Managing digital records in a global environment

Purpose This paper aims to widen as well as deepen the discussion on standards and good practice guidelines beyond just local or regional efforts and include international developments. Design/methodology/approach An extensive review of literature was used to develop an outline of existing standards and good practice guidelines that are used by records management professionals to manage digital records. Findings The analysis reveals that there has been a long tradition in standards and good practice guidelines development dating back to the 1980s. The study also reveals that there are two broad categories of standards and good practice guidelines, those with assessment mechanisms and those without such mechanisms. The choice of whether to have an assessment mechanism depends on the purpose for which a standard or good practice guideline is developed. Originality/value The paper explores an extensive array of standards and good practice guidelines, their utility and their geographical coverage. It demonstrates how different terms such as Electronic Records Management Systems, Electronic Document Management Systems, Electronic Document and Records Management Systems and Enterprise Content Management have been used without much clarity on how these terms relate to each other, and proposes a clarification framework.

Benchmark on Residual Stress Modeling in Fracture Mechanics Assessment

In the frame of development in analytical defect assessment methods for the RSE-M and RCC-MRx codes, new work on the consideration of residual stresses is initiated by AREVA, CEA and EDF. The first step of this work is the realization of a database of F.E. reference cases. To validate assumptions and develop a good practice guideline for the consideration of residual stresses in finite element calculations, a benchmark between AREVA, CEA and EDF is going-on. A first application presented in this paper focuses on the analysis of the crack initiation of aged duplex stainless steel pipes submitted to an increasing pressure loading. Residual stresses are related to pipe fabrication process and act as shell bending condition. Two tests were performed: the first with an internal longitudinal semi-elliptical crack and the second with an external crack. The analysis first focuses on the ability to accurately estimate the measured pressure at the crack initiation of the two tests. For that purpose, the comparison of results obtained with different methods of taking into account the residual stresses (i.e. thermal fields or initial strain field). It then validates post-treatment procedures for J or G determination, and finally compares of the results obtained by the different partners. It is then shown that the numerical models can integrate properly the impact of residual stresses on the crack initiation pressure. Then, an excellent agreement is obtained between the different numerical evaluations of G provided by the participants to the benchmark so that best practice and reference F.E. solutions for residual stresses consideration can be provided based on that work.

Monitoring patients on lithium – a good practice guideline

Aims and MethodTo develop a guideline that would encourage a systematic approach for both psychiatrists and general practitioners in the provision of safe, effective and consistent management of patients who are prescribed lithium. A multi-disciplinary working group developed the guideline following literature review and consultation with lithium clinics and specialist centres nationally.ResultsThe Lothian lithium guidelines include three sections: (a) a lithium treatment plan; (b) advice for clinicians on managing lithium levels; and (c) pointers for counselling patients on lithium. The treatment plan is a key document in the guidelines which, once completed, ensures continuity of care with the transfer of patient-specific information.Clinical ImplicationsThis development has provided the opportunity for primary and secondary care services to work together in producing a guideline that will improve patient care and minimises risk.