scholarly journals The Design Blueprint for a Large-Scale Telehealth Platform

2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Rattakorn Poonsuph
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Security Design ◽  
Patient Journey ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Digital Healthcare

Technological innovation plays a crucial role in digital healthcare services. A growing number of telehealth platforms are concentrating on using digital tools to improve the quality and availability of care. Virtual care solutions employ not only advanced telehealth technology but also a comprehensive range of healthcare services. As a result, these can reduce patient healthcare costs as well as increase accessibility and convenience. At the same time, the healthcare service provider can leverage healthcare professionals to get a better perspective into the needs of their patients. The objective of this research is to provide a comprehensive design blueprint for a large-scale telehealth platform. Telehealth is the digital healthcare service combining online services and offline access for healthcare facilities to offer various healthcare services directly to patients. This design blueprint covers the digital healthcare ecosystem, new patient journey design for digital health services, telehealth functionality design, and an outline of the platform infrastructure and security design. Ultimately, telehealth platforms establish a completed digital healthcare service and new ecosystem that provides better care for every patient worldwide.

Greek gynecology healthcare professionals towards quality management systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-175
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Dinas ◽  
Eleftherios Vavoulidis ◽  
Georgios Chrysostomos Pratilas ◽  
Alexandros Basonidis ◽  
Anastasios Liberis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Quality Management Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Critical Gap ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Greek Hospitals

Purpose Today, quality management systems (QMS) are a promising candidate for the improvement of healthcare services. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the opinions/attitudes of gynecology healthcare professionals toward quality and quality management in healthcare facilities (HFs) in Greece. Design/methodology/approach An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was distributed to healthcare professionals, asking for opinions on quality objectives associated with the everyday workflow in HFs (e.g. management of patients, resources, etc.) and on QMS. The study was conducted in Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, including 187 participants. Statistical assessment and analysis of the questionnaires were carried out. Findings Although 87.5 percent recognized the importance of potential QMS implementation and accreditation, over 50 percent believed that it would lead rather to increased workload and bureaucracy than to any considerable quality improvement. More than 60 percent were completely unaware of the implementation of quality objectives such as quality handbook, quality policy, audit meetings and accreditation status in their HFs. This unawareness was also reported in terms of patient, data, human and general resources management. Finally, awareness over medical malpractice and positive attitude toward official reporting were detected. Originality/value Most respondents acknowledged the significance of quality, QMS implementation and accreditation in Greek hospitals. However, there was a critical gap in knowledge about quality management objectives/processes that could be possibly resolved by expert teams and well-organized educational programs aiming to educate personnel regarding the various quality objectives in Greek HFs.

Difficulties for an imprisoned population to access healthcare services in the interior of the State of Tocantins, Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 1862
Author(s):  
Ricardo Saraiva Aguiar ◽  
Almilane Sá Varão ◽  
Nicoly Aguiar
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Detention Facility ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Health Nursing

ABSTRACTObjective: to verify the way how the imprisoned population of the Temporary Detention Facility (TDF) in Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil, access the healthcare services and how these individuals evaluate the nursing assistance provided. Methodology: this is a descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, focusing on phenomenology, in which seven prisoners who met the inclusion criteria participated, those that: have been jailed in the Gurupi’s TDF for more than 6 months; are more than 18 years old; are under semi-open prison regime; and used a healthcare service in the last 6 months. A semi-structured interview was used, whose results were analyzed through the Minayo’s Proposal for Qualitative Data Interpretation. The study was approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research of Centro Universitario UNIRG, under the Protocol 0109/2010. Results: it was observed that some prisoners are not satisfied with their access to the Gurupi’s healthcare facilities. However, the nursing assistance provided was considered a good one by them. Conclusion: the prisoners’ access to healthcare services may be considered a deficient one due to the constraints on safety issues and the poor conditions of the healthcare service, but the nursing assistance provided was evaluated as a good one. Descriptors: health; nursing; prison facilities.RESUMO Objetivo: verificar a forma de acesso aos serviços de saúde da população carcerária da Casa de Prisão Provisória (CPP) de Gurupi-TO e como esses indivíduos avaliam a assistência de enfermagem oferecida. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa, com enfoque na fenomenologia, na qual participaram sete reeducandos, após atenderem os critérios de inclusão: possuir mais de 6 meses de reclusão na CPP de Gurupi-TO; ser maior de 18 anos; pertencer ao regime de prisão semi-aberto; e ter sido atendido em um serviço de saúde nos últimos seis meses. Utilizou-se um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado, cujos resultados foram analisados por meio da Proposta de Interpretação Qualitativa de Dados de Minayo. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Centro Universitário UNIRG, sob o Protocolo n.º 0109/2010. Resultados: verificou-se uma insatisfação por parte dos reeducandos sobre seu acesso aos estabelecimentos de saúde de Gurupi-TO. No que diz respeito à assistência de enfermagem oferecida esta foi avaliada como boa pelos reeducandos. Conclusão: o acesso dos reeducandos aos serviços de saúde mostrou-se deficiente devido às limitações impostas pelas questões de segurança e pela precariedade do serviço de saúde, mas a assistência de enfermagem oferecida foi avaliada como boa. Descritores: saúde; enfermagem; prisões.RESUMENObjetivo: verificar la forma de acceso a servicios de sanidad de la población carcelaria de la Casa de Prisión Provisional (CPP) de Gurupi–TO y como los usuarios evalúan la asistencia de enfermería ofrecida. Metodología: se trata de un estudio descriptivo, de abordaje cualitativo con enfoque en la fenomenología, en el que participaron siete reeducandos, tras reunir los requisitos de inclusión: llevar más de seis meses de reclusión en la CPP de Gurupi–TO; ser mayor de 18 años; pertenecer al régimen de prisión semi abierto; y haber sido atendido en un servicio de sanidad durante los últimos seis meses. Se utilizó un guión de entrevista semi-estructurado, cuyos resultados se analizaron por medio de la Propuesta de Interpretación Cualitativa de Datos de Minayo. El estudio fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Pesquisa del Centro Universitario UNIRG, bajo n.º 0109/2010. Resultados: se verificó una insatisfacción por parte de los reeducandos sobre su acceso a los establecimientos de salud de Gurupi–TO. En lo referente a la asistencia de enfermería ofrecida, esta se evaluó como buena por los reeducandos. Conclusión: el acceso de los reeducandos a los servicios de salud se mostró deficiente debido a las limitaciones impuestas por las cuestiones de seguridad y por la precariedad del servicio de salud, pero la asistencia de enfermería ofrecida se evaluó como buena. Descriptores: sanidad; enfermería; prisiones.

scholarly journals Integrated Healthcare Services for Ageing in Place

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-277
Author(s):  
Wiroon Sriborrirux ◽  
Aoranich Saleewong ◽  
Nakorn Indra-Payoong ◽  
Panuwat Danklang ◽  
Hanmin Jung
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Medical Assistance ◽  
Integrated Healthcare ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
Smart Living ◽  
Service Protocol

This study investigates how healthcare practitioners handle significant circumstancesof providing medical assistance and treatments to patients and what challenges theyface. Drawing on key healthcare stakeholders and mixed smart living methods, wedevelop a guideline service protocol for Internet of Things (IoT) solution to helphealthcare stakeholders in coping with operational difficulties. IoT technology is one ofthe key determinants that empowers healthcare professionals to achieve their tasks,and our goal is to study the functions that provides to local citizens, especially olderpeople, and to evaluate how the functions and platform could assist corporatecompliance policies to increase the efficiency of healthcare service. Our fieldexperiments have indicated a need to educate healthcare users about IoT applicationthat provide advantages in decision making. In addition, our research has explored andevaluated the impacts and factors that influence the development and collaboration byallowing workflows of healthcare stakeholders and by following integrated smart livingplatform and required service protocol.

scholarly journals Social impacts of the continuous usage of digital healthcare service: A case of South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-89
Author(s):  
Jaewon Lee ◽  
Boyoung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Social Community ◽  
Digital Healthcare

As untact communication is promoted in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention is paid to remote medical examination and customized healthcare trends. General digital healthcare services among social community members positively affect individuals’ healthcare and reduce medical social services’ burden, contributing to the development of society. Accordingly, it is necessary to induce healthcare behaviors through the continuous usage of digital healthcare services among social community members and to examine significant social impact factors in this regard. This study empirically analyzes the impact of three social impact factors – social capital, social support, and social value – on the continuous usage of digital healthcare service with healthcare behaviors and e-health literacy as media. To this end, a survey was conducted among 363 individuals who had used digital healthcare services in Korea, and the statistical data were analyzed. Social capital and social value were found to affect healthcare behaviors, e-health literacy, and continuous usage intentions, but social support did not. Based on this result, it was confirmed that the factors regarded by digital healthcare service users as necessary were the values and perceptions shared in society and the group, information and active communication rather than direct public support.

scholarly journals Equipping community health workers with digital tools for pandemic response in LMICs

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anam Shahil Feroz ◽  
Adeel Khoja ◽  
Sarah Saleem
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Pandemic Response ◽  
Voice Message

Abstract Background Community health workers (CHWs) are well-positioned to play a pivotal role in fighting the pandemic at the community level. The Covid-19 outbreak has led to a lot of stress and anxiety among CHWs as they are expected to perform pandemic related tasks along with the delivery of essential healthcare services. In addition, movement restrictions, lockdowns, social distancing, and lack of protective gear have significantly affected CHWs’ routine workflow and performance. To optimize CHWs’ functioning, there is a renewed interest in supporting CHWs with digital technology to ensure an appropriate pandemic response. Discussion The current situation has necessitated the use of digital tools for the delivery of Covid-19 related tasks and other essential healthcare services at the community level. Evidence suggests that there has been a significant digital transformation to support CHWs in these critical times such as remote data collection and health assessments, the use of short message service and voice message for health education, use of digital megaphones for encouraging behavior change, and digital contract tracing. A few LMICs such as Uganda and Ethiopia have been successful in operationalizing digital tools to optimize CHWs’ functioning for Covid-19 tasks and other essential health services. Conclusion Yet, in most LMICs, there are some challenges concerning the feasibility and acceptability of using digital tools for CHWs during the Covid-19 pandemic. In most cases, CHWs find it difficult to adopt and use digital health solutions due to lack of training on new digital tools, weak technical support, issues of internet connectivity, and other administrative related challenges. To address these challenges, engaging governments would be essential for training CHWs on user-friendly digital health solutions to improve routine workflow of CHWs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Implementation of tele visit healthcare services triggered by the COVID-19 emergency: the Trentino Province experience

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Testa ◽  
Oscar Mayora-Ibarra ◽  
Enrico Maria Piras ◽  
Olivia Balagna ◽  
Stefano Micocci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Service Provisioning ◽  
User Perspective ◽  
Structural Integration ◽  
Local Healthcare

Abstract Aim In response to the SARS-CoV-2 emergency, the Competence Centre on digital health ‘TrentinoSalute4.0’ has developed TreC_Televisita, a tele visit solution that meets the needs of the Trentino healthcare system and maintains high-quality patient–doctor interactions while respecting social distancing. This paper highlights how ‘TreC_Televisita’ was integrated into the Trentino healthcare system and its potential to become a structural and durable solution for the future local healthcare service provisioning. Subject and methods This paper presents the multifactorial context that TreC_Televisita has faced for its implementation and the strategies adopted for its structural integration into the healthcare system. The analysis focuses on the main issues faced for the integration of the tele visits (e.g. privacy, payments) and how the context of TrentinoSalute4.0 permitted responding quickly to its implementation during the pandemic. It also describes how TreC_Televisita fits into the healthcare continuum from the organisational and technological standpoint, the end-user perspective and the barriers that could hamper the solution scalability. Results TreC_Televisita has demonstrated to be a technological solution that can be contextualised for different clinical domains beyond SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, it has shown its potential to scale up the solution beyond the COVID-19 emergency to the whole healthcare provisioning system in the long term. Conclusion Being a positive experience in the first months of its implementation, the long-term goal is to transform TreC_Televisita into a structural pillar of the Trentino healthcare system, setting the bases for a sustainable, win–win situation for all the stakeholders involved in healthcare service provisioning.

scholarly journals A tale of ‘politics and stars aligning’: analysing the sustainability of scaled up digital tools for front-line health workers in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (Suppl 5) ◽  
pp. e005041
Author(s):  
Neha S Singh ◽  
Kerry Scott ◽  
Asha George ◽  
Amnesty Elizabeth LeFevre ◽  
Rajani Ved
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
State Government ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Government Procurement ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Data Governance

IntroductionIndia has become a lighthouse for large-scale digital innovation in the health sector, particularly for front-line health workers (FLHWs). However, among scaled digital health solutions, ensuring sustainability remains elusive. This study explores the factors underpinning scale-up of digital health solutions for FLHWs in India, and the potential implications of these factors for sustainability.MethodsWe assessed five FLHW digital tools scaled at the national and/or state level in India. We conducted in-depth interviews with implementers, technology and technical partners (n=11); senior government stakeholders (n=5); funders (n=1) and evaluators/academics (n=3). Emergent themes were grouped according to a broader framework that considered the (1) digital solution; (2) actors; (3) processes and (4) context.ResultsThe scale-up of digital solutions was facilitated by their perceived value, bounded adaptability, support from government champions, cultivation of networks, sustained leadership and formative research to support fit with the context and population. However, once scaled, embedding digital health solutions into the fabric of the health system was hampered by challenges related to transitioning management and ownership to government partners; overcoming government procurement hurdles; and establishing committed funding streams in government budgets. Strong data governance, continued engagement with FLHWs and building a robust evidence base, while identified in the literature as critical for sustainability, did not feature strongly among respondents. Sustainability may be less elusive once there is more consensus around the roles played between national and state government actors, implementing and technical partners and donors.ConclusionThe use of digital tools by FLHWs offers much promise for improving service delivery and health outcomes in India. However, the pathway to sustainability is bespoke to each programme and should be planned from the outset by investing in people, relationships and service delivery adjustments to navigate the challenges involved given the dynamic nature of digital tools in complex health systems.

scholarly journals Attitudes Towards Digital Health Technology: Introducing the Digital Health Scale

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ridley Cassidy
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Digital Healthcare

Objective: The study sought to investigate the relationship between attitude towards digital health technology and age, gender and frequency of use of digital health technology and to consider whether age, gender and frequency of use present potential barriers to accessing future healthcare in the UK. Differences in technological affinity are likely to lead to differences in the adoption of digital health technology and subsequent inequalities in healthcare between older and younger people and between men and women. Design: The study represents an example of a technology adoption study employing a survey-based cross sectional correlational design. Attitude towards digital health technology was measured using the 20 item Digital Health Scale. Age, gender, frequency of use of health technology and employment status data were gathered using a demographics questionnaire. The opportunity sample (N = 247) included volunteer participants aged 16-84 years (M = 31.7, SD = 19.35, 156 females and 91 males). Results: Results indicated a significant negative correlation between age and positive attitude towards digital health technology (r = -0.24, p < .01). Gender differences in attitudes towards digital health technology were non-significant (p > .05). Significant differences in frequency of use were also found, where occasional and frequent use resulted in more positive attitudes than never having used digital health technology (p < 0.05) and participants reporting frequent use were significantly older than those reporting never or occasional use (p < .05) Conclusion: Findings identified age, but not gender, as a significant factor in attitude towards digital health technology, suggesting that continued and increased reliance on digital technology in healthcare may lead to age, but not gender, related inequalities in access to healthcare in the UK. That frequent users of digital health technology were also older, highlights the greater demand for healthcare services by older individuals and is further evidence for the potential of digital healthcare to lead to age related inequalities in access to and provision of healthcare. Recommendations for successful application of digital healthcare technology are considered in the light of these findings.

scholarly journals ‘The world is not only for hearing people – It’s for all people’: The experiences of women who are deaf or hard of hearing in accessing healthcare services in Johannesburg, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khetsiwe P. Masuku ◽  
Nomfundo Moroe ◽  
Danielle Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Communication Barriers ◽  
African Women ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Experiences Of Women

Background: Despite legal and adopted frameworks purporting access to healthcare and rehabilitation services, which are both a human right and key to developmental issues, women who are deaf and/or hard of hearing (HoH) are still excluded and experience barriers when accessing healthcare services. Largely, this is attributed to communication barriers between healthcare professionals and women who are deaf and/or HoH. There have been limited research studies carried out on women with invisible disabilities, such as deafness, especially amongst African women.Objectives: This study sought to gain insights into the communication experiences of women who are deaf or HoH when accessing public healthcare services in hospitals in Johannesburg.Methods: A qualitative research study employing semi-structured interviews with 10 African women who are deaf and/or HoH residing in Johannesburg, South Africa and attending government healthcare facilities was conducted. Participants were purposively selected. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Data revealed the following themes: communication barriers resulting in compromised quality of care and infringement on participants’ right to confidentiality; accommodation that is not accommodative and negative attitudes of healthcare professionals.Conclusion: The findings of this study confirm the alienating, exclusion, marginalisation, discrimination, invisibility, lack of independence and autonomy of women who are deaf and/or HoH when accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study argues for a need for the conscientisation of healthcare professionals on communication needs of persons who are deaf and/or HoH. This has implications for the implementation of training programmes that will address communication, reasonable accommodation and attitudes of healthcare professionals.

scholarly journals ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF PATIENT SATISFACTION ON PUBLIC HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN SOUTH AFRICAN

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-181
Author(s):  
Ephrem Habtemichael Redda ◽  
Jhalukpreya Surujlal
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
South African ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Ethnic Grouping

Purpose of study: The purpose of this study was to assess patient satisfaction levels within South African public healthcare facilities. The influence of gender and ethnic grouping (race) perceptions of satisfaction of healthcare services was investigated. Methodology: The study followed a cross-sectional research design and a quantitative research method. The data was collected as part of the General Household Survey in 2018 by Statistics South Africa (the national statistics service of South Africa). Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation were performed to address the research objectives of the study. Main findings: The results show that the majority of the patients who participated in the survey are satisfied with the public healthcare service they received. The leading provinces that achieved very satisfied patients are Limpopo, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Applications of the study: The study is important in many ways as it highlights the discrepancies of healthcare provision to the public health decision-makers. For example, the results show that generally, the male patients were slightly more satisfied with the healthcare services than their female counterparts. In terms of ethnic grouping, it appears that white patients are generally more satisfied with the public healthcare services they receive than other race groups. Novelty/originality of study: A study of this nature has not been conducted in South Africa apart from the anecdotal reports of the department of health and Statistics South Africa. The study delved to analyze the public healthcare service in all provinces of the republic and also provided insight into gender and racial perception of healthcare services in the country.

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