Cost Effectiveness of Personal Digital Assistants in Health Information System in Rakai and Lyantonde Districts, Uganda
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were introduced in 2003 in a pilot scheme to facilitate
Health Management Information System (HMIS) data capture and processing in some
parts of former Mbale and Rakai districts of Uganda. The handheld computers or PDAs
which were given to health workers relay information to devices called Jacks located at
places central to a number of health facilities. From the Jacks the information is relayed
to a central server at the Uganda Chartered Healthnet (UCH) office in Kampala. Besides
facilitating HMIS data flow, the PDAs are increasingly being used for other services such
as storage and dissemination of health materials. A study was carried out in April 2007 in
former Rakai to establish the cost effectiveness and economic benefits of the PDAs.
The study was cross-sectional and the study units were health workers using PDAs and
PDAs. The data collected can be classified into activities in which PDAs are used, costs
of alternatives to PDAs, perceived benefits of PDAs, and costs of inputs into use and
non-use of PDAs. All health workers who used PDAs were interviewed using a semistructured
questionnaire. Other sources of data were district PDA focal persons and shops
for prices of services and materials.
When PDAs were introduced timeliness of submission of HMIS reports improved but
changed little since 2004. PDAs are cost effective and have high cost benefit index when
over head costs of operating them are already covered by external funding. In one
approach of computation of cost benefit index results showed that for every unit of
spending one reaps 91.1% of perceived benefits. In another approach that uses allocation
factors of the first cost-effectiveness study of PDAs in the districts it was found that for
every unit spent, there are 15% more benefits. The hindrances to more use of PDAs
include heavy workload, minimal motivation for PDA contact persons, lack of efficient
repair and maintenance services. All efforts should be made to address the hindrances to
maximum use of the PDAs
Description
item.page.type
Working Paper
item.page.format
Text
Keywords
PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDAS), UGANDA, E-HEALTH, HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM, ACCESS TO INFORMATION, COST EFFECTIVENESS