| Indicator ID | H10 |
|---|---|
| Indicator full statement | # of healthcare workers trained on the use of electronic clinical decision support systems, data analysis, visualization, and reporting. |
Purpose
| Importance | This indicator measures Tdh’s capacity-building efforts in digital health literacy among healthcare workers by tracking those trained in using digital tools where Tdh is conducting related activities. These tools include electronic clinical decision support systems, data analysis platforms, data visualization, and reporting systems, all of which are crucial for improving healthcare delivery, decision-making, and overall health system management. Healthcare workers trained in these areas are better equipped to use the Tdh integrated digital health approach to provide high-quality care, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen healthcare services. This indicator also supports broader program objectives related to health system strengthening, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 3.8 (Universal Health Coverage) and SDG 9.5 (Innovation in Health Technologies). |
|---|---|
| ToC pathway | This indicator directly refers to the Tdh Theory of Change (ToC) as it aims to contribute to 3the three inter-related pathways of change, namely 1) local health system, 2) communities, and 3) mothers, children, and their families. |
Definition
The number of healthcare workers who have completed formal training programs supported by Tdh on the use of digital health tools, including at least one of the following topics:
Electronic Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): systems that assist healthcare workers in diagnosing and treating patients by providing national or international protocol standards and evidence-based recommendations.
Data analysis and visualization: tools that allow healthcare workers to analyse health data and visualize trends to inform better decision-making.
Health Reporting Systems (HRS): digital platforms for recording, tracking, and reporting patient information and healthcare outcomes.
Healthcare workers include physicians, nurses, midwives, community health workers (CHWs), and other health personnel working in primary, community, and referral health facilities directly involved in the use of digital health tools.
How to collect & analyse the data
| What do we count? | The number of healthcare workers trained in the use of digital health tools within a defined period where Tdh is conducting related activities. |
|---|---|
| How to calculate the indicator's value | Sum of healthcare workers trained |
| Data sources | Training Program Data: Records from institutions or programs conducting digital health training that are supported by Tdh such as the Ministries of Health (MoH) responsible of the deployment of the tools (i.e., health district responsible for digital health trained as trainer by Tdh), universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private sector (i.e., Tdh partners in the development and diffusion of the digital health tools) or professional development organizations (if applicable at the program’s stage). Health Facility Data: Health facility reports on staff participation in digital health trainings supported by Tdh, particularly where digital health is integrated into routine health services (such as for electronic medical records or clinical decision support systems). Digital health platform reports: Reports from digital tool providers or platforms supported by Tdh showing user registration, training completion, and utilization of CDSS, data analysis tools, or reporting systems by healthcare workers. |
| Data collection methods and tools | Secondary data review :
|
| Disaggregation | Whenever possible, disaggregation by :
|
| Important considerations | Frequency and Timing: Routine reporting: Health facilities and training institutions should report training data quarterly or annually, depending on the program. Post-training Follow-up: Periodic assessments (i.e., annually) should be conducted to evaluate how many healthcare workers continue using the digital tools they were trained on in the program’s operational area. |
Limitations and precautions
This indicator tracks the number of healthcare workers trained in using digital health tools, reflecting capacity-building efforts in a specific period and geographic area (district, country, region, or globally). It can also serve as a proxy for health facilities' readiness to implement these tools.
However, training quality may vary, and it doesn’t always lead to consistent use in clinical practice. It’s essential to evaluate the depth and relevance of training content, as well as healthcare workers' ability to retain and apply skills afterward. Follow-up assessments are vital for measuring retention and practical use, and refresher trainings may be necessary based on evaluation results.
Even with proper training, factors like inadequate infrastructure (e.g., lack of internet, unreliable electricity) can hinder daily use of digital tools. Thus, it’s important to assess healthcare workers' motivation, perceptions, and commitment to using these tools as part of a comprehensive analysis.
Training may be concentrated in urban areas, potentially leaving out healthcare workers in rural or underserved regions. Disaggregating data by geography and facility type ensures that digital health literacy efforts reach all relevant workers in Tdh’s operational area.
Different healthcare professions (e.g., physicians vs. community health workers) may have unique training needs, so programs should tailor training based on roles and existing skills. Additionally, health staff turnover and rotation should be considered when analyzing this indicator’s impact.
It is therefore important to plan post-training assessments or surveys evaluating health worker proficiency and uptake of digital tools.
What further analysis are we interested in?
This indicator allows the analysis of the number of healthcare workers who have been trained on digital tools over time, identifying trends in training uptake across different regions and facility types.
This indicator will allow further evaluations on how effectively healthcare workers apply their digital health training in clinical settings, particularly the sustained use of CDSS, data analysis tools, and reporting systems. For this purpose, it can be cross analysed with other collected data such as post-training assessments and Tdh’s technical supervision reports, completeness, uniqueness, timeliness, validity, accuracy, and consistency of quality of the digital health report submitted by the trained health workers.
The number of trained health workers could be analysed in relation with other indicators such as the number of MNCH consultations performed with the use of an electronic clinical decision support system to evaluate the link between training and actual usage of these tools; as well as with the percentage of health facilities using digital tools to assess how training efforts align with facility-level adoption of digital health solutions across time.
Finally, this indicator might be used to explore the corelation between digital tool training uptake and impacts on healthcare service delivery, including quality of care, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes (i.e., other maternal, newborn, and child health indicators).
Additional guidance
Ressource: Under the technical assistance of HQ, Tdh M&E and operational teams in each delegation should work closely with health authorities to collect and interpret the data. Collaboration with the health authorities and professional associations is essential ensure that digital health tool training is embedded in broader capacity-building programs, sustainable health workforce development strategies and health system strengthening efforts.
Regularly (i.e., annually) evaluate training programs for quality, relevance, and effectiveness and collect feedback from healthcare workers on the usefulness of training and identify areas for improvement (i.e., patient satisfaction survey, post-training assessments).
A technical supervision guidance tool is advisable to efficiently compare training efforts and practical implantation.
Recommendations on digital interventions for Health System strengthening, World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550505
(Accessed: 11 September 2024).