Abstract:
Background: The HMIS is a tool which could be used to improve health services. Nations all over the world are demanding to improve their healthcare service delivery quality through HMIS. Currently HMIS is coming up as one of the hot issues initiated to be reformed and implemented in Ethiopia. The purpose is to revitalize the health service provision through evidence-based decision-making. Objective: To assess the situation of Healthcare providers working in health centers of North Shoa Zone, Oromia region in relation to HMIS Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all 301 HCPs in Oromia region, North Shoa Zone, in all health centers in March 2010.The quantitative data were collected using self- administered based pre-tested questionnaire. The study was consolidated with in-depth interview. EPI6 was used for data entry and cleaning and exported to SPSS version 16 statistical package for coding and analysis. Descriptive analysis was done to calculate the knowledge, attitude and practice scores. To show the association between dependent and independent variables, odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was employed. Logistic regression analysis was done to control confounding effects amongst variables. Results: 296 questionnaires were returned making the response rate 98.3%. The overall knowledge and attitude on HMIS basic concept was found to be relatively good. But not seem to correspond with practice as it is comparatively very low. About 70.61% of the respondents were found to have good knowledge. The favorable attitude score was also found to be 81.08%. Concerning the practice, only 20.6% of the respondents were found to have good practice and significantly associated with unmarried marital status [COR=3.22(95%CI=1.80, 5.75)] and [AOR=2.67(95%CI=1.28, 5.59)].From professional category, degree holders had better practice of HMIS [COR= 2.93(95%CI=1.37,6.24)] and [AOR=2.93(95%CI=1.06,8.11)]. According to the in-depth interview result, lack of trained and full time HMIS workers, unstandardized data collection and reporting tools were underlined as the main factors for mal-practicing of HMIS at the health centers. Conclusion: Although the practice of HMIS neglected, the knowledge and attitude status of the HCPs on basic HMIS concepts was relatively found to be good. As a result, the HMIS status in general was found to be very poor in the study area. Recommendation: Motivation and Training of HCPs on HMIS, provision of standardized data collection, and reporting tools, allocation of properly trained and full day HMIS workers with sustainable supportive supervision at each health center were recommended to be given due consideration.