scholarly journals Cancer Hospital Stockpiles: Strategizing for an Efficient and Sufficient Inventory List of Essential Items

2021 ◽  
pp. 1490-1499
Author(s):  
Shehryar Nasir Khawaja ◽  
Hussain Ahmed Qadri ◽  
Muhammed Aasim Yusuf
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Hospital Administration ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Cancer Hospital ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care Systems

PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic has affected health care systems worldwide, resulting in critical shortages of essential items and materials. The available guidelines are of little use for cancer hospitals in low-income and low-middle–income countries. They have been designed for community hospitals serving in a centralized health care network. This study aimed to draft and field test a framework to establish a list of essential supplies that should be stockpiled for subsequent waves of the COVID-19 virus by a tertiary care cancer hospital in a low-middle–income country. MATERIALS AND METHODS A model was formulated using the consumption trends during the peak month of the first wave of COVID-19 infection to compile a list of essential materials and supplies. Furthermore, costing analyses were conducted to determine the financial benefits of stockpiling. RESULTS A proposed list of items to stockpile, including personal protective equipment, radiology supplies, laboratory reagents, medication, and oxygen, was shared with the hospital administration. However, the hospital administration only accepted the proposals for stockpiling personal protective equipment and oxygen. CONCLUSION This paper provides a framework and strategies that cancer hospitals and health care systems can modify and use as per individual, institutional requirements and specifications for stockpiling essential items during the COVID-19 or other similar pandemics.

scholarly journals COVID-19 crisis prompting innovation in addressing personal protective equipment shortage

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kripa Rajak
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
N95 Respirators ◽  
Silver Lining

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept across the globe overwhelming health care systems and disrupting supply chain of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, surgical face masks, goggles, face shields, N95 respirators and gowns. Surging demand, panic buying, hoarding, and misuse of PPE has led to substantial jump in its demand. Despite the terrible impact of COVID-19, if there’s any silver lining to this crisis, it is the rapidity at which communities are moving toward innovation in not just medicine and remote work but also in ways to mitigate the growing PPE shortages.

scholarly journals Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used for Human Health Care in Yem Culture, South Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gideon Woldemariam ◽  
Sebsebe Demissew ◽  
Zemede Asfaw
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Traditional Knowledge ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Ethnobotanical Study ◽  
Care Systems

Abstract BackgroundIndigenous or traditional herbal medicine has been widely regarded as a resource for strengthening the health care systems among communities of low income countries including Ethiopia. The Yem people in Ethiopia have deep-rooted and ancient traditional knowledge of managing human ailments and health conditions using medicinal plants (mps). On the other hand, mps and the associated indigenous knowledge are under erosion due to human-induced and natural factors. Therefore, documenting the plant biodiversity along with the associated indigenous knowledge is of urgent task for conservation. MethodsThis study was conducted in April, 2013, October, 2016 and July, 2016 with the objective of documenting traditional mps in different land uses that are used for treating human ailments. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 69 informants that were selected by stratified random sampling and purposive sampling. Vegetation data were obtained from 30, 30x30 m quadrats. Ethnobotanical data were analysed using paired ranking, Informant consensus factor and Fidelity Level index. ResultsAbout 213 medicinal plant species that are used for treating 117 human ailments were recorded. ICF calculated depicted a highest ICF value of 0.82 for Gastrointestinal & Visceral organs ailments. Haplocarpha rueppellii, Carduus schimperi and Inula confortiflora each 100%, Maesa lanceolata 80% and Rumex abyssinicus 75%. Vegetation analysis showed three plant communities.ConclusionThe Yem people have rich traditional knowledge of utilising plants side by side with the mainstream biomedical system for maintaining human health care.

Modifiable Risk Factors for Stroke and Strategies for Stroke Prevention

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (03) ◽  
pp. 237-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amytis Towfighi ◽  
Valerie Hill
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Dose Intensity ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Care Systems

AbstractThe pathophysiology of stroke is well characterized, and 9 out of 10 strokes are due to modifiable factors. However, preventive strategies thus far have been relatively ineffective in curbing the global stroke burden, which is projected to increase given the aging of the world's population and epidemiological transition in many low- to middle-income countries. In this review we will summarize our current understanding of behavioral, environmental, and metabolic stroke risk factors not covered elsewhere in this issue. Specifically, we will review the evidence for environmental and household air pollution, smoking, and alcohol use. We will subsequently provide a conceptual framework for stroke prevention strategies, categorizing them as those aimed at changing health care systems and/or provider behavior and those targeting behaviors of patients and/or their caregivers, families, and support networks. The field of stroke prevention is relatively nascent, and little is known about how to optimize health care systems so that providers prescribe evidence-based care for stroke prevention, patients have access to care to receive such services, adherence and control of risk factors are optimized, and patients are empowered to manage their own risk factors and make lifestyle changes, including eating healthy diets (high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in sodium and sugar-sweetened beverages), engaging in regular physical activity, not smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption. In the next several years, we will likely develop a better understanding of which strategies are effective for modifying vascular risk factors, and how to design and implement successful interventions. Key questions to be answered include optimal theoretical frameworks, delivery models, team composition, timing, dose, intensity, and frequency, taking into account cultural, sociodemographic, and regional differences in patient populations.

scholarly journals Structural Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Urgent Need for Scaling Up

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Cazap ◽  
Ian Magrath ◽  
T. Peter Kingham ◽  
Ahmed Elzawawy
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Noncommunicable diseases are now recognized by the United Nations and WHO as a major public health crisis. Cancer is a main part of this problem, and health care systems are facing a great challenge to improve cancer care, control costs, and increase systems efficiency. The disparity in access to care and outcomes between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries is staggering. The reasons for this disparity include cost, access to care, manpower and training deficits, and a lack of awareness in the lay and medical communities. Diagnosis and treatment play an important role in this complex environment. In different regions and countries of the world, a variety of health care systems are in place, but most of them are fragmented or poorly coordinated. The need to scale up cancer care in the low- and middle-income countries is urgent, and this article reviews many of the structural mechanisms of the problem, describes the current situation, and proposes ways for improvement. The organization of cancer services is also included in the analysis.

Outsourcing Responsibility

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathleen E. Willging ◽  
Elise M. Trott
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Behavioral Health Care ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Treatment Needs ◽  
Health Care Safety Net ◽  
Care Systems

Cathleen E. Willging and Elise M. Trott argue that politically driven processes of the past have shaped the current context of mental health care delivery in New Mexico. Provisions of the ACA, including the expansion of Medicaid and outreach to underserved populations, offered the possibility of improving access and services for New Mexicans struggling with unmet treatment needs. However, as the authors argue, public stewards manipulated key ACA provisions to propagate unsubstantiated allegations of waste, fraud, and corruption against safety-net service providers. This chapter shows how public-private partnerships in the Medicaid arena, discourses of transparency, and technologies of accountability can engender truthiness claims, obscure vital information, destabilize a behavioral health care safety net, and deny low-income citizens care. They argue that scholars have the responsibility to attend to the “total bureaucratization” of government-funded health care systems that also allows such abuse of authority.

scholarly journals Healthcare Systems and Variation in Healthcare Utilization at the End of Life Across Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 560-560
Author(s):  
Jennifer Ailshire ◽  
Cristian Herrar ◽  
Margarita Maria Osuna
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Service ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Social Health Insurance ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Care Systems

Abstract With rapid population ageing, providing better end-of-life care (EOLC) is becoming a source of social demand and financial pressure for public and private budgets in many countries. This paper uses data from harmonized end-of-life interviews in the HRS family of studies to assesses variation in health care utilization across different income groups and how they differ across different health care systems. Hospital stay did not vary across health care systems, but nursing home stays were lower in countries with either national or statist social health insurance systems. Hospice use was low in all countries, but particularly in national and social health insurance systems. Lower income was associated with greater use of nursing homes in both the private and social health care systems. Low income was also associated with greater use of hospice in national health service, but lower use in social health service.

scholarly journals Maternal deaths in developing countries: A preventable tragedy

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Kvåle ◽  
Bjørg Evjen Olsen ◽  
Sven Gudmund Hinderaker ◽  
Magnar Ulstein ◽  
Per Bergsjø
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Maternal Deaths ◽  
Care Systems

The neglected tragedy of persistent high maternal mortality in the low-income countries is described. One of the millennium development goals states that the current number of maternal deaths of around 500,000 per year should be reduced by three quarters by 2015. Since the major causes and avenues for prevention are known, this may seem an achievable goal. It is concluded, however, that unless all stakeholders globally and within individual countries will demonstrate a real commitment to translate policy statements into actions, it is unlikely that the goal will be reached. A substantial increase in the resources for reproductive health care services is needed, and the human resource crises in the health care systems must be urgently addressed. Epidemiologists have an important role to play by designing randomized controlled trials for estimating the effect of different health care systems interventions aimed at reducing maternal mortality and other major health problems in low resource settings. The public health importance of such trials may be greater than the potential benefit of randomized trials for investigating effects of new vaccines and drugs. Within the field of perinatal epidemiology the disparity in public health importance of research conducted in the rich versus the poor world is glaring. Time is overdue for perinatal epidemiologists to turn their attention to the areas of the world where the maternal and perinatal health problems are overwhelming.

scholarly journals Medical Supply Acquisition in Italy and the United States in the Era of COVID-19: The Case for Strategic Procurement and Public–Private Partnerships

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 642-649
Author(s):  
Veronica Vecchi ◽  
Niccolò Cusumano ◽  
Eric J. Boyer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
The United States ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Economic Market ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Strategic Procurement

The article analyzes contracting challenges faced by Italian health care authorities and U.S. procurement officials in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, and it provides practitioner-derived lessons for improving procurement in times of disaster. The lessons we have learned so far emphasize (a) the need to recognize the strategic role of procurement, (b) empowering procurement officials, (c) formalized coordinative mechanisms cannot ensure effectiveness without trust among different governance levels, (d) the ability to identify reliable and proactive suppliers of personal protective equipment, (e) the importance of stimulating the economic market to diversify the production of needed materials and to ensure a more risk-resilient supply chain, and (f) the critical role of public–private collaborations to ensure responsiveness and resilience of health care systems.

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