Evaluation of Tuberculosis Registration by National Tuberculosis Information Program (NTIP), Nong Ruea Hospital, Nong Ruea district, Khon Kaen province, budget year 2022-2024

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative NTIP registration process and provide recommendations. Data was collected from tuberculosis and comorbidity patients treated at Nong Ruea Hospital during fiscal years 2022-2024. Patients were randomly selected from medical records based on ICD-10 classification using different sampling weights. A proportional sample of patients was then randomly selected for each fiscal year, and individual patients were systematically selected from HOSxP lists of patients, both outpatients and inpatients, in chronological order of hospital visits, according to ICD-10 records. The disease registration process was studied, and personnel were interviewed. The results showed that the hospital had a tuberculosis surveillance guideline and multi-sectoral collaboration involving physicians, nurses, medical statisticians, and patients referred from NTIP datasets. The sensitivity of registration based on the definition and diagnosis were 90.7% and 74.9%, respectively. The predictive values based on the definition compared to diagnosis were 99.6% and 98.6%, respectively. All variables were 100% complete except for the date of illness onset, which was 98.3%. Data was recorded correctly at 86.0–99.3%. Timeliness of registration in NTIP was 90.5%, and timeliness of screening was 84.9%. Gender, age, and age group were found to be representative of the system. Interviews with relevant personnel revealed awareness of the benefits, acceptance of the simple and flexible disease reporting procedures and system, ability to adapt workflows, personnel can in place of each other, and the utilization of surveillance data. The Khon Kaen Provincial Public Health Office is recommended to collaborate with hospitals in the province to develop an inter-healthcare referral system, and that the PCT team at Nong Ruea Hospital and the Tuberculosis Division develop a Lab Alert Pop-up system.