Performance of health professionals in the investigationof DTA’s such in the Uberlândia hospitals

Abstract

The risk guidance program for the population, whether in residents, schools or public environments has
contributed to the reduction of food-borne outbreak cases, and the reduction of drug and hospital stays costs as well. In the case of this type of outbreak, the hospital must communicate the city´s Epidemiological Surveillance in order to start the investigation process. The objective of the present study was to identify the flaws in the procedures adopted during the DTA outbreaks investigations in hospitals, with the use of interviews with the physicians who attended suspected DTA outbreaks in Uberlândia city´s health network. The research project was
approved by the Ethics Committee. Questionnaires were applied to physicians who attend in two private
hospitals and in two Integrated Attending Units, according to a semi structured interview and an opinion survey
form. The interviews with the doctors had the following results: suggestion to create a DTA fast filling form to
be used during the care of DTA cases, description of the patient's symptoms in the medical report, suggestion of adding the outbreak place of occurrence and consumed food. The creation of this DTA form to be filled in public and private health units by physicians and the interrelation between the city health surveillance and health agencies are essential for a more effective outbreak investigation process, since the interaction between the organs is inefficient, which implies in the reduction of the reports of DTA outbreaks.