Modern Healthcare Systems Research Articles

Trauma patients in the practice of medical rescue teams in Poland

Quick and effective access to professional medical assistance in emergencies has become a key element of the modern healthcare system. Emergency medical services play a vital role in immediate response to medical emergencies, in particular traumatic injury. According to estimates, emergency medical services delivered to trauma patients account for 10-20% of all services provided by paramedic units in Poland. An analysis of paramedic services delivered to trauma patients will make a significant contribution to the effectiveness and optimization of emergency medical services. The aim of this study was to analyze the emergency medical services delivered by paramedic units to trauma patients in the voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury over a period of three years. The study involved a retrospective analysis of statistical data for the above voivodeship. The patients were classified according to the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) [1]. Most trauma patients were assigned ICD-10 codes S (injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes) and T (injuries involving multiple body regions) categories. Results: The diagnoses made by physicians, paramedics, and emergency nurses in patient care reports were the source of data for the retrospective analysis. A total of 400,251 cases (n= 400,251) were analyzed and 11,329 cases were selected (n=11,329), including 1130 patients (n=1130) who were assigned code S and 10,199 patients (n=10,199) who were assigned to code T. The examined database is administered by the Governor of the Voivodeship of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn [2]. The following types of information were analyzed: area of intervention, the patients’ age and sex, type of medical emergency, location, date, and alcohol breath odor. The collected data were analyzed to determine the presence of relationships between: a life-threatening medical emergency and the patient’s age, a life-threatening medical emergency and the patient’s sex, the patient’s age and the diagnosis made by paramedics, alcohol breath odor and the patient’s sex, and the patient’s sex and the diagnosis made by paramedics. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that the risk of a life-threatening medical emergency is higher in younger patients and decreases gradually in older patients. The above risk is somewhat higher in men than in women. The percentage of patients assigned code S (injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes) increases with age. Alcohol breath odor is more frequently detected in patients residing in areas with a population above 10,000 than in patients residing in small towns and rural areas. The patient’s sex is not significantly correlated with the type of medical emergency, and the prevalence of the diagnosed medical emergencies tends to be similar in both sexes.

Metal Organic Frameworks Based Wearable and Point-of-Care Electrochemical Sensors for Healthcare Monitoring.

The modern healthcare system strives to provide patients with more comfortable and less invasive experiences, focusing on noninvasive and painless diagnostic and treatment methods. A key priority is the early diagnosis of life-threatening diseases, which can significantly improve patient outcomes by enabling treatment at earlier stages. While most patients must undergo diagnostic procedures before beginning treatment, many existing methods are invasive, time-consuming, and inconvenient. To address these challenges, electrochemical-based wearable and point-of-care (PoC) sensing devices have emerged, playing a crucial role in the noninvasive, continuous, periodic, and remote monitoring of key biomarkers. Due to their numerous advantages, several wearable and PoC devices have been developed. In this focused review, we explore the advancements in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based wearable and PoC devices. MOFs are porous crystalline materials that are cost-effective, biocompatible, and can be synthesized sustainably on a large scale, making them promising candidates for sensor development. However, research on MOF-based wearable and PoC sensors remains limited, and no comprehensive review has yet to synthesize the existing knowledge in this area. This review aims to fill that gap by emphasizing the design of materials, fabrication methodologies, sensing mechanisms, device construction, and real-world applicability of these sensors. Additionally, we underscore the importance and potential of MOF-based wearable and PoC sensors for advancing healthcare technologies. In conclusion, this review sheds light on the current state of the art, the challenges faced, and the opportunities ahead in MOF-based wearable and PoC sensing technologies.

Innovative Approaches to Strengthening Preventative Care in Contemporary Healthcare: A Systematic Review

Preventative care plays a critical role in reducing disease burden, improving patient outcomes, and lowering healthcare costs in contemporary medicine. However, the effective implementation of preventative care strategies faces numerous challenges, including technological, financial, and social barriers. This systematic review explores innovative approaches aimed at strengthening preventative care in modern healthcare systems. Key innovations include the use of telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), personalized medicine, and community-based public health initiatives. Telemedicine and AI have revolutionized early detection and risk assessment, while personalized medicine and genomic screening allow for tailored preventative interventions. Additionally, behavioral economics and health education programs have proven effective in promoting healthier lifestyles and improving adherence to preventative measures. The review evaluates the impact of these innovations on patient outcomes and highlights both the benefits and challenges of implementing these approaches. While the advancements offer promising results, further research is needed to address issues related to equity, ethical concerns, and global applicability. This review provides valuable insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers looking to enhance the effectiveness of preventative care strategies in contemporary healthcare systems.

THE GENESIS AND GROWTH OF MODERN HEALTH CARE FACILITY IN MIZORAM

Until 1894, scientific health care facility was by and large non-existent in Mizoram (the then Lushai Hills), an isolated hilly state in North East India. In their secluded life, the Mizos maintained their own culture and their traditional belief and practices, language, Codes of justice and morality. It was the British administration and the Christian missionaries who introduced modern health care facilities in the state. The Mizos seems to have been quite receptive to the new system as a result of Christian instruction and the efficacy of the new system of health care.This paper provides an outline of the growth of modern health care facilities in the state since its inception till the dawn of the new millennium. It is desirable that the facility increases over time and should cater to the growing needs of the people with the increase in population and modern health consciousness. It also attempts to throw light on the Mizos traditional concept of illness and afflictions and their own system of treatment so as to get a keener insight into how societys attitude towards modern health care system has changed over time.

A Development of an IoT-Based Healthcare System Using Distributed Blockchain Technology

Modern healthcare systems have two main sections: electronic health records (EHRs) and remote patient monitoring (RPM). With these sections, several issues have arisen related to comprehensiveness, which these sections lack in covering all the data information about the patient’s state, and other issues in privacy and security. Many types of research have been presented to solve these issues or mitigate their effects. One of these ideas is to use blockchain technology. However, some research may not utilize this technique properly, where data comprehensiveness problems remain and the preservation of individual nodes' data may be compromised. This paper introduces a new system called Patient Health Record (PHR), which will provide comprehensive patient health data and IoT device reading. PHR data is protected using a multi-peer, distributed, and decentralized system based on blockchain. A smart contract has been created for the system through which the PHR data will be cached in the blockchain. It is deployed on the Proof of Authority network to increase the speed of transaction processing, which is important in processing data for IoT devices. The proposed system is evaluated according to a range of metrics (cost, immutability, data storage, and estimated time) to validate the system.

Optimizing data management in healthcare: Lessons from clinical trials and beyond

This study comprehensively explores the optimization of data management in healthcare by drawing on lessons learned from clinical trials and extending these insights to broader healthcare contexts. The study's purpose is to examine the challenges, strategies, and technological innovations that are essential for effective data management in modern healthcare systems. Utilizing a detailed literature review, the study identifies key methodologies from clinical trials that have successfully enhanced data integrity, accuracy, and security, such as the implementation of electronic data capture (EDC) systems and rigorous data governance frameworks. These methods are crucial in managing the increasing volume and complexity of healthcare data. The study's findings reveal that big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are pivotal in transforming healthcare data management, enabling personalized and precise patient care. However, these technologies also introduce challenges related to data security, interoperability, and ethical considerations, particularly concerning patient privacy and the transparency of AI-driven decision-making processes. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the need for continuous innovation and improvement in healthcare data management practices. Recommendations include the integration of blockchain technology, cloud computing, and real-time data from wearable devices to address existing challenges and enhance data management capabilities. The study advocates for a balanced approach that prioritizes patient privacy, ethical governance, and regulatory compliance to ensure that technological advancements contribute positively to patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

Analysis of the educational standard for training nurses with higher education and the development of their competencies as nursing managers

The object of the research of this article: the development of nursing in the Russian Federation based on identifying areas for improving the training of nursing specialists with higher education, expanding their professional, managerial and leadership functions. Subject of the study: organizational and managerial relations arising in the process of improving the activities of nurse managers based on the development of their organizational, managerial and research competencies. Objectives: To analyze federal state educational standards in the field of training "Nursing" for its compliance with the modern needs of the healthcare system of the Russian Federation and the development of nursing. To identify the shortcomings of the studied FSES and the competencies of nurses embedded in them, and to assess the presence of contradictions in the needs of the modern healthcare system of the Russian Federation and the real capabilities of nurses as managers of the nursing link To develop directions for the development of nursing and the improvement of the system of education or development of managerial skills and leadership qualities of nurses as managers of the nursing link.

Current Accessibility Challenges to Dental Care

Introduction. Access to dental care is a key aspect of ensuring public health and well-being. Modern health-care systems face many challenges related to the provision of high-quality dental services to all patients seeking for medical help. There is a wide range of challenges, from financial and organizational issues to social and cultural aspects. Lack of dental care affects not only oral health but health in general. Limited access to dental care can lead to tooth decay or other conditions that require expensive treatment in hospital settings, thus disrupting more urgent medical needs.The purpose of this work was to consider the current problems related to the accessibility of dental care. To this purpose, an analysis of Russian and foreign scientific literature was carried out.Materials and methods. This study used general scientific research methods (generalization, analysis, and synthesis). Papers by Russian and foreign authors as well as analytical reports on public and private pro-grams that contribute to increasing the availability of dental medical care were studied.Results. In the context of universal health care, access to dental care is considered a vital public health issue. Financial, geographical, cultural, and social barriers to dental care are considered the most significant. In the Russian Federation, according to the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), about 30% of the popu-lation does not have regular access to dental services due to financial and geographical barriers.

The effect of telemedicine employing telemonitoring instruments on readmissions of patients with heart failure and/or COPD: a systematic review.

Hospital readmissions pose a challenge for modern healthcare systems. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of telemedicine incorporating telemonitoring of patients' vital signs in decreasing readmissions with a focus on a specific patient population particularly prone to rehospitalization: patients with heart failure (HF) and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through a comparative effectiveness systematic review. Three major electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest's ABI/INFORM, were searched for English-language articles published between 2012 and 2023. The studies included in the review employed telemedicine incorporating telemonitoring technologies and quantified the effect on hospital readmissions in the HF and/or COPD populations. Thirty scientific articles referencing twenty-nine clinical studies were identified (total of 4,326 patients) and were assessed for risk of bias using the RoB2 (nine moderate risk, six serious risk) and ROBINS-I tools (two moderate risk, two serious risk), and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (three good-quality, four fair-quality, two poor-quality). Regarding the primary outcome of our study which was readmissions: the readmission-related outcome most studied was all-cause readmissions followed by HF and acute exacerbation of COPD readmissions. Fourteen studies suggested that telemedicine using telemonitoring decreases the readmission-related burden, while most of the remaining studies suggested that it had a neutral effect on hospital readmissions. Examination of prospective studies focusing on all-cause readmission resulted in the observation of a clearer association in the reduction of all-cause readmissions in patients with COPD compared to patients with HF (100% vs. 8%). This systematic review suggests that current telemedicine interventions employing telemonitoring instruments can decrease the readmission rates of patients with COPD, but most likely do not impact the readmission-related burden of the HF population. Implementation of novel telemonitoring technologies and conduct of more high-quality studies as well as studies of populations with ≥2 chronic disease are necessary to draw definitive conclusions. This study is registered at the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY), identifier (INPLASY202460097).

Minimizing the Risk of Diagnostic Errors in Acute Care for Older Adults: An Interdisciplinary Patient Safety Challenge.

Modern healthcare systems are increasingly organized according to diagnosis-specific clinical pathways and treatment protocols. At the same time, the number of patients with complex problems and needs that do not fit the single-diagnosis approach is rising, contributing to a high prevalence of diagnostic errors. In this article, we focus on the risk of diagnostic errors arising from missed or incomplete diagnosis and assessment of older adult patients' care needs in the first hours of acute hospitalizations in EDs. This focus is important for improving patient safety, as clinical decisions made in EDs impact patient safety in the subsequent steps of the process, thereby potentially causing new risks to arise. Based on our discussion of clinical decision-making and diagnostic errors in the acute care context, we propose a more comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to improvements in patient safety that integrates organizational and clinical research and examines where, when, how, and why risks to patient safety arise in and across different clinical-organizational contexts.

Green synthesis of multifunctional bamboo-based nonwoven fabrics for medical treatment

Medical nonwovens fabrics are pivotal materials in modern healthcare systems, and find extensively application in surgical gowns, masks, nursing pads, and surgical instrument packaging. As healthcare requirements evolve and medical technology advances, the demand for functional nonwoven medical devices is continuously increasing. In addition, numerous environmental challenges and the need to transition to a sustainable society have increased the popularity of studies on environmentally friendly multifunctional nonwoven materials prepared from biomass fibers. Therefore, in this study, ecofriendly bamboo fibers were used to fabricate multifunctional medical nonwoven materials with superhydrophobic, antibacterial, flame-retardant, and biocompatible properties. Specifically, ZIF-67 was grown in situ on natural bamboo cellulose fibers (BCFs) extracted from natural bamboo and coated with polydimethylsiloxane to construct an environmentally friendly and versatile nonwoven fabric. The treated nonwoven fabric exhibited superhydrophobicity with contact angle of 163° and possess excellent self-cleaning properties. The antibacterial activity of the samples was investigated by the plate-counting method; the results showed that the untreated BCFs did not exhibit antibacterial activity, whereas the treated bamboo nonwoven fabrics demonstrated significant antibacterial activity (p < 0.001), with an antibacterial rate of >99 % against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans. In addition, when the samples were exposed to different temperatures (−4 and 50 °C) and humidities (0 % and 95 %), they demonstrated an antibacterial activity of >99 % against E. coli (F5,10 = 0.602; p = 0.670) and S. aureus (F4,10 = 0.289; p = 0.879). The heat release rate and smoke production rate of the nonwoven fabric decreased by 54.64 % and 93.18 %, respectively, compared to those of the BCFs, indicating excellent flame retardancy. The nonwoven fabric also exhibited satisfactory biocompatibility and breathability, ensuring user comfortability. This research not only has significant implications for producing low-cost, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and multifunctional medical products and openi up new pathways for the diversified utilization of bamboo, thereby expanding its applicability.

Epidemiology of deep vein thrombosis.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a cause of considerable morbidity worldwide. It is a common clinical disease in the daily practice of several medical disciplines including general medicine, angiology, and internal medicine, as well as of interest to public health because of its preventability and its sensitivity to secular changes in the distribution of population risk factors. In this review we present a comprehensive overview of the epidemiological features of DVT, including incidence and risk factors. Additionally, we give an overview of the burden that DVT poses on modern health care systems.

Cross-cultural study on the uses of traditional herbal medicine to treat various women's health issues in Northeast India

BackgroundThis cross-cultural study conducted in the diverse regions of Assam, Meghalaya, and Manipur sheds light on the common utilization of five specific medicinal plants among indigenous communities residing in these areas. ObjectivesThe main focus of this study is to document and compare the traditional medicinal plant used and the knowledge and practices related to women's health issues in different cultures; to identify commonalities and differences in the use of medicinal plants across cultures and various medicinal plants used traditionally by the indigenous communities to treat women's health problems according to their indigenous name, scientific name. Materials and methodsThe study used a survey method and a pre-structured interview schedule through one-on-one interactive communication and field observation. The authors collected data from three different states, i.e., Assam (Karbi Anglong district & Udalguri district), Meghalaya (East Khasi Hills district), and Manipur (Senapati district) by personally meeting and interacting with traditional herbal medicinal practitioners. For this study, 10 practitioners from each area of study were interviewed. During the data collection process, the vernacular name of the medicinal plant, methods of preparation, mode of application, and probable dosage were compiled and documented involving practitioners belonging to four different communities, i.e, Bodo, Karbi, Khasi, and Poumai Naga of the selected states. ResultsA total of 39 plant species were meticulously collected and documented across the Karbi Anglong district and Udalguri district in Assam, East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, and Senapati district in Manipur. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), ginger (Zingiber officinale), gooseberry (Emblica officinalis), papaya (Carica papaya), and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) have emerged as common medicinal resources within these communities. Poaceae, represented by 5 species, emerged as the dominant family among the collected plants, highlighting the diversity and significance of these botanical remedies. Zingiber officinale Roscoe " has the highest usage report of 18 with an RFC (Relative frequency citation) of 0.45. ConclusionThe study's findings reveal a rich repository of traditional herbal knowledge in the northeast regions of India. Notably, the indigenous communities of these regions use plant resources to cure a wide range of ailments. This study emphasizes the necessity of documenting, preserving, and transmitting traditional herbal medicinal knowledge for both cultural and practical reasons. It also provides vital insights into the importance of cross-cultural study in promoting different cultures, the richness of traditional medicinal knowledge by engaging with diverse cultures and demonstrates the possibilities for incorporating traditional medicine into modern healthcare systems, particularly in treating women's health issues across these culturally diverse regions.

Assessing the Use and Diversity of the Common Ethnomedicinal Flora of Pangi- A Cold Desert Region of North-West Himalayas

Pangi -a dry temperate region of north-west Himalayas, is known ordnance of aromatic &amp; medicinal plants and conventional knowledge coupled with these plants. Rich traditions and philosophy are deeply imbued in the cultural ethos of the natives while the modernity still eludes them, signalling a good scope for ethnobotanical studies. The inhabitants of the Pangi valley use various plant parts for curing different diseases like cough &amp; cold, fever, burns, joint pains and stomach troubles besides using them for making household articles and in religious rites. The present study deals with twenty major medicinal plants used by the natives of the Pangi valley to cure a variety of ailments as the orthodox health care system practised by the local healers (Vaidyas). On extensive review of relevant research literature it was revealed that the use of these plants was never recorded before and hence the present investigation qualifies as a pioneering endeavour. The traditional herbal medicine is still the most prevalent system in the area while the modern health care systems are slowly creeping in.

Integrating Traditional Medicine with Modern Healthcare: Addressing Maternal and Mental Health in Uganda

Traditional medicine in Uganda, deeply rooted in cultural and historical practices, plays a significant role in addressing maternal and mental health challenges. This review explores the integration of traditional medicine with modern healthcare systems, aiming to enhance maternal and mental health outcomes while preserving cultural heritage. Traditional practices, including herbal remedies, spiritual healing, and the role of traditional birth attendants (TBAs), provide crucial support, particularly in rural areas with limited access to modern medical facilities. The review examines the contributions of traditional medicine to maternal health, including prenatal, labor, and postnatal care, and its role in mental health through spiritual and community-based practices. Despite the valuable contributions, integrating traditional and modern healthcare presents challenges such as cultural barriers, regulatory issues, and the need for standardization. Efforts to integrate these approaches include policy development, educational initiatives, and collaborative health programs. The National Drug Authority (NDA) plays a pivotal role in regulating and standardizing traditional medicine practices, ensuring safety and efficacy through research and quality control measures. Economic impacts of traditional medicine include income generation, local trade, and affordable healthcare options, although practitioners face challenges like lack of formal recognition and regulatory issues. Public perception is influenced by cultural beliefs and trust in traditional practices, with increasing acceptance of integrated approaches in urban areas. In conclusion, integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare in Uganda offers a promising path towards a more inclusive and culturally sensitive healthcare system. By addressing challenges through mutual respect, collaboration, and evidence-based practices, Uganda can enhance maternal and mental health outcomes and build a more comprehensive healthcare system. Keywords: Traditional Medicine, Modern Healthcare, Maternal, Mental Health in Uganda

Graph and text multi-modal representation learning with momentum distillation on Electronic Health Records

The emergence and widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHR) in modern healthcare systems has generated a large amount of data with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes. However, extracting meaningful insights from EHR is challenging due to their extensive volume and inherent complexity. Leveraging diverse modalities of data enhances the exploration of patient data representation. Nevertheless, current research on multi-modal relationships between concealed graph structures within medical codes and unstructured text overlooks inherent disparities and inconsistencies. To address the significant gap, this study introduces a pretraining approach named graph and text multi-modal representation learning with momentum distillation on Electronic Health Records (GTMMRL). This approach tackles the challenge of noisy and unreliable labels using a large open-source EHR dataset, MIMIC-III, for pretraining. Five carefully selected proxy tasks are employed, each guiding the student model’s learning through pseudo-targets generated by the teacher model, which is an exponential moving average of the student model, thereby mitigating overfitting tendencies. We evaluate the performance of our model in five downstream tasks, each addressing real-world challenges in EHR data analysis. Results showcase that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance in various downstream tasks, highlighting the model’s critical role in enhancing the quality of insights extracted from complex EHR data. The code is available at https://github.com/deepEMR/GTMMRL.

A Brief Review on Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Diagnosis in Primary Neuropsychiatric Care Settings

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is clinically characterized by the triad of mental deterioration, gait disturbance, and urinary incontinence. Correct diagnosis and referral of patients is important because NPH is a potentially treatable cause of cognitive decline and should be distinguished from more common forms of irreversible dementia. Unfortunately, it remains to be a rather underdiagnosed and controversial neuropsychiatric entity even in countries with modern healthcare systems. The diagnostic process is complicated by diverse clinical presentations, especially when the classical triad is incomplete or atypical such as with psychiatric symptoms. This manuscript aims to briefly review atypical clinical presentations of NPH and basic radiologic findings associated with it, and outline some recommendations to primary care physicians for diagnosis and referral.

Can they or won't they?

Almost all experts agree that the German healthcare system has reached its limits and needs to be comprehensively overhauled. Although insured persons and taxpayers spend a great deal of money on healthcare, they do not always receive top-quality services in return. This is despite the fact that highly competent service providers are active in the healthcare system and efficient facilities and structures are available in many areas. On the other hand, there are brakes on performance that create dysfunctionalities in various areas, sometimes with serious consequences: insufficient ability to compromise between federal and state policy, dysfunctional sectoralisation, discrepancies between supply and demand, competition between quality and economy and, on top of all this, the inadequate participation of patients/insured persons - after all, they finance the healthcare system! This article goes beyond the description of the current situation and attempts to analyse why Germany has not succeeded in translating the very good substantive and structural conditions into a modern, efficient and adaptive healthcare system.

The complementary nature of transformational and transactional leadership styles in modern hospital and healthcare systems

With healthcare systems becoming increasingly complex, managers must practice leadership styles that best serve their organisations, staff and service users. Rainer WG Gruessner discusses the pros and cons of different leadership styles, suggesting that transformational and transactional models can and should be combined for modern healthcare management.

Development and structure of the discipline “Applied chemistry in medicine” (elective course) at the school of medicine

Along with teaching the natural science and medical principles, it is the author's proposal to create a new subject for electives, “How Applied Chemistry Helps in Medication” to see education level of medical application in higher education students within the Faculty of Medicine. This elective tries to amalgamate two different topics involving both chemistry and medicine. Besides this, it places serious emphasis on the importance of public health within the context of medical practice, of the significant role chemical principles may play in the modern health care system. Students have an opportunity to investigate subjects like environmental toxicology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and chemical risk assessment in which they can perceive the chemistry’s face with the public health field. The knowledge about disease prevention strategies, health promotion and community wellness obtained as a result can enhance the skillset students need to work towards evidence-based approaches in disease prevention. The course is designed as a 3.0 credits ECTS specified by the regulatory requirements. Thematic subjects get covered and include chemical principles, toxicology, pharmaceutical chemistry, environmental toxicology, and chemical risk assessment. Sessions are designed to provide a complete picture of the domain and the methodological toolkit, while at the same time they are interactive and practical by applying theoretical concepts to real-life situations. Introduce the development of problem-solving and critical thinking as one of the learning objectives.