Electronic Messaging for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Test Result Notification, Improving Treatment and Patient...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Chlamydia (CT) and gonorrhea (GC) represent a significant portion of diagnoses at Louisiana Parish Health Units.
• Current patient notification methods (phone calls, letters) are inefficient and time-consuming for nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of implementing an electronic results notification system (Chexout) on the timeliness of CT/GC results notification and treatment.
• To assess patient satisfaction and reasons for declining electronic notification.

Main Methods:

• Compared CT/GC results notification and treatment timeliness pre- and post-Chexout implementation (December 2017-November 2019).
• Utilized Chexout software for electronic notification via text or email.
• Conducted patient interviews to assess acceptability of the electronic system.

Main Results:

• Electronic notification led to increased patient portal viewing for positive CT and GC results (83% and 85% respectively).
• Treatment success rates improved for CT (74% to 89%) and GC (81% to 92%).
• Mean time to treatment decreased for both CT (13.4 to 10.7 days) and GC (11.3 to 9.2 days).
• Patient satisfaction with Chexout was high (99% satisfactory, 92% easy to use).

Conclusions:

• Electronic messaging systems like Chexout enhance the efficiency of STI notification and treatment.
• The system reduces the burden on nursing staff, allowing more time for patient care.
• Addressing barriers such as lack of personal phones and confidentiality concerns is important for wider adoption.