Checkout Procedures Research Articles

AUTOBILL – AN AI POWERED INSTANT CHECKOUT SYSTEM

Abstract -In today’s world, time is one of the most important things, an individual area unit refers to those things that consume time. Billings at stores takes a lot of time. Looking at future technology, we tend to come out with an associate new plan of “Autobill-an Ai powered instant checkout system”. The project aims to completely transform the shopping experience. By utilizing state-of-the-art computer vision and artificial intelligence technology, AutoBill provides both customers and shops with a smooth and effective purchasing experience. Customers are frequently frustrated and delayed by the lengthy lines and manual item scanning associated with traditional checkout procedures in retail establishments. These problems are solved by AutoBill since customers can pick up the things they want and leave the business without having to stop at the register. As customers travel through the store, the system uses sophisticated computer vision algorithms to precisely recognize and track things. Every item is instantly and automatically recognized and put into the customer's virtual cart. Key Words:AI-powered, automatic billing

‘Help, I May Have to Go Home…’ Leaving the Hospital Not Too Early and Not Too Late: Optimising the Discharge Process

Hospital discharge is a complex matter. For patients it often involves insecurity; for hospitals, efficiency plays a major role. The consequences include uncertainty and anxiety among patients, unnecessary readmissions and rising costs for hospitals. Like in hotels where the check-out is the last part of the guest journey, the hospital discharge is crucial for, among other things, image-building. Improving the hospital discharge procedure contributes to a better patient experience and quality of life, word-of-mouth advertising, efficiency and costs for the hospital. In this preliminary study, the hospital discharge in a cancer clinic was studied. It was assumed that the hospital discharge went according to a protocol and a fixed procedure and to everyone’s satisfaction. In order to verify this, the procedure was examined and compliance with the protocol was checked. Amongst others, it became clear that patients experienced the planning of the hospital discharge as unstructured and improvised as there seemed to be no clear moment for discharge. On the staff side, the main focus was on the administrative burden of discharge. Furthermore, a clear coordination and division of tasks between the doctors and nurses was lacking. Hotel management check-out procedures are suggested to improve hospital discharges.

Developing the Contextualized SERVQUAL Instrument for Measuring the Service Quality of Nepali Resorts: An Application of the Modified Delphi Technique

In resorts, service quality refers to the overall level of guest satisfaction during their stay. This includes a variety of factors, such as the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the cleanliness and condition of the rooms and common areas, the availability of amenities and activities, the efficiency of check-in and check-out procedures, and the resort’s overall atmosphere. To address above gap, this study aims to develop contextual service quality (SERVQUAL) instrument for resorts to obtain the consensus benchmark to measure the service quality of Nepali tourist standard resorts. The SERVQUQL is a measuring tool of service quality of different organizational settings, more importantly, in the hospitality and service sector. Therefore, to contextualize and align to SERVQUAL, the Modified Delphi Technique (MDT) was used to develop this instrument based on SERVQUAL theory. The instrument development was performed among 10 anonymous experts and stakeholders who have experience, knowledge, and expertise in the area of the hospitality and leisure industries. The findings identified that one more key construct is essential to realize the service quality of the tourist standard resorts. To carry out the mutual consensus among the experts and stakeholders, the interquartile range (IQR) value was taken from three points Likert scale to conduct the MDT from the second stage until the mutual consensus of experts and stakeholders. The IQR value was taken from each set of questions which was evaluated by the exports to obtain a consensus benchmark on the contextualized SERVQUQL construct and items. The data were presented using Microsoft Excel. In the final stage, 29 question statements out of 31 were found to have a high consensus benchmark among the experts and stakeholders. Therefore, 29 items from six constructs were accepted and included in the actual questionnaire to measure the service quality of Nepali tourist standard resorts. Our findings contribute to the SERVQUAL theory, practice, and future research.

Evaluating and Ranking the Energy Performance of E-Commerce Development Strategies Using TOPSIS Method

This abstract outline some of the crucial tactics that companies should take into account while creating an e-commerce platform. First and first, it's important to comprehend the target audience and their preferences. In order to better understand client demands, expectations, and purchasing patterns, firms can modify their platforms and marketing initiatives by doing market research and utilising data analytics. Second, it is crucial to design an interface that is simple and easy to use. To improve the customer experience, the e-commerce platform should offer easy navigation, simple search features, and simplified checkout procedures. Given the increased popularity of mobile shopping, investing in adaptable design and mobile optimisation is also essential. Thirdly, merchandising and product display are crucial in promoting sales. The many methods and processes used to create and expand prosperous online enterprises are referred to as ecommerce development strategies. These methods cover everything from creating an online store to generating traffic, improving conversion rates, and guaranteeing customer pleasure. Ecommerce companies can better understand their target market by conducting research on consumer preferences, behaviour, and trends. Businesses can use market research to determine the requirements and preferences of potential customers, which can inform decisions about what products to offer at what prices, and how to best sell their services. Businesses can study their rivals' plans, strengths, and weaknesses through research to learn more about them. Depending on how closely a set of options fit an ideal answer, they are assessed and ranked using a decision-making method known as TOPSIS, or Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal response. It is a method for MCDA (multi-criteria decision analysis), which aids individuals or groups in making decisions by taking a variety of preferences and considerations into account. The TOPSIS strategy aids decision-makers in methodically analysing and contrasting choices based on a variety of factors while taking their preferences and priorities into consideration. It increases transparency and comprehension of the decision-making process and offers a systematic strategy to enhance decision-making. Alternative Parameters: E-customization and personalization, Social E-commerce adoption model, Strong search engine optimization (SEO) Evaluate parameter: Feasibility of the strategy, Implementation speed, Compliance with the corporate strategy, Compliance of the strategy with the mission and vision of the company, General acceptance The evaluation criteria may also include the following additional factors: general acceptance, speed of implementation, compliance with corporate strategy, e-customization and personalization, social search engine optimisation, and compliance with the strategy's mission and vision The effective application of these tactics will enable firms to build a strong online presence, boost customer happiness, and enhance income in a cutthroat e-commerce industry. Businesses must adapt and hone their tactics to stay ahead of the curve as consumer preferences and technology change. Businesses may stay successful in the dynamic world of e-commerce by embracing innovation, knowing their customers, and keeping up with market trends.

Perfect Preparation.

Perfect Preparation.

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MANAGEMENT MEASURES UNDERTAKEN TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VEGETATION, SOIL, WATER AND WILD GAME

Purpose: Hiking, climbing and walking have the potential to disturb wildlife and affect soil in a number of ways including trampling, littering, changing animal habitat or degrading soil through use of undesignated trail and trailside management. The aim of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of the management measures undertaken to mitigate the impact of recreational activities on vegetation, soil, water and wild game.
 Methodology: The descriptive survey research design was used. Out of the three hundred and twenty nine (329) questionnaires administered, two hundred and sixty three 263(79.9%) responded to the questionnaires by completely filling and returning them. Descriptive statistics that included frequencies and percentages were used to organize and summarize the data. Tables and bar charts were drawn to present the collected data.
 Findings: Proactive planning, change design of facilities and improved maintenance were the most used methods of limiting recreation impact. This is attributed to the check in and checkout procedures, hardening of recreation sites, use of already established trails, designed and established water points. Managing tourism in a sustainable way requires both a long-term perspective and careful consideration of ways in which tourist activities and environment interrelate.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: There is need for the ministry of tourism to develop a systematic approach to address environmental conservation threat of recreation activities and come up with management frame works of monitoring visitors’ impact in national parks.

Seed Libraries Can Be a Promising but Challenging Way to Support Community Engagement and Social Innovation in Public Libraries

A Review of: Peekhaus, W. (2018). Seed libraries: Sowing the seeds for community and public library resilience. Library Quarterly, 88(3), 271-285. https://doi.org/10.1086/697706 Abstract Objective – To describe and investigate the establishment, operation, function, purpose, and benefit of seed libraries within public libraries and local communities. Design – Exploratory study. Setting – Public seed libraries in Arizona, California, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Subjects – 10 librarians actively involved in creating or maintaining seed libraries. Methods – 60-75 minute interviews, primarily over the phone, with subjects selected by means of purposive sampling. Main Results – According to the participants interviewed, starting and operating a seed library requires front-end effort from the “host” library, active participation by a dedicated librarian and community members, as well as ongoing funding, usually on an annual basis (estimated by one participant to be $2,500/year, mostly for the purchase of seeds). Participant descriptions of their seed library operations differed, but most had a dedicated seed librarian. Participants noted that primary activities included deciding what seeds to put in the collection, arrangement of the seed collection, development of checkout and return procedures, and ongoing education. Several participants noted that such operational work was seasonal and not steady. None of the libraries included in this study had enough seeds donated to sustain their collections, but rather they relied on purchasing seeds in bulk or asking for donations from seed companies. Cataloging procedures varied in terms of complexity, and participants from one library system reported the use of a seed library cataloging template as being helpful. All participants noted they gave patrons containers to return seeds. While educating patrons in formal sessions is often difficult for reasons such as resource limitations, the interview informants agreed that seed libraries fit into the missions of public libraries by furthering information sharing, access to resources, and knowledge development. Conclusion – Seed libraries are an active service that assist public libraries in responding to social challenges and in engaging with their local communities as a type of knowledge commons. Seed libraries align with public libraries’ shift in priorities from increasing physical collections to enriching lives by providing knowledge and tools to support food autonomy, self-sufficiency, civic engagement, and community education. These libraries are a novel service that engage and attract patrons and support libraries’ positions as community hubs.

A closed ‘pop‐off’ valve and patient safety incident: A human factors approach to understanding error

AbstractA 3‐month‐old, 1.4 kg, female domestic short hair cat was scheduled for ovariohysterectomy surgery during a final‐year veterinary student clinical rotation. Shortly after transfer to the operating room (OR) and connection to the anaesthetic machine, signs consistent with high gas pressure build up in the anaesthetic breathing system were observed. Because a clear view of the anaesthetic machine was obscured, the cat was immediately disconnected from the breathing system and transferred to a different anaesthetic machine. Inspection of the OR anaesthetic machine revealed that the adjustable pressure limiting (APL) (‘pop‐off') valve was closed, despite completion of a machine checkout procedure at the start of the day. The valve was opened, the cat returned to the OR, and surgery completed. Recovery was uneventful. Investigation of the incident revealed several contributing factors leading to the APL valve being left closed.

A Mixed Bag: The Hidden Time Costs of Regulating Consumer Behavior

The non-monetary costs consumers experience from regulations are challenging to quantify, and thus easily overlooked. Using quasi-experimental policy variation and high-frequency supermarket data, this paper identifies previously hidden time costs from policies that ban or tax the use of disposable carryout bags. Bag policies disrupt checkout procedures, causing a 3% increase in supermarket checkout duration. Given the capacity-constrained queueing system of supermarket checkout, the slowdown of individual customers compounds into congestion larger than the individual slowdown during peak shopping hours. These hassle costs do not disappear over time, and instead, persist at least two years after policy implementation. Customers are also sensitive to these costs, with a one-minute increase in average checkout duration leading to a 1.2% drop in the likelihood customers return to the store in subsequent weeks. The results show ignoring time costs, as well as institutional constraints, overstates the welfare gains from policy-induced behavioral change.

Using CollaboRATE, a brief patient-reported measure of shared decision making: Results from three clinical settings in the United States.

IntroductionCollaboRATE is a brief patient survey focused on shared decision making. This paper aims to (i) provide insight on facilitators and challenges to implementing a real‐time patient survey and (ii) evaluate CollaboRATE scores and response rates across multiple clinical settings with varied patient populations.MethodAll adult patients at three United States primary care practices were eligible to complete CollaboRATE post‐visit. To inform key learnings, we aggregated all mentions of unanticipated decisions, problems and administration errors from field notes and email communications. Mixed‐effects logistic regression evaluated the impact of site, clinician, patient age and patient gender on the CollaboRATE score.ResultsWhile CollaboRATE score increased only slightly with increasing patient age (OR 1.018, 95% CI 1.014‐1.021), female patient gender was associated with significantly higher CollaboRATE scores (OR 1.224, 95% CI 1.073‐1.397). Clinician also predicts CollaboRATE score (random effect variance 0.146). Site‐specific factors such as clinical workflow and checkout procedures play a key role in successful in‐clinic implementation and are significantly related to CollaboRATE scores, with Site 3 scoring significantly higher than Site 1 (OR 1.759, 95% CI 1.216 to 2.545) or Site 2 (z=−2.71, 95% CI −1.114 to −0.178).DiscussionThis study demonstrates that CollaboRATE can be used in diverse primary care settings. A clinic's workflow plays a crucial role in implementation. Patient experience measurement risks becoming a burden to both patients and administrators. Episodic use of short measurement tools could reduce this burden.

The Effects of Check, Connect, and Expect on Behavioral and Academic Growth

Check, Connect, and Expect (CCE) is a secondary tier behavioral intervention that provides students with levels of support including a dedicated “coach” for check-in and check-out procedures, and social skills instruction. Elementary students ( n = 22) in an alternative education school setting received CCE for 13 weeks following 4 weeks of baseline data collection. Measures included (a) daily progress reports (DPR), (b) direct observation of academic engagement, and (c) curriculum-based measures of academic growth (math calculation and oral reading fluency). These measures were used to examine the relationship between CCE and student outcomes using an interrupted time series design and multilevel growth curve modeling. This quasi-experimental within-subjects design compared the slopes and intercepts of baseline student data with intervention student data. Results demonstrate that students displayed statistically significant improvement on DPRs at the onset of CCE and demonstrated positive behavioral growth during CCE. There was also a statistically significant improvement of academic engagement at the onset of CCE. There was no statistically significant change in academic performance. A description of potential moderating variables, future research directions, and practical significance is presented.

Defibrillators

Defibrillators

Is ‘Old School’ Equipment Testing the Way to Go in Developing Countries?

Is ‘Old School’ Equipment Testing the Way to Go in Developing Countries?

Commercial suborbital space tourism-proposal on passenger's medical selection

Commercial human spaceflight has excellent economic and technical perspectives in the next decades. Passengers will be persons from a general population differing from culture, age, gender and health status. They all will have to withstand physical loads of spaceflight such as acceleration and deceleration forces, microgravity, vibration, noise and radiation. There is a necessity to mitigate all negative impacts on the passengers' health. Besides precautionary measures in construction and equipment, a diligent medical selection and pre-flight training is recommended. To ensure an easy and at the same time qualified selection procedure, it is necessary to define medical selection criteria and training methods. As experiences with suborbital spaceflight of private passengers are still few we recommend to implement in the beginning of this new era maximum safety standards. Having performed a satisfactory number of successful flights, some of the selection criteria and training sessions might be loosened or modified. This judicious approach is in the interest of the spaceflight participants as well as of the providing companies. As a guideline we propose a four step approach that allows a quick decision concerning the fitness of participants to fly as well as an intensive preparation of the passengers. For the first two steps positive experiences from medical screening and examination of professional pilots can be utilised. According to JAR-FCL 3 (Joint Aviation Requirements-Flight Crew Licensing, Chapter 3) a questionnaire with medical interview targeting the medical background of the respective person and including no-go criteria provides a first estimation for applicants and medical examiners whether there will be a chance to be accepted as a passenger. The second step of selection comprises the physical examination of the applicant adjusted to the professional pilot's examination procedure. As the physical challenges of the suborbital flight will exceed the impact of general aviation, the standardized diagnostic programme should be purposefully extended. The third part of the selection consists of an intensive training programme, preparing the passengers for the upcoming challenges. In detail this training should comprise lectures about aerospace physiology, countermeasures to g-forces and motion sickness, emergency practices (e.g. rapid decompression or hypoxia) and a centrifuge ride with g-forces adapted to the respective flight profile. An altitude chamber flight, hypoxia experience and participation in a Zero-G-Flight might also be included optionally. The fourth step of the evaluation is caused by a possible delay between medical examination and launch. In the interval, the health status might have changed and serious illnesses might have developed. So, a short re-evaluation should be performed 7–14 days before take-off. A brief check-out procedure for medical re-evaluation of passenger's health status is recommended. As launch of suborbital spaceflights will take place all over the world at so called “Spaceports”, the development of standards for medical examinations and the training programmes as well as a mutual acceptance of the participating medical test and training centres will be very helpful for development of this industry. Joint recommendations for the emergency equipment of commercial spaceships will also have to be developed.

Analyzing methods for improved management of workflow in an outpatient pharmacy setting

The results of a workflow analysis at a large central outpatient pharmacy are reported, with theoretical modeling of potential efficiencies attainable through workflow enhancements. In keeping with concepts of "lean health care," a time-motion analysis was conducted at a central outpatient pharmacy that dispenses an average of 250 prescriptions per day. Through direct observation over an eight-week period, pharmacists' dispensing-oriented activities were categorized as either value-added (i.e., centered on direct pharmacist-patient contact and, hence, providing increased value to the patient) or non-value-added. The workflow analysis suggested opportunities to derive more value from pharmacists' time by shifting their efforts away from non-value-added activities (i.e., technical dispensing functions) toward value-added activities: engagement of patients on entry into the pharmacy, pharmacist order verification, and patient counseling. The theoretical application of two models of enhanced workflow indicated that model A (expansion of pharmacy technicians' standard duties to include prescription preparation, stock-container retrieval, and prescription processing) could reduce pharmacists' non-value-added time by about 55%, or more than six minutes per prescription, with an even greater (74%) potential reduction offered by model B (technician performance of checkout procedures in addition to expanded standard duties). Although the research site was atypical in its high staffing level relative to prescription volume, the findings suggest that similar workflow enhancements might be applicable in a range of community practice settings. Through analysis of existing workflow in an outpatient pharmacy, opportunities to optimize the use of value-added pharmacist time in the dispensing process were identified.

High End-Expiratory Airway Pressures Caused by Internal Obstruction of the Draeger Apollo® Scavenger System That Is Not Detected by the Workstation Self-test and Visual Inspection

High End-Expiratory Airway Pressures Caused by Internal Obstruction of the Draeger Apollo® Scavenger System That Is Not Detected by the Workstation Self-test and Visual Inspection

Automated Machine Checkout Leaves an Internal Gas Leak Undetected

We report a complete internal fresh gas flow disconnect within a Dräger Fabius GS anesthesia machine without any alarms being triggered. This was undetected primarily because of an incomplete machine checkout in which the step of ensuring proper gas flows by using a "test lung" was omitted. Machine-specific factors, however, also contributed to prevent diagnosis: (1) the machine passed its leak test because the flowmeter bobbin (i.e., floating ball) sealed the flowmeter when back pressure was applied; (2) the mechanical ventilator entrains room air, thus functioning in the absence of fresh gas flow; and (3) the electronic flow sensors functioned "appropriately" because the leak was downstream. Despite the advent of highly automated machines, manual checkout procedures remain crucial to minimizing undiagnosed failures.

Failure to Ventilate with the Dräger Apollo® Anesthesia Workstation

Failure to Ventilate with the Dräger Apollo® Anesthesia Workstation

Clinical Anesthesia Procedures of the Massachusetts General Hospital

Clinical Anesthesia Procedures of the Massachusetts General Hospital W. C. Levin, A. M. Allain, T. Alston, P. F. Dunn & J. Kwo ( Eds ) Lippincott Williams and Wilkins , Philadelphia , 2010 , ISBN 978-1605474601 , 728 pp . , Price £34.95 Despite the availability of quick and widespread access to electronic resources to most clinicians, a good handbook may often provide relevant and immediately useful information. This eighth edition of Clinical Anesthesia Procedures, written, reviewed and updated by anaesthetists from Massachusetts General Hospital, blends the right combination of peri-operative care and safe administration of anaesthesia in a succinct manner. The book is mainly written for novice anaesthetic trainees. Although this 728 page, soft-cover book is not precisely pocket-sized, its 20.5 × 14.5 cm size makes it easy to carry and handle. One of the first parts of the book is the Recommendations for Pre-anesthesia Checkout Procedures (US – 2008), which differs significantly from the Association of Anaesthetists’ checklist published in 2004. Then, as for previous editions, the manual is composed of 40 chapters divided into three sections: (i) Evaluating the Patient Before Anesthesia; (ii) Administration of Anesthesia; and (iii) Perioperative Issues. It concludes with an appendix, Supplemental Drugs Information, and a table, Common Intravenous Antibiotics. The organisation is clear and compact, and the style of writing is uniform throughout. The chapters are notable for their consistency and brevity: most are 16–20 pages long, allowing one to complete a chapter in a brief sitting. Every paragraph starts with key words highlighted in bold font, which helps to identify the topic, stress important concepts and visually break up the pages. The references at the end of each chapter are up-to-date but not numbered, so readers who wish to pursue a particular topic in more depth may find them difficult to explore in relation to the text. British readers will notice obvious differences in units of measurement and some epidemiological or local practices, reflecting the authors’ US perspective. For instance, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is not mentioned in the Transfusion Therapy chapter, and flucloxacillin is not included in Common Intravenous Antibiotics whereas cefazoline is recommended as first choice for peri-operative antibiotic prophylaxis. Nevertheless, these are unlikely to be more than minor distractions. The first part offers a comprehensive review of a variety of co-existing medical conditions. The chapter on Specific Considerations with Cardiac Disease conveniently includes a small sub-section about pacemakers and heart transplant patients for non-cardiac surgery. The second part provides a detailed and accurate description of safety in anaesthesia, the anaesthetic machine and monitoring. The majority of chapters contain mostly text, though there are a few pictures and tables, e.g. Mapleson circuits and central venous pressure tracing. The pharmacology of intravenous and inhalational anaesthetic agents is covered in a separate chapter; however, many drugs are covered very superficially, and some relevant practices such as total intravenous anaesthesia and opioid-based anaesthesia are not adequately addressed. The chapters dealing with pharmacology and practical issues relating to neuraxial and regional blocks are very good, although the images and illustrations of the different regional blocks are not a major strength of the book. The next 16 chapters cover clinical approaches to the most commonly encountered anaesthetic problems, including speciality topics such as thoracic, vascular, cardiac and head and neck surgery. These chapters are also succinct, and thus are not an exhaustive discussion of each topic; however, the essential points are included and useful clinical ‘pearls’ are included throughout. Other chapters discuss the specific management of paediatric and geriatric patients, day case surgery, Trauma and Burns, and Anesthesia Outside the Operating Room. I particularly enjoyed Anesthesia for Abdominal Surgery which includes bariatric surgery, liver transplantation and retrieval of organs after brain death. The final section covers postoperative care, resuscitation and pain. In addition, information about alternative medicine, medical ethics and end-of-life issues is included. Overall, this text serves as an excellent overview of peri-operative anaesthesia and the fundamental principles of anaesthetic practice. This well-priced theatre book meets its goal of being easily readable, and contains an incredible amount of knowledge within its pages, making it a useful reference for anaesthetic trainees in particular.

A Near Miss: A Nitrous Oxide-Carbon Dioxide Mix-up Despite Current Safety Standards

A Near Miss: A Nitrous Oxide-Carbon Dioxide Mix-up Despite Current Safety Standards