The use of video directly observed therapy in the treatment of Tuberculosis

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) developed a video directly observed therapy (VDOT) program within their Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program to meet the standard of care set forth by Centers for Disease Control to monitor tuberculosis treatments. The CCPHSD TB Control Program's mission is to reduce TB morbidity and mortality within Coconino County. Directly observed therapy (DOT) is the preferred strategy for ensuring completion of a prescribed anti-tuberculosis medication regimen by requiring a trained staff member to directly observe the patient take their medications daily. VDOT involves using a video application to observe the patient taking their daily medications. The purpose of the VDOT program is to ensure that patients adhere to their TB treatment regimen and allows CCPHSD to follow standards of care. This program was initiated for a patient who lived in a rural community more than 60 miles from the CCPHSD office. In order to ensure completion of therapy, daily DOT needed to be performed. It was not feasible nor fiscally responsible to travel to their residence 5 days a week for nine months to perform DOT. Additionally, due to physical and financial constraints, as well as a lack of reliable transportation, the patient was not able to travel the 60 miles to the clinic to receive therapy. By implementing the VDOT program, CCPHSD has been able to ensure DOT for this patient in a way that provides greater flexibility and independence to both the patient and TB Control staff. The implementation of this program has had a positive outcome for both the patient and CCPHSD. VDOT has helped the patient to be compliant with all medications and has allowed greater freedom and flexibility. This program has saved the CCPHSD thousands of dollars in transportation costs and staff time.