scholarly journals STARE-HI -Statement on Reporting of Evaluation Studies in Health Informatics

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (01) ◽  
pp. 23-31
Author(s):  
E. Ammenwerth ◽  
J. Brender ◽  
N. de Keizer ◽  
P. Nykänen ◽  
M. Rigby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Informatics ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Organizational Setting ◽  
Study Planning ◽  
Study Context ◽  
Real Practice ◽  
E Mail ◽  
Initial List

Summary Objective Development of guidelines for publication of evaluation studies of Health Informatics applications. Methods An initial list of issues to be addressed in reports on evaluation studies was drafted based on experiencesas editorsand reviewers and as authors of systematic reviews , taking into account guidelines for reporting of medical research. This list has been discussed in several rounds by an increasing number of experts in Health Informatics evaluation during conferences and by using e-mail. ResultsA set of STARE-HI principles to be addressed in papers describing evaluations of Health Informatics interventions is presented. These principles include formulation of title and abstract, of introduction (e.g. scientific background, study objectives), study context (e.g. organizational setting, system details), methods (e.g. study design, outcome measures), results (e.g. study findings, unexpected observations)and discussion and conclusion. Conclusion Acomprehensivelistofprinciplesrelevantforproperlydescribing Health Informatics evaluations has been developed. When manuscripts submitted to Health Informatics journals and general medical journals adhere to these aspects, readers will be better positioned to place the studies in a proper context and judge their validity and generalisability. STARE-HI may also be used for study planning and hence positively influence the quality of evaluation studies in Health Informatics. We believe that better publication of (both quantitative and qualitative) evaluation studies is an important step toward the vision of evidence-based Health Informatics. Limitations This study is based on experiences from editors, reviewers, authors of systemati c reviews and readers of the scientific literature. The applicability of the principles has not been evaluated in real practice. Only when authors start to use these principles for reporting, shortcomings in the principles will emerge.

scholarly journals STARE-HI – Statement on Reporting of Evaluation Studies in Health Informatics

2013 ◽  
Vol 04 (03) ◽  
pp. 331-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Brender ◽  
J. Talmon ◽  
N. de Keizer ◽  
P. Nykänen ◽  
M. Rigby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Quality Of Reporting ◽  
Proper Context

SummaryBackground: Improving the quality of reporting of evaluation studies in health informatics is an important requirement towards the vision of evidence-based health informatics. The STARE-HI – Statement on Reporting of Evaluation Studies in health informatics, published in 2009, provides guidelines on the elements to be contained in an evaluation study report.Objectives: To elaborate on and provide a rationale for the principles of STARE-HI and to guide authors and readers of evaluation studies in health informatics by providing explanatory examples of reporting.Methods: A group of methodologists, researchers and editors prepared the present elaboration of the STARE-HI statement and selected examples from the literature.Results: The 35 STARE-HI items to be addressed in evaluation papers describing health informatics interventions are discussed one by one and each is extended with examples and elaborations. Conclusion: The STARE-HI statement and this elaboration document should be helpful resources to improve reporting of both quantitative and qualitative evaluation studies. Evaluation manuscripts adhering to the principles will enable readers of such papers to better place the studies in a proper context and judge their validity and generalizability, and thus in turn optimize the exploitation of the evidence contained therein.Limitations: This paper is based on experiences of a group of editors, reviewers, authors of systematic reviews and readers of the scientific literature. The applicability of the details of these principles has to evolve as a function of their use in practice.

scholarly journals School Drug Testing: A Critical Review of the Literature

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 356-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Adolescent Substance Abuse ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Adolescent Substance ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Research Studies

This paper explores the question of whether school drug testing is an effective solution to tackle adolescent substance abuse problems. Research studies in major academic databases and Internet websites are reviewed. Several observations are highlighted from the review: (1) there are few research studies in this area, particularly in different Chinese contexts; (2) the quality of the existing studies was generally low; and (3) research findings supporting the effectiveness of school drug testing were mixed. Methodological issues underlying quantitative and qualitative evaluation studies of the effectiveness of school drug testing are also discussed.

Guidance for preparing evaluation reports in telemedicine and health informatics generally

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 325-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hailey
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Medical Informatics ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
European Federation ◽  
Current Version ◽  
Evaluation Report

The European Federation for Medical Informatics is developing a detailed guideline for preparing evaluation reports. By doing this, it is hoped that the quality of evaluation studies in health informatics will improve and thus the evidence base. While much of the necessary information for preparing good quality evaluation publications is available in other documents, the Statement on Reporting of Evaluation Studies in Health Informatics (STARE-HI) is valuable in bringing together many points into a single document. The current version is comprehensive and includes valuable information on a number of areas. A list of recommended items for inclusion in an evaluation report is given. There is perhaps a danger that some authors might be intimidated by the suggested detail to be provided. Nonetheless, the Federation is to be congratulated for putting together a comprehensive guideline which promises to be a useful contribution to improving the quality of evaluation studies in information technology, including telemedicine.

Unknown and Under-Researched: The Anatomy of Drinking Under Control Programs

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 277-288
Author(s):  
Harald Klingemann ◽  
Justyna Klingemann
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Mission Statements ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Admission Criteria ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Institutional Order

Abstract. Introduction: While alcohol treatment predominantly focuses on abstinence, drug treatment objectives include a variety of outcomes related to consumption and quality of life. Consequently harm reduction programs tackling psychoactive substances are well documented and accepted by practitioners, whereas harm reduction programs tackling alcohol are under-researched and met with resistance. Method: The paper is mainly based on key-person interviews with eight program providers conducted in Switzerland in 2009 and up-dated in 2015, and the analysis of reports and mission statements to establish an inventory and description of drinking under control programs (DUCPs). A recent twin program in Amsterdam and Essen was included to exemplify conditions impeding their implementation. Firstly, a typology based on the type of alcohol management, the provided support and admission criteria is developed, complemented by a detailed description of their functioning in practice. Secondly, the case studies are analyzed in terms of factors promoting and impeding the implementation of DUCPs and efforts of legitimize them and assess their success. Results: Residential and non-residential DUCPs show high diversity and pursue individualized approaches as the detailed case descriptions exemplify. Different modalities of proactively providing and including alcohol consumption are conceptualized in a wider framework of program objectives, including among others, quality of life and harm reduction. Typically DUCPs represent an effort to achieve public or institutional order. Their implementation and success are contingent upon their location, media response, type of alcohol management and the response of other substance-oriented stake holders in the treatment system. The legitimization of DUCPs is hampered by the lack of evaluation studies. DUCPs rely mostly – also because of limited resources – on rudimentary self-evaluations and attribute little importance to data collection exercises. Conclusions: Challenges for participants are underestimated and standard evaluation methodologies tend to be incompatible with the rationale and operational objectives of DUCPs. Program-sensitive multimethod approaches enabled by sufficient financing for monitoring and accompanying research is needed to improve the practice-oriented implementation of DUCPs. Barriers for these programs include assumptions that ‘alcohol-assisted’ help abandons hope for recovery and community response to DUCPs as locally unwanted institutions (‘not in my backyard’) fuelled by stigmatization.

Quality of Service through the Strategic Use of Technology

1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
Wayne Myles
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Service ◽  
World Wide Web ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Communication Patterns ◽  
Home Pages ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
E Mail

We live under the spectre of never quite getting beyond the last upgrade in our array of new electronic tools. We have become unwittingly tied to an ever-increasing set of demands to learn, relearn, and apply the latest addition to our technological inventory. The advent of e-mail has compressed communication patterns, committing us to “immediate” responses. World Wide Web home pages explode information sources, leaving us floundering for the best hypertext link to follow. Computer databases spin out reports on every imaginable aspect of our work.  How do we feel about our new status as “electronic advisors”? How is our interaction with students faring in all of this? Have we been able to secure more time for students to draw on our experience and knowledge through these labor-saving devices? What has happened to our priorities? Has quality of service to the students kept abreast with the demands of processing ever-increasing amounts of information? 

scholarly journals Preferences of Canadian Patients and Physicians for Treatment of HR+/HER2− Advanced Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 491-508
Author(s):  
Daniel Stellato ◽  
Marroon Thabane ◽  
Caitlin Eichten ◽  
Thomas E. Delea
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Advanced Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Advanced Breast ◽  
Cancer Treatments ◽  
Patient Advocacy Group ◽  
Treatment Alternatives ◽  
E Mail

(1) Background: Past research suggests that patients with advanced breast cancer prefer treatments with improved clinical outcomes and lower risk of side effects. Evidence on preferences of Canadian patients and physicians for treatments for advanced breast cancer is limited. (2) Methods: Patients’ and physicians’ preferences for treatments for HR+/HER2−, pre-/peri-menopausal advanced breast cancer were assessed by an online discrete choice experiment (DCE). Treatment alternatives were characterized by seven attributes regarding dosing, efficacy, and toxicities, with levels corresponding to those for ribociclib plus a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI), NSAI, and tamoxifen. For patients, impacts of advanced breast cancer on quality of life (QOL) and ability to work/perform activities of daily living also were assessed. Patients were recruited by a Canadian breast cancer patient advocacy group through email and social media. Physicians were recruited by email. (3) Results: Among 118 patients starting the survey, 23 completed ≥ 1 DCE question (19%). Among 271 physicians who were sent the e-mail invitation, 21 completed ≥ 1 DCE question (8%). For both patients and physicians, the increased probability of remaining alive and without cancer progression over 2 years was the most important attribute. A treatment with attributes consistent with ribociclib plus NSAI was chosen by patients and physicians in 70% and 88% of the time, respectively. A substantial proportion of patients reported worrying about future diagnostic tests and their cancer getting worse; (4) Conclusions: Canadian patients and physicians are generally concordant in preference for advanced breast cancer treatments, preferring ribociclib plus NSAI to other options.

A Hybrid Inpainting Model Combining Diffusion and Enhanced Exemplar Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Sreelakshmy I. J. ◽  
Binsu C. Kovoor
Keyword(s):  
Patch Size ◽  
Image Inpainting ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Natural Images ◽  
External Information ◽  
Image Editing ◽  
Model Combining ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
The World

Image inpainting is a technique in the world of image editing where missing portions of the image are estimated and filled with the help of available or external information. In the proposed model, a novel hybrid inpainting algorithm is implemented, which adds the benefits of a diffusion-based inpainting method to an enhanced exemplar algorithm. The structure part of the image is dealt with a diffusion-based method, followed by applying an adaptive patch size–based exemplar inpainting. Due to its hybrid nature, the proposed model exceeds the quality of output obtained by applying conventional methods individually. A new term, coefficient of smoothness, is introduced in the model, which is used in the computation of adaptive patch size for the enhanced exemplar method. An automatic mask generation module relieves the user from the burden of creating additional mask input. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation is performed on images from various datasets. The results provide a testimonial to the fact that the proposed model is faster in the case of smooth images. Moreover, the proposed model provides good quality results while inpainting natural images with both texture and structure regions.

scholarly journals Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Plant Studies, Vol. 6, No. 2

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Joan Lee
Keyword(s):  
National Research Council ◽  
University Of Virginia ◽  
University Of Mississippi ◽  
Application Form ◽  
National Education ◽  
Agricultural Experiment ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
E Mail

Journal of Plant Studies wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated.Journal of Plant Studies is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please find the application form and details at http://www.ccsenet.org/reviewer and e-mail the completed application form to [email protected] for Volume 6, Number 2Ahmed Ghannam, University of Strasbourg, FranceAlfredo Benavente, Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca y Medioambiente, SpainAmi Lokhandwala, University of Mississippi, Department of Biology, USABingcheng Xu, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, ChinaChrystian Iezid Maia e Almeida Feres, Tocantins Federal University, BrazilEstelle Dumont, université Aix-Marseille, FranceHoma Mahmoodzadeh, Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, IranKhyati Hitesh Shah, Stanford University, United StatesKinga Kostrakiewicz-Gieralt, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, PolandKonstantinos Vlachonasios , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Biology, GreeceMartina Pollastrini, University of Florence, ItalyMassimo Zacchini, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), ItalyMelekber Sulusoglu, Arslanbey Vocational School Kocaeli University, TurkeyMohamed Trigui, Sfax Preparatory Engineering Institute and CBS, TunisiaRajiv Ranjan, T. P. Varma College, IndiaRajnish Sharma, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan (HP), IndiaRakesh Ponnala, Zoetis Inc, United StatesRocío Deanna, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, ArgentinaSaid Laarabi, University Mohammed V/Ministry of National Education, MoroccoSlawomir Borek, Adam Mickiewicz University, PolandSuheb Mohammed, University of Virginia, United StatesTomoo misawa, Donan Agricultural Experiment Station, Hokkaido Research Organization, Japan

scholarly journals Education in Neurology Resident Documentation Using Payroll Simulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Liang ◽  
Vicki L. Shanker
Keyword(s):  
Medical Decision ◽  
Financial Loss ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Specific Feedback ◽  
Didactic Lecture ◽  
E Mail

ABSTRACT Background Approaches for teaching neurology documentation include didactic lectures, workshops, and face-to-face meetings. Few studies have assessed their effectiveness. Objective To improve the quality of neurology resident documentation through payroll simulation. Methods A documentation checklist was created based on Medicaid and Medicare evaluation and management (E/M) guidelines. In the preintervention phase, neurology follow-up clinic charts were reviewed over a 16-week period by evaluators blinded to the notes' authors. Current E/M level, ideal E/M level, and financial loss were calculated by the evaluators. Ideal E/M level was defined as the highest billable level based on the documented problems, alongside a supporting history and examination. We implemented an educational intervention that consisted of a 1-hour didactic lecture, followed by e-mail feedback “paystubs” every 2 weeks detailing the number of patients seen, income generated, income loss, and areas for improvement. Follow-up charts were assessed in a similar fashion over a 16-week postintervention period. Results Ten of 11 residents (91%) participated. Of 214 charts that were reviewed preintervention, 114 (53%) had insufficient documentation to support the ideal E/M level, leading to a financial loss of 24% ($5,800). Inadequate documentation was seen in all 3 components: history (47%), examination (27%), and medical decision making (37%). Underdocumentation did not differ across residency years. Postintervention, underdocumentation was reduced to 14% of 273 visits (P < .001), with a reduction in the financial loss to 6% ($1,880). Conclusions Improved documentation and increased potential reimbursement was attained following a didactic lecture and a 16-week period in which individual, specific feedback to neurology residents was provided.

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