Establishing a national indicator-based surveillance system for hospital bed utilization by COVID-19 patients in the Philippines

Authors

  • Bienvenido S Cabaro III Health Facility Development Bureau, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Gabrielle Ann T Dela Paz Health Facility Development Bureau, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Jeffrey B Dotingco World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
  • Bernadette Joy Q Almirol Health Facility Development Bureau, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Gabriel R Borlongan Field Implementation and Coordination Team, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Reena Ophelia D Cebreros Field Implementation and Coordination Team, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Patrick B Diangco Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Kenneth Pierre B Quijalvo Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Joanne Pauline U Tan Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
  • Ramon Rafael D Tonato Health Facility Development Bureau, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2023.14.5.1038

Keywords:

COVID-19, indicator-based surveillance, health information systems, hospital bed capacity, Philippines

Abstract

In March 2020, the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) designed and rapidly implemented a national surveillance system for the utilization of hospital beds by patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to produce complete and timely data for use by various levels of governance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOH launched the DOH DataCollect (DDC) Bed Tracker system, a web-based application that collects information from all 1906 public and private hospitals and infirmaries across the country using a modular data collection tool. Data on the maximum number of occupied COVID-19-designated beds (n = 28 261), hospital bed utilization rate (71.7%), and mechanical ventilator number (n = 1846) and utilization rate (58.5%) were recorded in September 2021 during the Delta surge of cases in the Philippines. Data on human resources, personal protective equipment and supplies, and other operational indicators were added to the system during various modifications. Information from the DDC was used to inform the COVID-19 response and operations at national and local levels and facilitated research at academic and nongovernmental agencies. The development of the DDC system demonstrates that an effective surveillance system for use by all health-care facilities is achievable through strong national leadership, the use of available technology and adaptive information systems, and the establishment of networks across different health facilities and stakeholders.

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Published

30-09-2023

How to Cite

1.
Cabaro III BS, Dela Paz GAT, Dotingco JB, Almirol BJQ, Borlongan GR, Cebreros ROD, Diangco PB, Quijalvo KPB, Tan JPU, Tonato RRD. Establishing a national indicator-based surveillance system for hospital bed utilization by COVID-19 patients in the Philippines. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2023 Sep. 30 [cited 2026 Apr. 1];14(5). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/1038

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 5 (2023): Special Edition: COVID-19 Clinical Management and Health-care Pathways

Section

Surveillance System Implementation / Evaluation

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