scholarly journals A governance model for the application of AI in health care

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Reddy ◽  
Sonia Allan ◽  
Simon Coghlan ◽  
Paul Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Extensive Discussion ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Regulatory Issues ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Governance Model ◽  
Clinical Environments ◽  
Near Future

Abstract As the efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving aspects of healthcare delivery is increasingly becoming evident, it becomes likely that AI will be incorporated in routine clinical care in the near future. This promise has led to growing focus and investment in AI medical applications both from governmental organizations and technological companies. However, concern has been expressed about the ethical and regulatory aspects of the application of AI in health care. These concerns include the possibility of biases, lack of transparency with certain AI algorithms, privacy concerns with the data used for training AI models, and safety and liability issues with AI application in clinical environments. While there has been extensive discussion about the ethics of AI in health care, there has been little dialogue or recommendations as to how to practically address these concerns in health care. In this article, we propose a governance model that aims to not only address the ethical and regulatory issues that arise out of the application of AI in health care, but also stimulate further discussion about governance of AI in health care.

scholarly journals Voice-Controlled Intelligent Personal Assistants in Health Care: International Delphi Study

10.2196/25312 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. e25312
Author(s):  
Alena Ermolina ◽  
Victor Tiberius
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Personal Health Information ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Personal Assistants ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Further Development

Background Voice-controlled intelligent personal assistants (VIPAs), such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, involve artificial intelligence–powered algorithms designed to simulate humans. Their hands-free interface and growing capabilities have a wide range of applications in health care, covering off-clinic education, health monitoring, and communication. However, conflicting factors, such as patient safety and privacy concerns, make it difficult to foresee the further development of VIPAs in health care. Objective This study aimed to develop a plausible scenario for the further development of VIPAs in health care to support decision making regarding the procurement of VIPAs in health care organizations. Methods We conducted a two-stage Delphi study with an internationally recruited panel consisting of voice assistant experts, medical professionals, and representatives of academia, governmental health authorities, and nonprofit health associations having expertise with voice technology. Twenty projections were formulated and evaluated by the panelists. Descriptive statistics were used to derive the desired scenario. Results The panelists expect VIPAs to be able to provide solid medical advice based on patients’ personal health information and to have human-like conversations. However, in the short term, voice assistants might neither provide frustration-free user experience nor outperform or replace humans in health care. With a high level of consensus, the experts agreed with the potential of VIPAs to support elderly people and be widely used as anamnesis, informational, self-therapy, and communication tools by patients and health care professionals. Although users’ and governments’ privacy concerns are not expected to decrease in the near future, the panelists believe that strict regulations capable of preventing VIPAs from providing medical help services will not be imposed. Conclusions According to the surveyed experts, VIPAs will show notable technological development and gain more user trust in the near future, resulting in widespread application in health care. However, voice assistants are expected to solely support health care professionals in their daily operations and will not be able to outperform or replace medical staff.

scholarly journals Voice-Controlled Intelligent Personal Assistants in Health Care: International Delphi Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Ermolina ◽  
Victor Tiberius
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Personal Health Information ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Personal Assistants ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Further Development

BACKGROUND Voice-controlled intelligent personal assistants (VIPAs), such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, involve artificial intelligence–powered algorithms designed to simulate humans. Their hands-free interface and growing capabilities have a wide range of applications in health care, covering off-clinic education, health monitoring, and communication. However, conflicting factors, such as patient safety and privacy concerns, make it difficult to foresee the further development of VIPAs in health care. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a plausible scenario for the further development of VIPAs in health care to support decision making regarding the procurement of VIPAs in health care organizations. METHODS We conducted a two-stage Delphi study with an internationally recruited panel consisting of voice assistant experts, medical professionals, and representatives of academia, governmental health authorities, and nonprofit health associations having expertise with voice technology. Twenty projections were formulated and evaluated by the panelists. Descriptive statistics were used to derive the desired scenario. RESULTS The panelists expect VIPAs to be able to provide solid medical advice based on patients’ personal health information and to have human-like conversations. However, in the short term, voice assistants might neither provide frustration-free user experience nor outperform or replace humans in health care. With a high level of consensus, the experts agreed with the potential of VIPAs to support elderly people and be widely used as anamnesis, informational, self-therapy, and communication tools by patients and health care professionals. Although users’ and governments’ privacy concerns are not expected to decrease in the near future, the panelists believe that strict regulations capable of preventing VIPAs from providing medical help services will not be imposed. CONCLUSIONS According to the surveyed experts, VIPAs will show notable technological development and gain more user trust in the near future, resulting in widespread application in health care. However, voice assistants are expected to solely support health care professionals in their daily operations and will not be able to outperform or replace medical staff.

HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES IN GILGIT BALTISTAN: THE WAY FORWARD

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-116
Author(s):  
Amimah Fatima Asif
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Common ◽  
Gilgit Baltistan ◽  
And Child Health

Quality healthcare delivery is the bedrock to exponentially accelerate the development of a country. Unfortunately, in Pakistan healthcare has been neglected since a long time, with the common man bearing the brunt of this acute situation. There are critical challenges in health care, with paucity of trained human resource and deficit of regulated infrastructure and service delivery being the predominant dilemmas. Primary and secondary healthcare are in an unseemly state, to say the least. Maternal and child health care, accident, and emergency departments and mental health are among the most undermined and forsaken areas of healthcare, primarily in the far flung Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. The only way forward is if the political regime, administration and the medical personnel work in concurrence to revise the health infrastructure of the country.

Preparing Hospitals in India for Covid-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 333-341
Author(s):  
Akanksha Nibudey ◽  
Vidya Baliga S
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Current Outbreak ◽  
Operational Practices ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Care Capacity ◽  
Hospital Emergency Preparedness

Hospitals have important part in the human health organization toprovide necessary treatmentfor public, mainly in a calamity. During the current outbreak of COVID-19, and is in giving important needs and supplies will possibly interrupt the providing critical treatment due to not organized health-care capacity. Along with, a greater amount of personnelabsence can be predictable. A lack of important kits and materials can lead to restricted supplies to desirable care and have a direct impact on healthcare delivery. Anxiety can lead to possibly hamper recognized operational practices. Also in hospitals dealing with COVID 19 pandemic can be a difficulty. In spite of the challenging difficulties and problems expected, the positive and organized execution of important basic and definite arrangements can aid successful hospital-based organization for the period of a speedily progressing epidemic. Hospital emergency preparedness is a constant progression that association to the complete preparedness platform. Several principles and suggestions drawn in this article are general and appropriate to other incidents. The article gives checklist which is proposed to manage current situationby hospital emergency preparation platforms.

scholarly journals OP0277-PARE METABERN, THE EUROPEAN REFERENCE NETWORK FOR RARE HEREDITARY DISEASES: STRUCTURE, OBJECTIVES, METABOLIC RMDS AND THE ROLES OF EUROPEAN PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS (EPAGS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 168.2-168
Author(s):  
L. Wagner ◽  
S. Sestini ◽  
C. Brown ◽  
A. Finglas ◽  
R. Francisco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Metabolic Disorders ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Link Type ◽  
The Impact

Background:Inborn metabolic disorders (IMDs) currently encompass more than 1,500 diseases with new ones still to be identified1. Each of them is characterised by a genetic defect affecting a metabolic pathway. Only few of them have curative treatments, that target the respective metabolic pathway. Commonly, treatment examples include diet, substrate reduction therapies, enzyme replacement therapies, gene therapy and biologicals, enabling IMD-patient now to survive to adulthood. About 30 % of all IMDs involve the musculoskeletal system and are here referred to as rare metabolic RMDs. Generally, IMDs are very heterogenous with respect to symptoms and severity, often being systemic and affecting more children than adults. Thus, challenges include certified advanced training of adult metabolic experts, standardised transition plans, social support and development of therapies for diseases that do not have any cure yet.Objectives:Introduction of MetabERN, its structure and objectives, highlighting on the unique features and challenges of metabolic RMDs and describing the involvement of patient representation in MetabERN.Methods:MetabERN is stratified in 7 subnetworks (SNW) according to the respective metabolic pathways and 9 work packages (WP), including administration, dissemination, guidelines, virtual counselling framework, research/clinical trials, continuity of care, education and patient involvement. The patient board involves a steering committee and single point of contacts for each subnetwork and work package, respectively2. Projects include identifying the need of implementing social science to assess the psycho-socio-economic burden of IMDs, webinars on IMDs and their transition as well as surveys on the impact of COVID-193 on IMD-patients and health care providers (HCPs), social assistance for IMD-patients and analysing the transition landscape within Europe.Results:The MetabERN structure enables bundling of expertise, capacity building and knowledge transfer for faster diagnosis and better health care. Rare metabolic RMDs are present in all SNWs that require unique treatments according to their metabolic pathways. Implementation of social science to assess the psycho-socio-economic burden of IMDs is still underused. Involvement of patient representatives is essential for a holistic healthcare not only focusing on clinical care, but also on the quality of life for IMD-patients. Surveys identified unmet needs of patient care, patients having little information on national support systems and structural deficits of healthcare systems to ensure HCP can provide adequate clinical care during transition phases. These results are collected by MetabERN and forwarded to the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) of the European Commission (EC) to be addressed further.Conclusion:MetabERN offers an infrastructure of virtual healthcare for patients with IMDs. Thus, in collaboration with ERN ReCONNET, MetabERN can assist in identifying rare metabolic disorders of RMDs to shorten the odyssey of diagnosis and advise on their respective therapies. On the other hand, MetabERN can benefit from EULAR’s longstanding experience regarding issues affecting the quality of life, all RMD patients are facing, such as pain, stiffness, fatigue, rehabilitation, maintaining work and disability claims.References:[1]IEMbase - Inborn Errors of Metabolism Knowledgebase http://www.iembase.org/ (accessed Jan 29, 2021).[2]MetabERN: European Refence Network for Hereditary Metabolic Disorders https://metab.ern-net.eu/ (accessed Jan 29, 2021).[3]Lampe, C.; Dionisi-Vici, C.; Bellettato, C. M.; Paneghetti, L.; van Lingen, C.; Bond, S.; Brown, C.; Finglas, A.; Francisco, R.; Sestini, S.; Heard, J. M.; Scarpa, M.; MetabERN collaboration group. The Impact of COVID-19 on Rare Metabolic Patients and Healthcare Providers: Results from Two MetabERN Surveys. Orphanet J. Rare Dis.2020, 15 (1), 341. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-020-01619-x.Acknowledgements:The authors thank the MetabERN collaboration group, the single point of contacts (SPOC) of the MetabERN patient board and the Transition Project Working Group (TPWG)Disclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals Migrants’ Sexual Violence in the Mediterranean Region: A Regional Analysis

Sexes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-314
Author(s):  
Demetris Hadjicharalambous ◽  
Stavros Parlalis
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
International Literature ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Promote Gender Equality ◽  
The Mediterranean

Migration in the Mediterranean region has increased greatly during the last years. Reports and studies reveal that violence and injuries among refugees and migrants is a common occurrence in the WHO Europe Region. Available literature indicates that sexual violence incidents take place: (a) during the migratory journey to the host country, (b) while in detention centers, (c) once migrants have reached their destination, and (d) during the period in which a woman is subject of trafficking. This manuscript explores how sexual violence against refugee/immigrant women is presented in the international literature; a narrative review of the literature was conducted on the phenomenon of migration in the Mediterranean area, and specifically on sexual violence of migrant women. In order to face the challenges faced by migrant women victims of sexual violence, the following policies are suggested by international literature: (a) offer emergency medical and health care to sexual violence survivors, which is usually relatively limited, (b) offer mental health care and psychological support for sexual violence when planning services to provide clinical care, and (c) work towards the aim of transforming norms and values in order to promote gender equality and support non-violent behaviours.

scholarly journals Data Dentistry: How Data Are Changing Clinical Care and Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452110202
Author(s):  
F. Schwendicke ◽  
J. Krois
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Open Data ◽  
User Interaction ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Data User ◽  
Regulatory Data ◽  
Consumer Data

Data are a key resource for modern societies and expected to improve quality, accessibility, affordability, safety, and equity of health care. Dental care and research are currently transforming into what we term data dentistry, with 3 main applications: 1) medical data analysis uses deep learning, allowing one to master unprecedented amounts of data (language, speech, imagery) and put them to productive use. 2) Data-enriched clinical care integrates data from individual (e.g., demographic, social, clinical and omics data, consumer data), setting (e.g., geospatial, environmental, provider-related data), and systems level (payer or regulatory data to characterize input, throughput, output, and outcomes of health care) to provide a comprehensive and continuous real-time assessment of biologic perturbations, individual behaviors, and context. Such care may contribute to a deeper understanding of health and disease and a more precise, personalized, predictive, and preventive care. 3) Data for research include open research data and data sharing, allowing one to appraise, benchmark, pool, replicate, and reuse data. Concerns and confidence into data-driven applications, stakeholders’ and system’s capabilities, and lack of data standardization and harmonization currently limit the development and implementation of data dentistry. Aspects of bias and data-user interaction require attention. Action items for the dental community circle around increasing data availability, refinement, and usage; demonstrating safety, value, and usefulness of applications; educating the dental workforce and consumers; providing performant and standardized infrastructure and processes; and incentivizing and adopting open data and data sharing.

scholarly journals Consequences of COVID-19 crisis for persons with HIV: the impact of social determinants of health

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristie C. Waterfield ◽  
Gulzar H. Shah ◽  
Gina D. Etheredge ◽  
Osaremhen Ikhile
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Hiv Infections ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Persons Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background With the indiscriminate spread of COVID-19 globally, many populations are experiencing negative consequences such as job loss, food insecurity, and inability to manage existing medical conditions and maintain preventive measures such as social distancing and personal preventative equipment. Some of the most disadvantaged in the COVID-19 era are people living with HIV/AIDS and other autoimmune diseases. Discussion As the number of new HIV infections decrease globally, many subpopulations remain at high risk of infection due to lack of or limited access to prevention services, as well as clinical care and treatment. For persons living with HIV or at higher risk of contracting HIV, including persons who inject drugs or men that have sex with men, the risk of COVID-19 infection increases if they have certain comorbidities, are older than 60 years of age, and are homeless, orphaned, or vulnerable children. The risk of COVID-19 is also more significant for those that live in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, rural, and/or poverty-stricken areas. An additional concern for those living the HIV is the double stigma that may arise if they also test positive for COVID-19. As public health and health care workers try to tackle the needs of the populations that they serve, they are beginning to realize the need for a change in the infrastructure that will include more efficient partnerships between public health, health care, and HIV programs. Conclusion Persons living with HIV that also have other underlying comorbidities are a great disadvantage from the negative consequences of COVID-19. For those that may test positive for both HIV and COVID-19, the increased psychosocial burdens stemming from stress and isolation, as well as, experiencing additional barriers that inhibit access to care, may cause them to become more disenfranchised. Thus, it becomes very important during the current pandemic for these challenges and barriers to be addressed so that these persons living with HIV can maintain continuity of care, as well as, their social and mental support systems.

scholarly journals The Impact of Macroeconomic Policies on Healthcare Delivery in Kenya: An Analysis of the National Sexual Violence Prevention and Care Response

2020 ◽  
pp. 0272684X2098259
Author(s):  
Leso Munala ◽  
Emily Welle ◽  
Nene Okunna ◽  
Emily Hohenshell
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Health Economy ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Macroeconomic Policies ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Structural Inequities ◽  
The Impact

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.

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