Soldier as Teacher: the Impact of the Army’s Innovations in Behavioral Healthcare Delivery on the Training of All Psychiatrists

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-314
Author(s):  
Robert Accordino ◽  
Christopher Ivany ◽  
Naomi Stark ◽  
Millard Brown
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kagiso Ndlovu ◽  
Maurice Mars ◽  
Richard E. Scott

Abstract Background mHealth presents innovative approaches to enhance primary healthcare delivery in developing countries like Botswana. The impact of mHealth solutions can be improved if they are interoperable with eRecord systems such as electronic health records, electronic medical records and patient health records. eHealth interoperability frameworks exist but their availability and utility for linking mHealth solutions to eRecords in developing world settings like Botswana is unknown. The recently adopted eHealth Strategy for Botswana recognises interoperability as an issue and mHealth as a potential solution for some healthcare needs, but does not address linking the two. Aim This study reviewed published reviews of eHealth interoperability frameworks for linking mHealth solutions with eRecords, and assessed their relevance to informing interoperability efforts with respect to Botswana’s eHealth Strategy. Methods A structured literature review and analysis of published reviews of eHealth interoperability frameworks was performed to determine if any are relevant to linking mHealth with eRecords. The Botswanan eHealth Strategy was reviewed. Results Four articles presented and reviewed eHealth interoperability frameworks that support linking of mHealth interventions to eRecords and associated implementation strategies. While the frameworks were developed for specific circumstances and therefore were based upon varying assumptions and perspectives, they entailed aspects that are relevant and could be drawn upon when developing an mHealth interoperability framework for Botswana. Common emerging themes of infrastructure, interoperability standards, data security and usability were identified and discussed; all of which are important in the developing world context such as in Botswana. The Botswana eHealth Strategy recognises interoperability, mHealth, and eRecords as distinct issues, but not linking of mHealth solutions with eRecords. Conclusions Delivery of healthcare is shifting from hospital-based to patient-centered primary healthcare and community-based settings, using mHealth interventions. The impact of mHealth solutions can be improved if data generated from them are converted into digital information ready for transmission and incorporation into eRecord systems. The Botswana eHealth Strategy stresses the need to have interoperable eRecords, but mHealth solutions must not be left out. Literature insight about mHealth interoperability with eRecords can inform implementation strategies for Botswana and elsewhere.


Author(s):  
Leso Munala ◽  
Emily Welle ◽  
Nene Okunna ◽  
Emily Hohenshell

Sexual violence is one of the most common forms of violence against women in Kenya. This study documents the care of sexual violence survivors from the perspective of health care practitioners based on an analytic framework developed in studies of the political-economy of health to examine the effects of International Financial Institutions’ conditionalities on the allocation of national fiscal resources. The study documented the working conditions of practitioners and myriad challenges that they experience in providing quality services to sexual violence survivors. The issues reflected in the results are grounded in social structural inequities driven by the global political economic policies that perpetuate poverty and dependency throughout Africa and the developing world. Macro-level variables associated with health care provision are assessed with a focus on global macroeconomic policies established by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, their impact on Kenya’s health economy and their ultimate impact on the capacity of the health system to meet the complex needs of survivors of sexual violence. In this paper, study results are analysed within the context of these macroeconomic policies and their legacy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kea Turner ◽  
Margarita Bobonis Babilonia ◽  
Cristina Naso ◽  
Oliver Nguyen ◽  
Brian D. Gonzalez ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Rapid implementation of telemedicine for cancer care during COVID-19 required innovative and adaptive solutions among healthcare workers. OBJECTIVE The objective of this qualitative study was to explore healthcare workers’ experiences with telemedicine implementation during COVID-19. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 oncology healthcare workers who implemented telemedicine during COVID-19. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes using Dedoose software (Version 4.12). RESULTS Approximately half of participants were physicians (55%) and one quarter of participants were APPs (25%). Other participants included social workers (n=3), psychologists (n=2), dieticians (n=2), and a pharmacist. Five key themes were identified: 1) establishing and maintaining patient-provider relationships, 2) coordinating care with other providers and informal caregivers, 3) adapting in-person assessments for telemedicine, 4) developing workflows and allocating resources, and 5) future recommendations. Participants described innovative strategies for implementing telemedicine, such as coordinating inter-disciplinary visits with multiple providers. Healthcare workers discussed key challenges, such as workflow integration, lack of physical exam and biometric data, and overcoming the digital divide. Participants recommended policy advocacy to support telemedicine (e.g., medical licensure policies) and monitoring how telemedicine affects patient outcomes and healthcare delivery. CONCLUSIONS To support the growth of telemedicine, implementation strategies are needed to ensure providers and patients have the tools necessary to effectively engage in telemedicine. At the same time, cancer care organizations will need to engage in advocacy to ensure policies are supportive of oncology telemedicine and develop systems to monitor the impact of telemedicine on patient outcomes, healthcare quality, costs, and equity. CLINICALTRIAL N/A


2010 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
D Mendis ◽  
A Hawrani

Independent sector treatment centres and their effect on the NHS remain a controversial aspect of healthcare delivery. This postal questionnaire study aims to identify the general attitude among surgical consultants about their effects, specifically on NHS workload, departmental/trust finances, training opportunities and case mix. NHS hospitals within five miles of an ISTC offering day case/inpatient services were targeted.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Ahmad H. Abu Raddaha ◽  
Arwa Obeidat ◽  
Huda Al Awaisi ◽  
Jahara Hayudini

Background: Despite worldwide expanding implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems, healthcare professionals conducted limited number of studies to explore factors that might facilitate or jeopardize using these systems. This study underscores the impact of nurses’ opinions, perceptions, and computer competencies on their attitudes toward using an EHR system.Methods: With randomized sampling, a cross-sectional exploratory design was used. The sample consisted of 169 nurses who worked at a public teaching hospital in Oman. They completed self-administered questionnaire. Several standardized valid and reliable instruments were utilized.Results: Seventy-four percent of our study nurses had high positive attitudes toward the EHR system. The least ranked perception scores (60.4%) were linked to perceiving that suggestions made by nurses about the system would be taken into account. Nurses who reported that the hospital sought for suggestions for customization of the system [OR: 2.54 (95% CI: 1.09, 5.88), p = .03], who found the system as an easy-to-use clinical information system [OR: 6.53 (95% CI: 1.72, 24.75), p = .01], who reported the presence of good relationship with the system’s managing personnel [OR: 3.59 (95% CI: 1.13, 11.36), p = .03] and who reported that the system provided all needed health information [OR: 2.97 (95% CI: 1.16, 7.62), p = .02] were more likely to develop high positive attitudes toward the system.Conclusions: To better develop plans to foster the EHR system’s use facilitators and overcome its usage barriers by nursing professionals, more involvement of nurses in system’s customization endeavors is highly suggested. When the system did not disrupt workflows, it would decrease clinical errors and expand nursing productivity. In order to maximize the utilization of the system in healthcare delivery, future research work to investigate the effect of the system on other healthcare providers and inter-professional communications is pressingly needed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver T. Nguyen ◽  
Amir Alishahi Tabriz ◽  
Jinhai Huo ◽  
Karim Hanna ◽  
Christopher M. Shea ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND E-visits involve asynchronous communication between providers and patients through a secure web-based platform, such as a patient portal, to elicit symptoms and determine a diagnosis and treatment plan. E-visits are now reimbursable through Medicare due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of the evidence regarding e-visits, such as the impact on clinical outcomes and healthcare delivery, is unclear. OBJECTIVE To address this gap, this systematic review examines how e-visits have impacted clinical outcomes and healthcare quality, access, utilization, and costs. METHODS MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from January 2000 through October 2020 for peer-reviewed studies that assessed e-visits’ impact on clinical and healthcare delivery outcomes. RESULTS Out of 1,858 papers, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. E-visit usage was associated with improved or comparable clinical outcomes, especially for chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes care, blood pressure management). The impact on quality of care varied across conditions. Quality of care was equivalent or better for chronic conditions but variable quality was observed in infection management (e.g., appropriate antibiotic prescribing). Similarly, the impact on healthcare utilization varied across conditions (e.g., lower utilization for dermatology) but mixed impact in primary care. Healthcare costs were lower for e-visits for a wide-range of conditions (e.g., dermatology and acute visits). No studies examined the impact of e-visits on healthcare access. Available studies are observational in nature and it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about effectiveness or impact on care delivery. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the evidence suggests e-visits may provide comparable clinical outcomes to in-person care and reduce healthcare costs for certain healthcare conditions. At the same time, there is mixed evidence on healthcare quality, especially regarding infection management (e.g., sinusitis, urinary tract infections, conjunctivitis). Further studies are needed to test implementation strategies that might improve delivery (e.g., clinical decision support for antibiotic prescribing) and to assess which conditions are amenable to e-visits and which conditions require in-person or face-to-face care (e.g., virtual visit). CLINICALTRIAL not applicable


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Rizzi ◽  
James W Vaupel

We introduce a new method for making short-term mortality forecasts of a few months, illustrating it by estimating how many deaths might have happened if some major shock had not occurred. We apply the method to assess excess mortality from March to June 2020 in Denmark and Sweden as a result of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, associated policy interventions and behavioral, healthcare, social and economic changes. We chose to compare Denmark and Sweden because reliable data were available and because the two countries are similar but chose different responses to covid-19: Denmark imposed a rather severe lockdown; Sweden did not. We make forecasts by age and sex to predict expected deaths if covid-19 had not struck. Subtracting these forecasts from observed deaths gives the excess death count. Excess deaths were lower in Denmark than Sweden during the first wave of the pandemic. The later/earlier ratio we propose for shortcasting is easy to understand, requires less data than more elaborate approaches, and may be useful in many countries in making both predictions about the future and the past to study the impact on mortality of coronavirus and other epidemics. In the application to Denmark and Sweden, prediction intervals are narrower and bias is less than when forecasts are based on averages of the last five years, as is often done. More generally, later/earlier ratios may prove useful in short-term forecasting of illnesses and births as well as economic and other activity that varies seasonally or periodically.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1537-1537
Author(s):  
Carolina Bernabe Ramirez ◽  
Ana I. Velazquez Manana ◽  
Coral Olazagasti ◽  
Cristiane Decat Bergerot ◽  
Enrique Soto Perez De Celis ◽  
...  

1537 Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-cov-2) virus causing COVID-19 has brought great challenges to global health services affecting cancer care delivery, outcomes, and increasing the burden in oncology providers (OP). Our study aimed to describe the challenges that OP faced while delivering cancer care in Latin America. Methods: We conducted an international cross-sectional study using an anonymous online survey in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The questionnaire included 43 multiple choice questions. The sample was stratified by OP who have treated patients with COVID-19 versus those who have not treated patients with COVID-19. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Results: A total of 704 OP from 20 Latin American countries completed the survey (77% of 913 who started the survey). Oncologists represented 46% of respondents, followed by 25% surgical-oncologists. Of the respondents, 56% treated patients with COVID-19. A significant proportion of OP reported newly adopting telemedicine during COVID-19 (14% vs 72%, p=0.001). More than half (58%) of OP reported making changes to the treatments they offered to patients with cancer. As shown in the table, caring for patients with COVID-19 significantly influenced practice patterns of OP. Access to specialty services and procedures was significantly reduced: 40% noted significantly decreased or no access to imaging, 20% significantly decreased or no access to biopsies, 65% reported delays in surgical oncology referrals, and 49% in radiation oncology referrals. A vast majority (82%) reported oncologic surgeries were delayed or cancelled, which was heightened among those treating patients with COVID-19 (87% vs 77%, p=0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the way cancer care is delivered in globally. Although changes to healthcare delivery are necessary as a response to this global crisis, our study highlights the significant disruption and possible undertreatment of patients with cancer in Latin America that results from COVID-19.[Table: see text]


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document