scholarly journals Digital Health and the Embodying of Professionalism: Avatars as Health Professionals in Sweden

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Hallqvist
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Patient Choice ◽  
Discourse Theory ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Swedish Health Care

This paper explores virtual health professionals (VHPs), digital health technology software, in Swedish health care. The aim is to analyze how health professionalism is (re)negotiated through avatar embodiments of VHPs and to explore the informants’ notions of what a health professional is, behaves and looks like. The paper builds on ethnographic fieldwork with informants working directly or indirectly with questions of digital health technology and professionalism. Discourse theory is used to analyze the material. Subjectification, authenticity, and diversity were found to be crucial for informants to articulate health professionalism when discussing human avatars, professional attire, gendered and ethnified embodiments. The informants attempted to make the VHPs credibly professional but inauthentcally human. A discursive struggle over health professionalism between patient choice and diversity within health care was identified where the patient’s choice of avatars—if based on prejudices—might threaten healthcare professionalism and healthcare professionals by (re)producing racism and sexism.

Testing Consultation Recordings in a Clinical Setting With the SecondEars Smartphone App: Mixed Methods Implementation Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Hyatt ◽  
Ruby Lipson-Smith ◽  
Bryce Morkunas ◽  
Meinir Krishnasamy ◽  
Michael Jefford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Clinical Setting ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Implementation Strategy ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Implementation Study ◽  
Pilot Testing ◽  
Effective Implementation

BACKGROUND Health care systems are increasingly looking to mobile device technologies (mobile health) to improve patient experience and health outcomes. SecondEars is a smartphone app designed to allow patients to audio-record medical consultations to improve recall, understanding, and health care self-management. Novel health interventions such as SecondEars often fail to be implemented post pilot-testing owing to inadequate user experience (UX) assessment, a key component of a comprehensive implementation strategy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to pilot the SecondEars app within an active clinical setting to identify factors necessary for optimal implementation. Objectives were to (1) investigate patient UX and acceptability, utility, and satisfaction with the SecondEars app, and (2) understand health professional perspectives on issues, solutions, and strategies for effective implementation of SecondEars. METHODS A mixed methods implementation study was employed. Patients were invited to test the app to record consultations with participating oncology health professionals. Follow-up interviews were conducted with all participating patients (or carers) and health professionals, regarding uptake and extent of app use. Responses to the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) were also collected. Interviews were analyzed using interpretive descriptive methodology; all quantitative data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS A total of 24 patients used SecondEars to record consultations with 10 multidisciplinary health professionals. In all, 22 of these patients used SecondEars to listen to all or part of the recording, either alone or with family. All 100% of patient participants reported in the MARS that they would use SecondEars again and recommend it to others. A total of 3 themes were identified from the patient interviews relating to the UX of SecondEars: empowerment, facilitating support in cancer care, and usability. Further, 5 themes were identified from the health professional interviews relating to implementation of SecondEars: changing hospital culture, mitigating medico-legal concerns, improving patient care, communication, and practical implementation solutions. CONCLUSIONS Data collected during pilot testing regarding recording use, UX, and health professional and patient perspectives will be important for designing an effective implementation strategy for SecondEars. Those testing the app found it useful and felt that it could facilitate the benefits of consultation recordings, along with providing patient empowerment and support. Potential issues regarding implementation were discussed, and solutions were generated. CLINICALTRIAL Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000730202; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373915&isClinicalTrial=False

scholarly journals ATTITUDE AND PRACTICING BEHAVIOUR AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS REGARDING HANDWASHING:A TOOL TO PREVENT EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIONS.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Syed Waseem Tahir ◽  
Sahila Nabi ◽  
Shazia Javaid
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Attitude And Practice

Background: Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to control health care related infection. Every year millions of patients around the world are affected by infections that are transmitted by the health-care professionals(HCPs).(2)(3). Rationale: Nurses and physicians are the main health care workers contacting with patients, representing the vector in the chain of infection. Thus, assessing their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding hand hygiene is very important to decrease the incidence of health care related infection and to improve quality of care. Objective: The objective of our study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of handwashing among healthcare professionals of Kashmir Division. Methods: This study was an institutional based cross sectional study, conducted in various healthcare institutions of Kashmir Division which were selected randomly. A predesigned questionnaire was used to collect the data from the participants. The questionnaires contained questions about four different parts which included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of hand washing, attitude and practice of hand washing among healthcare professionals. The questionnaires were distributed to various healthcare professionals working in wards, emergency department, laboratories, outpatient departments, injection and dressing rooms, EPI unit and others. The distributed questionnaires were then collected back. Results: A total of 110 participants were included. Out of total 110 participants,53% were male ,36% were nurses 36% of health professionals were working in IPD (In Patient Department). 89% of the participants agreed that, direct or indirect contacts are the most important routes for transmission of hospital-acquired infections,97% agreed that
 proper and consistent hand washing prevents infections in health facilities,100% agreed that health professionals should always wash their hands immediately when they arrive at health institutions,98% said that they knew steps of handwashing(WHO)/rules of hand hygiene,91% agreed that hand washing is the single most effective mechanism to prevent spread of infection and 95% agreed that wearing jewellery, artificial fingernails, damaged skin and regular use of hand cream are associated with increased likelihood of colonisation of hands with harmful germs. 83% of the participants said that they are committed to the proper rules of hand hygiene all the time,78% said they comply with rules of hand hygiene even in emergencies,80% said that they think when they are wearing gloves it is not necessary to wash hands,92% feel irritated when others don’t follow hand hygiene rules,95% advice others to follow the rules of hand hygiene and 97% said it is easy for you to follow rules of hand hygiene. 40%(each) of the participants said that they always and usually wash hands before touching a patient,100% of the participants said that they always wash hands before performing aseptic and clean procedures, 100% of the participants said that they always wash hands after being at risk of exposure to body fluids and 95% of patients said that they wash hands after coming to and before leaving the hospital. DISCUSSION In this study we had a total of 110 participants. Health professionals had a satisfactory knowledge of hand hygiene but some lacunae are still there as is evident in the result part. Thus from this study we conclude adherence to handwashing is lacking among health professionals, so we need to have regular handwashing sessions for health professionals which will regularly sensitize them, also we need to address the reasons of this poor adherence both at the administrative and personal level. We also recommend to conduct more studies in this field so as to highlight the shortcomings in hand hygiene and then to improve upon them.

Principle-driven virtual care practice to ensure quality and accessibility

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
Kendell Ho ◽  
Ken Harris ◽  
Toni Leamon
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Care ◽  
The Right

COVID-19 has accelerated the use of telehealth or virtual care (VC) as an alternative form of health care delivery. Clearly, VC provides unprecedented convenience and timeliness for patients seeking care from their health professionals. As a result, a substantial increase in telehealth providers is occurring, and the Canadian government is investing millions to support digital health care treatments and telehealth services. However, it is vital that the health professional community carefully examine the quality of care being delivered digitally and determine when it is appropriate to use VC as an alternative to face-to-face care. This article highlights some principles for health policymakers, health professionals, and health consumers to consider to ensure that VC is used appropriately and ethically for the right health conditions and in the right contexts.

scholarly journals From “Academic Projectitis” to Partnership: Community Perspectives for Authentic Community Engagement in Health Professional Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Kline ◽  
Wafa Asadian ◽  
William Godolphin ◽  
Scott Graham ◽  
Cheryl Hewitt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
Health Professional Education ◽  
Community Based

Health professional education (HPE) has taken a problem-based approach to community service-learning with good intentions to sensitize future health care professionals to community needs and serve the underserved. However, a growing emphasis on social responsibility and accountability has educators rethinking community engagement. Many institutions now seek to improve community participation in educational programs. Likewise, many Canadians are enthusiastic about their health care system and patients, who are “experts by lived experience,” value opportunities to “give back” and improve health care by taking an active role in the education of health professionals. We describe a community-based participatory action research project to develop a mechanism for community engagement in HPE at the University of British Columbia (UBC). In-depth interviews and a community dialogue with leaders from 18 community-based organizations working with vulnerable populations revealed the shared common interest of the community and university in the education of health professionals. Patients and community organizations have a range of expertise that can help to prepare health practitioners to work in partnership with patients, communities, and other professionals. Recommendations are presented to enhance the inclusion of community expertise in HPE by changing the way the community and university engage with each other.

scholarly journals EMPATHIC PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR DYING PATIENTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 1127-1132
Author(s):  
Nikola Georgiev
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
Death And Loss ◽  
Dying Patient

The biggest challenge for the health professionals is to support their patients and to guide them through the stages of dying. When working with dying patients, we become more sensitive to our own mortality and to our own vulnerability. Attitudes to death and the resulting primordial fear affects behavior patterns in people “working with death and loss”. However, if we focus far too close and far too long on the illness of our patients, our relationship with them may be endangered and may cause to feelings of rejection and guilt. Finding ways to establish relationships that go beyond illness and death thus becomes crucial in our efforts to maintain and promote the dignity, intimacy, and quality of life that our patients deserve. The shortage of well-trained staff is a problem of the modern world in the field of care for dying patients. Adequate education and training for such professionals is a necessary first step toward a more compassionate, humanistic, and dignified care for dying people. The data from own researches carried out among 162 healthcare professionals and 23 patients from 8 hospitals and 3 hospices of Sofia, outlines their basic difficulties and personal experiences in the provision of health care and care for seriously ill and dying patients. Used methods include: documentary method, inquiry method - direct inquiry, observation. Approximately 2/3 of respondents have difficulty in communicating with a dying patient and his relatives. To increase the understanding and to improve the care of people who are near death, there needs to be a change in the attitudes and the stereotypes that physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses and caregivers. Lack of education in developing communication skills that help connect medical professionals to their patients and families; and also, ways to take control on dealing with suffering, death and loss, are the main source to keep professional distress. Good communication between medical staff and patients is based on both psychological established rules for interaction between people and the specific behavioral health practice models. The development of emotional competence should be present as an essential element in the process of professional training of healthcare professionals. In this connection Faculty of Public Health at the Medical University - Sofia provides education on Communication skills in student learning and postgraduate training of medical professionals. Here innovative approaches to improve emotional intelligence of the healthcare staff are applying. The failure to recognize and to acknowledge the own feelings while working with the dying patient is the biggest obstacle in front of empathic care. Patient-centered approach holds a significant place in the training of healthcare professionals. Interventions are focused on issues like consultation style, developing empathy, identifying and handling emotional problems. In the learning process, the most activating effect in this direction is the reflexive practice with real patients, aimed at mastering the appropriate style of counseling, developing empathy and dealing with emotional problems. In order to overcome on the educational deficit and need from enhancing health professionals’ competences in the field of person- centered care started the implementation of "learning at the working place" in medical and social institutions. We carry out discussion using educational presentation and interactive activities. The external training and discussions on current issues in health care for dying patients associated with the specifics of the workplace has many advantages, such as discussing concrete issues and case studies related to care places, reflection and sharing experience, saving the time of healthcare professionals. Substantial reserves are offered with informal processes and episodic learning in the workplace and their combination with formal education. Such training for students and working healthcare professionals can improve communication with patients and facilitate empathic professional support and care for sufferers.

scholarly journals The role of Emotional Intelligence in health care professionals burnout

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Arnone ◽  
M I Cascio ◽  
I Parenti
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Length Of Service ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and burnout in health care professionals. More specifically, this survey has the purpose of demonstrating the role of EI as a protective factor against the risk of burnout. Health professionals (doctors, nurses, and other caregivers) composed the sample. Health care professionals were invited to complete the following tests: Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (Schutte et al., 1998; it. ad. Craparo, et al.[35]); Link Burnout Questionnaire,LBQ; Other variables, such as gender, lenght of service (years of professional experience) and organizational department. Major results of this survey underline the relationship between EI and burnout. More specifically, there is a negative and significant correlation between burnout and Emotional Intelligence. Moreover, burnout varies depending on length of service: burnout increases between 5 and 10 years of experience and decreases over 10 years. Indeed, burnout is differently expressed amongst healthcare professionals: more specifically, Psycho-physical exhaustion, Detriment of the relationships and Burnout (total score) impact physician (doctors) more than other investigated health professionals. These findings seem to suggest the opportunity to improve Emotional Intelligence abilities through specific training programs, useful to promote the ability to cope with stress and to enrich the relationships in the workplace. Key messages Burnout is more diffuse among health professionals working in emergency departments. Emotional intelligence has the role to cope with burnout.

scholarly journals Exploring the Attitudes of Health Professionals Providing Care to Patients Undergoing Treatment for Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers to Different Models of Nutrition Care Delivery: A Qualitative Investigation

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1020
Author(s):  
Kate Furness ◽  
Catherine Huggins ◽  
Daniel Croagh ◽  
Terry Haines
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Gastrointestinal Cancer ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Ideal Model ◽  
Nutrition Care ◽  
Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer ◽  
Upper Gastrointestinal ◽  
The Ideal

Background: People with upper gastrointestinal cancer are at high risk for malnutrition without universal access to early nutrition interventions. Very little data exist on the attitudes and views of health professionals on providing nutrition care to this patient cohort delivered by electronic health methods. COVID-19 has fast-tracked the adoption of digital health care provision, so it is more important than ever to understand the needs of health professionals in providing health care via these modes. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of health professionals on providing nutrition care to upper gastrointestinal cancer patients by electronic methods to allow the future scaling-up of acceptable delivery methods. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted face-to-face or by telephone and recorded, de-identified and transcribed. Thematic analysis was facilitated by NVivo Pro 12. Results: Interviews were conducted on 13 health professionals from a range of disciplines across several public and private health institutions. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (1) the ideal model, (2) barriers to the ideal model and (3) how to implement and translate the ideal model. Health professionals viewed the provision of nutrition interventions as an essential part of an upper gastrointestinal cancer patient’s treatment with synchronous, telephone-based internal health service models of nutrition care overwhelmingly seen as the most acceptable model of delivery. Mobile application-based delivery methods were deemed too challenging for the current population serviced by these clinicians. Conclusion: The use of novel technology for delivering nutrition care to people receiving treatment for upper gastrointestinal cancers was not widely accepted as the preferred method of delivery by health professionals. There is an opportunity, given the rapid uptake of digital health care delivery, to ensure that the views and attitudes of health professionals are understood and applied to develop acceptable, efficacious and sustainable technologies in our health care systems.

scholarly journals Experiences of primary healthcare professionals and patients from an area of urban disadvantage: a qualitative study.

BJGP Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. bjgpopen19X101676
Author(s):  
Jennifer Reath ◽  
Marlee King ◽  
Walter Kmet ◽  
Diana O'Halloran ◽  
Ronald Brooker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
General Practices

BackgroundThe health disadvantage in socioeconomically marginalised urban settings can be challenging for health professionals, but strong primary health care improves health equity and outcomes.AimTo understand challenges and identify needs in general practices in a socioeconomically marginalised Australian setting.Design & settingQualitative methodology with general practices in a disadvantaged area of western Sydney.MethodSemi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals and their patients were transcribed and analysed thematically under the guidance of a reference group of stakeholder representatives.ResultsA total of 57 participants from 17 practices (comprising 16 GPs, five GP registrars [GPRs], 15 practice staff, 10 patients, and 11 allied health professionals [AHPs]), provided a rich description of local communities and patients, and highlighted areas of satisfaction and challenges of providing high quality health care in this setting. Interviewees identified issues with health systems impacting on patients and healthcare professionals, and recommended healthcare reform. Team-based, patient-centred models of primary health care with remuneration for quality of care rather than patient throughput were strongly advocated, along with strategies to improve patient access to specialist care.ConclusionThe needs of healthcare professionals and patients working and living in urban areas of disadvantage are not adequately addressed by the Australian health system. The authors recommend the implementation of local trials aimed at improving primary health care in areas of need, and wider health system reform in order to improve the health of those at socioeconomic and health disadvantage.

scholarly journals Dolezal, L., Rose, A., and Cooper, F. COVID-19, Online Shaming and Healthcare Professionals.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luna Dolezal ◽  
Arthur Rose ◽  
Fred Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Deadly Disease

As previous pandemics have taught us, coming into contact with, or being associated with, a highly infectious and potentially deadly disease has social consequences. Hence, it is no surprise that stigma and shame have developed around COVID-19. Although there have been outpourings of support and admiration for health-care workers for their work in this pandemic, health professionals have been among those directly affected. This article considers how shame has been part of healthcare workers’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic because of social media use and instances of online shaming.

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