title: The Usefulness and Feasibility of Mobile Interface in Tuberculosis Notification (MITUN) Voice Based System for Notification of Tuberculosis by Private Medical Practitioners--A Pilot Project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) is a notifiable disease and health care providers are required to notify every TB case to local authorities. We conducted a pilot study to determine the usefulness and feasibility of mobile interface in TB notification (MITUN) voice based system for notification of TB cases by private medical practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted during September 2013 to October 2014 in three zones of Chennai, an urban setting in South India. Private clinics wherein services are provided by single private medical practitioners were approached. The steps involved in MITUN included: Registration of the practitioners and notification of TB cases by them through voice interactions. Pre and post-intervention questionnaires were administered to collect information on TB notification practices and feasibility of MITUN after an implementation period of 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 266 private medical practitioners were approached for the study. Of them, 184 (69%) participated in the study; of whom 11 (6%) practitioners used MITUN for TB notification. Reasons for not using MITUN include lack of time, referral of patients to government facility, issues related to patient confidentiality and technical problems. Suggestions for making mobile phone based TB notification process user-friendly included reducing call duration, including only crucial questions and using missed call or SMS options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The performance (feasibility and usefulness) of MITUN voice based system for TB notification in the present format was sub-optimal. Perceived problems, logistical and practical issues preclude scale-up of notification of TB by private practitioners.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Banurekha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Velayutham
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Beena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kannan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thiruvengadam
authors.affiliation: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)'s Rural Technology and Business Incubator (RTBI), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Suma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prashant
authors.affiliation: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)'s Rural Technology and Business Incubator (RTBI), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sathyapriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kittusami
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Harivanzan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vijayakumar
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Meenachi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chidambaram
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Shri Vijay Bala Yogendra
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Shivakumar
authors.affiliation: District Tuberculosis Officer, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Lavanya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jayabal
authors.affiliation: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)'s Rural Technology and Business Incubator (RTBI), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jhunjhunwala
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Soumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011331:Private Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*