scholarly journals National health services and family planning: Thailand, a case study.

1975 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 864-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Hemachidha ◽  
A G Rosenfield
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Health Services ◽  
National Health

scholarly journals Family planning practice among Christian health service providers in Ghana: a case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Duah ◽  
Peter Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
National Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Religious Faith ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Health Service Providers ◽  
Health Association

Introduction: The interphase of faith and practicing health professionally often presents a challenge. To navigate between the two requires tact, experience and professionalism. Such is the case of the Christian Health Association of Ghana. Objective: This case report presents overview of how the Christian Health Association has provided family planning services for marginalized communities in Ghana by Church denominations some of whose faith abhor them from practicing certain forms of family planning. Background: CHAG is a Network of 300 Health Facilities and Health Training Institutions owned by 25 different Christian Church Denominations. CHAG provides health care to the vulnerable, deprived, and marginalized population groups in all 10 Regions of Ghana. As implementing partner of the Ministry of Health, CHAG is mandated to implement key policies to achieve national health outcomes including family planning. Some members do not accept artificial family planning on the account of religious faith. This often presents a challenge in addressing the need to provide family planning service as required. This challenge is further complicated by the fact that the CHAG secretariat is steward that should protect the interest of member institutions as well as that of the ministry. Strategy: CHAG tailors the provision of family planning interventions to the confines of denominational, socio-cultural, religious acceptability and client needs. Results: Over a period of three years, proportion of family planning acceptors who are adolescents (10-19 years) increased from 13.7% to 17.0%, total family planning acceptors increased from 67,312 to 73,648 and total couple years of protection from 71,296 to 92,852. Male sterilization increased contrary to cultural beliefs. Importantly, CHAG as an implementing partner is able to satisfy its obligation of providing service to achieve national health outcomes. Conclusion: Protecting the interest of Christian health institutions and that of government may conflict at some point. Being tactful and allowing work within the confines of faith and obligations always helps in achieving desired results.

The Clinical Information System

2011 ◽  
pp. 338-352
Author(s):  
Gurpreet Dhillon
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Health Services ◽  
National Health ◽  
Systems Analysis ◽  
Clinical Information System ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
British National Health

The case study described in this chapter concerns the introduction of a new computer based integrated Clinical Information System (CIS) into a British National Health Services Trust-the Sunrise Trust. At the time of the study most of the system modules had been developed and were being tested largely for technical aspects. The system was being introduced during a period when the organization was experiencing significant changes. It was an environment where new structures were being created and the existing ones changed. Indeed, the case study was selected primarily because of these factors. The analysis of these structures, formal and informal, provides insight into the management of information systems. Various stakeholders in the Hospital Trust felt that a computer based information system would facilitate the change process. However the analysis and design of the system posed its own problems. The system turned out to be inflexible with respect to the core health care delivery process. It was also nonresponsive to the needs of the key stakeholders. Analysis of the case shows that clearly the formal methods adopted by the system analysts fell short of determining the rapid changes required for care. In particular this was an important issue, since the context of the British National Health Services posed pressures on individual trusts to be cost effective. This resulted in long term patients being moved out into the community. However, this richness in the context was overlooked by the analysts. They developed “logical” models of the system, which ended up in being “tidy pictures of reality” and were prescriptive and utterly inflexible. Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM) was used as a modelling tool, which amplified the rational view of decision making and information technology (IT) applications (for more details on SSADM see Downs et al., 1988). The interpretations identified in the case show a clear mis-match between the formal models and perceptions of the system users who inevitably reflect a more informal and pragmatic approach to their own organizational realities. The analysis of the case poses a number of interesting issues. It questions the relationship between the complexity of the social relations and systems design. Furthermore it brings to the fore the paradoxical viewpoints of different stakeholders and the emergent concerns for a system analyst. The chapter also identifies the impact of an “overformalized” information system on the integrity of an organization. In doing so it evaluates the nature and significance of social power structures in systems analysis, design and implementation.

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