Analysis on the direct network reporting of township-level health centers of China in 2006

Objective The present study was conducted to analyze the direct network reporting of township-level health centers to show the difference of direct reporting ability between east, center and west regions in China for further amelioration and improvement. Methods Network reporting rate, unreported rate, direct reporting rate and substituted reporting rate were used to evaluate the ability of direct reporting network of township-level health centers health center all over China (except Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the same below) from Jan. 1st to Oct. 31st in 2006. Results There were 381 845 township-level health centers registered in the direct network reporting system. The average network reporting rate was 70.25%, among which 74.09% was in the east of China, 67.01% in the center and 71.11% in the west. The number of network reports of township-level health centers in China was 26 825 and substituted reports 3944 with the proportion of 14.70%. The substituted reporting rate was highest in the center of China, being 21.31%. Conclusion Through the analysis of direct reporting network for infectious diseases of township-level health centers in China from Jan. 1st to Oct. 31st in 2006, it was seen that the network reporting rate and direct reporting rate of township-level health centers had largely improved. Particularly, with the complement of the computer allocation project for west regions by MHO, the network reporting ability of township-level health centers in the west had greatly improved even beyond the one in the center region. The pressing problems now lie within the increase of the support to the center region and the maintenance of steady development of the ability of network direct reporting in the west.