The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur, through the Provincial Health Office (PHO), conducted an orientation on Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS) on July 12-15, 2022 at the Villa Del Rey Function Hall, Capitol Complex, Cadlan, Pili. A two-day orientation was held for two batches of Public Health Nurses (PHN), Nurse Deployment Program (NDP) Team Leaders, FHSIS point persons, and PHO Program Managers in the province.
The Field Health Services Information System is a major component of information networks developed by the Department of Health (DOH) designed to assess the performance of health programs. This is the official system used to produce DOH annual health reports that support decision-making related to the Philippine’s healthcare system.
“It’s very good that the Provincial Health Office of CamSur had the initiative to conduct this activity because this is very important to our healthcare system. It’s also very timely because, for the past 2 years, we were focused on COVID-19 response. This activity allowed us to refresh the knowledge of our healthcare workers on FHSIS and also update their information on the reporting system,” noted Aurora Nira Dela Cruz, Development Management Officer of DOH-CamSur and the speaker for the orientation.
The orientation aimed to improve analysis, collaboration, and unification of the reporting process of the province’s health data from their barangay health stations to rural health units (RHUs) to the Center for Health Development-Bicol. Moreover, as there are new updates in the reporting system from the previous FHSIS and there are also newly-assigned FHSIS point persons and coordinators, this activity has also become an avenue to enhance the quality of recording and reporting and provide updates among old and new FHSIS point persons to ensure the quality and accuracy of these reports.
“This initiative is really great because every RHUs is able to have a unified understanding of the data and of the health programs. This also taught us of the updates in the reporting tools of FHSIS,” said one of the participants, Louie Michael Villafuerte, Nurse III of RHU I-Buhi. Villafuerte also noted the timeliness of the activity and how beneficial it is for their community. “This is really important, especially on our end in RHUs, because we’re able to learn of the things we needed to resolve in our municipality when it comes to health programs. So, I’m very thankful for this orientation,” continued Villafuerte.
Another one of the participants is PHO’s Family Planning Program Coordinator, Malyn Saludes. “As I am fairly new to the program assigned to me, I am really thankful that I was given this opportunity to attend this activity. Because of this, I was guided as to where I can start with my program and I was also able to assess where I’m lacking as a program manager, so I can improve my capabilities and become even more effective in my position,” said Saludes.
The FHSIS guides the decision-makers and administrators when it come healthcare system. With the orientation, we can provide them basis to make proper and accurate action and interventions regarding health programs that will help the healthcare system of the Philippines and its people.
As of writing, the Provincial Health Office is set to conduct a Data Reconciliation Activity to ensure that the gathered data from barangay health centers and rural health units are validated before its submission to the Center for Health Development-Bicol.
