scholarly journals Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR): Disambiguated in the Telemedicine / Telehealth Sphere

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Sharon L. Burton

Abstract The world is navigating through unfamiliar and incomprehensible times – COVID-19, international economic crisis, and crumbling healthcare systems. The United States (US) healthcare industry is grappling with an increased workload and advancing digitization technological concerns. The failure of organizations to offer suitable cybersecurity controls within the critical infrastructure leads to advanced persistent threat (APT) that could have incapacitating effects on organizations. A keen understanding of cybersecurity is vital for leaders and the need is referenced in US policy that advances a national unity of effort to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure. Akin to the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 21 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience, leaders’ goals should be to reduce vulnerabilities, identify and disrupt threats, minimize consequences and hasten response and recovery efforts related to critical infrastructure. To address the concern, it is necessary to review how AI and AR serve as co-technologies to support security of patient care and monitoring, examine impacts on individuals’ and overall healthcare organizations, address how enhanced comprehension of AI and AR could guide medical professional leaders’ decisions and boost the overall patient experience. Therefore, this literature review examines AI and AR connections to cybersecurity for the healthcare environment.

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-9
Author(s):  
Judy Kruger

The United States (US) and Caribbean regions remain vulnerable to the impact of severe tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons. In 2017, a series of hurricanes posed threats to residents living in inland and coastal communities as well as on islands isolated from the US mainland. Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria caused catastrophic infrastructure damage, resulting in a loss of electrical power and communications due to damaged or downed utility poles, cell towers, and transmission lines. Critical services were inoperable for many months. Emergency managers are public officials who are accountable to both political leaders and the citizens. During disaster events, emergency managers must prioritize areas of effort, manage personnel, and communicate with stakeholders to address critical infrastructure interdependences. Essential lifeline services (eg, energy and communications) were inoperable for many months, which led to increased attention from policy-makers, media, and the public.


Author(s):  
Vephkhvia Grigalashvili ◽  
◽  
Khatuna Abiashvili ◽  

The United States` Critical Infrastructure System (CIs) represents an umbrella concept grouping all those resources that are essential for national economic, financial, and social system. These critical infrastructures are vital and without them, or with any damages to them, would cripple the nation, states, and/or local communities and tribes. Based on a systematic review approach (methodology), this paper aims to review the United States’ Critical Infrastructure Protection System (USCIPS) at tree aspects. In section one, the policy pillars of USCIPS are outlined based on studding Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) and National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). Section two discusses the interdependent nature of the sixteen critical infrastructure sectors and identified the further designation of life-line sectors. Final sector introduces USCIPS stakeholders, collaboration and partnership across between the private sector and public sector stakeholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3172
Author(s):  
Suchat Tachaudomdach ◽  
Auttawit Upayokin ◽  
Nopadon Kronprasert ◽  
Kriangkrai Arunotayanun

Amidst sudden and unprecedented increases in the severity and frequency of climate-change-induced natural disasters, building critical infrastructure resilience has become a prominent policy issue globally for reducing disaster risks. Sustainable measures and procedures to strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery of infrastructures are urgently needed, but the standard for measuring such resilient elements has yet to be consensually developed. This study was undertaken with an aim to quantitatively measure transportation infrastructure robustness, a proactive dimension of resilience capacities and capabilities to withstand disasters; in this case, floods. A four-stage analytical framework was empirically implemented: 1) specifying the system and disturbance (i.e., road network and flood risks in Chiang Mai, Thailand), 2) illustrating the system response using the damaged area as a function of floodwater levels and protection measures, 3) determining recovery thresholds based on land use and system functionality, and 4) quantifying robustness through the application of edge- and node-betweenness centrality models. Various quantifiable indicators of transportation robustness can be revealed; not only flood-damaged areas commonly considered in flood-risk management and spatial planning, but also the numbers of affected traffic links, nodes, and cars are highly valuable for transportation planning in achieving sustainable flood-resilient transportation systems.


Author(s):  
Diane Meyer ◽  
Elena K. Martin ◽  
Syra Madad ◽  
Priya Dhagat ◽  
Jennifer B. Nuzzo

Abstract Objective: Candida auris infections continue to occur across the United States and abroad, and healthcare facilities that care for vulnerable populations must improve their readiness to respond to this emerging organism. We aimed to identify and better understand challenges faced and lessons learned by those healthcare facilities who have experienced C. auris cases and outbreaks to better prepare those who have yet to experience or respond to this pathogen. Design: Semi-structured qualitative interviews. Setting: Health departments, long-term care facilities, acute-care hospitals, and healthcare organizations in New York, Illinois, and California. Participants: Infectious disease physicians and nurses, clinical and environmental services, hospital leadership, hospital epidemiology, infection preventionists, emergency management, and laboratory scientists who had experiences either preparing for or responding to C. auris cases or outbreaks. Methods: In total, 25 interviews were conducted with 84 participants. Interviews were coded using NVivo qualitative coding software by 2 separate researchers. Emergent themes were then iteratively discussed among the research team. Results: Key themes included surveillance and laboratory capacity, inter- and intrafacility communication, infection prevention and control, environmental cleaning and disinfection, clinical management of cases, and media concerns and stigma. Conclusions: Many of the operational challenges noted in this research are not unique to C. auris, and the ways in which we address future outbreaks should be informed by previous experiences and lessons learned, including the recent outbreaks of C. auris in the United States.


Significance She addressed two key issues during her trip: tensions in post-coup Myanmar and China’s growing regional footprint. Shortly after she left the region, the United States announced that it would donate unused COVID-19 vaccines abroad, including to South-east Asia. Impacts Washington will tighten its sanctions on the Myanmar military while supporting ASEAN’s five-point plan to ease the country’s crisis. The National Unity Government, a parallel administration to Myanmar’s junta set up by its opponents, will try to attract greater US backing. Manila and Washington may extend negotiations over renewing their Visiting Forces Agreement to prevent the pact expiring in August.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Falasca ◽  
Scott Dellana ◽  
William J. Rowe ◽  
John F. Kros

PurposeThis study develops and tests a model exploring the relationship between supply chain (SC) counterfeit risk management and performance in the healthcare supply chain (HCSC).Design/methodology/approachIn the proposed theoretical model, HCSC counterfeit risk management is characterized by HCSC counterfeit risk orientation (HCRO), HCSC counterfeit risk mitigation (HCRM) and HCSC risk management integration (HRMI), while performance is represented by healthcare logistics performance (HLP) and healthcare organization overall performance (HOP). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 55 HCSC managers are used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsHCRO has a significant positive effect on HCRM, while HCRM has a positive impact on HRMI. With respect to HLP, HCRM has a nonsignificant effect, while HRMI has a significant impact, thus confirming the important mediating role of HRMI. Finally, HLP has a significant positive effect on the overall performance of healthcare organizations.Research limitations/implicationsAll study participants were from the United States, limiting the generalizability of the study findings to different countries or regions. The sample size employed in the study did not allow the authors to distinguish among the different types of healthcare organizations.Originality/valueThis study delineates between a healthcare organization's philosophy toward counterfeiting risks vs actions taken to eliminate or reduce the impact of counterfeiting on the HCSC. By offering firm-level guidance for managers, this study informs healthcare organizations about addressing the challenge of counterfeiting in the HCSC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernice Kennedy ◽  
◽  
Chrishonda Kennedy-Baker

The healthcare environment is one of the most complex and dangerous occupational hazards for healthcare workers, especially nurses. The complexity of a culture of patient-related violence and the nature of their jobs place healthcare workers at risk for violence on the job. Workplace violence is a profoundly serious issue and continues to be a growing problem in the United States. This paper is a brief literature review of workplace violence against healthcare workers in health services organizations. These sections will be discussed (a) common workplaces where violence occurs; (b)types of workplace violence; (c)workplace violence against healthcare workers in health services organizations displayed in a conceptual model; (d) mental health and physiological problems of workplace violence on healthcare workers; (e) cost of workplace violence in health services organizations; and (e) strategies for prevention. Healthcare administrators are obligated to provide a safe environment for patients and staff. However, numerous guidelines have been developed, workplace violence continues to be at an increased rate. Continuous research studies are needed to improve the safety of healthcare workers in their diverse work settings. Also, more research is needed in healthcare settings with limited research.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-196
Author(s):  
BRAD COHN

As a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Liability, I have been asked to comment further on professional liability coverage for residents (Pediatrics 1989;83:311). The positions stated are satisfactory. However, the problems encountered by residents who "moonlight" under a professional liability coverage written on a "claims made" form were not addressed. Most medical professional liability individual policies in the United States are now written on a "claims made" form. This classification means that the insured is covered only for claims arising and reported during the policy year for which a premium has been paid.


Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Ryan ◽  
Raymond Swienton ◽  
Curt Harris ◽  
James J. James

ABSTRACT Interdisciplinary public health solutions are vital for an effective coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response and recovery. However, there is often a lack of awareness and understanding of the environmental health workforce connections and capabilities. In the United States, this is a foundational function of health departments and is the second largest public health workforce. The primary role is to protect the public from exposures to environmental hazards, disasters, and disease outbreaks. More specifically, this includes addressing risks relating to sanitation, drinking water, food safety, vector control, and mass gatherings. This profession is also recognized in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019. Despite this, the profession is often not considered an essential service. Rapid integration into COVID-19 activities can easily occur as most are government employees and experienced working in complex and stressful situations. This role, for example, could include working with leaders, businesses, workplaces, and churches to safely reopen, and inspections to inform, educate, and empower employers, employees, and the public on safe actions. There is now the legislative support, evidence and a window of opportunity to truly enable interdisciplinary public health solutions by mobilizing the environmental health workforce to support COVID-19 response, recovery, and resilience activities.


2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-349
Author(s):  
John Kirton

The direction and pace of efforts to co-ordinate the foreign policy making process within the executive branch of middle-size states may depend on subtle but cumulatively important shiefs in domestic and external environments. The experience of the Canadian government from 1976 to 1978 suggests the effects which four types of environmental change can have. The approach of a federal election was accompanied by a reduced emphasis on the formal procedures of the structured cabinet committee System instituted in the early years of the first Trudeau government. An increased threat to national unity, as registered in the November 1976 election of a Parti Québécois majority provincial government, concentrated decisional activity at the very centre of government, and had only indirect effects on the formal foreign policy planning process. Concern with persistent economic dilemmas, registered most clearly in the imposition of an expenditure restraint programme in August 1978, directly increased the use of the budgetary process and prompted moves toward foreign service integration. And the intensification of a decline in tension in relations with the United States, and the accompanying emergence of new global problems, led, in turn, to a transfer of dynamic, creative co-ordinatively-oriented leadership into the Department of External Affairs, a reorganization of the Department, and a strong stress on re-orienting its role toward that of a modem central policy agency.


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