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Managing research and surveillance projects in real-time with a novel open-source e Management tool designed for under-resourced countries

Steiner, Andreas ; Hella, Jerry ; Grüninger, Servan ; Mhalu, Grace ; Mhimbira, Francis ; Cercamondi, Colin I. ; Doulla, Basra ; Maire, Nicolas ; Fenner, Lukas

In: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2016, vol. 23, no. 5, p. 916-923

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    Titre
    • Managing research and surveillance projects in real-time with a novel open-source e Management tool designed for under-resourced countries
    Auteur
    • Steiner, Andreas. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Hella, Jerry. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Grüninger, Servan. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Mhalu, Grace. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Mhimbira, Francis. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Cercamondi, Colin I.. Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Doulla, Basra. Central Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    • Maire, Nicolas. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    • Fenner, Lukas. Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Langue
    • Anglais
    Publié dans
    • Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2016, vol. 23, no. 5, p. 916-923. Oxford University Press
    Autre version électronique
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:331216
    Summary
    Objective A software tool is developed to facilitate data entry and to monitor research projects in under-resourced countries in real-time. Methods The e Management tool "odk_planner” is written in the scripting languages PHP and Python. The odk_planner is lightweight and uses minimal internet resources. It was designed to be used with the open source software Open Data Kit (ODK). The users can easily configure odk_planner to meet their needs, and the online interface displays data collected from ODK forms in a graphically informative way. The odk_planner also allows users to upload pictures and laboratory results and sends text messages automatically. User-defined access rights protect data and privacy. Results We present examples from four field applications in Tanzania successfully using the e Management tool: 1) clinical trial; 2) longitudinal Tuberculosis (TB) Cohort Study with a complex visit schedule, where it was used to graphically display missing case report forms, upload digitalized X-rays, and send text message reminders to patients; 3) intervention study to improve TB case detection, carried out at pharmacies: a tablet-based electronic referral system monitored referred patients, and sent automated messages to remind pharmacy clients to visit a TB Clinic; and 4) TB retreatment case monitoring designed to improve drug resistance surveillance: clinicians at four public TB clinics and lab technicians at the TB reference laboratory used a smartphone-based application that tracked sputum samples, and collected clinical and laboratory data. Conclusions The user friendly, open source odk_planner is a simple, but multi-functional, Web-based e Management tool with add-ons that helps researchers conduct studies in under-resourced countries.