Disability Issues, Aging, and Preventive Measures

As we know, aging is an ongoing biological process from which no human being can escape. Although everyone is familiar with ageing, defining it is not so easy. There is no United Nations standard numerical criterion of old age, but, it is agreed cut off is 60 plus years. Currently, due to the availability and accessibility of effective medication and treatment at specialty hospitals that increase life expectancy of old age people, over the past century, the population, although aged with disabilities, has aged around the world. Recent advances in the field of medicine, public health, technology, and rehabilitation in different streams have reduced the discrepancy in life expectancy for persons with disabilities.

“A Critical Analysis to Improve Medical Tourism and Hospitality”

Medical tourism refers to visiting another country for medical care. The twentieth century witnessed the exorbitant price hike in medical treatment in the developed countries. Hospitality has proven its incredible potentials in most of the countries and its signature power in the modern era. Similarly, hospitality is capable to cure diseases with its magical flair of service in a hospital or treatment center. The study aims to determine the challenges of hospitality in medical tourism, improve key areas and build a strategic initiative to improve the performance of a country's medical tourism for the smooth visit of tourists. The researcher has framed research questions and distributed the questionnaires in 3 multi-specialty hospitals which are placed in the hubs of medical tourism in India. The data gathered of a hundred samples are analyzed and interpreted using a 5-point Likert scale. The need for improvements in the state, central policy, execution of in-house hospitality as well as distinct international lounges for patience and bystanders are needed. The study emphasizes the significance of a new medical tourism model and suggests a mechanism for implementing it. Keywords: Hospitality, Hospital, Diet, Medical Tourism, Visitor

Creating a Pediatric Prehospital Destination Decision Tool Using a Modified Delphi Method

Decisions for patient transport by emergency medical services (EMS) are individualized; while established guidelines help direct adult patients to specialty hospitals, no such pediatric equivalents are in wide use. When children are transported to a hospital that cannot provide definitive care, care is delayed and may cause adverse events. Therefore, we created a novel evidence-based decision tool to support EMS destination choice. A multidisciplinary expert panel (EP) of stakeholders reviewed published literature. Four facility capability levels for pediatric care were defined. Using a modified Delphi method, the EP matched specific conditions to a facility pediatric-capability level in a draft tool. The literature review and EP recommendations identified seventeen pediatric medical conditions at risk for secondary transport. In the first voting round, two were rejected, nine met consensus for a specific facility capability level, and six did not reach consensus on the destination facility level. A second round reached consensus on a facility level for the six conditions as well as revision of one previously rejected condition. In the third round, the panel selected a visual display format. Finally, the panel unanimously approved the PDTree. Using a modified Delphi technique, we developed the PDTree EMS destination decision tool by incorporating existing evidence and the expertise of a multidisciplinary panel.

Rapid Implementation and Evaluation of Virtual Health Training in a Subspecialty Hospital in British Columbia, in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Adoption of virtual health (VH) solutions in healthcare has been challenging; this changed rapidly after implementation of physical distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the pandemic, British Columbia's Children's and Women's sub-specialty hospitals rapidly trained and scaled up support to equip staff and clinicians to use VH.Methods: Ninety-minute live online training workshops and frequently updated online support materials were offered for 6 weeks. Training was monitored via feedback collected at training sessions and a brief post-training survey. After training completion, a second survey was circulated to measure utilization outcomes and experiences with VH.Results: Eight hundred and ninety-five participants representing 82% of staff requiring support were trained through 101 sessions; 348 (38.9%) and 272 (30.4%) responses were collected for the monitoring and outcome surveys, respectively. Overall, 89% agreed that training was relevant to their needs; participants indicated average 58.1% (SD = 26.6) and 60.6% (SD = 25.2) increase in knowledge and confidence in VH after training; 90.1% had booked or conducted VH sessions. Increase in confidence was more pronounced in participants with lesser previous exposure to VH, but number of sessions conducted post-training and percentage of successful sessions were independent of previous exposure. For future training and support, participants suggested subject-tailored trainings, asynchronous trainings, and availability of experienced users.Discussion: Training is key to success of VH implementation. Moving forward, core competencies in VH should be developed to support standardization and allow for evaluation and quality improvement. Incorporation of VH training in continuous professional development and onboarding is also highly recommended.

POPULATION GROWTH AND BOTTLENECKS IN PROVISION OF QUALITATIVE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES IN THANE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

Every municipal corporation must provide civic services to its population. Since liberalization period, the population and urbanization has increased very fast in Thane city. The density of population is continuously increasing due to growth of industries, services sector and clean environment in city. The commercial and residential complexes, Theaters, private parks, super specialty hospitals, Mall, educational institutions have grown significantly over the period. However, the quality of infrastructure services such as water supply, sewage collection and disposal, health services, water drainage, transportation, park and recreation are still inadequate to rising population in Thane Municipal Corporation area. Therefore, Municipal Corporation should increase its revenue sources through bond financing. Urban planning must be done in a systematic way and on urgent basis for entire corporation area. Municipal Corporation must provide quality services to its population. Municipal Corporation must invest financial resources for welfare of poor people and future planned economic growth of Thane city.