The Knowledge library

Knowledge Library

Evaluation of Spaced Education as a Learning Methodology for In-Service Training of Health Workers in Ethiopia

October 2013 by Kate Tulenko and Rebecca Bailey
Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal

Participation in in-service training can be a challenge for health workers, especially those stationed in remote areas. Spaced education is an innovative learning methodology that can be delivered electronically by Internet or mobile smartphone. CapacityPlus conducted a pilot study that followed a convenience sample of 37 Ethiopian nationals enrolled in a spaced education course over a six-month period to determine the acceptability and effectiveness of the methodology in a low-resource context. The course content was codeveloped by Ethiopian and international nutrition experts and focused on the recently revised Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health guidelines on the feeding of infants of HIV-positive mothers. The study suggests that the Internet-based spaced education methodology is acceptable and effective for the acquisition of knowledge in a low-resource context for course participants with a clinical or public health background and moderately reliable Internet access. More research is needed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the methodology among a wider population of health workers in developing countries, and particularly among government and volunteer health workers in rural and remote settings.

TAGS: Health Workers, In-Service Training, Spaced Education

Applying the HRH Action Framework to Develop Sustainable Excellence in the Health Supply Chain Workforce

October 2013 by Richard Seifman, Rebecca Bailey, and Erin Hasselberg
application/pdf iconCapacityPlus Technical Brief #12 (PDF)
CapacityPlus Technical Brief #12 (Interactive Version)

To ensure that medicines and other health commodities reach the people who need them and contribute to improved health, people in the supply chain management (SCM) field must understand and apply effective approaches for developing and managing supply chain workforces. At the same time, those in the human resources for health (HRH) arena must recognize the crucial role of SCM in health service delivery and ensure that HRH policies, strategies, and plans systematically incorporate the supply chain workforce. The objective of this technical brief is to create a bridge between the SCM and HRH communities by describing how the HRH Action Framework can be applied to strengthen the health supply chain workforce, drawing on lessons learned and successes from applications in the health sector.

TAGS: Health Workers, HRH Action Framework, Human Resources for Health, Supply Chain

Sélection d’outils de CapacityPlus en français à l’intention des effectifs sanitaires

October 2013 by CapacityPlus
application/pdf iconSélection d’outils de CapacityPlus en français à l’intention des effectifs sanitaires

CapacityPlus possède un large éventail d’outils disponibles en français. Un nouveau document en donne un aperçu en compilant les outils et les documents de références produits par CapacityPlus et destinés au personnel de santé avec de brèves descriptions et des liens permettant d’accéder aux versions en ligne.

TAGS: Health Workers, Human Resources for Health, Resources, Tools

Rural Health Worker Retention Tools

October 2013 by CapacityPlus
application/pdf iconRural Health Worker Retention Tools

Provides an overview of CapacityPlus’s tools for attracting and retaining health workers in rural and remote areas.

TAGS: DCE, Health Workers, iHRIS Retain, Rapid Retention Survey Toolkit, Retention

Applying Stakeholder Leadership Group Guidelines in Ghana: A Case Study

September 2013 by James McCaffery, Amanda Puckett, Kathy Alison, and Paul Marsden
application/pdf iconApplying Stakeholder Leadership Group Guidelines in Ghana

Like many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana faces health worker shortages, limiting the country’s likelihood of meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Working together with the stakeholders and partners that make up the Ghanaian health care system, CapacityPlus supported the revitalization of the Ghana Health Workforce Observatory to address key human resources for health issues. This case study discusses the steps taken to revitalize the observatory through the application of Guidelines for Forming and Sustaining Human Resources for Health Stakeholder Leadership Groups. Success factors that contributed to the Observatory’s revitalization are highlighted, along with challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations.

TAGS: Ghana, Health Workforce, Human Resources for Health, Leadership, Partnerships, Policy

Net Costs of Health Worker Rural Incentive Packages: An Example from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

September 2013 by Eric Keuffel, Wanda Jaskiewicz, Chanthakhath Pharm Paphassarang, and Kate Tulenko
Medical Care

Many developing countries are examining whether to institute incentive packages that increase the share of health workers who opt to locate in rural settings; however, uncertainty exists with respect to the expected net cost (or benefit) from these packages. CapacityPlus utilized findings from discrete choice experiment surveys applied to students training to be health professionals and costing analyses in Lao People’s Democratic Republic to model the anticipated effect of incentive packages on new worker location decisions and direct costs. In this example, incentive packages that do not invest in capital-intensive components generally should produce larger net benefits. Combining discrete choice experiment surveys, costing surveys, and cost-benefit analysis methods may be replicated by other developing countries to calculate whether health worker incentive packages are viable policy options.

TAGS: Discrete Choice Experiment, Health Workers, Lao PDR, Recruitment, Retention, Rural

“That’s Improvement!”: Uganda Focuses on Health Workers

September 2013 by Carol Bales and Sarah Dwyer
Uganda video and related stories

In this short video, meet three Ugandan health workers who love their jobs. Agnes, Habiba, and Alex find joy in serving their clients, but they face many challenges—and there are simply not enough health workers to meet the demand. To improve health services, Uganda is focusing on the people that provide quality care. These efforts are paying off and service delivery has improved. Other countries can access the tools and approaches that Uganda has successfully used. The related website section includes stories, photos, and links to resources.

TAGS: Advocacy, Health Workers, HR Information Systems, Human Resources for Health, Leadership, Management, Uganda, Video

“Everything Changed”: An HR Manager’s Path to Strengthening the Health System

August 2013 by Sarah Dwyer

CapacityPlus Voices #14

Effective management of a country’s health workforce is a vital component of a strong health system. Too often, though, human resources management is a weak link in the chain. To support the Dominican Republic Ministry of Health, CapacityPlus conducted a three-part program in leadership and management for central and regional HR managers. Participant Diana Santana shares her dramatic transformation. Read more »

TAGS: Dominican Republic, HR Management, Leadership, Management, Voices