Integrating family planning services into HIV care: use of a point-of-care electronic medical record system in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Background: Integrating family planning (FP) services into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinical care helps improve access to contraceptives for women living with HIV. However, high patient volumes may limit providers' ability to counsel women about pregnancy risks and contraceptive options.

Objectives: To assess trends in the use of contraceptive methods after implementing an  electronic medical record (EMR) system with FP questions and determine the reasons for non-use of contraceptives among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the Martin Preuss Center clinic in Malawi.

Computer-Supported Feedback Message Tailoring for Healthcare Providers in Malawi: Proof-of-Concept.

Although performance feedback has the potential to help clinicians improve the quality and safety of care, healthcare organizations generally lack knowledge about how this guidance is best provided. In low-resource settings, tools for theory-informed feedback tailoring may enhance limited clinical supervision resources. Our objectives were to establish proof-of-concept for computer-supported feedback message tailoring in Malawi, Africa.

Experience implementing a point-of-care electronic medical record system for primary care in Malawi.

Due to the fact that health care professionals in Malawi are often overstretched, the use and quality of health data can be compromised. The Malawi Health Management Information System (HMIS) has streamlined data collection and reporting and increased the use of data to improve care. Obstacles remain, including incomplete reporting and low staff morale.

A comparison of data captured at point of care versus data captured retrospectively.

Electronic data systems are being implemented in resource-poor HIV clinics to track and improve patient care. The great majority of these systems rely on paper forms and retrospective data entry, while a few have chosen to deploy point-of-care systems to collect data in real time. This study describes a comparison of data quality between these two approaches.