Education and Training

Health informatics is of growing importance in efforts to improve health outcomes across the globe, involving many components of health systems. It is primarily concerned with the process of making health-related data accessible and useful for evidence-based decision-making. To take advantage of the potential advantages offered by health informatics, health workers must be able to access relevant data and be comfortable with its application. Therefore, preservice education and in-service training in information technology should be part of the national investment in health systems. This technical brief introduces the concept of health informatics and describes the considerations to be kept in mind when designing education and training programs for health informatics.

Nigeria’s Primary Health Care Training Institutions: Challenges and Progress

Nigeria is one of 57 countries defined by the World Health Organization as having a critical shortage of health workers. CapacityPlus undertook an assessment of Nigerian midwifery, health technology, and nursing schools to better understand the progress and challenges in producing greater numbers of competent and qualified health providers. Nineteen schools were assessed through focus group interviews and on-site evaluations. Presented at the 9th Annual Physician Workforce Research Conference in Alexandria, VA on May 2-3, 2013, this poster depicts the challenges that health care training institutions face in Nigeria, along with recommendations to overcome these challenges.

Innovative Financing for Preservice Education Overview

A brief summary of some innovative forms of financing for health professional schools to consider. The full version is available as CapacityPlus Technical Brief #8.