Experiences and Perceptions of Health Staff on Applying Information Technology for Health Data Management in Ghana

Author(s): Emmanuel Edum-Fotwe, Mercy Abbey, Ivy Osei, Abraham Hodgson

Year: 2019

Abstract:

User perspectives and experiences are pertinent to the continued use of mobile technologies for health data collection and management. What users experience affects not only what can be accomplished, but also what attracts them to the mobile technology; and what attracts them to the mobile technology affects how willing they are to understand and continue using it. Since 2011, Ghana Health Service—in response to the expanding health information needs for the effective and efficient management of family planning and reproductive and child health service delivery at the district level—has implemented two forms of mobile technology to facilitate health data collection and management in four districts of the Central Region of Ghana. These mobile technologies have been praised for reducing costs and the physical effort required of health staff. The main study objective was to explore and document the experiences and perspectives of health staff and managers in the four districts on use of mobile technology to collect and manage health data in district health systems.