staffTRAK-TB: Software for surveillance of tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends periodic tu berculin skin testing of healthcare workers with potential exposure to Myco bacterium tuberculosis. However, many healthcare facilities have neither a system to identify workers due for their skin test nor a means of analyzing aggregate data. To illustrate some of the complexities involved in tubercu lin skin test (TST) tracking and analysis, and how these might be addressed , this report describes a software package called staffTRAK-TB, developed b y the CDC to facilitate surveillance of tuberculosis infection in healthcar e workers. staffTRAK-TB records data for each healthcare worker, including demographic information, occupation, work location, multiple TST results, a nd results of evaluations to determine if clinically active tuberculosis is present. Programmed reports include lists of workers due and overdue for s kin tests, and skin test conversion rates by occupation or worksite. Standa rdization of types of occupations and locations allows data from multiple f acilities to be aggregated and compared. Data transfer to the CDC can be pe rformed via floppy diskettes. staffTRAK-TB illustrates important issues in software structure, standardization of occupation and work-location informa tion, relevant data items, and reports and analyses that would be useful in practice. Developing software that adequately addresses the epidemiologica l issues is complex, and the lessons learned may serve as a model for hospi tal epidemiologists, infection control personnel, occupational health perso nnel, and computer programmers considering software development in this are a or trying to optimize their facility's TST surveillance.