Computer laboratory notification system via short message service to reduce health care delays in management of tuberculosis in Taiwan.

Abstract
BACKGROUND We investigated the impacts of introducing an expedited acid fast bacilli AFB smear laboratory procedure and an automatic real time laboratory notification system by short message with mobile phones on delays in prompt isolation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis TB METHODS We analyzed the data for all patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis at a hospital in Kaohsiung Taiwan a 1 600 bed medical center during baseline January 2004 to February 2005 and intervention July 2005 to August 2006 phases RESULTS A total of 96 and 127 patients with AFB positive TB was reported during the baseline and intervention phases respectively There were significant decreases in health care system delays ie laboratory delays reception of sputum to reporting P Under 001 response delays reporting to patient isolation P 045 and interval from admission to patient isolation P Under 001 during the intervention phase Significantly fewer nurses were exposed to each patient with active pulmonary TB during the intervention phase P 039 CONCLUSION Implementation of expedited AFB smear laboratory procedures and an automatic real time laboratory mobile notification system significantly decreased delays in the diagnosis and isolation of patients with active TB
Description
Keywords
Community-based health worker, Delayed reporting of events, Workflow management, Timeliness of care, Tuberculosis, Short-term, Acute or emergency, Disease diagnosis / Point-of-care diagnostics, Disease management, SMS, Text
Citation
Collections