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

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

doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv185

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

J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2016 Sep;23(5):916-23. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocv185. Epub 2016 Feb 15.

Authors

Andreas Steiner¹, Jerry Hella¹, Servan Grüninger¹, Grace Mhalu¹, Francis Mhimbira¹, Colin I Cercamondi², Basra Doulla³, Nicolas Maire¹, Lukas Fenner⁴

Affiliations

¹ Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
² Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
³ Central Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme, Tanzania.
⁴ Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland lukas.fenner@unibas.ch.

PMID: 26911813
DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocv185

Abstract

Objective: A software tool is developed to facilitate data entry and to monitor research projects in under-resourced countries in real-time.

Methods: The eManagement 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 eManagement 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 eManagement tool with add-ons that helps researchers conduct studies in under-resourced countries.

Keywords: Open Data Kit; data management tool; electronic data entry; open-source software; paperless; real-time monitoring.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomedical Research / organization & administration*
Clinical Trials as Topic
Cohort Studies
Database Management Systems
Developing Countries
Humans
Internet
Software*
Tanzania
Tuberculosis / diagnosis
Tuberculosis / therapy