Using a computerised database (REDCap) to monitor influenza vaccination coverage of healthcare workers and staff in South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.

Objective New South Wales (NSW) experienced a severe influenza season in 2017. In 2018, NSW Health implemented a campaign to improve healthcare worker (HCW) influenza vaccination coverage. The South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (LHD) trialled a centralised online database to monitor HCW uptake of the vaccination. This paper outlines how the monitoring system was chosen and developed, the process of implementation and the effectiveness of the system in this setting. Methods A literature review was conducted to identify an appropriate database. Stakeholder working groups took place across the LHD regarding implementation. An online vaccination consent form was developed and installed on the LHD network within 2 weeks. Administrative staff ensured timely entry of HCW data and vaccination status and analysis of uptake using Microsoft Excel. Results REDCap (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA) was identified as the most appropriate web-based platform based on the ease of developing a secure and inexpensive data collection tool in a short time period. In all, 10064 employees were recorded in REDCap as having received the influenza vaccine. Customised REDCap reports allowed managers to follow up staff yet to receive their vaccination, which resulted in further vaccinations. Conclusions REDCap was successfully used as a data collection tool to track the influenza vaccination rates of staff. The data assisted the District Workforce Services in ensuring that facilities complied with NSW Health policy. This study highlights how REDCap may be used by similar organisations to monitor influenza vaccination of HCWs. What is known about the topic? There is increasing recognition of the need to ensure high-quality monitoring of HCW influenza vaccination rates, yet coverage is often difficult to measure accurately due to a lack of centralised reporting and monitoring systems. What does this paper add? This paper outlines how a computerised database (REDCap) was used by a NSW Health jurisdiction to monitor a vaccination program. REDCap is an inexpensive and easy to use system that allowed public health authorities rapid analysis of HCW vaccination coverage rates. What are the implications for practitioners? The findings add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the utility of online systems for monitoring HCW influenza vaccinations. These results will be relevant to healthcare organisations and public health practitioners seeking quick and feasible research and data collection platforms.

Hepatitis C enhanced surveillance: results from a southeastern Sydney pilot program.

AIM: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a potentially serious bloodborne virus, which persists in the majority of those infected. Long-term sequelae include liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and premature death. Early identification of newly acquired infection is important for protection of public health. Routine surveillance based on laboratory notification of HCV infection is not sufficient to differentiate between newly acquired and chronic infections. Enhanced surveillance systems have been trialled globally in a number of settings. This pilot program aimed to increase identification of newly acquired HCV cases in southeastern Sydney residents and to ascertain the likely mode of transmission. METHODS: All HCV notifications in southeastern Sydney residents with specimen dates from 1 July to 31 December 2012 were included in a pilot program. Demographic data, Australian Indigenous identification and previous laboratory results were collected from electronic medical records, where available. Enhanced surveillance forms were sent to referring doctors to seek information about clinical symptoms and previous hepatitis C pathology. Data were collated to assess, according to Australian national case definitions, whether cases were newly acquired or not, or were unable to be determined on the available information. RESULTS: There were 104 notifications of HCV infection during the surveillance period. Forms were sent to 100 requesting doctors, with 72 forms returned. Six newly acquired cases were identified, a rate of 8%, compared with 1-3% classified by routine surveillance. Twenty cases (28%) were not newly acquired and the status of 46 (64%) was unable to be determined. Of the six newly acquired cases, sexual transmission was deemed to be the likely route of exposure for four cases, and injecting drug use for the remaining two. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced surveillance increased the rate of identification of newly acquired infections. However, the process was labour-intensive and the status of most cases was unable to be determined. Since identification of newly acquired cases has an important public health benefit in understanding factors in disease transmission, other approaches should be examined.