Abstract
Background: Despite the remarkable developments in the management of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), there is no user-friendly platform that helps key decision-makers to improve their HIV services. Therefore, we developed a simulation model for effective and efficient management of HIV services. SmartHIV Manager is a web-based operational planning platform for the management of HIV services (Figure 1).
Methods: SmartHIV Manager is developed in JAVA programming language based on discrete event simulation approach. The decision support system (DSS) mimics the journey of real-life HIV patients through HIV care (from diagnosis to treatment) with associated key resources captured. The system was tested and validated via information from HIV treatment centers in Kenya and Nigeria. About a hundred input parameters consisting of distributions and country level data (e.g., costing, mortality and prevalence rates) were established in the HIV pathway of care. The simulation outcomes feed into pre-designed dashboards which include easy to understand, stylish and colorful charts, tables, and key results (Figure 2). Five different dashboards, which shows the impact of interventions, as follow; (i) service demand and utilization, (ii) prevention strategies, (iii) human resource management, (iv) budgeting and financial planning, (iv) UNAIDS (the joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS) targets (e.g., 90-90-90 or 95-95-95).
Results: We demonstrated the usefulness of the system for a service in Nigeria by running scenarios on increasing prevention measures and how to reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 target. As a result of increasing the number of people offered PrEP/PEP from 43 to 500, averted cases have remarkably increased from 7 to 81 in total over a 5-year period. Additionally, the outputs guided the service to increase the number of naïve patients to provide treatment annually by 20% (from 100 to 120 with a 5% annual growth rate) to achieve UNAIDS target by 2025. Lastly, the system shows the impact on service outcomes, such as activities, resources utilized, and cost.
Conclusions: SmartHIV Manager is designed to be used by any HIV service globally with various features and functionalities. This novel web-based system supports effective HIV/AIDS management, control and service delivery, delivering easy to understand results via user-friendly web portal.
Methods: SmartHIV Manager is developed in JAVA programming language based on discrete event simulation approach. The decision support system (DSS) mimics the journey of real-life HIV patients through HIV care (from diagnosis to treatment) with associated key resources captured. The system was tested and validated via information from HIV treatment centers in Kenya and Nigeria. About a hundred input parameters consisting of distributions and country level data (e.g., costing, mortality and prevalence rates) were established in the HIV pathway of care. The simulation outcomes feed into pre-designed dashboards which include easy to understand, stylish and colorful charts, tables, and key results (Figure 2). Five different dashboards, which shows the impact of interventions, as follow; (i) service demand and utilization, (ii) prevention strategies, (iii) human resource management, (iv) budgeting and financial planning, (iv) UNAIDS (the joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS) targets (e.g., 90-90-90 or 95-95-95).
Results: We demonstrated the usefulness of the system for a service in Nigeria by running scenarios on increasing prevention measures and how to reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 target. As a result of increasing the number of people offered PrEP/PEP from 43 to 500, averted cases have remarkably increased from 7 to 81 in total over a 5-year period. Additionally, the outputs guided the service to increase the number of naïve patients to provide treatment annually by 20% (from 100 to 120 with a 5% annual growth rate) to achieve UNAIDS target by 2025. Lastly, the system shows the impact on service outcomes, such as activities, resources utilized, and cost.
Conclusions: SmartHIV Manager is designed to be used by any HIV service globally with various features and functionalities. This novel web-based system supports effective HIV/AIDS management, control and service delivery, delivering easy to understand results via user-friendly web portal.
| Original language | English |
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| Number of pages | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 7 May 2021 |
| Event | The American Conference for the Treatment of HIV (ACTHIV) - Virtual, United States Duration: 20 May 2021 → 22 May 2021 https://www.acthiv.org/ |
Conference
| Conference | The American Conference for the Treatment of HIV (ACTHIV) |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| Period | 20/05/21 → 22/05/21 |
| Internet address |