Current Issue : April - June Volume : 2014 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 6 Articles
Organizations in developed countries such as theUnited States of America andCanada face difficulties and challenges in technology\r\ntransfer from one organization to another; the complexity of problems easily compounds when such transfers are attempted from\r\ndeveloped to developing countries due to differing socioeconomic and cultural environments. There is a gap in the formation\r\nof research and education programs to address technology transfer issues that go beyond just transferring the technologies to\r\nsustaining such transfers for longer periods. This study examined telemedicine transfer challenges in three Sub-Sahara African\r\ncountries and developed a framework for sustainable implementation of e-medicine. Both quantitative and qualitative research\r\nmethods were used. The study findings indicate that e-medicine sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa is affected by institutional\r\nfactors such as institutional environment and knowledge management practices; technical factors such as the technological\r\nenvironment and technology transfer project environment; social environmental factors such as social environment and donor\r\ninvolvement. These factors were used to model the proposed framework....
Improving adherence to therapy is a critical component of advancing outcomes and reducing the cost of rehabilitation. A robotic\r\nplatform was previously developed to explore how robotics could be applied to the social dimension of rehabilitation to improve\r\nadherence. This paper aims to report on feedback given by end users of the robotic platform as well as the practical applications\r\nthat socially assistive robotics could have in the daily life activities of a patient. A group of 10 former and current patients interacted\r\nwith the developed robotic platform during a simulated exercise session before taking an experience-based survey. A portion of\r\nthese participants later provided verbal feedback as part of a focus group on the potential utility of such a platform. Identified\r\napplications included assistance with reaching exercise goals, managing to-do lists, and supporting participation in social and\r\nrecreational activities. The study participants expressed that the personality characteristics of the robotic system should be adapted\r\nto individual preferences and that the assistance provided over time should align with the progress of their recovery. The results\r\nfrom this study are encouraging and will be useful for further development of socially assistive robotics....
Emerging research supports the feasibility and viability of conducting clinical swallow examinations (CSE) for patients with\r\ndysphagia via telerehabilitation. However, minimal data has been reported to date regarding the implementation of such services\r\nwithin the clinical setting or the user perceptions of this type of clinical service. A mixed methods study design was employed\r\nto examine the outcomes of a weekly dysphagia assessment clinic conducted via telerehabilitation and examine issues relating to\r\nservice delivery and user perceptions. Data was collected across a total of 100 patient assessments. Information relating to primary\r\npatient outcomes, session statistics, patient perceptions, and clinician perceptions was examined. Results revealed that session\r\ndurations averaged 45 minutes, there was minimal technical difficulty experienced, and clinical decisions made regarding primary\r\npatient outcomes were comparable between the online and face to face clinicians. Patient satisfaction was high and clinicians felt\r\nthat they developed good rapport, found the system easy to use, and were satisfied with the service in over 90% of the assessments\r\nconducted. Key factors relating to screening patient suitability, having good general organization, and skilled staff were identified\r\nas facilitators for the service. This trial has highlighted important issues for consideration when planning or implementing a\r\ntelerehabilitation service for dysphagia management....
Mobile phone penetration rates have reached 63% in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are projected to pass 70% by 2013. In SSA,\r\nmillions of people who never used traditional landlines now use mobile phones on a regular basis. Mobile health, or mHealth, is\r\nthe utilization of short messaging service (SMS), wireless data transmission, voice calling, and smartphone applications to transmit\r\nhealth-related information or direct care. This systematic review analyzes and summarizes key articles from the current body of\r\npeer-reviewed literature on PubMed on the topic of mHealth in SSA. Studies included in the review demonstrate that mHealth can\r\nimprove and reduce the cost of patient monitoring, medication adherence, and healthcare worker communication, especially in\r\nrural areas. mHealth has also shown initial promise in emergency and disaster response, helping standardize, store, analyze, and\r\nshare patient information. Challenges for mHealth implementation in SSA include operating costs, knowledge, infrastructure, and\r\npolicy among many others. Further studies of the effectiveness ofmHealth interventions are being hindered by similar factors aswell\r\nas a lack of standardization in study design.Overall, the current evidence is not strong enough towarrant large-scale implementation\r\nof existingmHealth interventions in SSA, but rapid progress of both infrastructure andmHealth-related research in the region could\r\njustify scale-up of the most promising programs in the near future....
Background. Smartphonemedical applications have amajor role to play inwomen�s health with their roles being very broad, ranging\r\nfrom improving health behaviours to undertaking personalised tests. Objective(s). Using Medline, Web of Knowledge, and the\r\nPRISMAguidelines 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified, with mobile interventions being tested on 1603 females,\r\nin relation to key aspects of health. Using a similar systematic approach an iPhone database search identified 47 applications (apps)\r\ndeveloped to improve women�s health. Findings. Ten RCTs used text messaging or app interventions to support weight loss, with\r\nsignificant improvements being observed in eight studies. For other aspects of women�s health RCTs are needed to determine\r\npossible health benefits. iPhone store data analysis identified that a substantial number of women�s health apps did not have star\r\nratings or feedback comments (68 and 49 per cent, resp.), raising concerns about their validity. Conclusion. Peer-review systems,\r\nsupporting statements of evidence, or certification standards would be beneficial in maintaining the quality and credibility of future\r\nhealth-focused apps. Patient groups should also ideally be involved in the development and testing of mobile medical apps....
This study investigates the anticipated psychosocial impact of present web-based e-health services and future mobile health\r\napplications among older Swedes. Random sample�s of Swedish citizens aged 55 years old and older were given a survey containing\r\ntwo different e-health scenarios which respondents rated according to their anticipated psychosocial impact by means of the PIADS\r\ninstrument. Results consistently demonstrated the positive anticipation of psychosocial impacts for both scenarios. The future\r\nmobile health applications scored more positively than the present web-based e-health services. An increase in age correlated\r\npositively to lower impact scores. These findings indicate that from a psychosocial perspective, web-based e-health services\r\nand mobile health applications are likely to positively impact quality of life. This knowledge can be helpful when tailoring and\r\nimplementing e-health services that are directed to older people....
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