Performance evaluation of primary healthcare system reform in Xinjin County, Chengdu City. VIII: Evaluation of the essential public health services from 2009 to 2011

Objective To comprehensively evaluate the essential public health service in Xinjin county of Chengdu from 2009 to April 2011, so as to provide evidence for improving primary healthcare system reform in Chengdu city. Methods The data was collected from the Xinjin county-wide health information system. The electronic health records, chronic disease management, childbirth management and mental health were quantitatively described and compared. Results a) In 2010, 88 772 residents had the physical examination and health assessment, among which, 14 497 (16%) were detected with some health problems. The average cost per positive detection was RMB 122.5 yuan. b) Up to April 2011, 98.2% of people in Xinjin county have their health records but the proportions were ranged from 68.08% to 109.02% in different primary healthcare providers. The details of the most health records were incomplete. c) 7 318 patients with hypertension and 2 187 diabetes mellitus were detected, and among them, 90.1% of patients with hypertension and 95.1% of patients with diabetes had their health records for chronic diseases management. d) The rate of stillbirth or neonatal mortality was lower than 4‰. There was no maternal death in the 8 years. But the cesarean section rate was about 61%. e) 97.3% of the patients with mental disorders were supervised in 2010, which was reduced by 2.7% compared to 2009. Conclusions a) There is low proportion of all the residents in Xinjin having physical examination and health assessment and the rate of diseases detection is low as well. b) There is very wide coverage of health records for residents in Xinjin county, nearly universal coverage. c) The health records for the chronic disease patients were well-established, but the early detection rate of the chronic diseases is low. d) High proportion of the patients with mental disorders is supervised. e) The strategy that only county-level hospitals could provide obstetrical service instead of township hospitals is successful to reduce the neonatal mortality and maternal mortality. However, the cesarean section rate is high. f) It acts, to some extent, as a model to successfully improve the essential public health service and management based on the conuty-wide healthcare information system. However, the data quality, data mining and data utilization should be further improved. © 2014 Editorial Board of Chin J Evid-based Med.