Impact of an electronic clinical decision support system on workflow in antenatal care: The QUALMAT eCDSS in rural health care facilities in Ghana and Tanzania

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMensah, N.
dc.contributor.authorSukums, F.
dc.contributor.authorAwine, T.
dc.contributor.authorMeid, A.
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, J.
dc.contributor.authorAkweongo, P.
dc.contributor.authorKaltschmidt, J.
dc.contributor.authorHaefeli, W.E.
dc.contributor.authorBlank, A.
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-05T15:10:55Z
dc.date.available2018-11-05T15:10:55Z
dc.date.issued2015-01
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: The implementation of new technology can interrupt established workflows in health care settings. The Quality of Maternal Care (QUALMAT) project has introduced an electronic clinical decision support system (eCDSS) for antenatal care (ANC) and delivery in rural primary health care facilities in Africa. OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to investigate the influence of the QUALMAT eCDSS on the workflow of health care workers in rural primary health care facilities in Ghana and Tanzania. DESIGN: A direct observation, time-and-motion study on ANC processes was conducted using a structured data sheet with predefined major task categories. The duration and sequence of tasks performed during ANC visits were observed, and changes after the implementation of the eCDSS were analyzed. RESULTS: In 24 QUALMAT study sites, 214 observations of ANC visits (144 in Ghana, 70 in Tanzania) were carried out at baseline and 148 observations (104 in Ghana, 44 in Tanzania) after the software was implemented in 12 of those sites. The median time spent combined for all centers in both countries to provide ANC at baseline was 6.5 min [interquartile range (IQR) =4.0-10.6]. Although the time spent on ANC increased in Tanzania and Ghana after the eCDSS implementation as compared to baseline, overall there was no significant increase in time used for ANC activities (0.51 min, p=0.06 in Ghana; and 0.54 min, p=0.26 in Tanzania) as compared to the control sites without the eCDSS. The percentage of medical history taking in women who had subsequent examinations increased after eCDSS implementation from 58.2% (39/67) to 95.3% (61/64) p<0.001 in Ghana but not in Tanzania [from 65.4% (17/26) to 71.4% (15/21) p=0.70]. CONCLUSIONS: The QUALMAT eCDSS does not increase the time needed for ANC but partly streamlined workflow at sites in Ghana, showing the potential of such a system to influence quality of care positively.en_US
dc.identifier.issn16549880
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.3402/gha.v8.25756
dc.identifier.otherVol. 8:25756
dc.identifier.urihttp://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/25303
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherGlobal Health Actionen_US
dc.subjectantenatal careen_US
dc.subjectdeveloping countriesen_US
dc.subjectelectronic clinical decision support systemen_US
dc.subjecthealth care providersen_US
dc.subjectrural settingen_US
dc.subjectsequence of eventsen_US
dc.subjectsub-Saharan Africaen_US
dc.subjectworkflowen_US
dc.titleImpact of an electronic clinical decision support system on workflow in antenatal care: The QUALMAT eCDSS in rural health care facilities in Ghana and Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

Files

License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.6 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health