Vendor Information Research Articles

Going digital: a checklist in preparing for hospital-wide electronic medical record implementation and digital transformation.

Objective In an era of rapid digitisation of Australian hospitals, practical guidance is needed in how to successfully implement electronic medical records (EMRs) as both a technical innovation and a major transformative change in clinical care. The aim of the present study was to develop a checklist that clearly and comprehensively defines the steps that best prepare hospitals for EMR implementation and digital transformation. Methods The checklist was developed using a formal methodological framework comprised of: literature reviews of relevant issues; an interactive workshop involving a multidisciplinary group of digital leads from Queensland hospitals; a draft document based on literature and workshop proceedings; and a review and feedback from senior clinical leads. Results The final checklist comprised 19 questions, 13 related to EMR implementation and six to digital transformation. Questions related to the former included organisational considerations (leadership, governance, change leaders, implementation plan), technical considerations (vendor choice, information technology and project management teams, system and hardware alignment with clinician workflows, interoperability with legacy systems) and training (user training, post-go-live contingency plans, roll-out sequence, staff support at point of care). Questions related to digital transformation included cultural considerations (clinically focused vision statement and communication strategy, readiness for change surveys), management of digital disruption syndromes and plans for further improvement in patient care (post-go-live optimisation of digital system, quality and benefit evaluation, ongoing digital innovation). Conclusion This evidence-based, field-tested checklist provides guidance to hospitals planning EMR implementation and separates readiness for EMR from readiness for digital transformation. What is known about the topic? Many hospitals throughout Australia have implemented, or are planning to implement, hospital wide electronic medical records (EMRs) with varying degrees of functionality. Few hospitals have implemented a complete end-to-end digital system with the ability to bring about major transformation in clinical care. Although the many challenges in implementing EMRs have been well documented, they have not been incorporated into an evidence-based, field-tested checklist that can practically assist hospitals in preparing for EMR implementation as both a technical innovation and a vehicle for major digital transformation of care. What does this paper add? This paper outlines a 19-question checklist that was developed using a formal methodological framework comprising literature review of relevant issues, proceedings from an interactive workshop involving a multidisciplinary group of digital leads from hospitals throughout Queensland, including three hospitals undertaking EMR implementation and one hospital with complete end-to-end EMR, and review of a draft checklist by senior clinical leads within a statewide digital healthcare improvement network. The checklist distinguishes between issues pertaining to EMR as a technical innovation and EMR as a vehicle for digital transformation of patient care. What are the implications for practitioners? Successful implementation of a hospital-wide EMR requires senior managers, clinical leads, information technology teams and project management teams to fully address key operational and strategic issues. Using an issues checklist may help prevent any one issue being inadvertently overlooked or underemphasised in the planning and implementation stages, and ensure the EMR is fully adopted and optimally used by clinician users in an ongoing digital transformation of care.

Research on the Functional Design of ERP Based on Independent Axiom

First, clarify the basic concepts of ERP system and axiomatic design, ERP system is the system to combine the needs of customers, the management and business activities of the enterprise itself and vendor information together, axiomatic design has two axioms including independent axiom and information axiom; then in order to achieve effective management of the entire supply chain, use independent axiom of axiomatic design to design the ERP system in the function, and reduce design complexity, companies can fully rely on ERP system to manage enterprise, play the characteristics of ERP system in the strategic decision-making, and improve their core competitiveness.

How to keep your systems records safe

The success of an institution depends on its ability to acquire accurate and timely data about its operations, to manage and use this data effectively. Computer laboratory record management plays a vital role in the organization and maintenance of computers in an institution. In existing system of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro lab assistants are responsible to view the current status and configuration of individual computers in LAN based computer labs. The other and very important problem which lab assistants face is that they don’t know automatically which hardware and software changes are being done on any system. In this paper a Computer Laboratory Record Management System (CLRMS) is proposed to avoid such kind of problems. CLRMS is a network based Software which automatically keeps all the information of system including hardware and software. This software secures the records of system configuration for future information reporting, user management and security management. It also updates system database if any hardware is removed or any software changes occur via automatically retrieval method. CLRMS interfaces are easily understandable hence user friendly. It generates reports for both software and hardware. It shows complete structured configuration of a computer. It will keep records that which type of user was log on the system and what tasks he has performed like installation information of software, updates of software, version and vendor information.

Educating Journalism Students About News Archives: A Global Comparison With Special Focus on Spain and the United States

Journalists and news archivists are natural allies. Journalists require previously published reporting as context for their new stories. Archivists ensure that material is preserved for future retrieval. Local news archives serve as a cultural, legal, economic, and genealogical resource for their communities. Now, the archiving function in news organizations is relegated to information vendors with little input from journalists. Rarely are journalism and archiving coupled in programs that train future professionals. This article explores the current state of journalism and library science education globally and suggests ways to strengthen education in news archiving in these programs.

P139 HLA antibody identification by Luminex single antigen – Interlaboratory comparison

Aim Single antigen bead (SAB) assays are widely used for histocompatibility testing to detect and measure the strength of HLA antibodies. The aim of this study is to compare the SAB data among labs to examine variability in antibody reporting. Methods Labs participating in the UCLA Flow and Virtual Crossmatch Exchange tested sera with a broad range of class I and/or class II specificities. The study collected and analyzed Luminex SAB data reported by participants from 4 sera sent 3 times/year from 2014 to 2016. Data collected included HLA specificities, MFI values, class I/class II cutoffs, vendor information, and lot numbers. The coefficient of variations (%CV) were calculated using the center-specific MFI values to analyze the variability in the reporting of antibody strength among labs. Results Participants tested 36 total samples over 9 Exchanges. Among labs, their positive cutoff values ranged broadly from 300 to 3000 for A, B, DR, and DQB1 loci and 300–15000 for C, DPB1, and DQA1 loci, as good agreement was achieved in detecting antibodies with MFI values >5000. However, in the reporting of antibody strength, there was variability. Table 1 lists the MFI %CV of class I/II loci for peak specificities reported with consensus. (No DQA specificities were included as none reached consensus.) Mean %CV ranged from 25% to 34% over the 9 Exchanges. Generally, in the presence of strong antibodies (MFI > 15000), %CV fell below 25%. As MFI strength decreased, the %CV increased, in some cases to above 60% when MFI values were Conclusions In conclusion, the data shows consistency in the detection of HLA antibodies among labs; however, variability in reporting positive cutoff values and antibody strength exists. Thus, educational activities should continue to provide standards for quality control of antibody testing methods. Download : Download high-res image (603KB) Download : Download full-size image

Product Network Connectivity and Information for Loan Pricing

A theory predicts that loan pricing is less sensitive to public information, such as a credit score provided by a credit information vendor, if the lender obtains more accurate private information about the credit quality of borrowers. We find that loan pricing is less sensitive to public information when a borrower is more connected with other borrowers of the lender through a supply network by using a unique database of inter-firm relationships and bank-firm relationships. This effect is significant statistically and economically after controlling for the bank-firm or inter-firm relationship characteristics and other firm characteristics. This finding provides evidence that banks make use of private information observed from their borrowers’ network in their loan pricing.

New psychoactive substances (NPS) on cryptomarket fora: An exploratory study of characteristics of forum activity between NPS buyers and vendors

BackgroundThe continual diversification of new psychoactive substances (NPS) circumventing legislation creates a public health and law enforcement challenge, and one particularly challenged by availability on Hidden Web cryptomarkets. MethodsThis is the first study of its kind which aimed to explore and characterise cryptomarket forum members’ views and perspectives on NPS vendors and products within the context of Hidden Web community dynamics. An internal site search was conducted on two cryptomarkets popular with NPS vendors and hosting fora; Alphabay and Valhalla, using the search terms of 40 popular NPS in the seven categories of stimulant/cathinone; GABA activating; hallucinogen, dissociative, cannabinoid, opioid and other/unspecified/uncategorised NPS. 852 identified threads relating to the discussion of these NPS were generated. Following exclusion of duplicates, 138 threads remained. The Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method of data analysis was applied. Four themes and 32 categories emerged. Results120 vendors selling NPS were visible on Alphabay, and 21 on Valhalla. Themes were ‘NPS Cryptomarkets and Crypto-community interest in NPS’; ‘Motives for NPS use’; ‘Indigenous Crypto Community Harm Reduction’; and ‘Cryptomarket Characteristics underpinning NPS trafficking’, with two higher levels of abstraction centring on ‘NPS vendor reputation’ and ‘NPS transactioning for personal use’. NPS cryptomarket characteristics centred on generation of trust, honesty and excellent service. Users appeared well informed, with harm reduction and vendor information exchange central to NPS market dynamics. GABA activating substances appeared most popular in terms of buyer interest on cryptomarkets. Interest in sourcing ‘old favorite’ stimulant and dissociative NPS was evident, alongside the sequential and concurrent poly use of NPS, and use of NPS with illicit drugs such as MDMA. ConclusionContinued monitoring of new trends in NPS within Surface Web and cryptomarkets are warranted. A particular focus on the rising market in prescribed benzodiazepine and Z-hypnotic drugs should be included.

USR-VS: a web server for large-scale prospective virtual screening using ultrafast shape recognition techniques.

Ligand-based Virtual Screening (VS) methods aim at identifying molecules with a similar activity profile across phenotypic and macromolecular targets to that of a query molecule used as search template. VS using 3D similarity methods have the advantage of biasing this search toward active molecules with innovative chemical scaffolds, which are highly sought after in drug design to provide novel leads with improved properties over the query molecule (e.g. patentable, of lower toxicity or increased potency). Ultrafast Shape Recognition (USR) has demonstrated excellent performance in the discovery of molecules with previously-unknown phenotypic or target activity, with retrospective studies suggesting that its pharmacophoric extension (USRCAT) should obtain even better hit rates once it is used prospectively. Here we present USR-VS (http://usr.marseille.inserm.fr/), the first web server using these two validated ligand-based 3D methods for large-scale prospective VS. In about 2 s, 93.9 million 3D conformers, expanded from 23.1 million purchasable molecules, are screened and the 100 most similar molecules among them in terms of 3D shape and pharmacophoric properties are shown. USR-VS functionality also provides interactive visualization of the similarity of the query molecule against the hit molecules as well as vendor information to purchase selected hits in order to be experimentally tested.

Recommendations for selecting drug-drug interactions for clinical decision support.

Recommendations for including drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in clinical decision support (CDS) are presented. A conference series was conducted to improve CDS for DDIs. A work group consisting of 20 experts in pharmacology, drug information, and CDS from academia, government agencies, health information vendors, and healthcare organizations was convened to address (1) the process to use for developing and maintaining a standard set of DDIs, (2) the information that should be included in a knowledge base of standard DDIs, (3) whether a list of contraindicated drug pairs can or should be established, and (4) how to more intelligently filter DDI alerts. We recommend a transparent, systematic, and evidence-driven process with graded recommendations by a consensus panel of experts and oversight by a national organization. We outline key DDI information needed to help guide clinician decision-making. We recommend judicious classification of DDIs as contraindicated and more research to identify methods to safely reduce repetitive and less-relevant alerts. An expert panel with a centralized organizer or convener should be established to develop and maintain a standard set of DDIs for CDS in the United States. The process should be evidence driven, transparent, and systematic, with feedback from multiple stakeholders for continuous improvement. The scope of the expert panel's work should be carefully managed to ensure that the process is sustainable. Support for research to improve DDI alerting in the future is also needed. Adoption of these steps may lead to consistent and clinically relevant content for interruptive DDIs, thus reducing alert fatigue and improving patient safety.

Health Information Without Limits: A Print Collection for Consumers in the Heart of the Hospital

ABSTRACTThe Health Information Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center developed a consumer level print collection for patients, family members, and community visitors. Librarians utilized MLA Collection Development and Consumer and Patient Health Information Sections lists, vendor and consumer recommended lists, and Library Journal and other review sources. With input from key administrators for the six Centers of Excellence at the Medical Center, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, 200 titles were selected and reviewed for appropriateness. The print collection is used in-house and regularly checked out by patients, family members, and the hospital community.

The efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy in mite-sensitized subjects with asthma: a meta-analysis.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is widely used in the management of allergic diseases such as allergic asthma. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SCIT in mite-sensitized subjects with asthma. Literature from January 1990 to February 2013 on the efficacy and safety of SCIT for mite-sensitized asthma patients was searched in electronic databases, including the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang, and Vendor Information Pages. Data were extracted from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) according to the selection criteria by 2 investigators independently. The quality of included trials was evaluated according to the Jadad scale standard. A total of 796 subjects from 19 different RCTs were included in this analysis. SCIT significantly reduced the asthma symptom scores (standardized mean difference of -0.94, 95% CI -1.58 to -0.29, P=.004) and the asthma medication scores (standardized mean difference of -1.06, 95% CI -1.70 to -0.42, P=.001) compared with the control group. However, there were no significant differences between subjects receiving SCIT and the control group in lung function (peak expiratory flow, percent-of-predicted FEV1, percent-of-predicted FVC) and specific antibody (allergen-specific immunoglobulin E) levels of blood serum (P>.05). In the studies containing data on safety, the incidences of systemic and local adverse reactions were 9.1% (8/88) and 17.2% (23/134), respectively, in subjects treated with SCIT, and no severe adverse events were reported. Our results suggest that SCIT is helpful in alleviating symptoms and reducing medication used in mite-sensitive asthma subjects, but with no improvement in lung function. The safety of SCIT is acceptable.

Super Natural II--a database of natural products.

Natural products play a significant role in drug discovery and development. Many topological pharmacophore patterns are common between natural products and commercial drugs. A better understanding of the specific physicochemical and structural features of natural products is important for corresponding drug development. Several encyclopedias of natural compounds have been composed, but the information remains scattered or not freely available. The first version of the Supernatural database containing ∼50 000 compounds was published in 2006 to face these challenges. Here we present a new, updated and expanded version of natural product database, Super Natural II (http://bioinformatics.charite.de/supernatural), comprising ∼326 000 molecules. It provides all corresponding 2D structures, the most important structural and physicochemical properties, the predicted toxicity class for ∼170 000 compounds and the vendor information for the vast majority of compounds. The new version allows a template-based search for similar compounds as well as a search for compound names, vendors, specific physical properties or any substructures. Super Natural II also provides information about the pathways associated with synthesis and degradation of the natural products, as well as their mechanism of action with respect to structurally similar drugs and their target proteins.

Volume, value and floristic diversity of Gabon׳s medicinal plant markets

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAfrican medicinal plant markets offer insight into commercially important species, salient health concerns in the region, and possible conservation priorities. Still, little quantitative data is available on the trade in herbal medicine in Central Africa. The aim of this study was to identify the species, volume, and value of medicinal plant products sold on the major domestic markets in Gabon, Central Africa. Materials and methodsWe surveyed 21 herbal market stalls across 14 of the major herbal medicine markets in Gabon, collected vouchers of medicinal plants and documented uses, vernacular names, prices, weight, vendor information and weekly sales. From these quantitative data, we extrapolated volumes and values for the entire herbal medicine market. ResultsWe encountered 263 medicinal plant products corresponding with at least 217 species. Thirteen species were encountered on one-third of the surveyed stalls and 18 species made up almost 50% of the total volume of products available daily, including the fruits of Tetrapleura tetraptera and seeds of Monodora myristica. Although bark comprised the majority of the floristic diversity (22%) and the highest percentage of daily stock (30%), the resin of IUCN red-listed species Aucoumea klaineana represented 20% of the estimated daily volume of the entire herbal market. Plants sold at the market were mainly used for ritual purposes (32%), followed by women׳s health (13%), and childcare (10%). The presence of migrant herbal vendors selling imported species, especially from Benin, was a prominent feature of the Gabonese markets. ConclusionAn estimated volume of 27t of medicinal plant products worth US$ 1.5 million is sold annually on the main Gabonese markets. Aucoumea klaineana and Garcinia kola are highlighted as frequently sold species with conservation priorities. The herbal market in Gabon is slightly higher in species diversity but lower in volume and value than recently surveyed sub-Saharan African markets.

Weibull Decision Support Systems in Maintenance

Abstract Background: The Weibull distribution is one of the most important lifetime distributions in applied statistics. Weibull analysis is the leading method in the world for fitting and analyzing lifetime data. We discuss one of the earliest decision support system for the assessment of a distribution for the parameters of the Weibull reliability model using expert information. We then present a different approach to assess the parameters distribution. Objectives: The studies mentioned in this paper aimed to construct a distribution of the parameters of the Weibull reliability model and apply it in the domain of Maintenance Optimization. Method: The parameters of the Weibull reliability model are considered random variables and a distribution for the parameters is assessed using informed judgment in the form of reliability estimates from vendor information, engineering knowledge or experience in the field. Results: The results are the development of modern maintenance optimization models that can be embodied in decision support systems. Conclusion: While the information management part is important in the building of maintenance optimization decision systems, the accuracy of the mathematical and statistical algorithms determines the level of success of the maintenance solution.

Junk Jaunt Geography: Buying and Selling America’s Cultural Past in Central Nebraska

This project builds on previous material culture research by providing a detailed examination of material diffusion at central Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt. What began in 2003 and is now in its 10th year, the Junk Jaunt annually attracts some 20,000 participants from across the United States and Canada. This article briefly defines material culture and reviews several traditional distribution methods—auctions, the Internet, and garage sales. It also introduces Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt as an example of the growing phenomenon of place-based antiques tourism as communities capitalize on local culture and sense of place. Junk Jaunt organizers provided multiple datasets including participant surveys, guest book registrations, vendor information, and sales of shopper guides. These data illustrate the immense drawing power of Nebraska’s perception as an authentic place, which is reflected in its material culture.

Ethical Selection of Enteral and Infant Formula: Demonstrating Evidence-Based Practice and a Responsible Vendor Relationship

Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are regularly involved with activities requiring decision making with ethical implications. Typical and significant ethical decision-making activities are related to selecting medical food supplements and enteral and infant formula, and choosing the durable medical equipment (DME) vendor that will be providing the formulas in the home. At times and in varying clinical situations, choosing a DME company to provide formula and related supplies and choosing the brand and types of medical food supplements or enteral and infant formulas are decisions delegated to the RDN for recommendation or action. At other times, the RDN may also be involved in an organization's procurement processes for these products and services. Recently, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' active member approached the Academy's Ethics Committee raising the concern that these formula selection and related decisions are made following recommendations from vendor representatives or from RDNs “gut” feelings rather than using an evidence-based practice approach. This clinical decision situation offers a useful example from which to consider evidenced-based practice in ethical decision making and the role of vendor information in these decisions.

Inequality of Opportunity Business among Ethnic Potentially Social Conflict Study in: Traditional Market in Kota Ternate-North Maluku Province

This research aimed to determine differences in individual capacity and social capacity, as well as performance differences Ternate ethnic traders as native and non Ternate traders. There are three variables are categorized as the capacity of individual traders are : experience, scale of business, and marketing strategies. While the variables are categorized as social capacity traders include : variable access to credit traders, suppliers of goods, and access to market information vendors . The population was 1,367 merchant stall owners consisting of : 708 Ternate ethnic traders and 659 non Ternate traders. The number of randomly selected sample of 200 traders consisting of 103 Ternate ethnic traders and 97 non Ternate traders. Data collection method used is survey and interview , and use factor analysis method and the average difference test or t test as an instrument of data analysis. The findings of this research indicate that the average value of the capacity of the individual and social capacity Ternate ethnic traders is negative and positive for non Ternate traders and t-test results showed significant differences in capacity between Ternate ethnic traders and non Ternate traders , except variable experience shows there is no difference significantly between the two groups of traders . The t-test results prove the facts on the ground that the non Ternate traders seemingly more dominant and controlling facilities Ternate traditional markets . This fact also indicates that the jealousy that comes from Ternate ethnic traders as native predicted potential conflict of interest between Ternate ethnic traders and non. Because it is recommended that local government municipalities of Ternate establish mediation agency and information center as a place that bridges the interests of all traders regardless of their ethnic background and religion.

Finding the tool that fits best: cloud based task management for electronic resources

PurposeThe article aims to examine how the University of Maryland, College Park, evaluated two specific task management software packages that could make the pre‐order workflow for electronic resources more transparent to library staff.Design/methodology/approachThe results from an electronic resources gap analysis done at the University of Maryland, College Park, were used as a basis to evaluate and select task management systems.FindingsTwo electronic resource management systems, CORAL and License Manager, were selected. They were evaluated in the areas of task, license and vendor information management.Originality/valueThis paper provides criteria that could be used to evaluate tools that support license management for electronic resources.

Weight Management Information Overload Challenges in 2007 HINTS: Socioeconomic, Health Status and Behaviors Correlates

Online users search the internet to locate necessary information for long-term weight management. However, some become frustrated or feel overwhelmed by the different kinds of weight management information. This phenomenon is known as information overload. The study used 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data to find that overweight people and older adults were more likely to report overweight information overload. Further, lower education levels, poor health conditions, feelings of sadness, health information received from friends, little confidence in their ability to find information, and not using complementary therapies were also significantly associated with information overload. In view of these findings, health care information vendors, policy makers, information specialists, and librarians could provide an effective way to deliver weight management information.

Complementarity between client and vendor IT capabilities: An empirical investigation in IT outsourcing projects

This study investigates the direct and complementarity effects of client and vendor Information Technology (IT) capabilities on the success of IT outsourcing. Concretizing the concepts of client and vendor IT capabilities from the resource-based view, we emphasize the importance of complementarity in IT outsourcing. It was hypothesized that the complementarity between client and vendors IT capabilities adds value to outsourcing success beyond their individual effects. We also hypothesized that the increase rate of complementarity is higher when the IT capability levels of both parties are similar (i.e., either high or low) than when those of both parties differ. The proposed hypotheses were tested by using 267 client–vendor matched data, in which client IT capability was measured by members of vendor firms and vice versa. Results indicate that client and vendor IT capabilities are significant factors in outsourcing success and that the complementarity between client and vendor IT capabilities significantly influences outsourcing success. The increase rate of complementarity is higher when the IT capability levels of both parties are similar than when those of both parties differ. The results help deepen our understanding of the bilateral perspective of outsourcing success and support managers in making better outsourcing decisions in selecting clients and vendors.