management.
  • Classify and code diseases and diagnostic procedures using international standards and procedures.
  • Understand the operations of the national health insurance scheme and related issues in claims management.
  • Discuss the legal and ethical issues related to data management and the use of information technology in healthcare management, clinical practice, finance and banking, research and industry.
  • Discuss the privacy, confidentiality and security issues related to data management systems.
  • Explore emerging technologies and their use in healthcare such as electronic health records, telemedicine, diagnostic imaging, e-banking, internet connectivity, etc.
  • Conduct qualitative and quantitative research in relation to healthcare management, clinical practice, finance and banking and evaluate such programmes.

Philosophy

The Diploma Health Information Management programme is designed to produce graduates who can provide technical support to national, regional, district and sub-district teams in the area of information management.

Grading System

The college uses letter grades and corresponding numerical weightings to show the quality of performance. The raw scores (combination of continuous assessment and end of semester examinations) are converted according to the KNUST CWA system:

EXAMINATION SCORE GRADE REMARKS
70%-100% A Excellent
60%-69% B Very Good
55%-59% C Good
50%-54% D Satisfactory
0-49% F Fail

Pass Mark

The minimum mark to obtain a pass in a course is 50%

DEGREE CLASSIFICATION

Undergraduate degrees are classified according to the candidate’s Cumulative Weight Average (CWA). The degree classifications are as follows

CLASS DESIGNATION CWA
FIRST CLASS 70.00 – 100
SECOND CLASS (UPPER DIVISION) 60.00 – 69.99
SECOND CLASS (LOWER DIVISION) 55.00 – 59.99
PASS 50.00 – 54.99
FAIL 0.00 – 49.99

Requirements for Graduation

For the award of the B.Sc. Health Information Management Degree, the candidate must pass all prescribed courses and obtain a minimum of 151 credits for direct entry.

Employment Prospects

The B.Sc. Health Information Management Degree holders have the opportunity of being employed by the Ministry of Health in Ghana, the Ghana Health Service, and other international and multinational bodies such as: WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and other NGOs to analyse and interpret health care information to improve decision making and health outcomes.