An intervention to improve notifiable disease reporting using ambulatory clinics

Epidemiol Infect. 2009 Jan;137(1):22-9. doi: 10.1017/S0950268808000721. Epub 2008 May 9.

Abstract

Strong notifiable disease surveillance systems are essential for disease control. We sought to determine if a brief informational session between clinic and health department employees followed by reminder faxes and a newsletter would improve reporting rates and timeliness in a notifiable disease surveillance system. Ambulatory clinics were randomized to an intervention group which received the informational session, a faxed reporting reminder and newsletter, or to a control group. Among intervention and control clinics, there were improvements in the number of cases reported and the timeliness of reporting. However, there were no statistically significant changes in either group. Despite improved communication between the health department and clinics, this intervention did not significantly improve the level or the timeliness of reporting. Other types of interventions should be considered to improve reporting such as simplifying the reporting process.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Care Facilities*
  • Communicable Disease Control / methods*
  • Disease Notification / methods*
  • Disease Notification / statistics & numerical data*
  • Education
  • Health Services Research*
  • Humans
  • Time Factors