Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders
Introduction: Key stakeholders’ involvement is crucial to the sustainability of quality point-of-care (POC) diagnostics services in low-and-middle income countries. The aim of this study was to explore key stakeholder perceptions on the implementation of POC diagnostics in rural primary healthcare (...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/7/1/3 |
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| author | Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson Ngcwalisa A. Jama Benn Sartorius Paul K. Drain Rowan M. Thompson |
| author_facet | Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson Ngcwalisa A. Jama Benn Sartorius Paul K. Drain Rowan M. Thompson |
| author_sort | Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Key stakeholders’ involvement is crucial to the sustainability of quality point-of-care (POC) diagnostics services in low-and-middle income countries. The aim of this study was to explore key stakeholder perceptions on the implementation of POC diagnostics in rural primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in South Africa. Method: We conducted a qualitative study encompassing in-depth interviews with multiple key stakeholders of POC diagnostic services for rural and resource-limited PHC clinics. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to thematic content analysis. Thematic content analysis was conducted using themes guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) quality-ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User friendly, Rapid and to enable treatment at first visit and Robust, Equipment free and Delivered to those who need it) criteria for POC diagnostic services in resource-limited settings. Results: 11 key stakeholders participated in the study. All stakeholders perceived the main advantage of POC diagnostics as enabling access to healthcare for rural patients. Stakeholders perceived the current POC diagnostic services to have an ability to meet patients’ needs, but recommended further improvement of the following areas: research on cost-effectiveness; improved quality management systems; development of affordable POC diagnostic and clinic-based monitoring and evaluation. Conclusions: Key stakeholders of POC diagnostics in rural PHC clinics in South Africa highlighted the need to assess affordability and ensure quality assurance of current services before adopting new POC diagnostics and scaling up current POC diagnostics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:25:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d5f1a5ba2014213b7b6ec3823a52b25 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:25:18Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d5f1a5ba2014213b7b6ec3823a52b252022-12-22T02:17:53ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182017-01-0171310.3390/diagnostics7010003diagnostics7010003Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key StakeholdersTivani P. Mashamba-Thompson0Ngcwalisa A. Jama1Benn Sartorius2Paul K. Drain3Rowan M. Thompson4Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDiscipline of Rural Health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaDiscipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South AfricaInternational Clinical Research Center, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USADepartment of Maths, Science and Technology, Embury Institute, Durban, 4001, South AfricaIntroduction: Key stakeholders’ involvement is crucial to the sustainability of quality point-of-care (POC) diagnostics services in low-and-middle income countries. The aim of this study was to explore key stakeholder perceptions on the implementation of POC diagnostics in rural primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in South Africa. Method: We conducted a qualitative study encompassing in-depth interviews with multiple key stakeholders of POC diagnostic services for rural and resource-limited PHC clinics. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim prior to thematic content analysis. Thematic content analysis was conducted using themes guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) quality-ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User friendly, Rapid and to enable treatment at first visit and Robust, Equipment free and Delivered to those who need it) criteria for POC diagnostic services in resource-limited settings. Results: 11 key stakeholders participated in the study. All stakeholders perceived the main advantage of POC diagnostics as enabling access to healthcare for rural patients. Stakeholders perceived the current POC diagnostic services to have an ability to meet patients’ needs, but recommended further improvement of the following areas: research on cost-effectiveness; improved quality management systems; development of affordable POC diagnostic and clinic-based monitoring and evaluation. Conclusions: Key stakeholders of POC diagnostics in rural PHC clinics in South Africa highlighted the need to assess affordability and ensure quality assurance of current services before adopting new POC diagnostics and scaling up current POC diagnostics.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/7/1/3point-of-care diagnosticsperformanceprimary healthcare clinickey stakeholders |
| spellingShingle | Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson Ngcwalisa A. Jama Benn Sartorius Paul K. Drain Rowan M. Thompson Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders Diagnostics point-of-care diagnostics performance primary healthcare clinic key stakeholders |
| title | Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders |
| title_full | Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders |
| title_fullStr | Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders |
| title_short | Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Rural Primary Healthcare Clinics in South Africa: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders |
| title_sort | implementation of point of care diagnostics in rural primary healthcare clinics in south africa perspectives of key stakeholders |
| topic | point-of-care diagnostics performance primary healthcare clinic key stakeholders |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/7/1/3 |
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