Health Care Services Sectors Research Articles

Advancements in Cloud-Native Applications: Innovative Tools and Research Frontiers

This article explores the cutting-edge developments in cloud-native applications, focusing on innovative tools and research frontiers that are shaping the future of digital infrastructure. It examines the evolving capabilities of orchestration platforms, the integration of IoT and edge computing, advancements in serverless architectures, and the growing importance of AI-driven optimization and sustainable computing practices. The article delves into case studies across e-commerce, healthcare, and financial services sectors, illustrating how cloud-native technologies are being leveraged to solve complex business challenges and drive innovation. Key tools such as Kubernetes, observability platforms, and microservices development frameworks are discussed, highlighting their role in enabling efficient, scalable, and resilient cloud-native applications. The article also considers the broader impact of these technologies on digital service delivery, emphasizing the benefits for businesses in terms of agility, user experience, and competitive advantage. Finally, it underscores the critical importance of collaboration among academia, industry, and open-source communities in driving future advancements in the cloud-native ecosystem, painting a picture of a dynamic and rapidly evolving technological landscape with far-reaching implications for the future of computing.

Change in Nurses’ Reactions to Psychosocial Work Environment Factors During the Accreditation Period

In the modern healthcare system, significant focus is given to ensuring the quality of services, leading to the necessity of selecting the most suitable quality improvement measure for healthcare organizations. However, it has not been clear which quality improvement measure is the most appropriate for the healthcare services sector, as quality is understood and assessed differently in this field compared to other sectors. Various regulatory methods for healthcare service organizations are used worldwide, including licensing, accreditation, and certification. The application of quality assurance standards in healthcare organizations is based on the fact that these organizations seek to change their current practices to improve outcomes. Implementing each quality measure elicits certain reactions from healthcare professionals, which are not always favorable to the organization. This article examines the impact of accreditation on the changes in psychosocial work environment factors experienced by nurses during each accreditation phase.

Change-driven process management: exploring a new process paradigm adaptable to societal changes

PurposeProcess management principles are challenging owing to the increasing need for sustainable operations. The demand for rapid deliveries implies accelerated changes and increased flexibility. Therefore, this study aims to facilitate process improvements based on change-driven needs.Design/methodology/approachThe research is conducted using holistic multiple case studies of eight Swedish organisations (with employees from Sweden, France and Germany), representing the automotive, energy, medical technology, healthcare, telecom and social services sectors.FindingsA process management model with four change-driven phases is presented. The model fulfils demands for both speed and quality in process changes, providing specific guidance on working methods for (1) control and stability, (2) creativity and stability, (3) creativity and change and (4) control and change.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to eight organisations in Sweden, France, and Germany that participate in the automotive, energy, medical technology, healthcare, telecom and social services sectors. Future research should explore broader international contexts.Practical implicationsThe proposed model helps decision-makers adapt process management to evolving business and operational needs; thus, leaders can make grounded decisions on when and how to change operations based on changing internal and external requirements.Originality/valueThis study challenges the current process management paradigm with new knowledge of how process management can be adapted to new business opportunities.

Quality of Life and Healthcare Seeking Behavior among Internal Migrant Laborers in Coimbatore, India: A Community-based Analytical Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: Globalization and urbanization have increased international and internal migration. However, migrants are still not absorbed into the local communities and remain vulnerable groups. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the quality of life (QoL) and healthcare-seeking behavior (HCSB) of internal migrant laborers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the year 2023 among 321 migrant laborers residing for a minimum duration of 6 months in Coimbatore. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demography, QoL (using the WHO BREF scale), HCSB, and healthcare expenses. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethical committee. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to compare QoL across socio-demographics and HCSB. Results: The overall QoL score was 61, and those in social and environmental domains were also above 60. The QoL was higher in the environmental and social domains than in the physical and psychological domains. Females, married people, those currently living with their family, those working in the organized sector, and those in higher socio-economic status had better QoL than their counterparts. Per capita income had a positive correlation with physical, psychological, and environmental aspects of life. About 68% of those who used private sector healthcare services had catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs). Conclusion: The overall QoL among migrant laborers was moderate. Migrants preferring formal healthcare enjoyed better QoL. Major CHE was for delivery, and hence, the barriers to accessing free government services are to be explored.

Transformative Impact of AI and Cloud Technologies: A Comparative Analysis across Healthcare, Retail, and Mobile Financial Services

This article examines the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies across healthcare, retail, and mobile financial services sectors. Through a comprehensive analysis of industry-specific applications, we explore how these technologies are revolutionizing operational efficiency, customer experiences, and innovation in each domain. In healthcare, we investigate the role of CI/CD automation and scalable cloud infrastructure in improving system reliability and patient care. The retail sector analysis focuses on AI-driven customer insights and supply chain optimization. For mobile financial services, we examine AI applications in fraud detection and real-time analytics. The findings reveal significant improvements in operational efficiency, decision-making processes, and customer satisfaction across all three industries. However, we also identify unique challenges and opportunities specific to each sector. This article contributes to the growing body of literature on digital transformation and provides valuable insights for industry professionals and policymakers navigating the integration of AI and cloud technologies in their respective fields.

Supportive Leadership for Impact on Building Organisation Resilience

The health, aged and social care service sectors routinely need to deal with the consequences of stress in the delivery of care and support services; trauma; interpersonal conflict; accidents; rationing; and sustainability. For sustained and healthy functioning health workers need intrinsic and extrinsic support for resilience or the ability to maintain confident, steady and healthy functioning in response to such consequences of stress [1]. Those providing direct and indirect care [2] and those working in varied and challenging areas and location of care delivery [3] need constructs and skills to build and deal with resilience individually as well as in conjunction with collective opportunities within their organisations (teams, units, groups and organisations).....

Partisan conflict and stock volatility predictability

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of the Partisan Conflict Index (PCI) on stock market volatility within the United States. Results indicate that the PCI is a robust predictor of both in-sample and out-of-sample stock volatility across the aggregate market and most sector-specific markets. Interestingly, the predictive strength of the PCI is pronounced for the aggregate market index and the sectors of utilities, materials, industrials, information technology, energy, telecom services, and consumer discretionary during periods of Republican governance. In contrast, under Democratic governance, the PCI demonstrates significant predictive power in the health care, consumer staples, information technology, and telecom services sectors. These findings contribute novel insights into the stock volatility predictability.

Gaps in the Global Regulatory Frameworks for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Healthcare Services Sector and Key Recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has shown remarkable potential to revolutionise healthcare by enhancing diagnostics, improving treatment outcomes, and streamlining administrative processes. In the global regulatory landscape, several countries are working on regulating AI in healthcare. There are five key regulatory issues that need to be addressed: (i) data security and protection-measures to cover the "digital health footprints" left unknowingly by patients when they access AI in health services; (ii) data quality-availability of safe and secure data and more open database sources for AI, algorithms, and datasets to ensure equity and prevent demographic bias; (iii) validation of algorithms-mapping of the explainability and causability of the AI system; (iv) accountability-whether this lies with the healthcare professional, healthcare organisation, or the personified AI algorithm; (v) ethics and equitable access-whether fundamental rights of people are met in an ethical manner. Policymakers may need to consider the entire life cycle of AI in healthcare services and the databases that were used for the training of the AI system, along with requirements for their risk assessments to be publicly accessible for effective regulatory oversight. AI services that enhance their functionality over time need to undergo repeated algorithmic impact assessment and must also demonstrate real-time performance. Harmonising regulatory frameworks at the international level would help to resolve cross-border issues of AI in healthcare services.

Regional Experience of Using Artificial Intelligence Services in the Healthcare Sector of the Russian Federation in 2023

Background. The using of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has particular importance for primary medical care. The market for AI in healthcare is actively developing, and Russian companies offer their products and services in this area. The federal project to create a single digital contour in healthcare includes the implementation of medical devices based on AI technology in healthcare of the regions of the Russian Federation. The AI services may or may not be medical devices. It is necessary to understand the organizational and economic effects for the healthcare system and a certain medical organization in order to select a service. There is no consolidation of regional experience on AI-enabled services in healthcare in the Russian Federation today. Aims — consolidation of experience in the using of the AI services in healthcare sector in the regions of the Russian Federation. Methods. We conducted an online survey of representatives of regional executive authorities and medical information and analytical centers in the regions of the Russian Federation through the “Yandex Forms” platform and also they were interviewed. Results. We surveyed 84 regions of the Russian Federation to consolidate the experience of using the AI services, and the information on Moscow was obtained from open sources. The analysis showed that the AI services that are not medical devices are more common than the AI services that are medical devices. Based on the results of the study, we have formed a classification of the AI services that are not medical devices used in healthcare in the Russian Federation, identified the reasons why, according to the regions, it is difficult to implement the AI services, as well as determined the conditions of use of the AI services that are not medical devices. Conclusions. On the basis of the study, we determined the algorithm for the implementation of the AI services in the Russian healthcare.

Development of metaheuristic algorithms for efficient path planning of autonomous mobile robots in indoor environments

The application of efficient path planning algorithms for two-wheeled Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) in static environments with obstacles is a significant challenge in robotics research. Existing methods, such as the A star (A*) algorithm utilized in Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2), can provide optimal paths but may have high computational complexity in intricate environments. This study explores the potential of three metaheuristic algorithms - Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO), Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO), and Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) - for planning efficient and smooth paths in static environments. These algorithms are selected due to their ability to efficiently find near-optimal solutions and avoid local minima. In this study, the researchers designed and built a two-wheeled AMR using a Raspberry Pi 4 microcontroller as the main processing unit, working in conjunction with an Arduino Mega for controlling the DC motor drive through an MDD10A motor driver circuit. The robot is equipped with an RPLiDAR A1 sensor to read 360-degree distance values for mapping and obstacle avoidance. The experimental results clearly indicate that the metaheuristic algorithms, especially ABC, can calculate paths up to 7% shorter than A* while requiring only one-tenth of the time. Moreover, ABC demonstrates superior motion smoothness when applied to the actual two-wheeled robot in static environments. This work represents a significant step in developing algorithms for two-wheeled robots that are ready to support real-world operations in industries, logistics, healthcare, or various service sectors, which can help increase efficiency and reduce operating costs in the future.

Unpaid carers of people with dementia and information communication technology: Use, impact and ideas for the future.

Several 100,000s of people living with dementia in the UK are cared for at home by a spouse or relative. Few studies have considered the ICT needs and experiences of unpaid carers. This study explores the types of ICT unpaid carers use, the ways they use ICT, the impact of ICT-use, and their ideas for how ICT could be more supportive of their role as a carer. Six focus groups with 32 unpaid carers of people living with dementia discussed their experiences of - and barriers to - using ICT. Transcripts were analysed thematically according to three types of ICT (mainstream, accessible and formal) and five functions (supporting domestic tasks, care management, monitoring, communication and information and education). Participants predominantly used mainstream ICT devices such as laptops and smartphones and internet-enabled applications including videoconferencing and social media platforms to support their daily activities and assist them in their caring role. A few participants discussed using accessible devices such as memory clocks and formal telecare and care-phone services for care management and monitoring functions. Participants' ideas for improvements centred on personalised communication applications that facilitate remote interactions and promote persons living with dementia's independence. Others expressed concerns about the growing need to use ICT to access formal care services and the inadequacy of the ICT infrastructure in some care homes. Unpaid carers mostly turn to readily available mainstream ICT to support their personal and care activities. Further research is required to understand the social impact of the increasing reliance of ICT across health, social and residential care service sectors. Improved cooperation between unpaid carers, technology developers and care services providers could align ICT development to the needs and experiences of families living with dementia and assist unpaid carers with identifying ICTs that optimally support their personal circumstances.

La contribution des fournisseurs à la résilience de la chaîne logistique d'équipements de protection individuelle

AbstractThe disruptions experienced by the healthcare supply chain of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID‐19 pandemic highlighted the importance of initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of this chain. This research takes the point of view of suppliers who were involved in the first months of the pandemic to fully understand their reading of events and thus be able to identify resilience initiatives to face future crises. The case under study is that of the PPE supply chain of the public healthcare and social services sector in the province of Quebec. Interviews with 23 suppliers were the main source of data, which was analyzed through the lens of social capital theory. This case study demonstrates that traditional resiliency initiatives such as safety stock or excess production capacity at suppliers would be better calibrated if buyers conducted a supplier market watch to anticipate major turbulence that could impact the supply chain.

Management Information Systems Towards Improving the Quality of Nursing Care Services: A Literature Review

Background: Many developing countries are striving to further develop health information technology at the healthcare service level, particularly through the implementation of electronic health records (EHR). Objectives: This research aims to evaluate the quality and impact of implementing electronic health records in healthcare services from various perspectives. Methods: The research design employed in this study is a literature review, involving the collection of articles from selected databases, including PubMed and Cochrane. The article search started from the year 2014, and the Boolean operators used were "Electronic Health Record" OR "Electronic Medical Record" OR "EHR" AND "Quality" OR "Documentation" OR "Quality Documentation" OR "Quality Care" AND "Nurs*". The research design incorporated into this study is observational. Results: The use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has a significantly positive impact on various healthcare service sectors. Hospitals that have fully implemented EHR show a significant improvement in the quality of patient medical records, a decrease in information delivery delays, and a reduction in patient admission costs. Conclusion: Investment in EHR technology can be considered a crucial step in enhancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare services while reducing operational costs. However, it is important to note that EHR implementation is not a straightforward task and requires consideration of various factors mentioned above to achieve optimal results in health information management.

Out-of-pocket expenditures associated with double disease burden in Pakistan: a quantile regression analysis

BackgroundPakistan is currently experiencing a double burden of disease. Families with members having both communicable and noncommunicable diseases are at a greater risk of impoverishment due to enormous out-of-pocket payments. This study examines the percentile distribution of the determinants of the out-of-pocket expenditure on the double disease burden.MethodThe study extracted a sample of 6,775 households with at least one member experiencing both communicable and noncommunicable diseases from the Household Integrated Economic Survey 2018-19. The dataset is cross-sectional and nationally representative. Quantile regression was used to analyze the association of various socioeconomic factors with the OOP expenditure associated with double disease burden.ResultsOverall, 28.5% of households had double disease in 2018-19. The households with uneducated heads, male heads, outpatient healthcare, patients availing public sector healthcare services, and rural and older members showed a significant association with the prevalence of double disease. The out-of-pocket expenditure was higher for depression, liver and kidney disease, hepatitis, and pneumonia in the upper percentiles. The quantile regression results showed that an increased number of communicable and noncommunicable diseases was associated with higher monthly OOP expenditure in the lower percentiles (10th percentile, coefficient 312, 95% CI: 92–532), and OOP expenditure was less pronounced among the higher percentiles (75th percentile, coefficient 155, 95% CI: 30–270). The households with older members were associated with higher OOP expenditure at higher tails (50th and 75th percentiles) compared to lower (10th and 25th percentiles). Family size was associated with higher OOPE at lower percentiles than higher ones.ConclusionThe coexistence of communicable and noncommunicable diseases is associated with excessive private healthcare costs in Pakistan. The results call for addressing the variations in financial costs associated with double diseases.

Global Regulatory Frameworks for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Healthcare Services Sector.

The healthcare sector is faced with challenges due to a shrinking healthcare workforce and a rise in chronic diseases that are worsening with demographic and epidemiological shifts. Digital health interventions that include artificial intelligence (AI) are being identified as some of the potential solutions to these challenges. The ultimate aim of these AI systems is to improve the patient's health outcomes and satisfaction, the overall population's health, and the well-being of healthcare professionals. The applications of AI in healthcare services are vast and are expected to assist, automate, and augment several healthcare services. Like any other emerging innovation, AI in healthcare also comes with its own risks and requires regulatory controls. A review of the literature was undertaken to study the existing regulatory landscape for AI in the healthcare services sector in developed nations. In the global regulatory landscape, most of the regulations for AI revolve around Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and are regulated under digital health products. However, it is necessary to note that the current regulations may not suffice as AI-based technologies are capable of working autonomously, adapting their algorithms, and improving their performance over time based on the new real-world data that they have encountered. Hence, a global regulatory convergence for AI in healthcare, similar to the voluntary AI code of conduct that is being developed by the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, would be beneficial to all nations, be it developing or developed.

An Examination of Stakeholder-Driven Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tools in Medical Care Delivery

The growing recognition that social risk factors influence individual and population health has generated stakeholder support in the promotion of health equity, bridging partnerships across health care, public health, and social service sectors. The integration of social care into health care delivery requires routine screening to identify and address health-related social needs (HRSN). Screening tools must be short, accessible, and inclusive and accurately reflect potential risks to prioritize tailored interventions. However, HRSNs are also sensitive and can prompt additional ethical concerns when integrated with clinical practice in medical care. This paper examines the psychometric properties of three stakeholder-driven HRSN screening tools to identify adverse, unmet risks among oncology patients. Further research is needed to ensure social needs initiatives protect sensitive social data in electronic health records and that patients with complex medical and social needs receive comprehensive resources through targeted service connections.

A roadmap for sustainable implementation of vocational rehabilitation for people with mental disorders and its outcomes: a qualitative evaluation

BackgroundPeople suffering from mental health disorders have lower work participation compared to people without mental challenges. To increase work participation within this group vocational rehabilitation interventions are often offered. Collaboration between the mental health care and social security sectors is needed to enable professionals to perform optimally when carrying out these interventions. Yet, regulatory and financial barriers often hinder sustainable implementation. To overcome these barriers an experimental roadmap for sustainable funding based on a shared savings strategy was piloted in four regions. The aim of the present qualitative study was to gain understanding of the uses of this roadmap and the factors that were important in the experiment’s process.MethodThe roadmap consisted of five steps based upon insights from shared savings strategies and implementation science knowledge, and was initiated by a national steering board. The roadmap aimed to make sustainable funding agreements (based on shared savings) for the implementation of a vocational rehabilitation intervention. In four regions, stakeholders from the mental health care and social security services sector followed the roadmap. We conducted interviews (n = 16) with involved participants and project leaders of the experiment and collected 54 sets of field notes and documents to evaluate the roadmap process. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsRegions perceived improved stakeholder collaboration around vocational rehabilitation after they were guided by the roadmap. Three regions made, or intended to make, agreements on collaboration and funding, yet not based on shared savings. Moreover, going through the roadmap took more time than anticipated. Stakeholder collaboration depended on factors like personal and organizational interests and collaboration conditions and values. Financial legislation and politics were regarded as barriers and personal motives were mentioned as a facilitator in this process.ConclusionsOur study showed that the roadmap supported stakeholders to establish a more sustainable collaboration, even though no sustainable financial agreements were made yet. Although participants acknowledged the function of financial insights and the need for financial resources, the driver for collaboration was found to be more on improving clients’ perspectives than on solving unfair financial distribution issues. This suggests modifying the focus of the roadmap from financial benefits to improving clients’ perspectives.

Mental health interventions in Italian prisons: are we ready for a new model? Suggestions from the Parma experience.

Mental health interventions for Italian prisoners with mental disorder remain a problematic issue, despite radical changes in psychiatric care and a 2008 major government reform transferring mental health care in prison to the National Health Service. Indeed, prison has increasingly become a place of severe psychological distress, where also serious mental illnesses sometimes occur. In this contribution, we commented on the recommendations recently proposed by the Emilia-Romagna Region on how structuring mental healthcare interventions in all regional jails. Moreover, starting from the findings reported in recent epidemiological studies examining the prevalence of mental disorders in Emilia-Romagna prisons, we proposed a new treatment model for mental health and pathological addictions in jail, which took into account the current incidence of inmates with severe mental illness, psychological distress due to incarceration, and substance use disorder. Perhaps, this new intervention model (specifically centered on clinical psychology and case management by intramural mental health professionals) requires a vision able to overcome the classical "medical-centered" approach, which still too often permeates many sectors of public mental healthcare services. In our opinion, if we decide to look at the moon, we shouldn't dwell too much on the finger pointing to it.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Service Organizations in a Clinical-Community Collaboration

Abstract: Increasingly, interventions are being developed to promote collaboration across health care and social service (such as food, housing, and transportation) sectors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for social services grew while social service organizations' capacity declined due to constraints on staffing, funding, and operations. We used an organizational survey fielded from July through November 2020 and publicly available, county-level data to assess the pandemic's impact on 253 social service organizations in the Accountable Health Communities Model evaluation. Over half of surveyed organizations reported being severely impacted by the pandemic, and 92% reported being at least moderately impacted. Social service organizations without federal funding and those in counties with lower poverty (smaller proportion of residents in poverty) and higher COVID-19 case rates were most impacted by the pandemic. Understanding the pandemic's burden on social service organizations can inform planning for future collaborations across health care and social service sectors.

Prevalence of mental disorders and psychological trauma among conflict- affected population in Somalia: a cross-sectional study.

Despite the longstanding psychosocial impact of the interactable conflict in Somalia for the last 30 years, there is lack of epidemiological studies of mental health conditions, especially at the population level. The aim of this study is to fill the epidemiological gap and provide population based data on mental health conditions in the South-Central region of Somalia. The specific objectives were: (1) To determine the epidemiological patterns of mental disorders in three sites; Baidoa, Dolow and Kismayo, (2) Understand the socio-demographic characteristics associated with mental health conditions in the study sites, and (3) To assess the correlates between psychological trauma and the mental wellbeing of the population. This was a cross-sectional study of 713 respondents recruited from the three sites namely Dolow, Baidoa and Kismayo. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and mental disorders were collected using the MINI and sociodemographic questionnaire. Basic descriptive statistics were used to summarize sociodemographic characteristics. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with common mental disorders. Statistical significance was considered at a value of p <0.05. Participants' mean age was 32.6 (±10.7) years. More than half (58.5%) of the respondents were male. The overall prevalence of common mental disorders was 557 (78.1%) with panic disorder (39.3%), generalized anxiety disorders (34.9%), major depressive episode current (32.1) and PTSD (29.9%). According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, being male AOR = 1.74 (95%CI = 1.25, 2.42), having a family size of more than 10 members AOR =1.37 (95% CI = 1.00, 1.89), being unemployed AOR = 1.90 (95%CI = 1.18, 3.06), experienced starvation AOR =3.46 (95%CI = 2.23, 5.37), khat use AOR = 5.87 (955 CI, 1.75-19.65), were identified as predicting factors for the common mental disorders among the study participants. There is a high prevalence of mental disorders with anxiety disorders being the commonest. Findings reflect earlier studies that showed higher rates in conflict and post-conflict settings. It also aligns with past studies in Somalia. As such, there is an urgent need to integrate mental health and psychosocial support within the primary healthcare and other service sectors such as education considering the vast majority of the population are young.