Quantitative Finding
The study was assessed based on Donabedian input-process-output service quality assessment model. All study health facilities were voluntary to participate. Of which, 94% of them were accessible with mobile network.
The study showed that the overall service quality of IDSR was rendered as good in six out of 46(13%) of studied health facilities. Input service quality was judged better than its counterparts and rated as good in two -third of studied health facilities. Process service quality was rated as good in 34.7% health facilities. Output service quality was two times better than the overall service quality (Fig. 2).
Regarding input service quality, all studied health facilities had designated IDSR service unit. Similarly, they were equipped with the necessary emergency drugs and supplies for surveillance priority disease in their underlined service unit. However; critical input related items for IDSR were missed in considerable no of studied health facilities. Only, 63% of the health facilities allocated budgets in the outbreak preparedness plan (Table 1).See all list of input item variables in (additional file one).
Table (1)
Assessment of IDSR input quality items in public health facilities, Northern Ethiopia, 2018 [N = 46]
Input service quality indicators | No of facility | % |
Availability | | |
IDSR service unit | 32 | 69 |
Technical guide line | 36 | 78.3 |
Standard case definitions for priority disease(SCDs) | 40 | 87 |
IDSR officer | 46 | 100 |
Preparedness and response plan | 42 | 91.3 |
Patient register(IPD and OPD) | 45 | 97.8 |
Training | | |
Trained IDSR officer for the past two years | 35 | 76.1 |
Coordination | | |
Establishing rapid response team/taskforce | 46 | 100 |
HIT membership to RRT | 12 | 26 |
Laboratory membership to RRT | 29 | 63 |
Integration of laboratory with PHEM unit | 2 | 63 |
Resources | | |
Allocating funds in the annual plan | 30 | 65 |
Emergency drugs and supplies for the past 12 months | 39 | 80 |
Registration and forms | | |
Case based reporting formats | 31 | 67.4 |
AFP case investigation format | 39 | 84.8 |
Weekly reporting format | 43 | 93.5 |
Line list for case registration | 40 | 87 |
SCDs = standard case definition, IRDs-immediately reportable disease |
Process service quality realized good in insignificant number of health facilities. More than three fourth of them had been practicing to report immediately reportable disease within 30 minutes based on the standard. However, most of them lack critical process quality items. No formal feedback mechanism was practiced routinely as an input for early epidemiological alert. Only, 33% of study health facilities documented at least one written feedback in the past one year. Similarly, service provider’s readiness for clinical case detection was limited. Standard case definition clearly stated for acute watery diarrhea was better but the worst for malaria and measles. The capacity of laboratory for specimen conformation for at least one priority disease was functional in 63% of the health facilities (Table 2). See all lists of process item variables in (additional file one).
Table (2)
Assessment of IDSR process quality items in public health facilities, Northern Ethiopia, 2018 [N = 46
Process service quality indicators | No of facility | % |
Case detection | | |
SCDs stated correctly for malaria | 32 | 69.6 |
SCDs stated correctly for acute watery diaharea | 36 | 78.3 |
SCDs stated correctly for measles | 27 | 58.3 |
Registration | | |
Case registration in line list during an outbreak | 46 | 100 |
Notification | | |
Practice of offering IRDs to higher level within 30 minutes | 37 | 80.4 |
Have schedule for weekly reporting every Monday | 42 | 91 |
Reporting | | |
Reporting weekly IDSR report to higher levels regularly | 39 | 84.8 |
Case confirmation | | |
Readiness for specimen collection and transportation | 42 | 91 |
Laboratory capacity for specimen conformation | 29 | 63 |
Feed backs | | |
Provide at least one IDSR written feed backs to lower level | 35 | 76 |
According to the study finding, one fourth of the studied health facilities were achieved predetermined judgment criteria for output service quality component. Closer to half were rely on using regular trend analysis using line graph for outbreak notification but practiced only for malaria and measles.
Table (3)
Assessment of IDSR output service quality items in public health facilities, Northern Ethiopia, 2018 [N = 46]
Output service quality indicators | No of facility | % |
Quality of reporting | | |
Weekly IDSR report completeness | 32 | 82 |
Weekly IDSR report timelines | 29 | 74.4 |
Decision making | | |
Summarizing IDSR data in Tables | 46 | 100 |
Preparing epidemic threshold (Measles, malaria) | 32 | 69.6 |
Perform regular trend analysis | 29 | 63 |
Overall quality of IDSR was categorized as good or not good. Accordingly, among listed variables in the predetermined three quality components that are associated with good quality of IDSR in the bivariate analysis were HIT enrollment to rapid response team, equipping technical guide line at facility level, and providing refreshment training were fitted to multivariate logistic regression model. Finally, HIT enrollment to rapid response team (AOR = 7, 95% CI: 1.092–37.857), and equipping technical guide line at facility level (AOR = 3, 95% CI: 0.399–22.567) were found predictor variables (Table 4).
In a multivariable analysis, enrolling health information technicians to rapid response team were associated with good quality IDSR. Health facilities having national guideline are more likely to have good quality of IDSR than those than those that don’t have.
Qualitative Findings
In-depth interview of 23 IDSR focal person were recruited for qualitative data to identify their perception for good and bad service quality in each predetermined quality components.
Factors attributed to good input service quality
Regular rapid response team meeting (RRT)
consistent with the quantitative finding, conducting regular review meeting with established rapid response team at health facility level enabled them too overcome availability related factors as described below
“…, we had been evaluating IDSR service provision regularly and identify barriers that hinder service provision early for service improvement” KII (≠ 2).
Factors attributed to bad input service quality
Language barrier
majority of IDSR service providers expressed their opinion about IDSR tool preparation in English as a challenge for service providers adhere to service standards as explained below
“…, standard case definitions for IDSR were available but they were prepared in English and Amharic but not in local language “Tigrigna” as a result some health care providers couldn’t understand easily for using as a reference for public health emergency management and it needs translation of local language “Tigrigna” ” KII(≠ 2).
“…, Even though the national guideline is available in our health facility, it was prepared in English and some health care providers can’t easily understand to use it as a reference. As to me it should be available in a local language version “Tigrigna” ” KII (≠ 5).
Factors attributed to bad process service quality
Absence of routine feedback mechanism
majority of service providers recognized that feedback mechanism was commonly practiced orally during time of review meetings and no written feedback was practiced routinely as explained below;
“…, in our health facility, IDSR feedbacks were communicated during quarterly and half year review meetings conducted at district level but not routinely provided to use them a source of information for early outbreak emergency preparedness, response, and improving data quality. As a result, our health facilities also use similar feedback mechanism to lower level health facilities” KII (≠ 12).
Factors attributed to bad output service quality
Work load
most of the participants during an in-depth interview pointed out that lack of time due to patient load and shifting of health workers to different working units was a constraint for not performing regular trend analysis
“……………, not having time due patient load and working in different entry points rather than PHEM unit were main the main challenges not tracking trend analysis for early outbreak notification and detection for decision making at facility level” (KII ≠ 8 &10) .
Factors attributed to good process service quality
Health information technician RRT membership
as described by participants of an in-depth interview, enrolling health information technicians as member of the rapid response team or IDSR taskforce enabled them to improve data utilization for decision making and explained as follows
“……………, enrolling health information technicians (HIT) as a member of rapid response team or task force enables us to improve IDSR data quality such as report timelines, completeness and regular tracking of disease trend analysis for early outbreak notification and detection” (KII ≠ 10).