Matara

Researchers are evaluating an electronic clinical decision support tool (eCDST) designed to help diagnose and treat lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in patients aged 14 years and older at three hospitals in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. This stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized, open-label trial aims to compare outcomes and antibacterial use between patients receiving care guided by the eCDST and those receiving usual care. The study plans to enroll 765 patients, with medical wards switching to the intervention in intervals of 3 to 6 months until all have adopted the tool. Participants in the intervention group will be managed using the eCDST diagnostic plan, and their clinical outcomes and use of antimicrobials will be tracked. The study will follow patients for 30 days from enrollment, monitoring clinical progress and recording any antibacterial prescriptions given during the initial hospitalization period, which can last up to approximately 14 days. The comparator group receives standard care without the eCDST. During the 30-day follow-up, researchers will collect data on adverse clinical outcomes potentially related to withholding antibacterial treatment and measure the total duration of antibacterial prescriptions. Participants are assessed through clinical evaluations, and their treatment and recovery are monitored to determine the impact of the eCDST. The study includes detailed eligibility screening and requires participants to complete follow-up visits either in person or by telephone.