Operational research principles for a routine service process for monitoring the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome treatment cascade: data from a cohort in Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Meire Cavalieri de Almeida, Fernanda Friggi Araújo, Guillermo Patricio Ortega-Jacome, Suely Hiromi Tuboi, Guilherme Côrtes Fernandes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Human immunodeficiency virus; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Operational research in health; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0286-2016; https://doaj.org/article/6109626fa1dd4e24ba93fc2a9445fe8c

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Bottlenecks still exist during human immunodeficiency virus care that may delay the achievement of better outcomes. METHODS: We established a monitoring system to trace patients throughout the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome care process in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, to identify potential bottlenecks. RESULTS: Among 250 patients, 17.6% abandoned follow-up. Our monitoring system tracked 86.4% of patients through the medication logistics control system and 2.3% through the mortality information system. Two percent of patients were not located by our monitoring system. CONCLUSIONS: A pathway care process contributes to a better understanding of the barriers to the treatment cascade.