Early implementation challenges in electronic referral and feedback mechanism for patients with tuberculosis using Nikshay - A mixed-methods study from a medical college TB referral unit of Delhi, India.

Disease notification Nikshay feedback referral tuberculosis

Journal

Journal of family medicine and primary care
ISSN: 2249-4863
Titre abrégé: J Family Med Prim Care
Pays: India
ID NLM: 101610082

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Apr 2021
Historique:
received: 06 07 2020
revised: 12 09 2020
accepted: 12 02 2021
entrez: 14 6 2021
pubmed: 15 6 2021
medline: 15 6 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Diagnosis, notification and timely initiation of treatment is an important cornerstone for the elimination of tuberculosis (TB). The referral and feedback mechanism under National Tuberculosis Programme of India has been changed from paper-based to web-based electronic system (Nikshay) since 2018. The current study was carried out to assess the effect of Nikshay in referral and receipt of feedback on treatment initiation and to understand the early implementation challenges. A mixed-methods study was conducted in a medical college referral unit (MCRU) of Delhi, India. The electronic TB notification data for July 2018-March 2019 were abstracted from Nikshay portal and analysed. Unadjusted and adjusted relative risk (aRR) was calculated to assess the factors associated with the receipt of feedback. Themes and subthemes were generated from qualitative data obtained through key-informant interviews of healthcare providers. Of the total 4395 patients handled by MCRU during the study period, 3315 (75.4%) were referred out within and outside Delhi for treatment. Feedback was received among 797 (24.0%) of the patients who were referred out. Patients with extrapulmonary TB (aRR: 1.3, confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.8), previously treated (aRR: 1.2, CI: 1.2-1.3) and registered for drug-resistant TB care (aRR: 1.4, CI: 1.1-1.8), had high chance of receiving feedback. Four broad themes emerged, namely, (a) awareness of programme and Nikshay; (b) tracking of patients; (c) user-friendly portal and (d) workload. The low feedback on treatment initiation of patients with TB needs further research after health system-level quality improvement interventions. Real-time tracking of patients is the need of the hour towards the path for TB elimination.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Diagnosis, notification and timely initiation of treatment is an important cornerstone for the elimination of tuberculosis (TB). The referral and feedback mechanism under National Tuberculosis Programme of India has been changed from paper-based to web-based electronic system (Nikshay) since 2018. The current study was carried out to assess the effect of Nikshay in referral and receipt of feedback on treatment initiation and to understand the early implementation challenges.
METHODS METHODS
A mixed-methods study was conducted in a medical college referral unit (MCRU) of Delhi, India. The electronic TB notification data for July 2018-March 2019 were abstracted from Nikshay portal and analysed. Unadjusted and adjusted relative risk (aRR) was calculated to assess the factors associated with the receipt of feedback. Themes and subthemes were generated from qualitative data obtained through key-informant interviews of healthcare providers.
RESULTS RESULTS
Of the total 4395 patients handled by MCRU during the study period, 3315 (75.4%) were referred out within and outside Delhi for treatment. Feedback was received among 797 (24.0%) of the patients who were referred out. Patients with extrapulmonary TB (aRR: 1.3, confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.8), previously treated (aRR: 1.2, CI: 1.2-1.3) and registered for drug-resistant TB care (aRR: 1.4, CI: 1.1-1.8), had high chance of receiving feedback. Four broad themes emerged, namely, (a) awareness of programme and Nikshay; (b) tracking of patients; (c) user-friendly portal and (d) workload.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
The low feedback on treatment initiation of patients with TB needs further research after health system-level quality improvement interventions. Real-time tracking of patients is the need of the hour towards the path for TB elimination.

Identifiants

pubmed: 34123912
doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1360_20
pii: JFMPC-10-1678
pmc: PMC8144801
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

1678-1686

Informations de copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

There are no conflicts of interest.

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Auteurs

Reema Arora (R)

RNTCP, Referral Unit, Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India.

Ashwini Khanna (A)

State Programme Office (RNTCP), New Delhi, India.

Nandini Sharma (N)

Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.

Vishal Khanna (V)

District Programme Office (RNTCP), New Delhi, India.

Kalpita Shringarpure (K)

Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Medical College, Baroda, Gujarat, India.

Soundappan Kathirvel (S)

Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.

Classifications MeSH