Assignment 2 – Essay- the capacity of health information to inform decision-making and to improve service delivery
Assessment name: Essay
Your task is: This research-based assignment is designed to expand the student’s knowledge about the capacity of health information to inform decision-making and to improve service delivery.
As a consultant in the health sector you have already undertaken an assessment of Australia’s health information system (i.e. Assessment 1). You have been asked to develop a strategic plan for improvement of Australia’s health information system, based on the assessment.
Your task(as an individual):
- Using the assessment that was undertaken briefly describe the key areas for improvement.
- Prioritise the key areas for improvement. Support your prioritisation with relevant references.
- Identify strategies for improvement.
- Identify agencies/groups/committees that will need to take on the responsibility for the improvements.
- Establish a broad timeline for the areas for improvement.
Support your priorities, strategies and responsibilities with relevant references.
Length: • Business report format 3000 words maximum length – use of headings and subheadings to structure the paper.
- A completed Attachment A included as an attachment.
- Proper and consistent academic referencing convention both within the text of the assignment and a compiled list of references at the end of the paper must be provided.
PUN212: Assessment Item 2: Criteria Marking Sheet
Students Name:
Description 7 6 5 4 3 2-1
Critical Evaluation and Relevance of Discussion
Knowledge and critique based on important ideas, theoretical concepts and research findings.
Cohesive and quality analysis and discussion.
Evidence of insightful and critical understanding of issues. Critical evaluation is informed by the literature and the case study description. Demonstrates well developed understanding of the topic and coherent development of ideas discussed to appropriate depth. Evidence of a good understanding of the issues. Offers perceptive opinion informed by the literature and case study description.
Demonstrates good understanding of the topic and development of major ideas that are discussed to an adequate depth. Evidence of a sound understanding of the issues. Offers opinion informed by the literature and case study description.
Demonstrates an understanding of the topic and consistently develops the major ideas. The discussion has depth in parts. Evidence of a satisfactory understanding of the issues. Offers opinion on some of the issues.
Demonstrates an understanding of the topic. In parts, the discussion needs to be in more depth. Limited understanding or consideration of the issues. Describes rather than evaluates.
Provided some reference to the topic and had some ideas about it.
Discussion lacks clarity and depth. Has not demonstrated understanding or consideration of the issues. Has not demonstrated an understanding of the topic.
Organisation, Structure and Written Presentation
Clear, logical and evident structure to the organisation and presentation of the discussion in the paper.
Demonstrates acceptable standards of written work
The paper is well organised with a logical, clear and evident business report structure.
Carefully edited with no errors. Accurate referencing.
Appropriate length. The paper is appropriately organised with a logical business report structure.
Carefully edited with few errors. Appropriate referencing and length The paper shows evidence of acceptable organisation and logical business report structure.
Well edited but with some errors that may hinder readability.
Appropriate referencing and length. The paper has a satisfactory business report structure with mostly logical presentation.
Satisfactory editing, but a few errors that hinder readability.
Appropriate referencing and length. The paper is poorly organised and lacks clear structure.
Errors that hinder readability. Referencing incomplete, or inappropriate.
Length -too long or too short. The paper is disorganised with no clear structure. Multiple errors hindering readability. Referencing incomplete and/or inappropriate.
Length -too long or too short
Use of Literature
Quality of and use of supporting literature and references
Excellent use of a wide variety of academically appropriate literature. References used an integrated manner that substantiates the assertions. Very good use of academically appropriate literature.
References used appropriately to support assertions. Good use of literature to support discussion and assertions. Adequate use of literature to support some of the discussion and assertions. Limited use of literature to support discussion and assertions. Poor or no use of literature to support discussion and assertions.
Total Comments:
Semester Weighting (50%) /50
Marker:
Date:
ATTACHMENT A – HIS RAPID ASSESSMENT TOOL
Number Criteria for Success Present* Functioning* Adequate* Sustainable* Reference(s) in support of claim
HIS RESOURCES
Coordination, Planning and Policies
1 Is there a national cross-sectoral HIS committee?
2 Is there a written national HIS policy?
3 Is there HIS related legislation to measure:
Vital Statistics
Service Delivery
Notifiable Disease Reporting
4
5
6
Financial and Human Resources
7 Are there human resources uniquely identified as HIS?
8 Are there clear lines of responsible for HIS?
9 Is there an allocated budget line within the MOH for HIS activities?
Infrastructure
10 Is there sufficient hardware available for HIS use?
11 Is there sufficient software available for HIS use?
12 Is there sufficient networking infrastructure to support HIS use?
INDICATORS
13 Are there national core indicators to measure:
Health determinants
Health system inputs and outputs
Health outcomes and status
14
15
16
17 Is there a national strategy for collection of health indicators?
DATA SOURCES
Population Based
18 Is there a complete population census undertaken at least every 10 years?
19 Is there a Civil Registration process in place for all births and deaths?
20 Are periodic surveys undertaken to capture information for key health issues?
Institution Based
21 Are individual health records maintained for recording the ongoing treatment of patients?
22 Are there appropriate health service records collected?
23 Are there appropriate resource records collected, including finance and human resources?
DATA MANAGEMENT
Data Storage, Management and Transmission
24 Are there written procedures for data storage, including security and destruction?
25 Is there a centralised database or data warehouse that combines all health data collections?
26 Are there defined, locally appropriate mechanisms in place for data transmission?
INFORMATION PRODUCTS
27 Are staff appropriately skilled to transform data into information?
– At national level
– At divisional/provincial/local level
28
29
30 Are there tools and procedures available to assess the quality of data?
31 Is there a set of national health data standards and definitions that are used across all health data collections?
DISSEMINATION AND USE
Demand, Analysis, Policy and Advocacy
32 Are managers and clinicians using information for policy and advocacy?
Planning, Priority Setting and Resource Allocation, Implementation and Action
33 Is an annual health report submitted to Parliament each year?
34 Are health managers using information for planning, priority setting or resource allocation and action?
35 Are clinicians using information for planning, priority setting or resource allocation and action?
36 Is data readily available to internal and external users, e.g. on the internet or intranet?
*Key
Present – the criteria is met or has been met in the past
Functioning – the statement can be answered positively and evidence is available that this is happening regularly
Adequate – the statement can be answered positively and is meeting most needs
Sustainable –the criteria been in place and functioning without external support for some time
