Table 1 Components of the implementation strategy
Component | Description |
|---|---|
Training | All health care providers working with the population of interest were trained on Chagas disease and resource management |
Flowcharts on Chagas management and approach | Flowcharts in poster format that included information on risk screening (questions to detect the population to be tested), procedures to manage people at risk and cases of Chagas disease, under national guidelines. The posters were tailored to the type of patient: for pediatric population, for prenatal controls and for women of reproductive age (see Additional files 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) |
Reminders | Labels as reminders and to easily locate medical records of infected or at risk people |
Posters to remind professionals to ask questions to verify the risk of Chagas disease (risk screening), diagnose, follow-up results and treat positive cases (see Additional files 7, 8, 9 and 10) | |
Frequently asked questions for patient management and approach | This document summarized information to optimize the use of resources for managing Chagas disease at the first level of care, regarding notification of positive cases, access to etiological treatment, and coordination with other levels of care. |
Identification of clinical records of people at risk and positive cases | The medical records of patients at risk of Chagas disease were identified (e.g., brightly coloured labels) to facilitate tracking results of diagnostic tests. Positive serologic tests results were recorded to facilitate routine practice. Family contacts needed to be followed up. Each healthcare center could design their own registration strategy |
Management facilitator | Central role in the dissemination and implementation of all components and liaison between key actors and levels of care, contributing to adequate healthcare |