Understanding performance data: health management information system data accuracy in Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Health management information system (HMIS) is a system whereby health data are recorded, stored, retrieved and processed to improve decision-making. HMIS data quality should be monitored routinely as production of high quality statistics depends on assessment of data quality and actions taken to improve it. Thus, this study assessed accuracy of the routine HMIS data. METHODS: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted in Southern Nations Nationalities and People's region in 2017. Document review was done in 163 facilities of different levels. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 20 was used to perform data analysis. Data accuracy was presented in terms of mean and standard deviation of data verification factor. RESULTS: Though inaccuracy was noted for all data elements, 96.9 and 84.7% of facilities reported institutional maternal death and skilled birth attendance within acceptable range respectively while confirmed malaria (45.4%), antenatal care fourth visit (46.6%), postnatal care (55.2%), fully immunized (55.8%), severe acute malnutrition (54.6%) and total malaria (50.3%) were reported accurately only by about half of facilities. Antenatal care fourth visit was over reported by 24% while total malaria was under reported by 28%. Reasons for variations included technical, behavioral and organizational factors. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of facilities over reported services while under reporting diseases. Data quality should be monitored routinely against data quality parameters quantitatively and/or qualitatively to catch-up country's information revolution agenda.