Using mobile phones to ensure that referred tuberculosis patients reach their treatment facilities: a call that makes a difference
This study provides evidence that using mobile phones was accompanied with improved retention of TB patients
Abstract
Background
Over the last decade, the availability and use of mobile phones have grown exponentially globally and in Cambodia. In the Sihanouk Hospital Centre of Hope(SHCH) in Cambodia about half of all tuberculosis patients referred out to peripheral health facilities for TB treatment initiation or continuation were lost to contact after referral ranging from 19 to 69% between 2008 and 2013. To address this, the authors implemented a mobile phone-based patient tracking intervention. Here, they report the number and proportion of referred TB patients who could be contacted through a mobile phone and retained in care after the introduction of mobile phone tracking.
Methods
A descriptive study involving follow-up of TB patients referred out from SHCH to peripheral health facilities during May–October 2014. Standard operating procedures were used to contact individual patients and/or health facilities using a mobile phone
Results
Among 109 TB patients referred to peripheral health facilities, 107(98%) had access to a mobile phone of whom, 103(97%) could be contacted directly while 5(2%) were contacted through their health care providers. A total of 108(99%) of 109 referred TB patients in intervention period were thus placed on TB treatment
Conclusions
This study provides preliminary, but promising evidence that using mobile phones was accompanied with improved retention of referred TB patients compared to historical cohorts. Given the limitations associated with historical controls, we need better designed studies with larger sample size to strengthen the evidence before national scale-up.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Choun K, Achanta S, Naik B, Tripathy JP, Thai S, Lorent N, Khun KE, Griensven J Van, Kumar AM V, Zachariah R. Using mobile phones to ensure that referred tuberculosis patients reach their treatment facilities : a call that makes a difference. BMC Health Services Research. 2017;17(1):575.