A Development of EPCU Program for Data Management and Report of Health Centers: Ban Nong Khlon Health Center, Nong Hong District, Buriram Province Case Study

Abstract

Eighteen information files contain important information that the National Health Security
Office used for management and allocate budget to service centers. Buriram Provincial Public
Health Office had imposed on HOSxP PCU Program all the health centers in January 2009. Yet
after 6-month, it was found that the information accuracy rate based on the Policy and Strategy
Office was low at only 63.76 percent. The research and development were made by using singlegroup
experiment and measuring both before and after. The experiment was to develop the program
to help the data management and report of the 18 information files of the health centers, filed with
HOSxP PCU Program according to the imposed approach the National Health Security Office and
Bureau of Policy and Strategy Office. The information system, therefore, was improved in quality
even with the existing resources. The experiment was made at Ban Nong Khlon Health Center,
Nong Hong District, Buriram Province during July - August 2009. When comparing the data accuracy
between before and after the experiment, it was found that EPCU Program, developed by
designing and writing the orders with Microsoft Access 2003 Program included 4 systems of HOSxP
PCU information checking system, 18 information files processing system, Error information correcting
system and Reporting system; were simplified, appropriate and convenient. After the program
experiment it was found that the whole information accuracy increased from 63.76 percent to
98.28 percent (p<0.001). The accuracies of 8 files increased significantly (p<0.05) while 7 files,
namely Surveil, Women, FP, EPI, Nutri, ANC and Appoint did not show significant improvement
(p>0.05). The other 3 files were fully accurate. It is suggested that the program be developed onwards
until it can help check and increase the health center information accuracy of all the 18 files.
This will help increase the efficiency of performance and management off all those health centers
with limited resources.
Key words: health system, health center, health information, research and development, innovation