Interoperability Capabilities Research Articles

Navigating the Interoperability Landscape of Electronic Medical Record Systems in Developing Countries: A Narrative Literature Review

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have transformed healthcare by digitizing patient data, improving access to information, and reducing medical errors. However, the lack of interoperability between different EMR systems remains a significant challenge. This paper employs a narrative review approach to examine Electronic Medical Record systems in Developing countries with a focus on their interoperability capabilities as well as the opportunities and challenges they encounter. The findings indicate that developing countries have shown varying levels of success in implementing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and ensuring interoperability. While some nations have made significant strides through national frameworks and standardized systems, others face challenges due to fragmented systems, inadequate policies, and limited infrastructure. To achieve full interoperability and improve healthcare outcomes, these countries need to develop and implement robust policies, adopt standards, invest in technology, and foster national coordination.

OBO Foundry food ontology interconnectivity

Since its creation in 2016, the FoodOn food ontology has become an interconnected partner in various academic and government projects that span agricultural and public health domains. This paper examines recent data interoperability capabilities arising from food-related ontologies belonging to, or compatible with, the encyclopedic Open Biological and Biomedical Ontology Foundry (OBO) ontology platform, and how research organizations and industry might utilize them for their own projects or for data exchange. Projects are seeking standardized vocabulary across many food supply activities ranging from agricultural production, harvesting, preparation, food processing, marketing, distribution and consumption, as well as more indirect health, economic, food security and sustainability analysis and reporting tools. To satisfy this demand for controlled vocabulary requires establishing domain specific ontologies whose curators coordinate closely to produce recommended patterns for food system vocabulary.

Effectiveness of 4D/5D Scheduling in Planning for Delay Reduction in Construction Projects

Construction projects globally are frequently plagued by chronic issues such as delays and cost overruns. This study examined the feasibility of incorporating 4D (3D + time) and 5D (3D + time + cost) scheduling methodologies in construction planning with the aim of enhancing project efficiency. This study conducted an examination of the advantages associated with increased visualisation, improved task sequencing, proactive delay detection, optimised resource allocation, and integrated cost control while utilising 4D/5D building information modelling (BIM). The implementation of 4D/5D techniques has resulted in reductions in delays ranging from 15% to 50%, as evidenced by global case studies. The present study employed a cost-benefit analysis framework to assess hypothetical projects, aiming to quantify possible savings in terms of time and money. The findings reveal a decrease of 190 days and 22.4 million PKR, respectively, in these two dimensions. The adoption of 4D/5D BIM resulted in a notable increase in stakeholder satisfaction, with ratings improving from 2.6 to 4.2 out of 5. The study's findings indicate that, despite encountering several challenges, the use of 4D/5D scheduling in the Pakistani construction sector yields notable improvements in efficiency and benefits for stakeholders. The recommendations encompass the development of standardised data, software with interoperability capabilities, training programs, and collaborative initiatives within the industry. These measures are crucial for the successful implementation of 4D/5D Building Information Modelling (BIM). Additional investigation might examine the long-term return on investment, the use of these techniques in infrastructure projects, and comparison assessments with traditional methods.

NATO in the Global Commons: Defending Outer Space Against Threats from China

In this article, we analyse the deterrence relationship between NATO and China in the space domain. As the alliance's newest operational domain, NATO remains heavily dependent upon its nation states’ space assets. At the same time, China is developing advanced counterspace capabilities designed to exploit this dependency by holding NATO members’ space assets at risk. We argue that NATO deterrence in the space domain is hampered by internal reliance on US patronage in space. This is evident in the lack of intra-alliance burden sharing in space, as well as the lack of clear transatlantic unity in how to approach space at a strategic level. We propose steps to strengthen NATO deterrence in space vis-à-vis China. Particularly, increased burden sharing in space through inter-operable capabilities and strategic coherency between Europe and North America on defence in the space domain would bolster both capability and resolve for NATO's deterrent in space.

Retina image assessment for microstructural difference detection

The dissimilarities in appearance of the iris texture patters can improve the individual’s recognition and can strength the capabilities of multibiometrics systems. There is an important within-person variation or intraclass variation that produces different patters such as the geometry or iris pigmentation details that change over time or could be different when the right iris and left iris are analyzed. Moreover, the sensing environment such as ambient lighting variations, eye rotation due to the head tilt or inconsistent iris size due to the distance from the camera can also introduce within-person variation. In this paper, we apply the fuzzy edges detection, in a comparative fashion between right iris and left iris, to find the interoperability capability of a particular biometric trait determined primarily by genotype. In other words, we investigated the degree of variation of the irises of the same person. The structural similarity index measure (SSIM) is implemented to investigate the structural similarity between two iris codes. Prior to the similarity analysis, the segmented iris (i.e., annular area between pupil and sclera) is the edges detection based on the fuzzy edge is performed. This operation allows comparisons between the right iris and left iris without any influence of the stretch or dilation of the pupil induced by different illumination conditions. Also, we can estimate if the left and right irises belong to the same or to different individuals. The proposed approach is tested on the MMU1 Iris Database (with 225 images of the left eye and 225 images of the right eye). An average SSIM value of 0.9216, indicates that proposed iris biometrics model effectively differentiates between left and right eyes of the same person. Also, this result indicates that there is recognizable similarity between left and right irises. These results could be useful for certain applications devoted to detect anomalies in the human irises that could be associated to various diseases.

An Ontology-based Engineering system to support aircraft manufacturing system design

During the conceptual design phase of an aircraft manufacturing system, different industrial scenarios need to be evaluated against performance indicators in a collaborative engineering process. Domain experts’ knowledge and the motivations for decision-making is a crucial asset for enterprises which is challenging to be captured and capitalised. Ontology-based Engineering (OBE) systems emerge as a new generation of Knowledge-based Engineering techniques with advancements of ontology engineering methods and computer science technologies. Ontologies enable to capture both explicit and implicit domain knowledge from historical records and domain experts. These Ontology-based Engineering systems can stand highly complex collaborative design processes involving multidisciplinary stakeholders and various digital tools. This paper proposes a tradespace framework with Ontology-based Engineering features included on top of existing Model-Based System Engineering and interoperability capabilities. These additional Ontology-based Engineering features reuse formalised knowledge via knowledge graph technologies and generative algorithms, changing the cognitive process from the designer, to an automatic process which generates design alternatives for the designer. The tradespace framework is demonstrated in a case study to design the aircraft fuselage orbital joint process, helping the designer to take better strategic decisions at conceptual phase and proving to be an advantageous paradigm for the design process.

Do You Need a Distributed Ledger Technology Interoperability Solution?

Entrepreneurs, enterprises, and governments are using distributed ledger technology (DLT) as a component of complex information systems, and therefore interoperability capabilities are required. Interoperating DLTs enable network effects and synergies, and similarly to the rise of the Internet, it unlocks the full potential of the technology. However, due to the novelty of the area, interoperability mechanisms (IMs) are still not well understood, as interoperability is studied in silos. Consequently, choosing the proper IM for a use case is challenging. Our article has three contributions: first, we systematically study the research area of DLT interoperability by dissecting and analyzing previous work. We study the logical separation of interoperability layers, how a DLT can connect to others (connection mode), the object of interoperation (interoperation mode), and propose a new categorization for IMs. Second, we propose the first interoperability assessment for DLTs that systematically evaluates the interoperability degree of an IM. This framework allows comparing the potentiality, compatibility, and performance among solutions. Finally, we propose two decision models to assist in choosing an IM, considering different requirements. The first decision model assists in choosing the infrastructure of an IM, while the second decision model assists in choosing its functionality.

Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities for Interoperability: Findings From Key Informant Interviews With Stakeholders in Ohio.

Interoperability-the exchange and integration of data across the health care system-remains a challenge despite ongoing policy efforts aimed at promoting interoperability. This study aimed to identify current challenges and opportunities to advancing interoperability across stakeholders. Primary data were collected through qualitative, semistructured interviews with stakeholders (n=24) in Ohio from July to October 2021. Interviewees were sampled using a stratified purposive sample of key informants from 4 representative groups as follows: acute care and children's hospital leaders, primary care providers, behavioral health providers, and regional health information exchange networks. Interviews focused on key informant perspectives on electronic health record implementation, the alignment of public policy with organizational strategy, interoperability implementation challenges, and opportunities for health information technology. The interviews were transcribed verbatim followed by rigorous qualitative analysis using directed content analysis. The findings illuminate themes related to challenges and opportunities for interoperability that align with technological (ie, implementation challenges, mismatches in interoperability capabilities across stakeholders, and opportunities to leverage new technology and integrate social determinants of health data), organizational (ie, facilitators of interoperability and strategic alignment of participation in value-based payment programs with interoperability), and environmental (ie, policy) domains. Interoperability, although technically feasible for most providers, remains challenging for technological, organizational, and environmental reasons. Our findings suggest that the incorporation of end user considerations into health information technology development, implementation, policy, and standard deployment may support interoperability advancement.

The Role of Knowledge Extraction from Big Data for Enhancing Healthcare Services

All knowledge management methods and activities are meaningless unless knowledge is generated for effective various applications. Based on this fact, the aim of this article is to shed the light on the function of knowledge extraction from big data in improving healthcare services. The research derives various results after conducting this survey and examining several studies based on the descriptive analytical approach that is based on examining several scholarly papers from 2011 to 2022. The main achieved results revealed that most key benefits of using big data in healthcare include traceability, analytical capability, speeds to decisions capability, predictive analytics capability, interoperability capability, quicker clinical research progress, a more personalized approach to patient care, and earlier illness identification. On the other hand, high dimensionality, inconsistency, sparseness, distortion, and bias are some characteristics of healthcare big data that make their management and processing difficult. In addition, barriers to adopting big data technology include skepticism about its benefits, the necessity for a substantial initial investment, and difficulty reengineering healthcare systems and gaining approval for disruptive technologies. Finally concluded, it was shown that knowledge extraction from big data had altered healthcare practice and revolutionized the link between sickness and health.

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS? A REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES

Information technology utilization in the health sector is increasingly widespread. One aspect that cannot be separated from the intervention of information technology is medical records management through electronic medical records implementation. The number of healthcare facilities that implement electronic medical records is increasing. However, it is important to understand the various barriers that may be encountered in the electronic medical records implementation so that the success rate of implementation will be higher. This study aims to identify the current state of knowledge about electronic medical records implementation barriers. A literature review was conducted using three databases, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar using "electronic medical records'' and "implementation barriers" as keywords. There were 13 articles used in this study. There are 8 categories of barriers to the implementation of electronic medical records which consist of technical concerns, initial and maintenance costs, security concerns, lack of technical support, user resistance, system interoperability capability, lack of infrastructures, and productivity concerns.

From catch to plate

From catch to plate

Establishment of Kogabwilhan in Supporting the Defense Area’s Resilience

In the past, defense in warfare was carried out conventionally by using weapons. Now the defense system has shifted to modern types of warfare, either through culture, diplomacy, technology, and ideology. Kogabwilhan as a unit directly under the President’s command. The TNI’s Kogabwilhan is a representation of the concept of TNI's interoperability capability which is currently a priority policy for TNI Commanders. Kogabwilhan was established as an effort of the TNI to carry out the strengthening of resilience and deterrence against various potential threats, both from outside and within the country. The presence of the Kogabwilhan is a form of TNI's preparedness in handling the crisis. The development of defense areas is directed at maintaining the natural potential and social conditions that exist in the territory of Indonesia. Kogabwilhan is here to coordinate with various parties to maintain all aspects, both disaster mitigation, regional development, welfare, and regional defense. The government determined the domicile of MaKogabwilhan II in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan Province. The determination must have taken into account some aspects of the current command, control, strategy, and infrastructure. Thus, the formation of the Kogabwilhan has a strategic role in maintaining the sovereignty of the Indonesian state. The formation of the Kogabwilhan was carried out as one of the steps taken by the TNI to strengthen Its deterrence against various potential threats from outside and within the country. However, there are three things that have an impact on the resilience of the defense area as a result of the formation of Kogabwilhan II in Balikpapan. First, the military managerial role. The improvement of military managerial capabilities must be based on good planning, organization, implementation arrangements, and supervision, so that they can be controlled optimally. Second, the role of legal policy. Kogabwilhan must be able to enforce the law, both on land, sea, and air. Third, the role of diplomacy. The establishment of Kogabwilhan could reduce existing conflicts, so diplomacy skills are very important to have. Therefore, the development of defense and security in strategic areas is currently increasingly complex and escalating in various parts of the world.

The Kokkos EcoSystem: Comprehensive Performance Portability for High Performance Computing

State-of-the-art engineering and science codes have grown in complexity dramatically over the last two decades. Application teams have adopted more sophisticated development strategies, leveraging third party libraries, deploying comprehensive testing, and using advanced debugging and profiling tools. In today’s environment of diverse hardware platforms, these applications also desire performance portability—avoiding the need to duplicate work for various platforms. The Kokkos EcoSystem provides that portable software stack. Based on the Kokkos Core Programming Model, the EcoSystem provides math libraries, interoperability capabilities with Python and Fortran, and Tools for analyzing, debugging, and optimizing applications. In this article, we overview the components, discuss some specific use cases, and highlight how codesigning these components enables a more developer friendly experience.

Smart Building Integration into a Smart City: Comparative Study of Real Estate Development

Smart buildings and smart cities are not the future perspectives anymore—the smart building integration into a smart city is an actual question for today and tomorrow. Development of smart buildings not only enhances the smart city concept but also promotes positivity to the urban development and national economy, and increases the quality of life of the whole population reacting to global challenges of sustainability. The innovative smart building and smart city technologies enable us to overcome these challenges by being employed through all real estate (RE) project development stages. The Evaluation Framework for Real Estate Development in Smart Cities created by the authors provides the possibility to assess the existing as well as to forecast future RE projects integration into a smart city during the whole life-cycle stage. The practical application of the presented evaluation framework was illustrated by the comparative case study. Based on the created smart building integration into a smart city evaluation framework for real estate development, 10 RE projects in Lithuania and over the world were assessed and rated by selected criteria relevant to different RE development stages. The evaluation results revealed that, especially at the design and construction stages, the existing intelligence of RE projects and/or cities is insufficient. Although real estate projects are technologically advanced as single entities, the integration into smart city networks is limited by interoperability capabilities of the cities or by different strategic goals settled by real estate developers.

Using BIM for Assessing Buildings Life Cycle Impacts

Facing the recent implementation of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) process in the construction industry, several potentialities have not been fully explored yet. Among them, is the integration of BIM in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis in order to automate the assessment of the potential environmental impacts. To date, despite the existing studies on the subject, there is still a need to define and establish a recommended assessment framework and software tool for LCA purposes when BIM methodology is used. This research analyses the current state of the implementation of the LCA analysis in the BIM process. Additionally, it compares the results from the use of two LCA software. For this purpose, a case study was modelled in the Autodesk Revit BIM platform and exported to two LCA specific BIM tools: Athena Impact Estimator and Tally. The life cycle impact results from both BIM tools, as well as the required workflows, are discussed and compared in order to validate results and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each. The results show that the implementation of the LCA method can be optimized in time and reliability by using the BIM process. Concerning the selected software, Tally has a better interoperability capability, user-friendly interface and a wider range of possible locations for the building. On the other hand, Athena Impact Estimator requires a detailed building characterisation to perform a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and has a broader materials database.

An Interoperable Building Energy Management System With IEEE1888 Open Protocol for Peak-Load Shaving

A peak-load shaving application is implemented for a Building Energy Management System (BEMS). The IEEE1888 open protocol is adopted to facilitate interoperability capability through the TCP/IP network. The data structure is determined by the Facility Information Access Protocol (FIAP). The operation of equipped Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is optimized from the analytical load-forecast model and also takes the power and energy ratings of the battery into consideration. The peak-load-shaving application is developed with 15-minute on-line processing. The real-world BEMS is demonstrated by a test-bed building at university. Thanks to the IEEE1888 open protocol, the common interface for the gateway, data storage, and peak-shaving application can be achieved. Experimental results are gathered from 2-week testing and the feasibility of IEEE1888-based interoperable BEMS is validated. The optimized control of a 5.76 kW/11.52 kWh BESS is examined accordingly, and up to 6.99% of peak demand is successfully deducted.

A model for creating a virtual library in Iranian universities of medical sciences

PurposeThis paper aims to propose an integrating model for creating virtual libraries in Iranian universities of medical sciences.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted with an analytic survey method. The statistical population comprised 66 Iranian universities of medical sciences, of which 59 libraries participated in the study. A researcher-made checklist was used for data collection. To ensure the accuracy of data, interviews and, in some cases, observations were also performed. Statistical estimates, including frequency, percentage, cumulative frequency and diagrams, were used for data analysis, and the system analysis method was used for modeling.FindingsResults demonstrated that the library software programs of the studied universities of medical sciences do not have desirable interoperability capabilities. Only Azarsa program can exchange information with other systems. In terms of metadata and its standards, the studied libraries use programs with various standards, with MARC and Dublin Core standards being the most frequently used ones in the studied sample.Originality/valueThe model proposed here for integration is a hybrid model which can translate metadata standards and use the Z39.50 and OEI protocol to transfer data.

A capability model for public administration interoperability

ABSTRACT Interoperability is a critical factor for entities that operate in collaborative/cooperative environments. Performing an interoperability diagnosis based on a reference model allows an organization to know its strengths and prioritize actions, improving performance and maturity. In public administration, this issue is more emphasized due to national or international policies. This paper proposes a Public Administration Interoperability Capability Model (PAICM) that describes intervals of expected results regarding the capability degree of certain attributes. The PAICM was applied to a government information technology agency, enabling the identification of the different barriers affecting organizational performance and a stratified analysis of the potential interoperability.

A Cross - Country Study on E - Government Interoperability Capability and E-Government Services

A Cross - Country Study on E - Government Interoperability Capability and E-Government Services

Natural Language Processing and Its Implications for the Future of Medication Safety: A Narrative Review of Recent Advances and Challenges.

The safety of medication use has been a priority in the United States since the late 1930s. Recently, it has gained prominence due to the increasing amount of data suggesting that a large amount of patient harm is preventable and can be mitigated with effective risk strategies that have not been sufficiently adopted. Adverse events from medications are part of clinical practice, but the ability to identify a patient's risk and to minimize that risk must be a priority. The ability to identify adverse events has been a challenge due to limitations of available data sources, which are often free text. The use of natural language processing (NLP) may help to address these limitations. NLP is the artificial intelligence domain of computer science that uses computers to manipulate unstructured data (i.e., narrative text or speech data) in the context of a specific task. In this narrative review, we illustrate the fundamentals of NLP and discuss NLP's application to medication safety in four data sources: electronic health records, Internet-based data, published literature, and reporting systems. Given the magnitude of available data from these sources, a growing area is the use of computer algorithms to help automatically detect associations between medications and adverse effects. The main benefit of NLP is in the time savings associated with automation of various medication safety tasks such as the medication reconciliation process facilitated by computers, as well as the potential for near-real-time identification of adverse events for postmarketing surveillance such as those posted on social media that would otherwise go unanalyzed. NLP is limited by a lack of data sharing between health care organizations due to insufficient interoperability capabilities, inhibiting large-scale adverse event monitoring across populations. We anticipate that future work in this area will focus on the integration of data sources from different domains to improve the ability to identify potential adverse events more quickly and to improve clinical decision support with regard to a patient's estimated risk for specific adverse events at the time of medication prescription or review.