Developing an electronic reporting system for a tobacco control program

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Tobacco Control Project (SEPA TCP) coordinates tobacco control and prevention activities across a large urban, suburban, and rural seven-county region. SEPA TCP developed an electronic reporting system to standardize data collection and evaluation across the region.

The purpose of SEPA TCP's transition to an electronic web-based system was to standardize data collection elements among all service providers, increase the accuracy and reliability of data for program evaluation, and promote best practices in service activities. The transition process presented both threats and opportunities that SEPA TCP evaluators addressed by:

· Seeking buy-in and support from providers

· Re-examining the Project's goals and activities

· Consulting tobacco control experts in development of outcome measures

· Reviewing existing data collection tools utilized across the region

· Developing a comprehensive list of data elements

· Designing new data collection forms and procedures

· Providing user training to providers

· Soliciting feedback from providers

· Making appropriate revisions and providing additional training

Ongoing editing of the database and training of the service providers will improve the utility of the database for providers, evaluators, and funders.

The SEPA TCP's transition to an electronic database system was an important first step to standardizing data collection and evaluation regionally. Ultimately, centralization of data from all of SEPA TCP activities will allow for a more efficient data monitoring, data analysis, and quality improvement process. Lessons learned from this electronic transition will be presented, as well as recommendations for those developing their own electronic data systems.