Using the Data Demand, Quality, and Use Facilitated Group Self-Assessment Tool

Author(s): MEASURE Evaluation SIFSA

Year: 2015

Abstract:

The South African Department of Health (DoH) generates volumes of data from its routine health information system (RHIS). By June 2014, over one billion patient encounters were recorded in the national DoH electronic software application, DHIS (Schönfeldt, 2014). Data are collected monthly on about 150 indicators from about 4,000 health facilities nationwide, within 52 districts of the nine provinces. Despite the high volume of data collected by the DoH, a national audit of performance information reported that data are generally of low quality and there is little use of information (Department of Health, 2013). The DoH requested the MEASURE Evaluation–Strategic Information for South Africa (MEval-SIFSA) project’s support to enhance its capacity in strategic information, including data demand and use (DDU) and to understand the effects of capacity enhancement.

MEval-SIFSA developed the tool in order to monitor measurable changes in DDU improvement over time. The tool was adapted to the context of the DoH in order to measure the capacity of teams or programs at any level of the health care system. The tool draws on key concepts from the Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM)—a conceptual framework that recognises the broader context in which the RHIS operates—and published literature on good practice in data demand and use.