Elements of the Cohort Review Approach Harvey L. Marx, Jr. Lisa Schutzenhofer TB Program Controller TB Program Manager.

Elements of theCohort Review Approach

Harvey L. Marx, Jr. Lisa SchutzenhoferTB Program Controller TB Program Manager

Reasons for Implementation

• 2005 CDC Cooperative Agreement• Increase learning• Improve case management at the

state and local levels• Use cohort review as a tool to

conduct program evaluation• Improve documentation in clinic

records

What is Cohort Review (1)

• Cohort review is a systematic review of patients with tuberculosis (TB) disease and their contacts.

• A “cohort” is a group of TB cases identified over a specific period of time, usually 3 months.

• The cases are reviewed approximately 6 months after they are reported, so that many of the patients have completed or are nearing the end of treatment.

What is Cohort Review (2)

TB cases are reviewed in a group setting with the following information presented on each case by the case manager:

• Patient's demographic information• Patient’s status: clinical, lab, radiology• Drug regimen, adherence, completion• Results of contact investigation

Individual outcomes are assessed.

What is Cohort Review (3)

Group outcomes are also assessed.

Indicators track progress toward national, state, and local program objectives.

Everyone leaves the meeting knowing the results.

Cohort Review Process

• DHSS Public Health Sernior Nurses (PHSNs) continually work with local health agencies (LHAs) to prepare for cohort review sessions

• LHA staff or CHNs will present cases• During session, TB Controller and

Program Manager ask questions and provide input

Cohort Review Process

• Health Program Rep uses TIMS (or other databases) and cohort review forms

• Health Program Rep presents final analyses of previous cohort of cases and contacts at beginning of session

• Health Program Rep presents preliminary analyses of cases being reviewed

Roles

TB Program Controller

DHSS PHSN Case Manager

TB Program Manager

LPHA Case Manager

Data Analyst

Timeline1ST QUARTER 

JAN FEB MAR

2ND QUARTER

APR MAY JUN

3RD QUARTER

JUL AUG SEP

4TH QUARTER

OCT NOV DEC

1ST QUARTER

JAN FEB MAR

2ND QUARTER

APR MAY JUN

• TB cases identified• Treatment started• Contact investigation initiated

 • Ongoing treatment of patients with TB disease• Contacts evaluated and started on treatment, as necessary

 • TB disease treatment completed• Infected contacts continue on treatment for LTBI

1st quarter contacts complete treatment

COHORT REVIEW SESSION

 • Begin follow up on issues identified

• Continue follow up on issues identified during cohort review session

• Treatment completion rate presented for contacts of cases from previous 1st quarter

Timeline

Example of a Cohort Review Schedule

Quarter Case Identified Quarter Case Reviewed

1st (Jan-Mar 07) 3rd (Jul-Sep 07)

2nd (Apr-Jun 07) 4th (Oct-Dec 07)

3rd (Jul-Sep 07) 1st (Jan-Mar 08)

4th (Oct-Dec 07) 2nd (Apr-Jun 08)

Essential Elements

Cohort Review ProcessPreparation Presentatio

nFollow up

Essential Elements

Cohort Review Process

Preparation1. Shared

objectives2. Case

management3. TB registry4. Preparation

of cases for

presentation

Presentation Follow up

CDC National Objectives

• At least 90% of confirmed TB cases will complete treatment within 365 days

• At least 90% of sputum AFB-smear positive TB cases will have contacts identified

• At least 95% of contacts to sputum AFB-smear positive TB cases will be evaluated

• At least 85% of infected contacts who are started on treatment for latent TB infection will complete treatment within 365 days

Example of State Objectives

• Persons with TB disease will be interviewed within 3 business days of case notification.

• Contact investigations will be completed within 21 days.

Case Management

• Every TB disease case and contact in Missouri has an assigned case manager

• Staff follow written protocols for case management and contact investigation

• Supervisors communicate periodically with staff to make sure everything is proceeding OK

• All participate in case review meetings to make sure a complete job is done

TB Registry

• National (TIMS) or locally developed (.NET)database containing:– General patient information– Medical and treatment history– Contacts info and status

• Used to generate line listing:– Preliminary cohort list (5 mos. before)– Final cohort list (2 mos. before review)

Preparation of Cases for Presentation

• Starts when case is identified

• Improved by – “N visits/consultation”– case management meetings

• Use standard formats

Essential Elements

Cohort Review ProcessPreparation Presentation

1. Detailed case review

2. Immediate analysis of outcomes

Follow up

Detailed Case Review

Program Manager asks questions to

make sure that:

• Details are consistent

• Regimen is appropriate

• Treatment is completed

• Contact investigation is thorough

Collect Information

Data analysts in this cohort review!

• Analyze data on outcomes

• Obtain missing or update incorrect

data

Immediate Analysis of Outcomes

• Patient is cured

– Measurable result is completion of Tx

– Other outcomes

• Contact investigation

– Measurable results are # of contacts

identified, tested, evaluated, started, and

completed Tx for LTBI

Cohort Review Indicators

• Completion index at time of review

• Completion index without MDRTB cases

• Completion index including those “Likely to Complete”

Cohort Review Indicators (2)

• DOT coverage

• Default rate

• Death rate

• Timeliness of interview

Cohort Review Indicators (3)

• Contact index for pulmonary cases

• Contact evaluation index

• % contacts starting treatment

• Treatment completion index for infected contacts

Of those who had treatment discontinued:

Refused to continue treatment

Adverse reaction to treatment

Lost

Moved

Died

Contacts

Index of Completion

If you exclude those who could not complete by today (MDRTB cases)

Formula:

____________Completed______________________# Counted - (# Reported @ death + # MDR + # Died)

Index of Completion

without MDRTB cases

Formula:

_______Completed_+_Likely to Complete________# Counted - (# Reported @ death + # MDR + # Died)

Index of Completion

including those who are likely to complete

Formula:

_____Completed_+_Likely to Complete___# Counted - (# Reported @ death + # Died)

Death Rate:(# Died + # Reported @ Death)

# Counted

Default Rate:_______________ # Lost_______________

(# Counted - # Died - # Reported @ Death)

Total Cohort Failure Rate______(# Lost + # Cohort Failures)_______ (# Counted - # Died - # Reported @ Death)

Essential Elements

Cohort Review ProcessPreparation Presentatio

nFollow up1. Timely follow up of identified problems

Timely Follow Up of Identified Problems

Different items need follow up by:

• Supervisors, nurses and case

managers

• TB Program Manager

• Data Analyst

Six Case Presentations

• Typical Case

• Likely to Complete

• Died

• Completion after 365 Days

• Source Case Investigation

• The Global Village

“A Typical Case”

Key Points

• Contacts with documented history of prior positive TST are evaluated but not re-tested.

• Use twice weekly DOT when possible

“Likely to Complete”

Key Points

• Patients likely to complete treatment within 365 days have actual outcomes reviewed at a future presentation

• Contacts of extra-pulmonary cases not obtained

“Died”

Key Point

• Despite death of patient, contact investigation still conducted

“Completion after 365 Days”

Key Points

• Treatment must be completed 365 days of start on 2 anti-TB meds

• Still responsible for case despite patient moving to another jurisdiction

• Importance of interstate follow-up

“Source Case Investigation”

Key Point

• All children have source case/contact investigations conducted

“The Global Village”

Key Points

• More foreign-born TB patients coming to Missouri to receive treatment

• Notification of airlines and expanded contact tracing needed sometimes

• Cases with MDRTB removed from the calculations, as they cannot complete treatment 365 days

Cohort Review Approach

• Most important meeting of TB program• Low tech, can be done by hand• Closely linked to CDC objectives• Group process• Every one leaves meeting knowing results

(or soon afterwards)• Teaching opportunity• Gives TB Program a sense of current

issues