Information Technology Team Research Articles

Abstract 25: End User Support for Telemedicine Oncology Care in Sub Saharan Africa

Abstract Purpose: Health Information Technology has hugely improved patient healthcare with fast and simple information access and communication. Telemedicine uses telecommunications technology as a tool to deliver health care to populations with limited access to care. International Cancer Institute (ICI) number one goal is to provide end-to-end solutions for optimization of care on patients' journey in sub-Saharan Africa. Supporting the end-user clearly shows there is a lot going on “under the skin” in healthcare Information technology (IT) to bring information access to life and patients closer to the oncology experts. Methods: In 2020, ICI IT team provided end-user support in bi-weekly multidisciplinary oncology –tumour boards with specialists from Africa and the world. It also provided support in Provider-to-provider tele-consults for patients in 10 partner counties in Kenya. The IT team also provided online support to healthcare providers to access online oncology preceptorships/training and webinars in different aspects of the cancer control continuum. Result: The IT team was able to support over 80 Multidisciplinary tumor boards, ensuring a team-based care approach to delivering care. Provider-to-provider tele-oncology ensured a platform to support interprofessional care and mentorship to non-specialists in remote sites. It has also provided one on one county patient consultations and hence ensured delivery of cancer services in 10 county government clinics & 8 private health facilities. Over 300 patient consults have been completed. Online platforms have ensured healthcare provider training despite COVID 19 restrictions; ICI has successfully trained over 1000 health care providers using eLearning and online platforms. Conclusion IT support has successfully provided assistance to physicians, healthcare providers, and patients with technical & non-technical support demonstrating the potential of delivering specialized oncology consultations and improved access to information in primary care settings with limited resources. Citation Format: Lamech Sigu, Emmah Achieng, Chite Asirwa, Gloria Kitur. End User Support for Telemedicine Oncology Care in Sub Saharan Africa [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 25.

Preface

The International Conference on Ocean and Earth Science (ICOES) was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 18-20 November 2020 as a part of Indonesian Science Expo (ISE), a scientific event held annually by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). Indonesian Science Expo (ISE) was firstly held in 2015. Until this year ISE is consistent in introducing the newest results from the progress of science and technology in Indonesia. It is the first for ICOES to join the ISE in 2020 following the other five scientific conferences: ISMM (International Seminar on Metallurgy and Materials), ISIBio (International Symposium of Innovative Bio-Production Indonesia on Biotechnology and Bioengineering), ICSEAA (International Conference on Sustainable Energy Engineering and Application), ISAC (International Symposium on Applied Chemistry), and ICRAMET (International Conference on Radar, Antenna, Microwave, Electronic, and Telecommunication). ISE 2020 was formally opened by the LIPI Chairman and the Participants of ICOES 2020 were officially welcomed by the Deputy of Earth Science LIPI through an online opening ceremony on the first day of the conference.The International Conference on Ocean and Earth Sciences (ICOES) focuses on ocean and earth science and technology progress. For the ICOES 2020, it has been initiated in order to address several global issues related to human impact on the natural ecosystems including deep ocean, marine, coastal, and inland water ecosystems. Those global issues consist of but are not limited to impact of climate change, impact of marine environmental pollution, impact of natural disaster, and impact of human overexploitation to natural environments. It has become an important and a great challenge for human beings who live on earth but continue to take advantage from the ocean to be able to combat and to solve the problems. Based on this reason, we are confident to hold the conference by targeting all stakeholders including academicians, research scientists, industry, government, non government organization, and local communities to attend the conference. By participating and attending this conference, it will be increasing our knowledge on the importance of ocean and earth science for better human life with nature.However, due to COVID19 Pandemic, the Conference was held through a virtual ZOOM meeting under collaboration between ICOES Organizing Committee and the Information Technology Team of LIPI as the host. The Conference consisted of three sub-conference: Ocean Science, Limnology, and GeoScience and was conducted within 3 days of parallel sub-conferences. Each sub-conference has its own sub-committee, sub-program, and staff of IT as co-host for better coordination and management of the ICOES 2020 event.The Participants of ICOES 2020 consist of Keynote Speakers, Invited Speakers, Paper Presenters, and General Participants who registered through an online system (www.situs.opi.lipi.go.id/icoes2020). About 110 Speakers and Presenters were registered in the ICOES 2020 including 6 Keynote Speakers (4 Ocean Science; 1 Limnology; 1 GeoScience), 36 Invited Speakers (25 Ocean Science; 8 Limnology; 3 GeoScience), and 68 Paper Presenters. Since 1 Keynote and 11 Invited Speakers were also able to submit a paper to the Committee, the total number of papers submitted to ICOES 2020 was finally 80 papers. Therefore, from the 110 registered Speakers and Presenters of ICOES 2020, 80 among them were doing paper submission which consisted of 20, 22, and 38 papers for Ocean Science, Limnology, and GeoScience, respectively. In addition, there are 12 General Participants registered in the ICOES 2020, consisting of 8 Ocean Science and 4 Limnology.Discussion including question and answer (Q/A) sessions were available not only after the Keynote Speakers and Invited Speakers sessions, but also after the Paper Presenters session. A 10 to 15 minutes was allocated for the online registered participants who attended the online conference to join the Q/A session. It was running well as could be seen in the photo documentation. The Q/A sessions of ICOES 2020 was also conducted indirectly through a chat feature available in the virtual ZOOM meeting program. For the success of delivery of the conference, the ICOES 2020 live streaming also available through the Youtube channel with specific link for each day of each sub-conferences as follow:List of Photo Documentation of the ICOES 2020, Editorial Boards, Committee of ISE ICOES 2020 are available in the pdf

An architecture as a code framework to manage documentation of IT projects

Purpose In the present article, the authors tackle the problem of IT documentation, which plays an important role in information technology (IT) project management. Design/methodology/approach They provide a simple tool based on five complementary views, which should be detailed by the project team using a classic source code management platform. Findings The proposed tool is open source and may be reused by any IT team in various project contexts and heterogeneous development methods. Originality/value This research provides an operational framework, which facilitates IT project management and documentation. The framework is open source and may be easily downloaded by any other IT team.

Quality improvement report: setting up a hospital at night service, limitations of bleep filtering and using an electronic task management system

The ‘hospital at night’ concept was developed at a joint conference of the London Deanery and Clinical Staff in 2002, as an issue for education and service provision. At the...

Improving Teen Girls' Skills for Using Electronic Health Information.

Background:In a world increasingly dependent on the Internet for information, it is not surprising that people use the internet to find answers to their health-related questions. Research has shown that teen girls are more likely to search for health information online than boys, but that they do not feel confident in using the information they find.Objective:To address this disparity, teen girls were engaged in the process of developing a teen-friendly, internet-based tool that explains the best way to find, evaluate, and use online health information.Methods:Focus groups were held with girls and their parents to inform the design of the tool. After collaborating with information technology, marketing, and video production teams, a tool was developed consisting of a webpage, videos, and an interactive game. The efficacy and acceptability of the tool were tested among our target demographic through a usability trial.Key Results:Parent and teen focus groups informed the three-step design of the tool. Teen girls reported significantly higher levels of eHealth literacy after using the tool. Dissemination of the tool through a national targeted ad campaign generated web traffic to the tool.Conclusions:An internet-based training tool has been shown to improve teen girls' eHealth literacy. Findings from this developmental study can be used to inform efforts to improve eHealth literacy in adolescent girls. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2021;5(1):e26–e34.]Plain Language Summary:This research study used teen and parent input to help design an internet-based training tool to teach teen girls the best way to use the internet to find health information. Teen girls' ability to find, understand, and evaluate online health information significantly improved after using the tool. The tool was advertised throughout the United States on various social media platforms.

A Practical Guide for Navigating the Design, Build, and Clinical Integration of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Radiation Oncology Department

The development and integration of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) into the radiation oncology clinic workflow provide novel opportunities, accompanied by unique design considerations and implementation challenges. The processes required for implementation of ePROs are entirely distinct from standard paper-based surveys, with the majority of time devoted to conception and design before initiating questionnaire build, detailed workflow process mapping including development of new workflows, comprehensive communication of the vision between providers and the information technology team, and quality assurance. Based on our experience with implementation of ePROs in our radiation oncology department, we developed a stepwise framework for approaching ePRO conceptual design, build, workflow integration, and the electronic health record interface. Here, we provide a guide for the numerous considerations, decision points, and solutions associated with the implementation of ePROs in the radiation oncology department setting. Although various ePRO tools and electronic health record capabilities impose different requirements, opportunities, and limitations, the conceptual processes and many of the electronic build considerations are broadly applicable.

Keep IT Together

Prior research shows that project managers tend to avoid following the optimal work plan, and that this tendency is negatively influenced by the perceived complexity of the Gantt chart. This research introduces a central factor moderating this effect: the level of communication effort required by PMs (project managers) when managing IT (information technology) team members. To test this prediction, the researchers followed an experimental approach and manipulated the level of communication effort by defining two group types, which differed in the number of team members and the geographical distance between them (together or not). Research results show that the complexity level of the Gantt chart negatively affects PMs' motivation to adopt an optimal work plan, and importantly, findings suggest that the group type (together or not) attenuates this effect. Research findings also offer practical implications for managers seeking to influence PM's behavior and attenuate the negative impact of Gantt chart complexity without changing other aspects of the work plan.

The role of structural empowerment in predicting computer use among Jordanian nurses: A cross-sectional study.

The study aimed to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and attitudes towards computer use among nurses. Empowering organizational structure is a significant factor affecting employees' attitudes and behaviours towards using organizational resources. Health information technologies were proven to improve health care quality. No previous studies examined the relationship between structural empowerment and attitudes towards computer use. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 200 Jordanian nurses. Descriptive statistics, Pearson r correlation and linear regression analyses were used to address the research aim. Structural empowerment was significantly and positively associated with attitudes towards computer use. Dimensions in structural empowerment that predict positive attitude towards computer use were access to opportunity (β=0.382, p=.000), formal power (β=-0.252, p=.006) and informal power (β=0.176, p=.046). Strengthening access to empowerment structures is essential to increase nurses' work efficiency. Improving empowering structures can be achieved by enhancing opportunities to increase professional knowledge and skills towards computerization. Nurse managers should promote work conditions that motivate nurses towards positive recognition of innovation through efficient collaborations with the information technology teams.

Leveraging Interdisciplinary Teams to Develop and Implement Secure Websites for Behavioral Research: Applied Tutorial.

Behavioral researchers are increasingly using interactive digital platforms, either as standalone or supplementary intervention tools, to facilitate positive changes in research participants’ health habits. Research-oriented interactive websites optimally offer a variety of participatory mediums, such as blogs, user-driven content, or health activities. Owing to the multidirectional features of interactive websites, and a corresponding need to protect research participants’ identity and data, it is paramount that researchers design ethical platforms that ensure privacy and minimize loss of anonymity and confidentiality. Authentication (ie, digital verification of one’s identity) of interactive sites is one viable solution to these concerns. Although previous publications have addressed ethical requirements related to authenticated platforms, few applied guidelines in the literature facilitate adherence to ethical principles and legally compliant study protocols during all phases of research website creation (feasibility, design, implementation, and maintenance). Notably, to remain compliant with ethical standards and study protocols, behavioral researchers must collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that the authenticated site remains secure and usable in all stages of the project. In this tutorial, we present a case study conducted at a large research university. Through iterative and practical recommendations, we detail lessons learned from collaborations with the Institutional Review Board, legal experts, and information technology teams. Although the intricacies of our applied tutorial may require adaptations based on each institution’s technological capacity, we are confident that the core takeaways are universal and thus useful to behavioral researchers creating ethically responsible and compliant interactive websites.

Individual perceptions of shared mental models of information and communication technology (ICT) and virtual team coordination and performance—The moderating role of flexibility in ICT use.

Individual perceptions of shared mental models of information and communication technology (ICT) and virtual team coordination and performance—The moderating role of flexibility in ICT use.

Green University Using Cloud Based Internet of Things Model for Energy Saving

The research was conducted to study and develop a Green University using Cloud based Internet of Things model for energy saving. The aims of this study were 1) to study and design 2) to evaluate a model of Green University using Cloud based Internet of Things for energy saving. There are two phases of the research method. The first phase included the model design: 1) to study, analyze, and synthesize the contents, 2) to develop a process model of Green University using Cloud based Internet of Things, 3) to present the constructed model, and 4) to conclude the results. The second phase is referred to an evaluation of the model. Nine experts from Green University’s Electrical, Information Technology, and university management team were included in the research as sample group. Then, the data were analyzed by standard deviations and means. The model development process has 3 components that include 10 procedures. This model helps to energy saving. As the overall model was shown at a very good level, the experts agreed.

Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.

Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.

Leveraging Remote Research Associates During a Pandemic.

IntroductionThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seriously impacted clinical research operations in academic medical centers due to social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a program to continue clinical research based out of an emergency department (ED) using remote research associates (RA).MethodsRemote RAs were trained and granted remote access to the electronic health record (EHR) by the health system’s core information technology team. Upon gaining access, remote RAs used a dual-authentication process to gain access to a host-based, firewall-protected virtual network where the EHR could be accessed to continue screening and enrollment for ongoing studies. Study training for screening and enrollment was also provided to ensure study continuity.ResultsWith constant support and guidance available to establish this EHR access pathway, the remote RAs were able to gain access relatively independently and without major technical troubleshooting. Each remote RA was granted access and trained on studies within one week and self-reported a high degree of program satisfaction, EHR access ease, and study protocol comfort through informal evaluation surveys.ConclusionsIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we virtualized a clinical research program to continue important ED-based studies.

Factors determining the adherence to antimicrobial guidelines and the adoption of computerised decision support systems by physicians: A qualitative study in three European hospitals

Background and ObjectivesAntimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs aim to optimize antibiotic use and reduce inappropriate prescriptions through a panel of interventions. The implementation of clinical guidelines is a core strategy of AMS programs. Nevertheless, their dissemination and application remain low. Computerised decision support systems (CDSSs) offer new opportunities for semi-automated dissemination of guidelines. This qualitative study aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the determinants of adherence to antimicrobial prescribing guidelines and CDSSs adoption and is part of a larger project, the COMPASS trial, which aims to assess a CDSS for antimicrobial prescription. The final objective of this qualitative study is to 1) provide insights from end-users to assist in the design of the COMPASS CDSS, and to 2) help with the interpretation of the quantitative findings of the randomised controlled trial assessing the COMPASS CDSS, once data will be analysed. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured individual interviews among in-hospital physicians in two hospitals in Switzerland and one hospital in France. Physicians were recruited by convenience sampling and snowballing until data saturation was achieved. ResultsTwenty-nine physicians were interviewed. We identified three themes related to the potential barriers to guideline adherence: 1) insufficient clarity, accessibility and applicability of guidelines, 2) need of critical thinking skills to adhere to guidelines and 3) impact of the team prescribing process and peers on physicians in training. As to the perception of CDSSs, we identified four themes that could affect their adoption: 1) CDSSs are perceived as time-consuming, 2) CDSSs could reduce physicians’ critical thinking and professional autonomy and raise new medico-legal issues, 3) effective CDSSs would require specific features, such as ease of use and speed, which affect usability and 4) CDSSs could improve physicians’ adherence to guidelines and patient care. DiscussionCDSSs have the potential to overcome several barriers for adherence to guidelines by improving accessibility and providing individualised recommendations backed by patient data. When designing CDSSs, mixed clinical and information technology teams should focus on user-friendliness, ergonomics, workflow integration and transparency of the decision-making process.

The Extent of Academic Spam Within Academic Medicine

Researchers and physicians often receive academic invitations that are unsolicited, from unknown senders, and do not relate to their field of study. This study aims to determine the prevalence and impact of academic spam amongst physicians in a Canadian academic center. Staff and residents were voluntarily recruited for this study through email invitation. The participants were asked daily to direct all emails considered to be academic spam to the research team for the duration of 1 week. The criteria for spam includes invitations for academic activities that are unsolicited; AND do not pertain to the recipient’s area of work/research; OR that are from illegitimate sources. These emails were accepted or rejected for the study based on this criteria. These submissions were then analyzed for type, congruence, cost, repetition, and suppressibility. A total of 549 emails not intercepted by the institutional spam filter from 15 participants were forwarded to the research team, accounting for 70 total days. The average number of spam emails received per week was 59, ranging from 1 to 30 emails per day with a daily mean of 7 to 8 emails. Out of 538 submissions deemed to be spam, 46.3% were notifications from journals, 21.8% were invitations to conferences, 7.8% were invitations to serve on an editorial board, 9.7% were newsletter alerts, 5.9% were invitations for webinars/courses, 5.4% were paid products/services, and 3.5% were other academic invitations or requests. The majority of academic spam originated from open access publications. A total of 12.8% of spam emails referenced a fee, largely related to processing costs for publications, ranging from “waived” to “GBP $650.” Only 13% of the spam collected remotely mirrored the participants’ academic interests. Data obtained from the institution’s information technology team indicated that 75% of all incoming emails are blocked, illustrating that the true burden of academic spam may be up to four-fold greater than study results show. Academic spam invitations are common and time consuming, often duplicates, and of little relevance to the recipient. The volume and regularity of academic spam may result in legitimate requests being ignored or missed.

Lasting lessons learnt in the radiology department from the battle with COVID-19

Lasting lessons learnt in the radiology department from the battle with COVID-19

Point-of-Care Testing

The point-of-care testing (POCT) department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi sets out to transform the organization and management of its training and competency renewal program. Managing competencies in any large hospital is challenging for all POCT coordinators. Initially, a paper-based system was created, which was cumbersome and error prone, which led to many clerical and logistical challenges. As the scope of the program grew, this approach became more difficult to govern. In an effort to streamline the process, the department embarked on several continuous improvement projects to address this pressing issue. In collaboration with the laboratory information technology and hospital learning specialist teams, the POCT department has successfully streamlined and standardized its competency approach, migrating to learning management system platform. Although limitations in devices and middleware systems for POCT remain challenging, using the resources and expertise available has led to significant improvements and efficiencies. The transition has been educational and hugely beneficial to the laboratory and the hospital. Further enhancements have been identified and more improvements are planned in the future.

Distributed software development in agile projects: a model for the promotion of social interactions

Agile methods address the challenge of an unpredictable world, relying on people and their creativity, flexible team self-organization with incentives for participation, social cooperation and less formalization being increasingly used in larger projects. The issues related to communication, trust, coordination, and social interactions among project stakeholders impact Information Technology team dynamics. This article investigates what the constructs are that lead to the promotion of social interaction in DSD environments. We conducted this qualitative and exploratory research using an interpretative approach to interview 35 project professionals. This paper contributes to the theory by delivering a model for the promotion of social interactions in distributed agile projects. We introduced the interaction coordination variable that emerged from the field, aiming to encourage and direct relationships between team members so that they are aligned with the mutual benefits of the project. These benefits include improving communication, knowledge sharing, and a sense of responsibility for the product. The study also draws the attention of practitioners to the promotion of social interactions in agile DSD environments.

Technical Debt and Firm Performance

Technical debt refers to the design, development, and implementation shortcuts taken by firms when deploying accounting information systems. Prior system-level studies have shown that such shortcuts decrease the reliability of systems and increase the long-term system maintenance obligations. On the one hand, technical debt may cause system disruptions that impair firm-level performance. On the other hand, incurring technical debt may aid firms to expedite their systems deployment and to implement idiosyncratic functionalities that may enhance performance. In this firm-level study, we examine the economic implications of technical debt accumulated by 26 firms in their customer relationship management (CRM) systems over an 11-year period. We find that firms operating in industries with higher “clockspeed” and higher competitive threats tend to accumulate more technical debt. After controlling for industry- and firm-level factors, our analysis reveals that technical debt embedded in the CRM systems negatively impacts firms’ performances, measured as gross profit scaled by beginning-of-year total assets (GROA). We estimate that a 10% increase in technical debt reduces GROA by 16% on average. The negative impact of technical debt on GROA increases over the lifecycle of the systems, which significantly reduces the long-term business value of those systems. Highly experienced information technology teams and the presence of a chief information officer in a firm’s top management team, however, serve to mitigate, at least partially, the negative impact of technical debt. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on the business value and governance of accounting information systems and performance evaluation. This paper was accepted by Shiva Rajgopal, accounting.

Abstract TP291: Developing an Electronic Medical Record Based Data Abstraction Tool to Allow for Real Time Clinical Quality Review in Stroke Patients

Background: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) participates in American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines® - Stroke (GWTG) registry to help drive quality improvement. As the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in Iowa, UIHC discharges many stroke patients and experiences exponential stroke patient growth each year. Due to ever-growing patient volumes and limited staff resources, UIHC identified a need to be able to abstract more quickly and efficiently to assess patient level clinical quality and adherence to evidence-based stroke guidelines. Purpose: UIHC engaged their Information Technology (IT) Department to assist in developing a process to expedite the process and reduce the workload associated with collecting stroke data for quality improvement, with the aim of collecting data as close as possible to the episode of care. Methods: UIHC pioneered the connection between GWTG - Stroke and Epic, their electronic medical record, via a re-abstraction tool embedded in Epic. The IT team worked closely with the stroke coordinator and quality improvement team to identify efficient workflows and time saving strategies. Gaps in discrete data collection were identified and collaboration between interdisciplinary care teams commenced to standardize processes for improved charting. Results: Historically, a self-reported average of 30 minutes was spent on each patient chart in GWTG. As of August 2019, that time declined to an average of 10 minutes per chart, representing a 66% reduction in manual labor required. Prior to project implantation, lag time from patient discharge to data abstraction averaged 4 weeks. After implementing the tool, quality data is abstracted and chart review to compare the stroke care episode against current guidelines occurs while the patient is still an inpatient. Conclusions: Investing in and fostering collaboration between IT, stroke, and quality departments at UIHC led to substantial, sustainable reduction in manual work required to collect stroke quality data. Hospitals should explore their ability to create an EMR based re-abstraction tool to not only save time but improve the quality and timeliness of data collection.