Impact of a mobile health application on adherence to antibiotic guidelines in a Vietnamese hospital

Objectives Previous research, primarily from developed countries, has shown that mobile health applications can enhance prescriber adherence to guidelines. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of implementing TNGUIDE, an antibiotic guideline mobile application, on the adherence of prescribers treating inpatients with infection at Thong Nhat Hospital, Vietnam. Methods A before-and-after study reviewed the medical records of inpatients who received empirical antibiotics at Thong Nhat Hospital during two periods: pre-intervention (February to April 2023) and post-intervention (February to April 2024), following the introduction of TNGUIDE in November 2023. The intervention's effectiveness was evaluated through guidelines adherence rates, therapy duration, length of hospital stay, and treatment outcomes. Adherence was defined as compliance with hospital guidelines for antibiotic selection and dosage. Results A total of 260 patients from the pre-intervention period and 261 from the post-intervention period were included in the study. After the intervention, guidelines adherence rates increased from 78.8% to 86.2% (p = 0.029). The length of hospital stay and therapy duration were reduced by 1 day (10 vs. 9 days, p = 0.003) and 2 days (12 vs. 10 days, p < 0.001), respectively. No statistically significant differences in treatment outcomes were observed between the two periods. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that patients with high CCI score, respiratory infections, bloodstream infections, or central nervous system infections had a higher risk of treatment failure. Conclusions Implementing the clinical decision support application at Thong Nhat Hospital enhanced prescribers’ adherence to antibiotic guidelines. These results reinforce global evidence of the role of information technology in optimizing clinical practice.