Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the application effect of “Foshan Tuberculosis Surveillance and Management Platform” in the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), and provide new ideas and references for the information management of tuberculosis prevention and treatment. Methods In this study, a descriptive study was used to compare the data of referral tracking, patient discovery, and treatment management in the five counties and districts of Foshan City.The data came from the first two years (2015, 2016) and the next two years (2017, 2018) of the application of “Foshan Tuberculosis Surveillance and Management Platform”. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. Chi-square test was used to compare the count data and P<0.05 meant the difference was statistically significant. Results Two years before and after the application of the “Foshan Tuberculosis Surveillance and Management Platform”, the actual number of patients with tuberculosis or suspected tuberculosis reported by non-TB prevention organizations in Foshan was 16914 and 15124, respectively, and the number of referral patients was 16588 and 15121 cases, the referral rate increased from 98.07% (16588/16914) in 2 years before application to 99.98% (15121/15124) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=285.86,P<0.001). The tracking rate of the TB prevention organization increased from 99.11% (7421/7488) in 2 years before application to 99.63% (7459/7487) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=16.11,P<0.001). The tracking availability rate increased from 83.87% (6280/7488) in 2 years before application to 86.82% (6500/7487) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=26.04, P<0.001), and the overall availability rate increased from 91.02% (15395/16914) in 2 years before application to 93.98% (14214/15124) in 2 years after application, and the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=100.10, P<0.001). The loss rate of patients decreased from 3.92% (300/7654) in 2 years before application to 3.10% (210/6785) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=7.18, P=0.007). The regular medication rate increased from 93.01% (7119/7654) in 2 years before application to 94.22% (6393/6785) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=8.80, P=0.003). The overall drug missed rate decreased from 4.08% (56210/1377720) in 2 years before application to 3.10% (37860/1221300) in 2 years after application, the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=1782.19,P<0.001). Conclusion The application of “Foshan Tuberculosis Surveillance and Management Platform” improves the efficiency and quality of tuberculosis patient management in Foshan City, and provides a basis and reference for the information management of tuberculosis prevention and treatment.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Case management, Management information systems, Outcome and process assessment (health care), Small-area analysis, Data interpretation, statistical