Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)

Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)

• Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is when a healthcare worker or other designated individual watches the patient swallow every dose of their prescribed drugs. According to the CDC, "DOT is the most effective strategy for ensuring patients take their medicine correctly. It is recommended as a standard of care worldwide."
  
  • Managing Tuberculosis Patients and Improving Adherence, one of the Self-Study Modules on Tuberculosis, offers detailed information on how to use DOT.

• More information on DOT can also be found from Minnesota Department of Health

• CDC's Implementing an Electronic Directly Observed Therapy (eDOT) Program: A Toolkit for Tuberculosis Programs contains a lot of information for TB programs on developing and implementing a TB eDOT program.

• In Recommendations for Use of Video Directly Observed Therapy During Tuberculosis Treatment - United States, 2023, the CDC recommends video DOT (vDOT) as equivalent to in-person DOT for persons undergoing treatment for diagnosed tuberculosis.
  • Treating TB Using Video Directly Observed Therapy provides considerations, concerns, and limitations as supplemental to the updated 2023 recommendations. 

• Minnesota Department of Health has a Video Directly Observed Therapy (VDOT) Tool Kit with many resources and templates for local adaptation. 

• Technology Considerations for eDOT: This document provides detailed information about the different technology options available for eDOT, including specific things to consider like security and HIPAA compliance, data availability and price. MDHHS does not endorse a specific product or application for use in eDOT. The options in this document are provided for review and consideration at the local public health level and should be reviewed with input from public health staff and their legal counsel (updated November 2019)

• Health departments who need devices to use for eDOT, please contact us to discuss options.