Assurance Management Research Articles

A study on factors affecting school principals’ competencies in Vietnam’s mountainous provinces

Given principals’ central role in school performance, this study seeks to explore factors that influence school principal competency. The study employed a quantitative research approach. A survey questionnaire was administered to 290 principals across six northwestern mountainous provinces in Vietnam. The questionnaire considered eight areas of principal competency, including self-development and the development of others; school organization and operation; staff development; instructional programme management; education quality assurance management; management of financial resources; engagement with families, community and government; and the school’s strategic planning. Analyses of variance and correlation (Pearson’s r) techniques were used, and the findings demonstrate that principals’ competencies were statistically affected by both internal factors (gender, experience, health, family and IT skills) and external factors (school location, school demographics and school facilities). However, the study found no correlation between principals’ academic qualifications and their competencies.

Development of the management system for metrological assurance of measurements

Issues relating with solving the problems of setting up and managing the system for metrological assurance of measurements at machinery manufacturing plants have been discussed. In order to improve the quality of metrological assurance and mitigate risks relating with unreliable and inaccurate measurement results, it has been proposed to develop a system for management of metrological assurance of measurements. Standards which may be used for building such a system have been analyzed. Metrological assurance has been reviewed from the standpoint of PDCA cycle. Processes that are part of the system of metrological assurance of an enterprise have been reviewed. In accordance with the structure and requirements of ISO 9001 standard a register of processes has been developed and a functional model for the management system for metrological assurance of measurements at a machinery manufacturing plant has been developed.

Experimental Investigation of Methane Hydrate Formation in the Carboxmethylcellulose (CMC) Aqueous Solution

Summary In the development of deepwater crude oil, gas, and gas hydrates, hydrate formation during drilling operations becomes a crucial problem for flow assurance and wellbore pressure management. To study the characteristics of methane hydrate formation in the drilling fluid, the experiments of the methane hydrate formation in water with carboxmethylcellulose (CMC) additive are performed in a horizontal flow loop under flow velocity from 1.32 to 1.60 m/s and CMC concentration from 0.2 to 0.5 wt%. The flow pattern is observed as bubbly flow in experiments. The experiments indicate that the increase of CMC concentration impedes the hydrate formation while the increase of liquid velocity enhances formation rates. In the stirred reactor, the hydrate formation rate generally decreases as the subcooling condition decreases. However, in this work, with the subcooling condition continuously decreasing, hydrate formation rate follows a “U” shaped trend—initially decreasing, then leveling out and finally increasing. It is because the hydrate formation rate in this work is influenced by multiple factors, such as hydrate shell formation, fracturing, sloughing, and bubble breaking up, which has more complicated mass transfer procedure than that in the stirred reactor. A semiempirical model that is based on the mass transfer mechanism is developed for current experimental conditions, and can be used to predict the formation rates of gas hydrates in the non-Newtonian fluid by replacing corresponding correlations. The rheological experiments are performed to obtain the rheological model of the CMC aqueous solution for the proposed model. The overall hydrate formation coefficient in the proposed model is correlated with experimental data. The hydrate formation model is verified and the predicted quantity of gas hydrates has a discrepancy less than 10%.

Quality assurance management based on the HACCP system in food service enterprises

Quality assurance management based on the HACCP system in food service enterprises

Information Assurance and IT Management: The Key Issues, Solutions in Indian Scenario based on International Trends

Information Assurance and IT Management: The Key Issues, Solutions in Indian Scenario based on International Trends

Examining Education Optimization Extent Among the Teaching Staff at Qassim University by Measuring Their Professional Performance Competencies Rates

The study aimed to examine Qassim University teaching staff professional competencies level and the extent of its implementation to reach 80% optimization level. The researchers used a test developed for this purpose; it included 42 items to measure eight key competencies: authorities and administration, development and quality assurance management, learning and teaching, learning resources, management competencies, personal competencies, scientific research, and the institution relationships with the society. We designed the test answers based on a 5-point Likert scale, and insured its validity and stability. An available sample of (218) from the teaching staff at College of Sciences and Arts in Rass/ Qassim University participated in the study. We found that the personal competencies means scores (M. = 4.76) are high, the institution relationships with the society means scores (M. = 3.24) are low, overall mean score (M. = 3.94) is moderate. The teaching staff implementation of their personal competencies to optimize education means scores (M. = 4.09) are high, the management competencies means score (M. =2.52) are low, the overall means score (M. =3.4) is moderate. The teaching staff scored lower than the expected optimization level of 80% at (α = 0.05), the scores of the implementation level and the expected level in all the domains were low except in the personal competencies which scored over 80%, and a mean of (M. = 81.72).

A mixture frailty model for maintainability analysis of mechanical components: a case study

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13198-019-00917-3.

Development and Implementation of Multiplex TaqMan Array Cards for Specimen Testing at Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance Site Laboratories.

Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) laboratories are employing a variety of laboratory methods to identify infectious agents contributing to deaths of children <5 years old and stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In support of this long-term objective, our team developed TaqMan Array Cards (TACs) for testing postmortem specimens (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, lung tissue, respiratory tract swabs, and rectal swabs) for >100 real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targets in total (30–45 per card depending on configuration). Multipathogen panels were configured by syndrome and customized to include pathogens of significance in young children within the regions where CHAMPS is conducted, including bacteria (57 targets covering 30 genera), viruses (48 targets covering 40 viruses), parasites (8 targets covering 8 organisms), and fungi (3 targets covering 3 organisms). The development and application of multiplex real-time PCR reactions to the TAC microfluidic platform increased the number of targets in each panel while maintaining assay efficiency and replicates for heightened sensitivity. These advances represent a substantial improvement in the utility of this technology for infectious disease diagnostics and surveillance. We optimized all aspects of the CHAMPS molecular laboratory testing workflow including nucleic acid extraction, quality assurance, and data management to ensure comprehensive molecular testing of specimens and high-quality data. Here we describe the development and implementation of multiplex TACs and associated laboratory protocols for specimen processing, testing, and data management at CHAMPS site laboratories.

La calidad de la comunicación de las Instituciones de Educación Superior del Ecuador

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el cumplimiento de las atribuciones y funciones de la agencia ecuatoriana que regula la gestión del aseguramiento de la calidad de la educación superior, declaradas en su Plan comunicacional, a través de una investigación exploratoria de las páginas web de todas las universidades reguladas. Para el efecto, se diseñaron estándares a partir del Plan que recogieron la información pertinente a través de un baremo. Los resultados se clasifican con base en seis elementos que el mismo Plan resaltaba, a saber: la gestión de la comunicación, su difusión y posicionamiento, la imagen de las autoridades, la vinculación con otras universidades, la gestión con instituciones internacionales y el empoderamiento de la misión y visión institucional. Cada uno de estos elementos presenta sus propias características y son analizados en el presente trabajo.

Quality assessment of clinical practice guidelines used in oral and maxillofacial surgery

An assessment of the quality of oral and maxillofacial surgery clinical practice guidelines is lacking. The aim of this investigation was to assess the quality of guidelines using the RIGHT (Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare) checklist. The primary outcome was to assess the score (quality) of guidelines based on the RIGHT checklist and to identify predictors (region, type, single or multi-centre, and speciality/non-speciality) influencing the quality score. In this review, following a search of electronic databases and national society websites, a total of 25 guidelines were independently assessed by two assessors against the 22-item RIGHT checklist. Inter-assessor reliability was assessed. Deficiencies in the reporting of items relating to limitations, funding, declaration and management of interests, healthcare questions, and quality assurance were evident. The median overall score for the guidelines was 28 (range 14–66). Guidelines produced by multiple centres (β=57.15, 95% confidence interval −26.62 to 87.68, P= 0.001, multivariate analysis) and non-speciality societies (β=20, 95% confidence interval −0.03 to 40.03, P=0.05, univariate analysis) tended to have higher quality scores. Overall, the quality of clinical practice guidelines used in oral and maxillofacial surgery was deemed suboptimal. If clinical practice guidelines are to be used in making treatment decisions for patients, clinicians should be aware of their possible limitations.

Quantitative risk estimation methodology for flight safety in airline segment of commercial aviation

According to the requirements of the international and state regulatory documents, all aircraft operators (AC) must have implemented and constantly evolving safety management systems (SMS). The functions of the SMS can be divided into two control profiles: flight safety assurance (FSA) and risk management (RM). If the procedures for the FSA control profile can be considered studied and implemented under operating conditions, the RM profile needs its terms to be definite as well as unambiguous and it also needs the scientific and methodological provision of mandatory procedures common to all aircraft operators. In order to avoid ambiguities in the presentation and implementation of the RM process, this article provides the basic standard definitions used in the presented methodology for quantitative risk assessment. The methodology envisages estimating the probability of an aviation event of a certain type (severity) in two ways: either through the statistical probability (frequency) of this type of events after the fact (if the events took place in the estimated period); or through the calculated statistical probability of an event of a less serious type and the conditional probability of the progress of a more serious event. In the formulas given for calculating the probabilities, a previously developed method of indirect estimation of the probability of accidents was used and the ratios of the number of events of different types of severity for each group of causal factors updated to the new statistics: "Human factor", "AC" and "Environment". In order to quantify the level of risk, an updated risk assessment matrix has been proposed and approved in the UTair airline SMS based on the ICAO matrix adapted to control risk management for the FSA. The methodology ensures the fulfillment of the requirements of the Government Decree dated November 18, 2014 No. 1215 by all aircraft operators, its scope can be extended to the SMS of all aviation service providers, taking into account the relevant specifics of the services provided.

Prediction of ISO 9001:2015 Audit Reports According to its Major Clauses using Recurrent Neural Networks

The Quality Assurance Department of the educational sectors is rapidly generating digital documents. The continuous increase of digital documents may become a risk and challenge in the future. Interpreting and analyzing those digital data in a short period of time is very critical and crucial for the top management to support their decisions. By this purpose, this paper explored the possibility of machine learning and data mining process to improve the Quality Assurance Management System process, specifically in the Quality Audit procedures and generation of management reports. The researchers developed a machine learning model that predicts an audit report according to the major clauses of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) Requirements. The proposed data mining process helps the top management to identify which principles of the ISO 9001:2015 QMS Requirements they are lacking. The authors used four different Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) as a classifier; (1) Long Short Term-Memory (LSTM), (2) Bidirectional-LSTM, (3) Deep-LSTM and a (4) Deep-Bidirectional-LSTM Recurrent Neural Networks with a combine word representation models (word encoding plus an embedding dimension layer). The Deep-Bidirectional-LSTM outperformed the other three RNN models. Where it achieved an average classification accuracy of 91.10%

Collection, transport and storage procedures for blood culture specimens in adult patients: recommendations from a board of Italian experts.

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) remain a potentially life-threatening condition. The gold standard for the diagnosis of BSI is still blood cultures (BCs), and the diagnostic yield depends on clinical and technical factors that have an impact on collection and transportation. Hence, monitoring of the entire pre-analytical process from blood collection to transportation to the microbiology laboratory is critical. To optimize the clinical impact of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, a multidisciplinary approach and univocal protocols are mandatory. A board of specialists discussed the available evidence on the pre-analytical process and produced the present document to guide physicians and nurses on the ideal execution of BC: (1) timing and preparation for blood collection; (2) skin antisepsis; (3) blood volume; (4) sampling method and safety; (5) medium to be used; (6) time to BC transportation; and (7) quality assurance and quality management.

A Governance Approach to the Management of Quality Assurance in the University for Development Studies, Ghana

A Governance Approach to the Management of Quality Assurance in the University for Development Studies, Ghana

Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Quality Management Systems as a Specialty of Quality Management and Case Turkey

Concept of quality, quality assurance, quality policy and quality management have long since become indispensable in economic aspects. Quality management systems and their meaning are no longer discussed every now and then they have become reality and economic necessity. Also, in public administration, in politics, in education and in the non-profit sector, declarations of quality and their steering and securing are of fundamental importance. The general trend is higher expectations as to the quality of the most diverse products - whether physical products or services - is accompanied by the growing awareness that only through continuous and consistent improvements. A high product quality adds to satisfy the needs of the population. Therefore, the extraction of high-quality information based on the measurement technology. The measurement technology is integrated into the production process maximally strongly.

Quality Assurance and Quality Management in Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmaceutical Industry

Affection affirmation (QA) is aimed at ensuring affection analysis results. The purpose of affection affirmation is to accord relevant, reliable, appropriate analysis after-effects which are interpreted correctly. Affection affirmation involves activities both central and alfresco laboratory, acceptable class convenance and able administration skill. The WHO analogue of affection affirmation is a absolute action area by the affection of lab letters can be guaranteed. I capital to animadversion on the beat entitled, “An in-flight absorption on affirmation and quality.”The acreage of Affection Administration has abounding methods to abate and anticipate defects in any industry. Some of the best accepted methods today are Six Sigma, Lean Enterprise, and Benchmarking. There is a abundance of accurate affirmation to appearance how these methods accept helped the bloom affliction industry even out defects, waste, basis causes, and optimal solutions, application anarsenal of administration tools. Keywords: Affection assurance, quality management, pharmaceutical industry.

The algorithm for designing a part geometrical model aimed at increasing the precision control

The information about a part geometric shape and configuration precision is one of the life-cycle backgrounds. Actual knowledge about cylinder surface shape is principal for viscous incompressible fluid transfer (ink), in a printing system, in particular. High quality assurance management for parts engineering is one of the primary tasks, which can be solved by control automation as well as the by united concept formulation for parts precision; the offered implementation tool is the algorithm design of a geometric model part shape. The developed algorithm novelty is taking into account the element information value, coordinate planes and axis, materialized by parts data base sets. The practical realization of the algorithm is presented in this paper. The digital visualization of the transfer parameters calculation results addressed for a viscous incompressible fluid between rotating cylinder surfaces depending on contact zone varying is presented.

Development of electronic medical records for clinical and research purposes: the breast cancer module using an implementation framework in a middle income country- Malaysia

BackgroundAdvances in medical domain has led to an increase of clinical data production which offers enhancement opportunities for clinical research sector. In this paper, we propose to expand the scope of Electronic Medical Records in the University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC) using different techniques in establishing interoperability functions between multiple clinical departments involving diagnosis, screening and treatment of breast cancer and building automatic systems for clinical audits as well as for potential data mining to enhance clinical breast cancer research in the future.ResultsQuality Implementation Framework (QIF) was adopted to develop the breast cancer module as part of the in-house EMR system used at UMMC, called i-Pesakit©. The completion of the i-Pesakit© Breast Cancer Module requires management of clinical data electronically, integration of clinical data from multiple internal clinical departments towards setting up of a research focused patient data governance model. The 14 QIF steps were performed in four main phases involved in this study which are (i) initial considerations regarding host setting, (ii) creating structure for implementation, (iii) ongoing structure once implementation begins, and (iv) improving future applications. The architectural framework of the module incorporates both clinical and research needs that comply to the Personal Data Protection Act.ConclusionThe completion of the UMMC i-Pesakit© Breast Cancer Module required populating EMR including management of clinical data access, establishing information technology and research focused governance model and integrating clinical data from multiple internal clinical departments. This multidisciplinary collaboration has enhanced the quality of data capture in clinical service, benefited hospital data monitoring, quality assurance, audit reporting and research data management, as well as a framework for implementing a responsive EMR for a clinical and research organization in a typical middle-income country setting. Future applications include establishing integration with external organization such as the National Registration Department for mortality data, reporting of institutional data for national cancer registry as well as data mining for clinical research. We believe that integration of multiple clinical visit data sources provides a more comprehensive, accurate and real-time update of clinical data to be used for epidemiological studies and audits.

Impacto de una estrategia de mejora de calidad asistencial y gestión de riesgos en un servicio de urgencias pediátricas

IntroductionEmergency departments are a high risk area for the occurrence of adverse events. The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of a strategy to improve the quality assurance and risk management in the notification of incidents in our Unit, and describe the improvement actions developed from the reported incidents. Material and methodsA retrospective observational study was developed during one year, divided into two periods: P1 (Start: training session and implementation of the risk management process), and P2 (Start: feed-back session of incidents reported in P1 and improvement actions developed). In each period, the number of reported incidents in relation to the number of emergencies attended (‰) and the descriptive data of each incident were recorded. The improvement actions developed from the incidents reported in P1 were described. ResultsThe number of notifications from P1 (4.1‰; 95%CI 3.2-5.0‰) increased in P2 (10.9‰; 95%CI 9.8-10.2‰, P<.001). The most frequent incidents in P1 were medication (33.3%), and identification errors (25.9%): both were significantly reduced in P2 (16.9%, P=.001 and 9.3%, P<.001, respectively). In P2, prescription errors of the P1 were reduced (35.9% vs 62.9%, P=.02). The factors of “Knowledge and training” (23.5%) were the most frequent in P1, decreasing in P2 (7.4%, P<.001). ConclusionIt is considered that the implementation of a risk management process, and the promotion of a safety culture, through training and feed-back sessions to all professionals, contributed to increase the volume of notifications in our Unit. The voluntary and anonymous reporting of incidents is useful to identify risks, and plan corrective measures, contributing to improve quality assurance and patient safety.

Information Assurance and IT Management: &lt;i&gt;The Key Issues, Solutions in Indian Scenario based on International Trends&lt;/i&gt;

Information Technology as a field of study is growing due to its importance and applications in diverse fields, areas, and sectors. Initially, IT treated as a small domain but gradually different areas have been added into it and this includes web technology, network technology, database technology, etc. Hence all kind of domains and fields of IT is employing everywhere. The wider applications of IT subfields for different purposes lead the concern of security and that includes in its all the sub fields. Gradually security fields became started with various nomenclature with different names and objective viz. Computer Security, IT Security, Information Security, Cyber Security and most recent Information Assurance. Importantly, Information Assurance is most wider incorporating all the areas, most interdisciplinary, skill based, management and socially touched. Though it is important to note that, human resources and skilled manpower is still limited in developing countries in this field. This paper talks about the traditional areas of Information Assurance including educational opportunities, challenges, issues, etc. Moreover, the field is concerned with the technologies related to security. Hence this paper showcases the emergence of security as a technical and HR context.