Competency Level in Generation and Usage of Health Information Within the Landscape of Ghana

Background: The ubiquitous nature of data/information in healthcare has made it an imperative facet that requires the services of highly trained professionals with well-endowed field competencies to properly generate and use this sensitive data to enhance healthcare outcomes. There are still numerous challenges regarding the quality of data generated in the healthcare sector, especially in many middle-income countries. A growing number of studies show that data quality issues can be linked to the repercussions of inadequate competency levels of some healthcare professionals (HCPs). In that vein, this study was purported to assess the competency level of HCPs regarding the generation and usage of health information. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed for the study, where professionals provided self-ratings of their competencies by completing the structured questionnaire. The study saw a response rate of 98% with 877 HCPs from eight selected health facilities in Ghana. The reliability of the study construct was tested using a Cronbach's alpha test. The competency level of the professionals was measured on a scale of 1-3 under nine competency areas and categorized into entry, intermediate, and advanced levels. The chi-square test (χ ²) and Cramer's V test were used to determine the possibility of any predictive factors associated with the professionals' competency levels. An ANOVA and a Dunnett's T3 post hoc test were deployed to ascertain the significant differences in the competency levels attained in the various healthcare facilities involved in the study. All statistical tests resulting in a p value less than 0.05 were deemed significant. Results: With a target of 2.30/3.00, HCPs were only found to be mostly competent (advanced level) in the application of health information law and ethics when generating and using health information (2.50) and generic professional skills (2.33). On the contrary, HCPs had low levels of competency in the application of healthcare terminologies and disease classification (1.83), research methods skills (1.94), health service organization and delivery skills (1.96), health information and service organization management skills (2.00), the use of the language of health (2.00), electronic health skills (2.06), and health information records and management skills (2.27). Health information officers and doctors were the only professional categories that attained the threshold in our study. Sex, type of profession, educational level, and years of experience were all identified as significant predictive factors of HCP competency level. There were significant differences in the competency levels of HCPs in various facilities. Conclusion: There are lapses in competency levels about some specific areas which ought to be taken into cognizance. This study concludes that years of experience and educational level are the greatest predictive factors that can affect the competency level of HCPs when it comes to information generation and usage. There is a need for more competency-based education, capacity building, and in-service training that will be geared toward the enhancement of HCP competency in the effective generation and usage of data/information to maximize healthcare outcomes.