HSPnet - FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions is a resource for answers to common questions about HSPnet. This list of questions will grow and be updated throughout the project, so if you have a question that is not posted, please send it to info@hspcanada.net and we will post the answer for everyone to view.

Click on the question below or scroll through the complete list:

What is HSPnet?
Who uses HSPnet?
How will HSPnet improve student placement practices?
Will students be able to access HSPnet?
How does HSPnet support collaboration and capacity building?
How is HSPnet being funded?
In addition to facilitating student placements, could HSPnet be used for tracking other related activities?
How is student privacy protected?
Will HSPnet support out-of-province placements?
Where can I get more information?

What is HSPnet?

The Health Sciences Placement Network (HSPnet) is an electronic system for improving coordination of clinical or fieldwork placements (also known as preceptorships, clerkships, internships, or practica) for health sciences students within a province. HSPnet streamlines current manual processes for coordinating student placements, and brings together multiple local databases in individual agencies to provide better system-wide information.

Who uses HSPnet?

HSPnet has been used for multiple disciplines in BC since 2003, and was introduced this year in Alberta through a Development Partnership between the two provinces. Planning is underway for implementation across southern Alberta in the Fall, and Saskatchewan will join the Partnership later this year. Partnership discussions are also underway with Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and there is interest from other jurisdictions as well.

The primary users of HSPnet those involved in placing students (typically course leaders and placement coordinators in educational institutions) and those who receive students (typically placement coordinators, program managers, unit managers, and educators in health service organizations). Health sciences students and other potential users will likely be introduced in the future.

How will HSPnet improve student placement practices?

HSPnet functionality enables participating agencies to:

maintain student, instructor, and course/program information for placing agencies
maintain site, service, destination, and supervisor/preceptor information for receiving agencies
initiate, send, and redirect placement requests
monitor status of placement requests
accept/decline/confirm requests online, with conditions and reasons
manage placement arrangements such as consent forms, orientation packages, and affiliation agreements
produce automated confirmation notices, thank you letters, or schedules
analyze and report on placement activities, utilization and outcomes

Will students be able to access HSPnet?

There are plans to extend HSPnet access to students in the future, for the purposes of providing information about their placement arrangements, distributing orientation materials, and permitting them to complete online evaluations or to maintain portions of their student profile.

How does HSPnet support collaboration and capacity building?

HSPnet supports the critical role of intermediaries such as BC's Nursing Interschool Committee or other agencies that coordinate placements on behalf of others. Online tools support collaboration on conflict resolution, and custom reports are produced on a regular basis to support organizations or task groups that are reviewing specific placement capacity issues.

How is HSPnet being funded?

BC's Ministry of Health Planning provided one-time funding for HSPnet development in 2002. Ongoing costs are covered through a portion of fees paid by member agencies of the BC Academic Health Council, the sponsor and host organization for HSPnet. Non-member agencies that are involved in health sciences student placements may also access HSPnet through an annual subscription fee.

HSPnet Development Partnerships are being sought in order to lower ongoing costs of operating and enhancing the system. In January 2005, Alberta became the first HSPnet partner. Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario have also entered into the partnership and will be implementing HSPnet in 2006.

In addition to facilitating student placements, could HSPnet be used for tracking other related activities?

HSPnet is designed to accommodate agencies who wish to use the same system to track "internal" placements such as placements between hospitals, preceptor/mentor training, and new staff orientation. These placements will be counted differently than inter-agency placements, but the system requirements are very similar and there is great interest in tracking both internal and external placements.

Discussions are underway to expand HSPnet functionality to encompass placement of foreign trained professionals or new graduates into vacancies, and to track the recruitment outcomes of student placement and related activities.

How is student privacy protected?

Information privacy and data stewardship were carefully considered during HSPnet development and, in general, agencies will only have access to their own records. For example, a Placing Agency may "share" information about a student with a Receiving Agency to facilitate their consideration of a placement request, and if accepted the two agencies will share the record on an ongoing basis. However if the Receiving Agency is unable to accept the placement, their access to the student information would then be closed. However, the Receiving Agency would retain access to the "statistic" portion of the record (which maintains a count of placement requests received, denied, and reasons).

Does HSPnet support out-of-province placements?

Placement activity often crosses provincial or even national boundaries, and requests can also be received from non-healthcare organizations. HSPnet allows tracking of this activity through generation of manual placement forms and letters than can be sent via mail/fax or email to receiving agencies not using the system. HSPnet Receiving Agencies can also enter requests received manually from schools that aren't using the system, in order to track this "external" activity and to ensure that such placements and their associated impacts and outcomes are included.

Where can I get more information?

Visit the project website at www.hspcanada.net or contact Theresa Roberts, HSPnet Director at info@hspcanada.net.

Last Revised May 31, 2005