Table 1.

Information collection methods for the monitoring and management of patients with COVID-19 and their contacts.

Collection item*	Purpose and use	Advantages	Limitations	Related branch and institution
History of using medical facilities	(Purpose) Identify the clinical symptoms and date of initial onset of symptoms of the patient Obtain medical records and evaluate the date of onset of symptoms	Obtain objective data about the clinical symptoms of the patient Specify medical facilities that were visited during the time of exposure	Long time needed to review the medical records If there are no related symptoms because the medical facilities were visited for a different illness, it is impossible to obtain related information	National Health Insurance Corporation Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service
GPS (cell phone location)	(Purpose) Identify the route of the patient Verify the consistency of the patient claims Additionally check the previous route Use phone GPS (latitude and longitude) data	Evaluate the consistency of the patient route identified via interview Obtain additional information about the route that the patient does not remember	There are limitations to specify accurate location information because mobile phone locations are used Errors if the name on the phone and location of purchase (overseas) are different Long time needed to view the information if there is a large difference between the time of patient confirmation and date of symptom onset	National Police Agency
Card transaction log	(Purpose) Identify the route of the patient Verify the consistency with the patient claims Specify a location for defense against infectious diseases	Specify the visited location, and use it to select the scope of contact investigation Monitor detailed route within a location	If a card with the patient’s name is not used, the transactions of another person are mixed and need reclassification	Financial Services Commission
CCTV	(Purpose) Identify the route of the patient Identify patient’s clinical symptoms Evaluate the exposure risks of contacts	Check whether the patient was wearing protective gear (e.g., mask) and the patient’s clinical condition at the corresponding location Help evaluate the risk of exposure if there is a large unspecified number of contacts	Long time needed to check the CCTV There are limitations to clearly identify if there is no internal CCTV or blind spots are present	National Police Agency

^*Related basis (Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act Article 76 Section 2 (request to provide information), Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act Article 32 Section 2 (information that can be requested to be provided).

GPS = global positioning system; CCTV = closed-circuit television.