Development of Information Technology System for Communicable Disease Surveillance

Abstract

This study aimed to develop an information technology (IT) innovation to support communicable disease surveillance in the Public Health Region 3 of Thailand which covered 5 provinces: including Nakhon Sawan, Kamphang Phet, Pichit, Uthaithani and Chinat. The study consisted of 2 main processes: (1) the development of information systems for surveillance against infectious diseases, and (2) satisfaction assessment of the innovation among disease prevention and control workers. The innovation was developed by the Office of Disease Prevention and Control Region 3, Nakhon Sawan Province. The prevention system composed of 3 stages: (1) data collection for patients with communicable diseases (the indibidual disease notification report form - RIS 506), (2) development of information system (web application development), and (3) trial and improvement. As for the satisfaction assessment, it was conducted among 55 disease prevention and control workers in the Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Nakhon Sawan province during the year 2014-2015. It was found that (1) the system was able to analyze and show the communicable disease situation with regard to persons (gender, occupation, ethnicity) and place (outbreak area); (2) communicable disease outbreak could be detected by identifying a village where two or more individuals were reported with the same disease; (3) The IT system could detect the abnormal situation of diseases; and (4) the system could display geographic map (Google map) of the outbreaks. The results of the satisfaction assessment revealed a high level satisfaction (94.74%) on the utilization for disease surveillance, followed by the data analysis (93.10%), and the web design (87.04%). In conclusion, the innovative information system for communicable disease surveillance and prevention was developed by using computer software in the form of web application through the Internet accessible by personnel in the departments and outside agencieswho would be able to use the data for disease prevention and control; and the innovation was highly satisfied by users in the study. Therefore, it should be a useful tool for the planning and effective implementation of disease prevention and control.