M Agarwal1, J Bourgeois2, S Sodhi3, A Matengeni2, K Bezanson4, V van Schoor2, M van Lettow5. 1. Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi ; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA. 2. Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi. 3. Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi ; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ; University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 4. Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi ; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ; Temmy Latner Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 5. Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi ; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
SETTING: A non-governmental organization, Dignitas International, working in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Malawi, adopted innovative, low-technology methods to collect, capture, and manage patient-level antiretroviral therapy (ART) data in a district database covering 26 remote low-resource facilities in Zomba District, Malawi. OBJECTIVE: To establish a longitudinal, observational database of routinely collected program data that could serve as a program monitoring and evaluation tool as well as a platform to conduct effective operational research. DESIGN: This article describes the processes developed for digital capture of paper-based ART clinical records at health facilities and updating them in a central electronic database. It documents and focuses on lessons learned during the implementation and review of processes. CONCLUSIONS: Data quality can only be ensured with regular review of, and compliance with, clearly delineated workflow protocols and adequate staffing and supervision. Through the implementation of this procedure, we expect to improve data quality, completeness, and use of routine ART clinical data in low-resource settings.
SETTING: A non-governmental organization, Dignitas International, working in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Malawi, adopted innovative, low-technology methods to collect, capture, and manage patient-level antiretroviral therapy (ART) data in a district database covering 26 remote low-resource facilities in Zomba District, Malawi. OBJECTIVE: To establish a longitudinal, observational database of routinely collected program data that could serve as a program monitoring and evaluation tool as well as a platform to conduct effective operational research. DESIGN: This article describes the processes developed for digital capture of paper-based ART clinical records at health facilities and updating them in a central electronic database. It documents and focuses on lessons learned during the implementation and review of processes. CONCLUSIONS: Data quality can only be ensured with regular review of, and compliance with, clearly delineated workflow protocols and adequate staffing and supervision. Through the implementation of this procedure, we expect to improve data quality, completeness, and use of routine ART clinical data in low-resource settings.
Entities:
Keywords:
data quality; evaluation; low-technology data collection; monitoring
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