Requests For Information Research Articles

Non-sentential responses to requests for information.

When faced with requests for information ("Where did you go last night?"), why do speakers make non-sentential replies ("The movies") rather than full sentence replies ("I went to the movies")? We examine the role that pragmatic factors (politeness and formality) and memory factors (the speaker's ability to retrieve the answer to the question) play in determining whether speakers generate a non-sentential reply. Participants answered a series of questions about their lives. Pragmatic factors affected the participants' responses. Speakers instructed to be polite or formal made fewer non-sentential replies than speakers who did not receive specific instructions. Memory retrieval (indexed both by the time required for the participant to begin their response and by the presence of disfluencies at the beginning of the response) did not have a straightforward relationship to the production of non-sentential replies. The effect of response latency and disfluencies depended on whether the participants were told to be polite or formal (or if they were given no instruction at all).

Human resource management in the armed forces: An investigation into the monetary incentive systems for military personnel

How do the armed forces pay and compensate military personnel? In this article, this question is addressed by investigating the monetary incentive systems in place in the armed forces in twelve NATO and NATO-partner countries. The primary objective is to understand how the armed forces, in a variety of advanced countries, structure their compensation and personnel policies. The countries’ monetary incentive systems are analyzed and compared using a Request for Information distributed by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence to NATO and NATO-partner countries. The secondary objective is to motivate the research community in the nexus between personnel economics and defense economics to study monetary incentives in the armed forces in a cross-national perspective. There is great potential to learn from the experiences of compensation policies in other armed forces.

Social Class, the Overlooked Element of Diversity within Higher Education: An Analysis of Policy Documents and Data Collection Practices by Russell Group Universities in the United Kingdom

Investigating the data that universities collect on the characteristics of staff and students offers an insight into which aspects of diversity they prioritise. We sent Freedom of Information requests to 24 Russell Group institutions asking them to report the data they collect on the class background and protected characteristics of staff and students. We also reviewed university equality policy documents using content analysis. Analysis showed that while all institutions collect data on the protected characteristics of staff and students, and 18 universities collect data on the class background of students, just one university collects data on the class background of staff. This is despite 10 institutions recognising class background as being an important component of diversity within their policies. We propose recommendations on what data universities should collect on the class background of staff, and how they can use these data to support intersectional diversity.

Adequate Completion of Radiology Request Forms: A Clinical Audit at Managil Teaching Hospital in Sudan

Introduction: Clinical auditing is one method for improving the quality of patient care, including the completion of a request form. Radiology request forms are critical tools for communicating between the referring clinician and the radiologist/radiographer. Objectives: To evaluate the radiology request form and improve the request form content and design at Managil Teaching Hospital, Sudan. Methods: A two-cycle clinical audit methodology at radiology department - Managil Teaching Hospital. A total of 100 request forms were collected, with 50 forms acquired for each cycle. These forms were then compared to the standard structured form provided by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR). In a second cycle, a pre-made request form was used. The data were inputted into Microsoft Excel 2016 and subsequently analysed. The obtained results were then compared to the RCR Standard. Results: A notable enhancement was noted in various aspects, such as the inclusion of the patient's age in the request forms. In the first cycle, the age was only recorded in 13% of the forms, however in the second cycle, it was recorded in 92% of the forms. Conclusion: A significant proportion of radiology request forms are incomplete but after the 2nd cycle of the audit there was massive improvement regarding adequate filling of the radiology request forms. which will aid in effectively diagnosing patients.

Protocol for the SELECT study: a sequential mixed methods study of the selection of UK medical students into clinical academic training

BackgroundInternationally, there has been a move towards fostering diverse healthcare workforces that are representative of the patient populations they serve. Selection criteria for academic-clinicians often aim to capture skills and attributes that demonstrate both clinical and academic excellence. Currently, it is not known whether the selection criteria for early academic-clinical careers advantage or disadvantage certain ethnic or socioeconomic groups. The UK has a structured route of integrated clinical academic training with entry level training for newly qualified doctors administered through the ‘Specialised Foundation Programme’ which provides protected time for research within the first two years of postgraduate clinical training. In this study, we aim to identify what selection criteria are used within the UK Specialised Foundation Programme, and how these relate to demographic factors.MethodsWe will perform a mixed methods study consisting of a document analysis of person specifications and selection criteria used in the 2024 UK Specialised Foundation Programme, and a national cross-sectional survey of current medical students in the UK. We will obtain the person specifications, selection criteria, white space (open ended questions used during shortlisting) and interview questions and mark schemes from each Specialised Unit of Applications via information available on their websites or through Freedom of Information requests. Our survey will collect information relating to demographic data, selection criteria, and perceptions of specialised foundation programme selection.DiscussionInternational literature has demonstrated inequity in academic markers used in selection of post-graduate clinicians and that disadvantages caused by selection can compound over time. As such it is important to understand what inequity exists within the selection of early academic-clinicians, as this can help inform more equitable selection practices and help nurture a more diverse academic-clinical workforce.

Requesting care in a medical encounter: How patients make requests and how general practitioners respond

ObjectivesGeneral practitioners (GPs) often deal with patient requests, yet little is known about the types of requests and how GPs respond. We used real-life Dutch consultations (recorded in 2015) to identify how care is requested in clinical practice. MethodsWe analysed sixty-six consultations using an inductively and deductively developed codebook. Coders categorised five items of patient requests: type, speaker, formulation, GP response, and resolution. Correlations between these items were analysed with chi-square analyses. ResultsWe identified 257 patient requests. Most requests concerned information or advice (n = 191, 74.3 %). When patients requested medical care, they often did so indirectly (χ2 (1)= 69.66, p < .001). Request type predicted the resolution: GPs were more likely to meet requests for information than for medical care (χ2(1) = 5.45, p = .019). More than half of the medical care requests that were followed by an explanation were not met (n = 5, 55.6 %). When a request was not met, GPs used communication strategies such as offering alternatives, referencing examination results, and depersonalisation. ConclusionsAsking questions, co-construction of a request, and explaining are important diagnostic and therapeutic tools for GPs in conversing with the patient. Practice implicationsThese conversational strategies could be trained to help GPs evaluate requests while maintaining a good GP-patient relationship.

Novel comprehensive unified classification system toward smart standardized built environment knowledge and low-risk international collaborations: UniCCC

The Construction Industry (CI) data is acknowledged to still be unstructured and high-dimensional. Efforts were undertaken to tackle this problem using regional Unified Classification Systems (UCSs). The study emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive international UCS to manage the growing trend of international collaborations within the CI and associated data risks. Existing UCSs exhibit significant inconsistencies, such as regional omissions, terminological disparities, and diverse data structuring, underscoring the need for a unified approach. Accordingly, using a 3-stage mixed method, the novel UCS ‘Unified Classification of Construction Components_ UniCCC’ was developed, comprising 4 phyla, 9 divisions, and 54 classes, and was shown to have good adaptability/scalability, structure/breakdown, clarity, codifiability, and inclusivity of the 11 key CI aspects. By addressing inconsistencies and smartly structuring CI knowledge from North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, using a faceted classification scheme aligned with ISO 12,006, and being developed using a conventional modeling language, UniCCC represents a significant advancement in UCSs, with promising implications for global CI practices and research, paving the way for new avenues in CI performance, innovation, and sustainability. It demonstrated efficiency in various CI aspects, including risk reduction, automation, and sustainability enhancement. As evidence of its performance, using UniCCC for scheduling might decrease up to 58.17%, 66.85%, and 31.74% of the related time, request for information, and omissions, respectively. The study suggests future research perspectives to explore UniCCC's applicability in different regions, its integration with emerging technologies, its proficiency metrics for different purposes, and strategies for organizational implementation.

Criminalising survivors of modern slavery: the United Kingdom’s National Referral Mechanism as a border-making process

Abstract The United Kingdom’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a framework for identifying potential victims of modern slavery (slavery, servitude, forced labour or human trafficking) and ensuring that they receive adequate care. This research explores differences in referrals and outcomes of potential modern slavery victims within the NRM on the basis of individual attributes, geography and first responder. Findings are based on exploratory analysis of data on 55,000 cases released by the Home Office in spring 2022 plus data from four Freedom of Information requests. Findings confirm that there are significant differences in rates of positive outcomes between native and immigrant groups, with native populations more likely to receive positive conclusive grounds (CG) decisions. Our key contribution is in identification of the role of the first responder in negatively influencing outcomes for victims of particular forms of exploitation. We suggest the differences in outcomes may be explained by the dual role played by first responders within the immigration system in identifying victims and implementing immigration control measures. We situate this finding within a broader critical migration literature on polymorphous borders pointing to the NRM as one mechanism through which bodies are differentially excluded from territorial access and associated rights or benefits.

Person-Centered Care Planning for People Living With or at Risk for Multiple Chronic Conditions

The US has a growing population of people living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), yet the health system is ill designed to meet their needs. Person-centered care planning (PCCP) is an approach to provide comprehensive care that is responsive to the individual to improve health outcomes and increase value. To examine strategies used to provide PCCP for people living with or at risk for MCC, as well as facilitators and barriers to implementation. This qualitative study uses thematic analysis of responses from a Request for Information (RFI) published in the Federal Register soliciting input on PCCP, posted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in 2022. The RFI was available for public comment from September 16, 2022, to November 15, 2022. Responses were analyzed between January 2023 and February 2024. Respondents were individuals and organizations who identify as, provide care for, or seek to improve care for individuals living with or at risk for MCC. Some responses represent multiple individuals. Qualitative themes and subthemes of the RFI responses, developed using thematic analysis through inductive and deductive coding of the open-text responses. There were a total of 58 respondents, including clinicians, researchers, patients, caregivers, and representatives from health care payer, practitioner, health system, advocacy, professional, and supporting nonprofit and industry organizations. Researchers identified 9 themes: (1) suboptimal quality of care; (2) person-centered, goal-concordant care; (3) multidisciplinary team-based care and care coordination; (4) prevention across the life course; (5) digital health solutions; (6) workflow; (7) education and self-management support; (8) payment; and (9) achieving community, health system, and payer goals. In this qualitative study of PCCP for people living with or at risk for MCC, challenges to widescale adoption of PCCP were identified along with strategies to address these challenges, including the alignment of payment, policy support, culture change, adoption of meaningful measures, and the need for evidence on strategies to scale and spread PCCP. Insights gained from this analysis can inform research priorities and implementation efforts to advance PCCP as an integral component of routine care.

Chain community pharmacists’ requests for patient information during routine care

BackgroundTo optimize service provision, community pharmacists need information (e.g., laboratory values and updated medication lists), which can be difficult to obtain. Contacting prescriber offices is a common approach to obtain information but is often ineffective. Health information exchange (HIE) is one potential solution to this problem, and recent survey research has identified the information needs of independent pharmacists that could be addressed through HIE. However, the information needs of chain community pharmacists are unknown. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to characterize the patient information requests made by chain community pharmacists during routine practice. MethodsThis electronic card study captured cross-sectional observational data on patient information requests made by chain pharmacists in central Indiana during routine practice. Only one pharmacist meeting eligibility criteria per pharmacy could submit data. Pharmacists were randomized to a two-week data collection period. In real-time, pharmacists recorded the following: type of information requested, reason for request, information source, whether initial or follow up request, modality of communication, and the time required to make the request. Data analysis occurred via descriptive statistics. The Indiana University Institutional Review Board approved all study procedures. ResultsNineteen of the 33 eligible pharmacists (57.6%) consented to the study. Most participants held a PharmD degree (78.9%) and were the pharmacy manager (89.5%) at their location. Updated medication orders/lists (41.3%) and insurance (33.3%) were the most common type of requested information and was primarily used for prescription clarification/filling (93.4%). The prescriber office (53.6%), as well as the patient/caregiver (39.8%), were the most frequent source of this information. Requests were largely completed by telephone (61.2%) and averaged 6.0 minutes (SD: 4.8). ConclusionCommunity pharmacists require key patient data during routine practice. There is a need to develop mechanisms, like HIE, to address gaps in needed information in the community pharmacy setting, regardless of the offered services.

Designing a Multi-Level Caching Forward Index for Recommendation System Services

This paper introduces a forward index based on microservices, which effectively addresses the issue of forward read amplification in recommendation systems through a multi-layer caching mechanism. This allows the forward service to handle a large number of concurrent requests with limited resources while ensuring service stability and final value rate. The paper provides a detailed description of the forward index's data structure design, traffic penetration calculation, and overall service architecture design, dividing the system into three parts: SDK, proxy service, and storage, corresponding to data query, data processing, and data storage respectively. In the SDK design, three components are employed: Cache Slot, synchronous queue, and timer, supporting synchronous, asynchronous, and flexible request forms. The proxy service design handles heterogeneous data and online computation, supporting batch and asynchronous designs, and provides a dynamic data protocol to adapt to the characteristic needs of different microservices. The storage layer design considers performance, cost, and maintainability, utilizing a Cache &amp; SSD model to cope with high-concurrency scenarios.

Making the case for local strategic coordination? An investigation of fair access protocols and their role in the reintegration of pupils from alternative provision to mainstream school

ABSTRACT Fair access protocols (FAPs) are intended to ensure all schools in a local authority (LA) area take collective responsibility for ensuring pupils struggling to access an in-year school place are quickly admitted to a school. Every LA must have a FAP which, once agreed, can be used to direct schools to admit pupils. This is somewhat against the fragmentation of local education systems seen in the academies agenda. This paper considers the role of FAPs in facilitating inclusive local education systems by exploring the reintegration of students from alternative provision (AP) to mainstream school. The data on which this paper draws were collected as part of an England-wide research project which drew on nationally published datasets, administrative data from freedom of information (FOI) requests, and survey data from 64 professionals working in AP. The extent of FAP use varies widely as do rates of reintegration. Likewise, there is both evidence suggesting that FAPs can play a significant role in facilitating strategic coordination, and that they have limited power/influence to ensure reintegration. These findings suggest that achieving inclusive local practice requires a shift towards an underlying logic of cooperation in the education system.

Evaluating the Crossmatch-to-Transfusion Ratio as a Tool for Analyzing and Optimizing Blood Bank Resource Utilization: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background Blood transfusion services are crucial for modern medical care, particularly for surgical interventions, chronic diseases, pregnancy complications, and malignancies. There is an increasing demand for blood products in India; hence,optimizing resource utilization in blood banks is essential. This study aims toevaluatethe crossmatch-to-transfusion (C/T) ratio as a tool for analyzing and optimizing the utilization of blood bank resources. The C/T ratioof the various clinical departments will also identify inefficiencies in blood ordering practiceand plan corrective actions. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted at the Blood Center of Saveetha Medical College and Research Center. Data were collected over a three-month period from November 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024. Information was collected from crossmatch request forms, crossmatch registers, issue registers, and digital medical records. The study included all crossmatch requests received within the study period. The C/Tratio was calculated department-wise, and the departments with high C/T ratios were identified. Results In the study, 1,861 packed red blood cell (RBC) units were crossmatched, of which 797 units were issued. The overall hospital C/T ratio was 2.33, which indicates excessive blood ordering. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology had the highest C/T ratio of 5.14, followed by Oncology (3.09), Urology (2.9), General Surgery (2.26), and Orthopaedics (2.08). These high ratios showed significant overorderingand underutilization of crossmatched blood units. Conclusion This study revealed that the C/T ratio in the hospital exceeded international standards, especially among surgical departments. This indicates a need for optimizing blood ordering practices to reduce unnecessary crossmatches, minimize wastage, and enhance resource management. Implementing strategies to correct the high C/T ratio and regular auditing can improve blood transfusion services and ensure efficient utilization of blood products.

Increasing engagement with liver disease management across the UK: follow-up cross-sectional survey.

Liver disease is an increasing cause of premature mortality. Early detection of liver disease in primary care gives opportunity to intervene and change outcomes. Engagement in liver disease care by NHS bodies responsible for primary care pathway development could drive improvements. The formation of integrated care systems (ICS) in England provides an opportunity to reassess engagement with liver disease nationally. To update the level of engagement with community chronic liver disease management amongst ICSs and health authorities across the UK. A cross-sectional follow up survey to ICS and UK Health Boards. Questions used for a previous survey in 2020 were adapted and sent electronically to NHS bodies responsible for health care across the UK using a Freedom of Information request. Quantitative analysis used Microsoft Excel. There were 67 responses from 68 possible ICS and Health Board areas representing 99% UK coverage. 27% had a named individual responsible for liver disease. Monitoring of local liver disease health statistics happened in 34% of all UK areas. Comprehensive care pathways were available in 24/67 (36%) of areas, an increase from 26% in the 2020 survey. Areas with no liver pathways in place fell from 58% to 36% between the two surveys. Regional variations persist, with Wales and Scotland moving towards comprehensive coverage. Almost double the number of areas were making use of transient elastography within community pathways of care, up from 25% to 46%. The results of this re-survey highlight improvements, but emphasise the need to build on regional success to further reduce inequality in care commissioning.

Ecosystem accounting as a component of managing Ukraineʼs recovery on the basis of sustainable development

In the context of global and national goals of sustainable development, the data of the traditional accounting system is not enough to assess the benefits that society receives from ecosystems and their services, as well as the analysis of anthropogenic impact on the natural environment. In this regard, the international communityʼs efforts formed the concept of ecosystem accounting, the data of which characterize the importance of ecosystems for national economies and humanity. The article aims to reveal the conceptual foundations, objects and accounts of ecosystem accounting and identify the factors that determine the need for its implementation as an essential component of managing the recovery of Ukraine based on sustainable development. The research is based on the method of analogy and abstract thinking. The research hypothesis – the feasibility of introducing ecosystem accounting in Ukraine – was proven using the methods of analysis and synthesis, induction, deduction and comparison based on the results of previous studies on the assessment of the effectiveness of ecosystem accounting concepts in some countries and information requests from the government, investors and international partners regarding the state of ecosystems in Ukraine in wartime. The article reveals the principles that are the basis for the development of national concepts of ecosystem accounting. The key objects of ecosystem accounting are ecosystems as a set of assets that form natural capital and ecosystem services, i.e. unique public goods. The structure of ecosystem accounts was presented, accumulating the information necessary to measure natureʼs contribution to the economy and human well-being. This approach allows taking into account the many advantages of nature, which are often not valued in the market in the traditional accounting system and, accordingly, are ignored when making economic decisions. The factors determining the need to develop a national concept of ecosystem accounting and its practical implementation as soon as possible have been identified. The flexibility of the ecosystem accounting concept, which consists of the possibility of forming ecosystem accounts according to the specifics of the countryʼs natural capital, taking international principles as a basis, will allow for an objective assessment of the national wealth and ensure its restoration, rational distribution and accumulation.

Children's mental time travel into the future: a functional perspective.

Children's episodic future-thinking is typically assessed using experimental tasks that measure whether children select an item with future utility. Although these tasks-inspired by Tulving's seminal 'spoon test' (Tulving E. 2005 Episodic memory and autonoesis: uniquely human? In The missing link in cognition: origins of self-reflective consciousness [eds HS Terrace, J Metcalfe], pp. 3-56. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. [doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195161564.001.0001])-are passed around age 4, they tell us little about the functional significance of children's episodic future-thinking in their day-to-day lives. We highlight how a naturalistic approach can shed light on this issue, and present a small study where we recruited mothers to report on their children's (N = 12, 3- and 4-year-olds and 6- and 7-year-olds) future-thinking over a 7-day period. We used a thematic analysis to understand why children express future thoughts and derived the following themes: (1) expressing future desires and/or intentions, (2) future-oriented information-seeking, (3) connecting present actions with future outcomes, and (4) predicting future mental/physiological states. We compare these themes with recent accounts of the functional significance of future-thinking in adults and conclude that children largely express their future-thinking verbally to request information or support from their parent-likely because they do not yet possess enough control/autonomy to independently act for their own future. Our findings both complement and extend an experimental approach and further elucidate the functional significance of mental time travel in children. This article is part of the theme issue 'Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research'.

Giving Your Preceptors What They Need: Developing an Innovative Clinical Preceptor Education Program.

Advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) educational programs require students to complete many hours of clinical education to prepare them for their role. This article outlines the process of developing a novel nurse anesthesia preceptor training program that could be implemented by any graduate APRN program. Preceptors' requests for specific information about how to best educate students served as a catalyst to develop a customized preceptor training program tailored to the needs of the program, the preceptors, and students to optimize clinical education and improve quality of care.

The development and evaluation of a fact sheet resource for women managing menopausal-related cognitive complaints.

Cognitive symptoms are frequently reported by women during the menopause transition years. The aim of this research was to codesign and evaluate a fact sheet resource to help women understand and manage cognitive symptoms that may occur during menopause. This study adopted a codesign approach involving women during the menopause transition years as well as professionals to develop and evaluate a fact sheet, with a focus on acceptability and safety. Four phases (discover, define, develop, deliver) were conducted to develop, refine, and evaluate the fact sheet using a mixed-methods approach of focus groups, interviews, and surveys. The discover phase identified a need for online educational resources for women in premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause to learn about menopause-related topics. The define and develop phases, relying on focus group sessions with perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, revealed common themes related to the experience of cognitive symptoms and a desire for management tips to optimize cognitive functioning. Structured interviews with professionals highlighted a desire for more concrete examples of cognitive symptoms. The results of the deliver phase found strong acceptability for the fact sheet, alongside requests for additional information on menopausal hormone therapy from premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women. The study reported a wide range of cognitive symptoms among women during the menopause transition years. This study showed broad agreement on the fact sheet's acceptability and safety in addressing menopausal cognitive symptoms. Feedback on menopausal hormone therapy and management tips underscores the demand for more research on effective interventions.

Navigating the barriers to multi-regional research administrative data access: Forward thinking solutions

In 2021, aware of both the importance of pan-Canadian data access for advancing health research and the conditions and requirements that make administrative data access onerous, HDRN Canada worked with CATCO the Canadian arm of an international COVID-19 clinical trial to create a roadmap for navigating the barriers to multi-regional administrative data access in Canada. While developing the roadmap, data access request processes were studied in real time for a multi-region study seeking access to link administrative data to clinical trial data, at the individual level. The intent was to move beyond anecdotal evidence and document the specific nature of policy and processes that hamper data access. The case study allowed the study team to define the barriers permitting application of tangible mitigating measures. In 2022, barriers such as the lack of ability to share data across provincial borders became too great to continue the study. Although the roadmap was not completed, insights were gained for waypoints along the path enabling HDRN Canada to make important process improvement to harmonize data access across regions. Solutions to challenges with data access request forms, regional data flows, data sharing partner relationships, data sharing agreements, and REB and project reviews were identified. Recently pan-Canadian initiatives have released important guidance for addressing data access challenges. The adoption of this guidance is paramount to ensure Canada continues to meaningfully contribute to health research. Forward thinking solutions to data access challenges today will establish the necessary infrastructure for a future with minimal data access barriers.

SP3.11 - Beyond the microscope – Unravelling the Significance of Colorectal Cancer Histopathology Request Forms

Abstract Accurate histopathology reporting of colorectal cancer resected specimens (CCRS) is crucial for optimal patient care. The adequacy of clinical information provided by surgeons influences the quality of documentation. This audit aims to identify if histopathology request forms for CCRS in our trust meets national standards, as published by The Royal College of Pathologists. A retrospective study encompassing 40 consecutive histopathology request forms following colorectal cancer resections was conducted over 4 months (June to September 2023), where we assessed local adherence to national guidelines. The guidelines address a range of information from the surgical details to the patient’s medical background. Among the 40 request forms, 87.5% (35) were completed by consultants and 12.5% (5) by registrars. The information predominantly included were details on tumour site (98%) and nature of the resection (98%). Details on surgical procedure through a diagram and method of approach, were provided in 45% (18) and 48% (19) of the forms. Conversely, details on the pre-operative stage of tumour and types of therapy given was discerned in less than 25% of the forms. Only 3% (1) included information regarding presence of iatrogenic specimen defect and if specimen included other tissues or organ. Alarmingly, none addressed patient hereditary conditions or presence inflammatory bowel disease. The current histopathology request forms for CCRS lack information to facilitate comprehensive histopathological analysis. Addressing this necessitates raising awareness on national guidelines available. Additionally, a new structured form has been implemented in our trust, with the aim of encouraging surgeons to provide more comprehensive information.