Contributions to develop an Integral System in Information on Health Human Resources in Argentina

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: information systems are essential instruments to plan, control and evaluate state´s health actions and services. Information production in Argentina on Health Human Resources (HHR) is based on multiple sources which are fragmentary, a-systematic and disperse; with collection criteria and analytical categories not always homogenous, data duplication and lack of principal variables. OBJECTIVE: the study was focused on setting the lines for the creation of an Integral System of Information on HHR in Argentina. The specific objectives were: 1) analyze the legal framework of professional practice and the working field; 2) identify the information sources in HHR area; 3) explore the obstacles and opportunities for the production and use of data, from the involved stakeholders subject’s view. METHOD: the study followed a descriptive and exploratory cross-section methodology by searching primary and secondary sources (legal framework, data sources, interviews with the principal stakeholders). RESULTS: the main findings were obstacles related to the building process, the registration issue and the use´s information; as well as profusion of laws at different scopes, inexistence of specific regulations and dispersion of supervisory authorities in a low regulatory capacity State´s context and a poor implementation of integral policies. These problems can not be solved only by resources allocations and technological improvements or just by a better training HHR. CONCLUSIONS: according to these results it is possible to conclude that a national integrated information system needs mechanisms that make easier the articulation of different stakeholders involved in this process under the State´s coordination as a collective interest´s guarantor.