Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39966864›Full record

Observational studyBMC medical informatics and decision making2025

Workload in antenatal care before and after implementation of an electronic decision support system: an observed time-motion study of healthcare providers in Nepal.

Emma Radovich, Seema Das, Sulata Karki, Christian Bottomley, Ona L McCarthy, Abha Shrestha, Loveday Penn-Kekana, Rajani Shakya, Biraj Man Karmacharya, Abha Shrestha and 2 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Emma RadovichFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Emma.radovich@lshtm.ac.uk.
Seema DasResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Sulata KarkiResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Christian BottomleyFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Ona L McCarthyFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Abha ShresthaResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Loveday Penn-KekanaFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Rajani ShakyaResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Biraj Man KarmacharyaResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Abha ShresthaResearch and Development Division, Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Oona M R Campbell *Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Giorgia Gon *Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Funding

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine LSHTM Doctoral Project Travelling Scholarship - Radovich/1402301Medical Research Council MR/R022127/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealthcare interventions are shaped by the resources needed to implement them, including staff time. This study, part of a process evaluation, aims to compare time spent on antenatal care (ANC) and related recordkeeping in two rural primary-level health facilities in Nepal, before and after implementation of an electronic decision support system intervention to improve ANC quality that required additional electronic documentation.

methodsThe study is a before-and-after, observational time-motion assessment. Researchers used the WOMBAT (Work Observation Method By Activity Timing) software to observe and record activities performed by auxiliary nurse midwives providing ANC in two rounds of data collection. We summed the observation time (in minutes) spent on activity categories for each day of observation, in each round of data collection. For each auxiliary nurse midwife, we estimated the proportion of total observation time spent on activities and compared these proportions before and after intervention implementation. We also compared the mean minutes per day spent on ANC and recordkeeping in the two rounds.

resultsSix auxiliary nurse midwives were observed over two data collection rounds (41 total observation days). Prior to intervention, providers spent 7% of their workday on ANC and 6% on related recordkeeping, and time spent on these activities did not change after intervention implementation. Only one of the six auxiliary nurse midwives demonstrated a statistically significant increase in time spent on ANC and recordkeeping after implementation. There was considerable day-to-day variation in ANC time, and substantial periods of "non-work" time (on break or not engaged in work-related activity). Non-work time reduced from 42% in the first round to 26% in the second round of data collection.

conclusionsTime spent on ANC and related recordkeeping was low and did not change after implementation of the electronic decision support system. ANC and recordkeeping time was sensitive to day-to-day fluctuations in numbers of women attending for ANC at these rural facilities, which may have masked the intervention's effects. However, the large amount of non-work time observed suggests time constraints during the workday were not a major factor inhibiting use of the electronic decision support system.

Indexed as

Decision Support Systems, ClinicalNurse MidwivesPrenatal CareTime and Motion StudiesWorkloadFemaleHumansMidwiferyNepalPregnancyRural Health ServicesAntenatal careAuxiliary nurse midwivesElectronic decision support systemNepalTime-and-motion studyWorkload

Identifiers

PMID39966864
PMCPMC11834578

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.