Health information exchange between clinicians and people living with HIV/AIDS on anti retroviral therapy at public health hospitals in Addis Ababa.

BACKGROUND: Good quality of clinician-patient health information exchange promotes diagnostic accuracy, patient's knowledge and understanding, health outcomes, clinician and patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment plan, patient's trust in clinicians and reduces medical error.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study is to assess health information exchange between clinicians and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) attending ARTclinics at public hospitals in Addis Ababa.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics of seven public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; during one month period between April and May, 2009. Four hundred ART clients aged 18 years and above in the seven hospitals and 20 clinicians involved in the care of patients constitute the study subjects. Data on patients were collected by an interviewer administered structured Amharic questionnaire. Their perception of the clinical communication was assessed by using a 20 item measure with five point response scale (5=excellent, 4=very good. 3=good, 2=fair and 1=poor). Data on clinicians was collected by a self administered questionnaire. Clinicians' attitude towards information provision was assessed by using a 9 item measure.

RESULTS: The mean (SD) scores of patients'perceptions of the communication they had with clinicians during their encounter was 77.1% (14.1%) with median 78.0. ranging from 39 to 100%. Three hundred seventy one (92.8%) study participants reported that they comprehend information that have been provided during their encounter with clinicians while 5 (1.3%) were uncertain of their understanding of the information delivered to them. Likewise 339 (84.8%)) patients have claimed to be satisfied with the information exchange process.

CONCLUSION: Current status of relationship building and sharing information in public hospitals in Addis Ababa were rated high by patients on ART We recommend that training institutions and other responsible bodies should work to enhance communication skills of clinicians and all healthcare providers in general, during basic training and/or continuous training programs.