Lost to Follow-Up Defined at Kisoro District Hospital, Uganda, by Hospital Unit
| Hospital Unit | LTFU Definition | Rationale | Frequency of Chart Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ward discharge | Missed first CCC appointment by 1 month | Approximate time before clinical deterioration and/or depletion of medications. | Weekly |
| Inpatient TB registry | Missed drug refill appointment by 2 or more weeks | Patients pick up medication every 2 weeks; public health implications for breaks in treatment are significant. | Monthlya |
| HIV clinic | Missed 2 monthly appointments (either pre- or post-ART initiation) | Although patients are scheduled to pick up medications monthly, many come 1 or 2 weeks post-appointment, so a 2-month interval captures the late-comers. | Every 2 weeks |
| Chronic Care Clinic | Patient with at least 2 prior visits (i.e., regular CCC patient) who has not returned for 3–6 months, depending on disease severity (3 months for most severe 25% of patients, 6 months for less severe) | Risk severity stratification applied due to large number of CCC patients and limited outreach capacity. | Every 2 months |
| Nutrition clinic | Missed 1 appointment | Low threshold applied due to population of vulnerable children. | Monthly |
Abbreviations: ART, antiretroviral therapy; CCC, Chronic Care Clinic; LTFU, lost to follow-up; TB, tuberculosis.
↵a TB patients identified as LTFU could be off their medications for more than 1 month since staff identify TB patients LTFU once a month.