scholarly journals Organizational E-Readiness for the Digital Transformation of Primary Healthcare Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Kruszyńska-Fischbach ◽  
Sylwia Sysko-Romańczuk ◽  
Mateusz Rafalik ◽  
Renata Walczak ◽  
Magdalena Kludacz-Alessandri
Keyword(s):  
Significant Influence ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Technological Capabilities ◽  
Operational Capabilities ◽  
Basic Set ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Primary Healthcare Providers

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries to implement a variety of restrictive measures to prevent it from spreading more widely, including the introduction of medical teleconsultations and the use of various tools in the field of inpatient telemedicine care. Digital technologies provide a wide range of treatment options for patients, and at the same time pose a number of organizational challenges for medical entities. Therefore, the question arises of whether organizations are ready to use modern telemedicine tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this article is to examine two factors that impact the level of organizational e-readiness for digital transformation in Polish primary healthcare providers (PHC). The first factor comprises operational capabilities, which are the sum of valuable, scarce, unique, and irreplaceable resources and the ability to use them. The second factor comprises technological capabilities, which determine the adoption and usage of innovative technologies. Contrary to the commonly analyzed impacts of technology on operational capabilities, we state the reverse hypothesis. The verification confirms the significant influence of operational capabilities on technological capabilities. The research is conducted using a questionnaire covering organizational e-readiness for digital transformation prepared by the authors. Out of the 32 items examined, four are related to the operational capabilities and four to the technological capabilities. The result of our evaluation shows that: (i) a basic set of four variables can effectively measure the dimensions of OC, namely the degree of agility, level of process integration, quality of resources, and quality of cooperation; (ii) a basic set of three variables can effectively measure the dimensions of TC, namely adoption and usage of technologies, customer interaction, and process automation; (iii) the empirical results show that OC is on a higher level than TC in Polish PHCs; (iv) the assessment of the relationship between OC and TC reveals a significant influence of operational capabilities on technological capabilities with a structural coefficient of 0.697. We recommend increasing the level of technological capability in PHC providers in order to improve the contact between patients and general practitioners (GPs) via telemedicine in lockdown conditions.

scholarly journals Lightweight Mobile Automated Assistant-to-physician for Global Lower-resource Areas

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Hanxin Zhang ◽  
Atif Khan ◽  
Ted Kim ◽  
Olasubomi Omoleye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multiple Data Sets ◽  
Primary Healthcare Providers

Importance: Lower-resource areas in Africa and Asia face a unique set of healthcare challenges: the dual high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases; a paucity of highly trained primary healthcare providers in both rural and densely populated urban areas; and a lack of reliable, inexpensive internet connections. Objective: To address these challenges, we designed an artificial intelligence assistant to help primary healthcare providers in lower-resource areas document demographic and medical sign/symptom data and to record and share diagnostic data in real-time with a centralized database. Design: We trained our system using multiple data sets, including US-based electronic medical records (EMRs) and open-source medical literature and developed an adaptive, general medical assistant system based on machine learning algorithms. Main outcomes and Measure: The application collects basic information from patients and provides primary care providers with diagnoses and prescriptions suggestions. The application is unique from existing systems in that it covers a wide range of common diseases, signs, and medication typical in lower-resource countries; the application works with or without an active internet connection. Results: We have built and implemented an adaptive learning system that assists trained primary care professionals by means of an Android smartphone application, which interacts with a central database and collects real-time data. The application has been tested by dozens of primary care providers. Conclusions and Relevance: Our application would provide primary healthcare providers in lower-resource areas with a tool that enables faster and more accurate documentation of medical encounters. This application could be leveraged to automatically populate local or national EMR systems.

scholarly journals A qualitative inquiry of access to and quality of primary healthcare in seven communities in East and West Africa (SevenCEWA): perspectives of stakeholders, healthcare providers and users

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soter Ameh ◽  
Bolarinwa Oladimeji Akeem ◽  
Caleb Ochimana ◽  
Abayomi Olabayo Oluwasanu ◽  
Shukri F. Mohamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
East And West ◽  
Universal Health

Abstract Background Universal health coverage is one of the Sustainable Development Goal targets known to improve population health and reduce financial burden. There is little qualitative data on access to and quality of primary healthcare in East and West Africa. The aim of this study was to describe the viewpoints of healthcare users, healthcare providers and other stakeholders on health-seeking behaviour, access to and quality of healthcare in seven communities in East and West Africa. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in four communities in Nigeria and one community each in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in 2018. Purposive sampling was used to recruit: 155 respondents (mostly healthcare users) for 24 focus group discussions, 25 healthcare users, healthcare providers and stakeholders for in-depth interviews and 11 healthcare providers and stakeholders for key informant interviews. The conceptual framework in this study combined elements of the Health Belief Model, Health Care Utilisation Model, four ‘As’ of access to care, and pathway model to better understand the a priori themes on access to and quality of primary healthcare as well as health-seeking behaviours of the study respondents. A content analysis of the data was done using MAXQDA 2018 qualitative software to identify these a priori themes and emerging themes. Results Access to primary healthcare in the seven communities was limited, especially use of health insurance. Quality of care was perceived to be unacceptable in public facilities whereas cost of care was unaffordable in private facilities. Health providers and users as well as stakeholders highlighted shortage of equipment, frequent drug stock-outs and long waiting times as major issues, but had varying opinions on satisfaction with care. Use of herbal medicines and other traditional treatments delayed or deterred seeking modern healthcare in the Nigerian sites. Conclusions There was a substantial gap in primary healthcare coverage and quality in the selected communities in rural and urban East and West Africa. Alternative models of healthcare delivery that address social and health inequities, through affordable health insurance, can be used to fill this gap and facilitate achieving universal health coverage.

Primary healthcare providers' attitudes and beliefs about the menopause-related care needs of women who have migrated from low- and middle-income countries to Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Karin A. Stanzel ◽  
Karin Hammarberg ◽  
Jane Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Structural Support ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Primary Healthcare Providers ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Health behaviour during midlife is linked to health outcomes in older age. Primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) are ideally placed to provide health-promoting information opportunistically to women in midlife. The aim of this study was to explore PHCPs views about the menopause-related care needs of migrant women from low- and middle-income countries and what they perceive as barriers and enablers for providing this. Of the 139 PHCPs who responded to an anonymous online survey, less than one-third (29.9%) routinely offered menopause-related information during consultations with migrant women. Most agreed that short appointments times (70.8%), lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate menopause information (82.5%) and lack of confidence in providing menopause-related care (32.5%) are barriers for providing comprehensive menopause-related care to migrant women. To overcome these, a menopause-specific Medicare item number and a one-stop website with health information in community languages were suggested. These findings suggest that menopause-related care is not routinely offered by PHCPs to migrant women from low- and middle- income countries and that their capacity to do this may be improved with adequate educational and structural support.

scholarly journals The relationship between primary healthcare providers and their external supervisors in Rwanda

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Schriver ◽  
Vincent K. Cubaka ◽  
Laetitia Nyirazinyoye ◽  
Sylvere Itangishaka ◽  
Per Kallestrup
Keyword(s):  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Performance Evaluations ◽  
Supervisory Relationship ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Performance Based Financing ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Primary Healthcare Providers

Background: External supervision of Rwandan primary healthcare facilities unfolds as an interaction between supervisors and healthcare providers. Their relationship has not been thoroughly studied in Rwanda, and rarely in Africa.Aim: To explore perceived characteristics and effects of the relationship between providers in public primary healthcare facilities and their external supervisors in Rwanda.Setting: We conducted three focus group discussions with primary healthcare providers (n = 16), three with external supervisors (n = 15) and one mixed (n = 5).Methods: Focus groups were facilitated under low-moderator involvement. Findings were extracted thematically and discussed with participating and non-participating providers and supervisors.Results: While external supervision is intended as a source of motivation and professional development in addition to its managerial purpose, it appeared linked to excessive evaluation anxiety among Rwandan primary healthcare providers. Supervisors related this mainly to inescapable evaluations within performance-based financing, whereas providers additionally related it to communication problems.Conclusion: External supervision appeared driven by systematic performance evaluations, which may prompt a strongly asymmetric supervisory power relation and challenge intentions to explore providers’ experienced work problems. There is a risk that this may harm provider motivation, calling for careful attention to factors that influence the supervisory relationship. It is a dilemma that providers most in need of supervision to improve performance may be most unlikely to benefit from it. This study reveals a need for provider-oriented supportive supervision including constructive attention on providers who have performance difficulties, effective relationship building and communication, objective and diligent evaluation and two-way feedback channels.

scholarly journals Childhood Cancer Early Detection Training Program for Primary Healthcare Providers

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 135s-135s ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Ntacyabukura
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Childhood Cancers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Train The Trainer ◽  
Primary Healthcare Providers

Background and context: Over 250,000 new pediatric cancer cases are diagnosed yearly worldwide. Health care providers (mainly nurses) at health centers (HC) level are the children´s first opportunity for correctly recognizing and responding to early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers by appropriately referring them to district hospitals but studies show that 83% of nurses did not receive training on pediatric cancers. Insufficient knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms of pediatric cancer usually leads to improper diagnosis or delay to diagnosis and hence loss of many lives of these children. After realizing that majority in our community lack information on childhood cancers, our efforts since 2017 has been concentrated on training primary healthcare providers to recognize early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers. Aim: Improve survival of children with cancer by early detection of symptoms and signs and prompt referral by nurses at health centers. Strategy/Tactics: The program is consisted of trainings in selected regions of Rwanda. The first step is a “train the trainer workshop” where volunteering medical students and doctors are trained to train the nurses and community health workers. A two days workshop is organized subsequently in each province bringing together at least with one nurse from each selected health center. These trained nurses go back with materials to train their colleagues. They are followed up every three months with a survey to assess how much they retain the learned knowledge and the impact made. Prior to trainings, RCCR and pediatric oncologists develop training materials that include training curriculum for both the trainers and for the trainees (nurses), educational and awareness material (posters, fliers, brochures). Trained nurses are kept in RCCR database for their follow-up and track any case of a childhood cancer at their health facilities. Program/Policy process: The program is run in 4 phases, Phase 1: Develop training materials materials Phase 2: Recruitment and train the trainer phase Phase 3: Selection of health center and recruitment of healthcare providers Phase 4: The execution phase. Trainings are carried out in selected health centers. Phase 5: Post training follow-up. Outcomes: In 2017, the program was conducted in 4 health centers and around 90 health care providers were trained with more than 800 posters, 950 brochures and 300 flyers distributed. According to reports, after the training, the number of referrals from health centers increased and the posttraining showed how accurate nurses were in stating their differential diagnoses. What was learned: Childhood cancers are curable when detected and treated early, there is a need to build strong partnerships with private and public sectors to address the challenge of early detection and late presentation at the hospital because the program of training primary healthcare providers showed a good impact.

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