Digital Technologies In Healthcare Research Articles

Digitalization in distress: Digital technologies in healthcare and challenges of ecosystem adoption

Our study provides an in-depth analysis of digital technologies in healthcare and the ecosystem challenges newly developing platforms face here. Based on three case studies of digital technology applications that transform the healthcare industry in different ways, we provide recommendations to help overcome these challenges. First, scaling in healthcare ecosystems tends to be more gradual, but this can be accelerated if it is coordinated by higher level umbrella associations. Second, digital healthcare technologies can only have a transformational impact if processes within healthcare organizations are realigned. This transformation process is driven by a value proposition that requires organizations to develop new competencies. Third, in complex regulated fields such as healthcare, rather than the commonly observed supply-side unipolar governance, multipolar governance is required to manage the ecosystem, leading to co-specialization between supply side technology providers and demand side actors and activities. Fourth, in healthcare ecosystems we observe across multiple levels potential challenges to, as well as potential solutions for, the development of the value proposition. These different levels need to be aligned for the newly developing value proposition to successfully emerge.

Patient Perspective: We have embraced digital technologies to support arrhythmia patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Patient Perspective: We have embraced digital technologies to support arrhythmia patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Digitalization of national health care

The purpose of this article is to study the eff ectiveness of using digitalization in national health care. The article outlines the main advantages of using digital technologies in healthcare. The article also shows which areas of digitalization of healthcare are used in the Russian Federation. In addition, it is described that medical centers should carry out remote monitoring of patients in order to prevent critical conditions. This article outlines the benefi ts of digitalizing healthcare and its main directions. Today, the transition of Russian healthcare to an innovative digital platform is an urgent task. Digitalization of healthcare is a prerequisite for the development of this industry. In addition, such a process serves as a major factor in economic and social progress. Digital technologies are one of the priorities for the development of the healthcare sector. Every year this area is increasing by a quarter. The digitalization process will help provide a breakthrough in the availability and quality of services without increasing healthcare costs. Several information projects have been implemented in the Russian Federation over the past few years.

What Makes for a Successful Digital Health Integrated Program of Work? Lessons Learnt and Recommendations From the Melbourne Children's Campus.

Embedding digital technologies in healthcare has the potential to streamline and personalize medical care. However, healthcare systems are often fragmented, and therefore achieving a truly integrated digital health program can be challenging. To promote a streamlined, evidence-based approach to implementing digital health solutions in a healthcare system, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) established the Digital Health Translation and Implementation Program (DHTI) bringing together clinicians, researchers and digital health experts. From the program commencement, frontline clinical innovators have collaborated with DHTI team members to develop and implement digital solutions to address pain-points in the healthcare system. Throughout this program, important lessons have been learnt relating to the development, evaluation and implementation of digital solutions in the healthcare system. This paper explores these lessons and makes recommendations for the successful implementation of digital health solutions in healthcare systems under five main categories: (1) design and usability, (2) stakeholder engagement and uptake, (3) project management and resourcing, (4) process and implementation, and (5) evaluation. Recommendations suggested here are designed to support future healthcare-based digital health programs to maximize the impact digital solutions can have on the healthcare system and patients.

Telemetric control in assessing the working capacity of transport industry employees

Introduction. In the modern world, the introduction of digital technologies in healthcare is one of the priorities of development, which opens up a wide range of opportunities from screening and monitoring to various health disorders. In 2020 we completed the work to evaluate the applied capabilities of contactless videoplethysmography based on the telemetric control system developed by us and patented using the DISITA software and hardware complex during pre-trip post-trip medical examinations in 19 drivers of passenger vehicles. The study aims to explore the possibilities of the data of variational heart rate monitoring using reflected video plethysmography in assessing drivers' performance in their work. We have identified the most sensitive and significant heart rate variability indicators that reflect the professional load's impact. Materials and methods. We carried out during the usual pre-trip examination, video plethysmography of the skin of the face of the subjects in parallel in conditions of both natural daylight and typical artificial lighting of medical and diagnostic rooms, at a distance of the recording WEB camera of the DISITA software and hardware complex from the face of the subject within 40-70 cm. Researchers examined the methodological recommendations developed by the Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health team and RT-Medicine JSC. Results. We use videoplethysmography to evaluate variational heart rate monitoring as a method for assessing functional states during mass pre-trip (pre-shift) and post-trip (post-shift) medical examinations. In this case, the heart rate estimated by palpation was identical to the heart rate obtained by videoplethysmography. The most sensitive parameters characterizing the impact of professional load on drivers were changes in the indicators of variational heart rate monitoring: SDNN, RMSSD, CV, TR, HF, LF, and the waves of vasomotion regulation. Conclusions. Videoplethysmography with an assessment of the data of variational heart rate monitoring can be used to predict the functional state (stability of the body) of drivers in the course of their professional activities.

Designing an App to Overcome Language Barriers in the Delivery of Emergency Medical Services: Participatory Development Process.

BackgroundIn emergencies, language barriers may have dangerous consequences for the patients. There have been some technical approaches to overcome language barriers in medical care but not yet in the prehospital emergency care setting. The use of digital technologies in health care is expanding rapidly. Involving end users at all stages of the development process may help to ensure such technologies are usable and can be implemented.ObjectiveWe aimed to develop a digital communication tool that addresses paramedic needs in the specific circumstances of prehospital emergency care and helps paramedics to overcome language barriers when providing care to foreign-language patients.MethodsWe actively engaged paramedics and software designers in an action-oriented, participatory, iterative development process, which included field observations, workshops, background conversations, questionnaires on rescue missions, studying the literature, and preliminary testing in the field.ResultsWith input from paramedics, we created an app with 600 fixed phrases supporting 18 languages. The app includes medical history–taking questions, phrases asking for consent, and phrases providing specific additional information. Children as patients, as well as their carers and other third parties, can be addressed with appropriate wording. All phrases can be played back audibly or displayed as text. The comprehensive content is grouped into categories and adapted to diverse scenarios, which makes the tool rapidly usable. The app includes a function to document patient responses and the conversation history. For evaluation in a clinical study, the app is run on a smartphone with extra speakers to be of use in noisy environments. The use of prototypes proved valuable to verify that the content, structure, and functions discussed in theory were of value and genuinely needed in practice and that the various device control elements were intuitive.ConclusionsThe nature of the paramedic work environment places specific demands on the communication options used and need for such devices. The active involvement of paramedics in the development process allowed us to understand and subsequently consider their experience-based knowledge. Software designers could understand the paramedics’ work environment and consider respective needs in the menu navigation and design principles of the app. We argue that the development of any medical software product should actively involve both end users and developers in all phases of the development process. Providing the users with the opportunity to influence technology development ensures that the result is closer to their needs, which can be seen as crucial for successful implementation and sustainable use.Trial RegistrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00016719; https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00016719International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1186/s12913-020-05098-5

The Evolution of Medicine – Exploring the Contributions of Sony's Technology (Vol. 25, No. 4, Full Issue)

For the month of April 2021, APBN explores the contributions of Sony in the evolution of medicine in our Features section. The article contribution by Leonard Yap, Head of Medical Imaging Solutions, Professional Solutions Company (PSAP) at Sony Electronics Asia Pacific looks at how Sony's technological contributions are revolutionizing the future of medicine. In the Columns section, we discuss the boon and bane of digital technology in healthcare and safety concerns of its use. In the Spotlights, we share about a research done by SingHealth and NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine to determine the receptiveness towards tele-monitoring for the management of chronic health conditions.

Digital Technologies for Schizophrenia Management: A Descriptive Review

While the implementation of digital technology in psychiatry appears promising, there is an urgent need to address the implications of the absence of ethical design in the early development of such technologies. Some authors have noted the gap between technology development and ethical analysis and have called for an upstream examination of the ethical issues raised by digital technologies. In this paper, we address this suggestion, particularly in relation to digital healthcare technologies for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The introduction of digital technologies in psychiatry offers a broad spectrum of diagnostic and treatment options tailored to the health needs and goals of patients’ care. These technologies include wearable devices, smartphone applications for high-immersive virtual realities, smart homes, telepsychiatry and messaging systems for patients in rural areas. The availability of these technologies could increase access to mental health services and improve the diagnostics of mental disorders.Additional Instruction In this descriptive review, we systematize ethical concerns about digital technologies for mental health with a particular focus on individuals suffering from schizophrenia. There are many unsolved dilemmas and conflicts of interest in the implementation of these technologies, such as (1) the lack of evidence on efficacy and impact on self-perception; (2) the lack of clear standards for the safety of their daily implementation; (3) unclear roles of technology and a shift in the responsibilities of all parties; (4) no guarantee of data confidentiality; and (5) the lack of a user-centered design that meets the particular needs of patients with schizophrenia. mHealth can improve care in psychiatry and make mental healthcare services more efficient and personalized while destigmatizing mental health disorders. To ensure that these technologies will benefit people with mental health disorders, we need to heighten sensitivity to ethical issues among mental healthcare specialists, health policy makers, software developers, patients themselves and their proxies. Additionally, we need to develop frameworks for furthering sustainable development in the digital technologies industry and for the responsible usage of such technologies for patients with schizophrenia in the clinical setting. We suggest that digital technology in psychiatry, particularly for schizophrenia and other serious mental health disorders, should be integrated into treatment with professional supervision rather than as a self-treatment tool.

Ferramentas tecnológicas e o cálculo de medicação: contribuições para o aprendizado e o exercício profissional

Although it does not require advanced knowledge, drug calculation requires the following of mathematical steps, which implies more time dedicated to the task and greater possibility of error. Therefore, this article aims to understand the learning experience on drug calculation among nursing students and to propose a technological tool that would assist in the transformation of solutions in both academic and professional contexts. This is a case study. Data showed that most students considered their learning about drug calculation either poor or unsatisfactory and never used any technological tool for that purpose. It has been possible to determine that the training courses need to stimulate a continuous contact with technological tools during graduation in order to develop skills, competencies and attitudes towards the use of digital technologies in health care, minimizing the possibility of errors during drug calculation and favoring the safety of patients.

Key indicators of ethical challenges in digital healthcare: A combined Delphi exploration and confirmative factor analysis approach with evidence from Khorasan province in Iran

Despite the undoubted benefits of digital healthcare, ethical challenges have become one of the biggest concerns amongst academic scholars and digital healthcare experts. Despite the extant literature on some of these challenges, knowledge gaps still exist in revealing which indicators are more important than others. This research, joining in the ongoing investigation, aims to explore and empirically validate the key indicators of ethical challenges in digital healthcare. We conduct two studies using a combined exploratory and confirmatory approach. We apply the Delphi method for exploring and forecasting the key indicators in the first study. The key indicators are validated in the second study employing confirmatory factor analysis of survey data. The Delphi experts are 26 medical professionals and academic professors in Iran. A sample of 210 survey observations was collected from general hospital staff in Iran. Our results suggest that there are six key indicators of ethical challenges in digital healthcare: procedure values, responsibility, privacy, autonomy, security, justice. This research contributes to the knowledge of ethical concerns in applying digital technologies in healthcare, particularly identifying and validating the key indicators of the ethical challenges. The results provide practical implications for decision-makers in the current and future digital healthcare sector.

The role of smart monitoring digital health care system based on smartphone application and personal health record platform for patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019

BackgroundThe massive outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Daegu city and Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea (ROK), caused the exponential increase in new cases exceeding 5000 within 6 weeks. Therefore, the community treatment center (CTC) with a digital health care monitoring system based on the smartphone application and personal health record platform (PHR) was implemented. Thus, we report our experience in one of the CTCs to investigate the role of CTC and the feasibility of the digital health care monitoring system in the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe Gyeongbuk-Daegu 2 CTC was set up at the private residential facility. Admission criteria were 1) patients < 65 years with COVID-19, 2) patients without underlying medical comorbidities, and 3) COVID-19 disease severity of mild class. Admitted patients were placed under monitoring of vital signs and symptoms. Clinical information was collected using the smartphone application or telephone communication. Collected information was displayed on the PHR platform in a real-time fashion for close monitoring.ResultsFrom Mar 3, 2020, to Mar 26, 2020, there was a total of 290 patients admitted to the facility. Males were 104 (35.9%). The median age was 37 years. The median time between the COVID-19 diagnosis and admission was 7 days. Five patients were identified and were transferred to the designed COVID-19 treatment hospital for their urgent medical needs. The smartphone application usage to report vital signs and symptoms was noted in 96% of the patients. There were no deaths of the patients.ConclusionsOur results suggest that implementation of the CTC using a commercial residence facility and digital health care technology may offer valuable solutions to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Цифровизация системы здравоохранения в период пандемии

Pandemic has forced a reassessment of different aspects of public life especially in the field of health care. It also has shown that modern digital technologies are required to make state governance of health care more effective. Telemedicine technology is a central issue to provide remote medical assistance аnd that’s the most important today, in the midst of a pandemic. However, the most effective use of digital technologies in health care requires to Establish appropriate legal regulations.

Interprofessional development case study of an SBIRT web-based app for education and practice

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an approach to identify and reduce risk and harm from substance use. However, research indicates that implementing components of SBIRT, such as the use of validated screening tools, can be challenging for healthcare professionals. The growing use of digital technology in healthcare may provide an approach to mitigate these barriers. However, outcomes from SBIRT learning and implementation apps rarely are studied, and even less research has examined the development processes behind such tools. This paper, therefore, presents a single-case study of how an interprofessional team of scholars created a web-based SBIRT app.

Russian legal experience in using information technologies in diagnostics of reflux esophagitis

This publication focuses on a theoretical investigation of the issues of Russian experience in the application of digital technologies in the provision of medical care in the diagnosis of oesophageal hernia complicated by reflux esophagitis. The relevance of the research lies not only in the increasing number of patients diagnosed with reflux esophagitis, but also in the current digital paradigm of the entire Russian healthcare system. Despite domestic legislative attempts to legally regulate the use of digital technologies in health care through the regulatory introduction of telemedicine technology, as is most common, certain issues in the use of this digital "platform" in health care remain unresolved. The methodological basis of this study is the methods of comparative analysis, system-structural analysis and synthesis. The author has assessed the possibility of using telemedicine technologies in the context of the doctor-patient relationship, implemented in a remote format, when diagnosing a patient, including from the position of significant territorial remoteness of the patient. There is a focus on the need for a more specific legal regulation in terms of legally establishing the definition for guaranteeing the security of personal data received by participants in the consultation, processed by them when applying telemedicine technologies.

Цифровое здравоохранение, пандемия COVID-19 и проблемы кибербезопасности

The article focuses on a wide range of cybersecurity issues related to the use of digital technologies in healthcare. Many countries are increasingly adopting digital innovations into their national health systems and therefore raise their cybersecurity risks. The number of cyberattacks on health care organizations is steadily increasing; and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has required more frequent use of digital technologies to address public health challenges, has also influenced the proliferation of criminal cyberattacks. The aim of the study was to describe the main types of criminal, mostly digital, risks for digital health and identify the most important ways to counteract them. The article includes an analysis of international and national regulatory documents, foreign scientific literature, reports of organizations dealing with cybersecurity issues. In preparing it, the authors used general and specific scientific methods including analysis, synthesis, formal and legal analysis, historical method, interdisciplinary research, and expert assessment. The authors conclude that the increasing use of digital technologies in health care, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, expands the number of targets for cybercriminals. Three main types of digital health criminal risks are identified: attacks on health care organizations, attacks on devices used for medical purposes, including those associated with the Internet of Medical Things, and the theft and disclosure of digitally stored confidential medical information. The latter group of acts is committed by both outsiders and employees of healthcare organizations. The vast majority of registered cybercrimes are profit motivated ones, and the most common cybercrime is extortion with the use of malicious software (ransomware). To counter criminal risks for digital health, the authors propose a set of actions divided into three groups such as legal, technical, and educational. According to the authors, international and national criminal law should immediately respond to digital criminal threats to healthcare systems, in particular by making relevant international agreements and by including the manner in which such crimes are committed into criminal laws as an aggravating circumstance. In addition, the authors note the formation of a special direction in cybersecurity research and practice - healthcare cybersecurity - which requires the development of an appropriate industry, with respective hardware, software, informational and educational products that would be aimed at eliminating and reducing the risks for digital health.

Analysis of Legal and Regulatory Frameworks in Digital Health: A Comparison of Guidelines and Approaches in the European Union and United States

The advent of digital technology in healthcare presents opportunities for the improvement of healthcare systems around the world and the move towards value-based treatment. However, this move must be accompanied by strong legal and regulatory frameworks that will not only facilitate but encourage the good use of technology. The goal of the study was to assess the amenability and furtherance of regulatory frameworks in digital health by evaluating and comparing the processes, effectiveness and outcomes of these frameworks in the European Union and United States. Methods: This study incorporated two research methodologies. The first was a research of current legal and regulatory frameworks in digital health in the European Union and United States. A comprehensive online search for publications was carried out which included laws, regulations, policies, green papers, guidelines and recommendations. This research was complemented with interviews of five purposively sampled key informants in the legal and regulatory landscape. Results: Mind-maps revealed key features and challenges of the digital health field in the topics of the current state of regulation of digital health in the EU, Germany and US, regulatory pathways for digital health devices, protection and privacy of health data, mobile health validation, risk-based classification of medical devices, regulation of clinical decision support systems, telemedicine, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, reimbursement for digital health services and liability for digital health products. The experts expressed and explained key points where current regulation is deficient. The review of the legal frameworks revealed deficiencies which provide opportunities and recommendations to further develop and strengthen the regulatory landscape. Conclusions: A key element to a robust regulatory framework is the ability to ensure trust and confidence in using digital health technology. Technology must measure the impact on quality of life and burden of disease and not merely involve the collection of data.

Digital technology in management of Covid-19: A new ray to healthcare

The sheer severity of the spread of the pandemic is being overwhelmed by hospitals and medical centres. Although the public discourse was already dominated by digital technology in healthcare, the onset of Covid-19 was a landmark creation. Telehealth visits will leap to 1 billion visits this year from a previously estimated 36 million for 2020 as over 200 countries try to counter varying degrees of Covid-19 impact. The term AI refers to a variety of instruments utilized for distinguishing designs in the information. Rather than conventional techniques for design recognizable proof, AI instruments depend on Artificial Intelligence consciousness to delineate patterns from a lot of information, would self be able to improve as and when new information opens up and is snappier in achieving these assignments. This audit portrays different procedures of AI that have been utilized in the past in the forecast, identification and the board of irresistible infections, and how these apparatuses are being brought into the fight against COVID-19. Furthermore, we likewise examine their applications in different phases of the pandemic, the preferences, impediments and conceivable pitfalls.

The Recent Progress and Applications of Digital Technologies in Healthcare: A Review.

Background The implementation of medical digital technologies can provide better accessibility and flexibility of healthcare for the public. It encompasses the availability of open information on the health, treatment, complications, and recent progress on biomedical research. At present, even in low-income countries, diagnostic and medical services are becoming more accessible and available. However, many issues related to digital health technologies remain unmet, including the reliability, safety, testing, and ethical aspects. Purpose The aim of the review is to discuss and analyze the recent progress on the application of big data, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, block-chain platforms, smart devices in healthcare, and medical education. Basic Design. The publication search was carried out using Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Medline, Wiley Online Library, and CrossRef databases. The review highlights the applications of artificial intelligence, “big data,” telemedicine and block-chain technologies, and smart devices (internet of things) for solving the real problems in healthcare and medical education. Major Findings. We identified 252 papers related to the digital health area. However, the number of papers discussed in the review was limited to 152 due to the exclusion criteria. The literature search demonstrated that digital health technologies became highly sought due to recent pandemics, including COVID-19. The disastrous dissemination of COVID-19 through all continents triggered the need for fast and effective solutions to localize, manage, and treat the viral infection. In this regard, the use of telemedicine and other e-health technologies might help to lessen the pressure on healthcare systems. Summary. Digital platforms can help optimize diagnosis, consulting, and treatment of patients. However, due to the lack of official regulations and recommendations, the stakeholders, including private and governmental organizations, are facing the problem with adequate validation and approbation of novel digital health technologies. In this regard, proper scientific research is required before a digital product is deployed for the healthcare sector.

Conference Proceedings \u2013 5th International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics and Biomarker Discovery (MDBD 2020): Towards digital healthcare technology

Conference Proceedings \u2013 5th International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics and Biomarker Discovery (MDBD 2020): Towards digital healthcare technology

Digitally-Enabled Remote Care for Cancer Patients: Here to Stay.

Digital Technology has become a pervasive, even ubiquitous part of our daily lives, affecting almost every aspect of our lives. Although the uptake of digital technology in health care has lagged behind other sectors, today, digital health is already becoming a cornerstone of developed health systems all over the world. Hence, the question is not whether we should adopt digital technology in health care, but how to do it most effectively. Digitally enabled remote care, or telemedicine has been available for many years but large-scale adoption has been slow. COVID-19 has caused a quantum leap in this area and particularly in the area of chronic disease and cancer care. The objective of this article is to briefly review the literature on the use of digitally enabled remote health care, in general and in cancer care specifically, with a focus on nursing practice, and to define the questions that need to be asked to guide effective implementation. Review of the literature and the experience of the authors. There is increasing uptake of digitally enabled remote care. A growing body of evidence suggests that care delivered via telemedicine can be both safe and effective, in some cases with better outcomes than conventional face-to-face care. However, tele-oncology has not yet become standard practice. Digital health solutions need to be integrated into the patient pathway and in health care team practices for optimal supportive care in oncology in line with appropriate guidelines. Training education and formative evaluation are required to guide effective implementation. Formulating the right questions to ask is a critical starting point. There is very little debate today about the centrality of the role of the oncology nurse in coordinating care, guiding the patient, and providing ongoing support. Mobile technology provides an opportunity for monitoring and support through a minimally burdensome, maximally accessible approach. Moreover, smartphones and applications allow for repeated evaluation of adherence and symptoms in real time, ideally enhancing care for patients. However, even with the growing acceptance of "nursing telepractice", there are challenges and barriers to overcome to mainstream digital health into oncology nursing practice. Telemedicine services go much further than simply digitizing traditionally analogue health care processes and services, they fundamentally reorganize processes, procedures, and services. Thus, in addition to training and education, nursing tele-oncology demands a service transformation.