Case Study: Developing an HRIS Step Solution

Immediate implementation of a mature software-based HRIS such as the iHRIS Suite is sometimes not feasible or appropriate (see igure !"# or e$ample% the re&uired infrastructure to support this type of system may not be in place% or there might not be people on staff with the re&uired e$pertise to support it# 'he need to implement an HRIS solution &uic(ly can ta(e precedence over ma(ing these long-term improvements# )fter assessing e$isting HR information systems% data management tools% processes% technical support staff and operational procedures% it may ma(e more sense to put in place a *step solution* instead#

Figure 1. Over the five-year Capacity Project, HRIS strengthening activities were initiate in ten !frican countries" this #ap shows where #ature HRIS were insta$$e , where step so$utions were i#p$e#ente an where no HRIS is yet in p$ace. ) step solution to manage human resources for health (HRH" data is an interim solution building on e$isting HR tools and systems% which can be deployed &uic(ly to immediately address pressing problems# 'hen% you can implement gradual improvements to the step solution and proceed step by step to the final goal of a mature HRIS# 'his iterative process reduces the

effect of too much change occurring too rapidly% creates an opportunity for capacity development among system owners and allows time to collect additional data re&uired to address (ey policy and management &uestions# Data collectors and managers% technical support staff and decision-ma(ers receive training at each stage% become comfortable with the new system and then ta(e the ne$t step when they are ready# Some e$amples of step solutions include: Convert a paper-based system to an electronic register% using a spreadsheet program such as +icrosoft ,$cel Convert an electronic register to a database% using a des(top database program such as +icrosoft )ccess ,$pand an e$isting database to capture additional data Improve data collection forms-either electronic or paper-to reduce redundancy and inaccuracies% and ensure all re&uired data fields are included Improve data-&uality procedures to reduce errors in the system and validate e$isting datasets Create lin(ages among e$isting systems and improve data flow among users and producers of HRH data# .e applied all of these measures to improve the HRIS in Swa/iland without installing a mature HRIS such as iHRIS +anage# 'his case study describes the steps we too( in Swa/iland to illustrate how such a step solution may be implemented% if appropriate% in your conte$t# 'he Situation in Swa/iland 'he +inistry of Health and Social .elfare (+0HS." in Swa/iland needed better HRH data# 1o one had a complete understanding of where health wor(ers were deployed or what 2obs they were doing# Some employees were not ta(en off the payroll after leaving the +inistry3s employment and became *ghost wor(ers* in the system% receiving a paychec( even though they no longer wor(ed for the government# Since wor(ers were not removed from the system% replacement wor(ers were placed in incorrect positions 2ust so they could be put on the payroll% ma(ing the system unreliable for wor(force management and planning# )n HRIS assessment in Swa/iland revealed the sources of these problems# HR data were stored in separate systems% some electronic and some paperbased% which were not lin(ed# Information flowed slowly between systems and didn3t reach everyone who needed it% so that systems were not updated or errors were introduced# 'he systems also could not be &ueried to produce analyses or reports# 'he country3s Sta(eholder 4eadership 5roup prioriti/ed re&uirements for a comprehensive solution: Create electronic records for all health care staff% regardless of employer (including the private sector" Include additional data items relevant to HRH% such as registration numbers and facility codes Institute tight security to protect access to data

Complement rather than duplicate an e$isting 6ublic Service HR database#

'o &uic(ly address these problems% the Capacity 6ro2ect developed a step solution and implemented it over time# 'he 6ro2ect too( the following steps: 1. Develop a data collection form to include additional data items and distribute it to health facilities to capture a snapshot of current health wor(er data# 2. 6rogram a simple database in +icrosoft )ccess to run alongside the e$isting 6ublic Service HR database and hold records of non-6ublic Service health wor(ers# 3. 5enerate a staffing report from both databases and circulate it to all health facilities for updating and correction to validate the accuracy of the new data# +a(e corrections in the +icrosoft )ccess database# 4. Institute data-&uality procedures to improve the accuracy and timeliness of data inputs# 5. ,stablish a monthly updating process and develop forms to capture data changes# 7pdates are regularly made to each database separately by the owner of that database# 6. Combine records from both databases to produce a single dataset that is updated monthly% enabling reports and analysis on all health wor(ers in the country# 'he +icrosoft )ccess database is installed in a server at the +inistry of 6ublic Service and is updated centrally by the +0HS.3s 6ersonnel department# 'he database is protected by a .indows login# Confidential information is only accessible by authori/ed staff from the office of the 6rincipal 6ersonnel 0fficer% but summary reports and simple staff listings are available to all staff# Reporting is done through a simple user interface% ma(ing &ueries on HR data very easy# Several standard reports were created for regular access% while detailed &ueries can be completed using +icrosoft ,$cel pivot tables# )ll offices at the +0HS. building are connected to the database% but access is limited to printing standard reports# 'he office of the 6rincipal 6ersonnel 0fficer prints and distributes reports to users who are not directly lin(ed to the databases# 'he step solution has improved information flow between various systems and among groups that use HR data (see igure 8"# Health wor(force data from the original 6ublic Service HR database are downloaded monthly into the new HRIS database# Reports from this database are sent to health facilities and departments# 'he facilities and departments use these reports to send monthly updates to the +0HS.#

Figure %. Infor#ation f$ow in Swa&i$an using an e$ectronic HRIS 'step so$ution.' (he re ite#s refer to new syste#s an process that were institute as part of the step so$ution. 'he step solution facilitated data reconciliation among the separate systems% and we identified a large number of discrepancies# 'hese range from simple data-entry errors to the elimination of the *ghost wor(er* problem# 'he +0HS. used new and accurate data to analy/e vacancies and manage deployments% as well as to develop the country3s long-term Health .or(force Strategic 6lan#