Service Improvement Research Articles

Augmented future: tracing the trajectory of location-based augmented reality gaming for the next ten years.

Location-based games are a highly technology-dependent game genre that has witnessed an exponential increase in popularity with the democratisation of smartphones as well as ubiquitous mobile data and access to satellite navigation. Moving forward into the future, location-based games can be expected to evolve as the technologies underlying the genre improve. In this conceptual work, we review the current state of the art in location-based games, and identify key trajectories and trends. We discovered 12 trends, based on which we jump ten years into the future and evaluate how current technology trends may end up influencing location-based gaming. For example, we propose that in the year 2035 through improvements in map data services and sensor data coverage, we will see locative games that are increasingly connected to elements in the physical world. We also expect to see gameplay that moves away from solely taking place on a smartphone screen to the adoption of multiple forms of interactions with location-based game worlds, especially as head-mounted displays and other wearables become more commonplace.

INSIGHTS INTO CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS: COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LOAN OFFERINGS IN A SELECTED NON-BANKING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

Commercial vehicle financing is crucial for supporting the transportation sector, a cornerstone of any economy. This study aims to explore patterns, challenges, and opportunities in commercial vehicle financing at a Non-banking financial institution, offering insights for stakeholders and contributing to existing knowledge frameworks. Using a descriptive research design, primary data will be gathered through surveys, interviews, and focus groups involving stakeholders like customers, employees, and management. Secondary data from market studies and industry publications will supplement the analysis. Data analysis will employ both quantitative and qualitative techniques, identifying opportunities for improvement and positive changes in services. This research aims to inform decision-making and drive positive change in commercial vehicle financing operations, benefiting industry players, policymakers, and future research endeavours.

On Promoting the Quality Improvement of Tax Services by "Managing Taxation with Numbers" by Grassroots Tax Authorities under the Background of "Smart Taxation"

Chinese path to modernization is a modernization that conforms to the development of the information age and the digital process. Digital technology is fully integrated into all fields and the whole process of economic society and ecological civilization construction, which has brought extensive and profound impact on human production and life. This article conducts an actual visit to grassroots tax authorities in Bengbu City, and based on a questionnaire survey, adopts a literature research approach and statistical analysis method to explore the implementation effect of this problem. It objectively sorts out and balances the impact of "digital tax governance" on improving the quality of tax services provided by current tax authorities, attempts to identify and identify some unreasonable links and problems in the current tax service process under the background of smart taxation, and analyzes the causes and mechanisms of these problems. Finally, based on the combination of theory and practice, it summarizes and explores targeted improvement strategies that can be used for further improving the quality of digital tax services.

User-generated content effectiveness in co-creation of online higher educational services

ABSTRACT Improvement of student services is increasingly important for institutions providing higher education in today's competitive market. Consequently, leveraging the online content generated by students is an effective means of actively involving customers in the educational process. As a result, the co-creation of innovative educational services through user-generated content (UGC) has become imperative. Engaging students in the service development process requires the adoption of an appropriate New Service Development (NSD) model, enabling the implementation of a co-creation strategy. The present study investigates this phenomenon by examining user-generated content on a website dedicated to higher education services. Employing the thematic analysis approach, 46 themes were identified that can be utilized in the development of new higher educational services. The findings demonstrate the potential of user-generated content in implementing a co-creation strategy at every stage of the new service development process.

Implementation of a crisis resolution team service improvement programme: a qualitative study of the critical ingredients for success

BackgroundCrisis Resolution Teams (CRTs) offer home-based care for people in mental health crisis, as an alternative to hospital admission. The success of CRTs in England has been variable. In response to this, the CRT Optimization and RElapse prevention (CORE) study developed and trialled a 12-month Service Improvement Programme (SIP) based on a fidelity model. This paper describes a qualitative evaluation of the perspectives of CRT staff, managers, and programme facilitators. We identify barriers and facilitators to implementation, and mechanisms by which service improvements took place.MethodsManagers and staff from six purposively sampled CRTs were interviewed, as well as six facilitators who were employed to support the implementation of service improvement plans. Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsA majority of participants viewed all components of the SIP as helpful in improving practice, although online resources were under-used. Perceived barriers to implementation centred principally around lack of staff time and ownership. Support from both senior staff and facilitators was essential in enabling teams to undertake the work associated with the SIP. All participating stakeholder groups reported that using the fidelity model to benchmark their CRT work to best practice and feel part of a ‘bigger whole’ was valuable.ConclusionCRT staff, managers and programme facilitators thought that a structured service improvement programme helped to increase fidelity to a best practice model. Flexibility (from all stakeholders) was key to enable service improvement actions to be manageable within time- and resource-poor teams.

Assessing citizen satisfaction indicators for urban public services to enhance quality of life in Sharm el-Sheikh

The quality of urban life is a crucial area of urban studies, encompassing social, environmental, and economic aspects. Sharm el-Sheikh, a popular tourist destination in Egypt, faces challenges in balancing tourism development with citizen satisfaction with public services. This study aimed to assess citizen satisfaction with key urban services in Sharm el-Sheikh and identify areas for improvement. A survey was conducted by the South Sinai Urban Observatory, employing stratified sampling to ensure a representative sample across demographics. The survey utilized a combination of closed-ended questions with a five-point Likert scale and an open-ended question for additional feedback.The analysis revealed that citizens expressed satisfaction with road and traffic services, government office services, the City Council, and security services. However, dissatisfaction was also identified in areas such as educational services, access to qualified doctors, the sanitation system, the availability of safe drinking water, and cultural services.Based on these findings, the study recommends that decision-makers in Sharm el-Sheikh prioritize addressing these areas of lower satisfaction. Regularly conducting citizen satisfaction surveys and fostering trust between citizens and the government are crucial for ongoing improvement in urban and tourism services, ultimately enhancing the city's overall quality of life.

Understanding the value of a doctorate for allied health professionals in practice in the UK: a survey

BackgroundThe need to transform the United Kingdom’s (UK) delivery of health and care services to better meet population needs and expectations is well-established, as is the critical importance of research and innovation to drive those transformations. Allied health professionals (AHPs) represent a significant proportion of the healthcare workforce. Developing and expanding their skills and capabilities is fundamental to delivering new ways of working. However, career opportunities combining research and practice remain limited. This study explored the perceived utility and value of a doctorate to post-doctoral AHPs and how they experience bringing their research-related capabilities into practice environments.MethodsWith a broadly interpretivist design, a qualitatively oriented cross-sectional survey, with closed and open questions, was developed to enable frequency reporting while focusing on the significance and meaning participants attributed to the topic. Participants were recruited via professional networks and communities of practice. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse closed question responses, while combined framework and thematic analysis was applied to open question responses.ResultsResponses were received from 71 post-doctoral AHPs located across all four UK nations. Findings are discussed under four primary themes of utilisation of the doctorate; value of the doctorate; impact on career, and impact on self and support. Reference is also made at appropriate points to descriptive statistics summarising closed question responses.ConclusionThe findings clearly articulate variability of experiences amongst post-doctoral AHPs. Some were able to influence team and organisational research cultures, support the development of others and drive service improvement. The challenges, barriers and obstacles encountered by others reflect those that have been acknowledged for many years. Acknowledging them is important, but the conversation must move forward and generate positive action to ensure greater consistency in harnessing the benefits and value-added these practitioners bring. If system-wide transformation is the aim, it is inefficient to leave navigating challenges to individual creativity and tenacity or forward-thinking leaders and organisations. There is an urgent need for system-wide responses to more effectively, consistently and equitably enable career pathways combining research and practice for what is a substantial proportion of the UK healthcare workforce.

Level of Propensity: a zonal metric for evaluating the multimodal option Electric Micromobility and Public Transport

Electric Micromobility (EMM), e.g. e-bikes, e-scooters, light-weight electric vehicles, has a key role in policymakers’ strategies for making cities more liveable. Especially, its combination with Public Transport (PT) can be essential in the transportation sector decarbonization. This work proposes a zonal metric to evaluate EMM and PT integration, named “Level of Propensity” (LoP) to multimodality. LoP is defined adopting a multi-dimensional domain-based classification capturing two main phases of the trip: (1) the access phase by EMM towards PT stops; (2) the accessibility potential to destination by PT. PT open data, road network configuration, activities and Floating Car Data are adopted for the elaboration. LoP has been validated in the medium-size city of Salerno (Italy), but it is easily transferable to other cities. It can support urban planners and PT/EMM operators in identifying zones with low propensity to multimodality, suggesting priorities in terms of PT service improvements and EMM infrastructure implementations.

The Pattern of Referrals to Lifestyle Clinics in PHCs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: lifestyle medicine is the cornerstone of a healthy population for the prevention of disease and promotion of health attitudes and practices among community members. Description of referred population to lifestyle medicine clinic is mandatory for health care planning and allocation of resources. This study aims to describe the pattern of the referred population to the lifestyle clinic in primary health care centers in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.Methods: cross-sectional study for registry of patients referred to Lifestyle clinic, data collection for January 2023 to October 2023 were collected. Sociodemographic characteristics of the referred patients to the Lifestyle clinic were produced.Results: during the study duration from January 2023 to October 2023, a total of 1228 patients were referred to the lifestyle clinic, 598 (48.7%) were females and 630 (51.3%) were males. The age of patients referred to the lifestyle clinic ranged from 18 to 74 years, with a mean age of 42.28 years and an SD of 14.8 years old.Conclusion and recommendations: Lifestyle clinic referrals are from different age groups and from both genders. The lifestyle clinic is receiving a variety of patients from different clinics such general primary health care clinics and family medicine. There is a more detailed larger studies both quantitative and qualitative studies to describe the pattern of patients and their general needs to better planning of health care resources and improvement of health care services.

Is customized bus service for commuter segments the need of the hour? An integrated IPA-machine learning framework to redefine commuter segments based on quality expectations

Bus service in emerging countries faces significant challenges such as inferior quality, limited appeal, and declining ridership, which is further aggravated with increased affordability of commuters. The conventional approach of providing a standardized service to all commuters has proven ineffective due to the diverse perception and requirements of commuters. Unlike traditional approaches that categorize commuters solely based on car ownership, the present study employs a comprehensive approach to segment commuters based on their service quality expectations and identifies improvement areas specific to each segment. The methodology uses integrated Importance Performance Analysis-Machine learning (IPA-ML) based framework to identify segments and improvement areas. While demonstrating the methodology in an Indian metro city, two segments, namely ‘tolerant users (low quality acceptors)’ and ‘quality seekers (high quality seekers)’, are identified using complete-linkage-hierarchical clustering with Naïve Bayes Machine Learning classifier. Intervention areas specific to these segments are identified using revised-IPA with Kernel Initialization technique giving due considerations to the segment wise factor structure and management schemes. The findings indicated the impact of multiple socio-economic factors on segment formation emphasizing the need for a holistic approach beyond car ownership when segmenting commuters. The significant differences in perceived improvement areas between the two segments highlight their distinct perceptions and expectations, indicating the necessity for segmenting the bus service to cater to their specific needs. While study provides case-specific findings for the improvement of bus service, the methodology and experience give a new direction to develop bus as a sustainable demand management instrument in a broader context

Web analytics and performance metrics: assessing the effectiveness of digital strategies

Web analytics involves applying data analysis to the information collected by a website to understand traffic patterns and user behavior. The evaluation of web analytics in the tourism sector in Cuenca, Ecuador, sought to improve digital strategies through a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach. A correlation was observed between age and the frequency of consulting statistics on tourism websites, with greater participation of young people. In addition, a significant interest in receiving personalized recommendations was highlighted, with about 40 % expressing definite interest. The willingness to provide feedback and participate in the improvement of online services was widespread. The Internet was positioned as the main source of tourism information, with an emphasis on the use of social networks. These findings highlight the importance of digital marketing strategies and optimization for mobile devices in the tourism industry.

Key performance indicators to inform evaluation of wound care programmes for people with complex wounds: a protocol for systematic review.

The objective of the systematic review is to examine and summarise the available evidence in the literature of the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to inform evaluation of wound care programmes and services for people with hard-to-heal (complex) wounds. The need for wound care is expected to grow with the continued ageing of the population and the resulting increased development of chronic conditions. This expected increase necessitates improvement of wound care programmes and services and their ability to deliver quality, evidence-based and cost-effective practice. The current literature lacks a systematic assessment of KPIs to inform evaluation of wound care services and programmes across various settings, and how the KPIs are used to improve the quality of wound care and achieve desired outcomes. This protocol sets out how the systemtic review will be undertaken. Primary studies will be screened from databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL and Scopus, with unpublished studies and grey literature retrieved from Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The study titles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers, using Covidence systematic review software to ensure they meet the inclusion criteria, who will then proceed with data extraction of the full-text using the standardised data extraction instrument. The reference lists of all studies selected for critical appraisal will be screened for additional publications. The two independent reviewers will critically appraise all studies undergoing full-text data extraction using the appropriate checklist from JBI SUMARI. At all stages, differences between reviewers will be resolved through discussion, with adjudication by a third, independent reviewer. Data points will be analysed with descriptive statistics and grouped, based on programme characteristics and publication status. Grey literature and peer-reviewed publications will form separate analyses. To answer review questions, the data will be summarised in a narrative format. A meta-analysis is not planned. At the time of writing, this protocol has been implemented up to the preliminary literature search. This review will address a current literature gap and systematically identify KPIs in wound care, allowing for programmes to evaluate their quality of care and improve their services in a methodical manner.

Practical guide to implementing patient-reported outcome measures in gender-affirming care: evaluating acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility

ObjectiveAssess acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of the Practical Guide to Implementing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in Gender-Affirming Care (PG-PROM-GAC) from a sample of patients and healthcare professionals.DesignCross-sectional study conducted August–October...

AB134. SOH24AB_090. Compliance in completing operation sheet at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise: a service improvement audit

AB134. SOH24AB_090. Compliance in completing operation sheet at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise: a service improvement audit

A Study on the Consumer Satisfaction on Postal Article Safety Through Last Mile Delivery for the Postal and Courier Industry

The customer satisfaction is closely linked to the security and integrity of postal items at the last mile delivery stage in the ever-changing postal and courier sector. This research explores the complex world of consumers' experiences and perceptions of their packages' safety on the last leg of delivery. The research design in this study is quantitative. A quantitative research design involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to understand and quantify consumer experiences with last-mile parcel delivery. Total sample about 245 questionnaires were collected and the analysis using SPSS software. The goal of the inquiry is to comprehend customer behaviours, expectations, and concerns regarding the safety of postal articles during last-mile delivery. Important components, including handling procedures, delivery schedules, communication efficacy, and package quality, will be closely examined to see how they affect customer satisfaction and confidence in the postal and courier services. The objective of this study is to examine the factors influence consumer perceptions on the practice of parcel delivery at the doorstep when not at home for service improvement to ensure parcel safety. This study aims to provide useful information to industry stakeholders by highlighting the postal article safety customer experience. The results are anticipated to guide tactics and procedures that improve the security measures used by courier and postal services, eventually encouraging a customer-focused strategy throughout the last-mile delivery stage. The results of this study seek to optimise postal item safety, assuring a good and secure customer experience in the constantly changing world of postal and courier logistics, as the sector grapples with elevated consumer expectations and changing market dynamics

Exploring the customer experience of Vietnam airlines via sentiment analysis

The sentiment analysis of social media has gained much attention due to the succinct nature of comments, enabling access to public opinions. Using this technique, the present study aimed to explore customer sentiments regarding their experiences with Vietnam Airlines, the national carrier. According to the Skytrax evaluation, Vietnam Airlines achieved a 4-star rating out of 5, indicating the need for service improvements to attain perfection. The significance of this research lies in providing a comprehensive perspective on customer experience evaluations. To achieve this, we utilized the Valence Aware Dictionary for Reasoner (VADER) to classify sentiments expressed in social networking forum data. The dataset comprised 670 reviews from the Skytrax forum, which underwent a data pre-processing phase. The results exhibited favorable accuracy in detecting ternary and multiple sentiment classes. The comparative analysis between visual customer ratings and their corresponding comments yielded similar outcomes. Additionally, the results highlighted the need for a re-evaluation of the in-flight entertainment system.

A survey of community pharmacists’ and healthcare advisors’ views and experiences on the provision of a Test and Treat Service for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection in a retail pharmacy chain in Ireland

Abstract Introduction The use of Point of Care Testing (POCT) as an aid to guide antibiotic prescribing has been highlighted in Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025 (iNAP2).[1] The role of community pharmacy is expanding with the introduction of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) POCT strategies. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent and burdensome in the community. With antibiotic resistance on the rise amongst uropathogens, AMS efforts to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for urinary symptoms are paramount. Aim To evaluate community pharmacy staff views and experiences on the provision of a Cystitis Test-and-Treat Service for uncomplicated UTIs, while identifying opportunities for service improvement and expansion. Methods An electronic survey on Microsoft® Forms was distributed within a large retail pharmacy chain in Ireland during November 2021, with two reminders issued. Pharmacists and Healthcare advisors over the age of 18, working in 88 pharmacies that provided the Velieve Cystitis Test-and-Treat Service were eligible to participate. The survey was subdivided into participant demographics, local UTI information, views and experiences of participants on the Cystitis Test-and-Treat Service, the patient information leaflet and the training completed by pharmacy staff providing the service and included open-ended and closed-ended or Likert-scale questions. The survey was developed based on the literature and was revised following the contributions of pharmacy chain pharmacists and its Research Governance Committee who have a working knowledge of Service. Data were analysed using Microsoft® Excel and IBM® SPSS® statistics version 28.0. Qualitative data from the open-ended survey questions were analysed using thematic analysis. Results A total of 43 pharmacy staff (18 pharmacists and 25 healthcare advisors) participated in the study (overall participation rate of 10.2%). The majority of participants were female (83.7%) and most pharmacies were located in a town/suburb area (55.8%). The majority of participants (76.7%) estimated that service users with symptoms suggestive of UTI present to the pharmacy first, before visiting their GP. Participants believed that the Cystitis Test-and-Treat Service improved service user satisfaction in symptom management, reduced antimicrobial prescribing, alongside reduced general practitioner workload. High acceptability was attributed to the speed and convenience of the service, while time cost and time required explaining the service were identified as barriers. The associated smartphone application was identified as a service weakness. Participants recommended extended training on service user eligibility with perhaps training videos to improve overall confidence. While the low response rate and small sample size is a limitation of this study, the inclusion of participants from two differing pharmacy roles strengths the findings. Conclusion This study highlights that POCT are feasible AMS initiatives that enhance management of uncomplicated UTI and could be incorporated into community pharmacy practice. The perceived ‘poor public awareness of the service’ reported by the participants, suggests the need for increased promotion and advertising.

Inovasi Model Kebijakan dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Layanan Kemahasiswaan: Suatu Tinjauan Literatur

This article or writing aims to discuss or find out about a problem that arises in the literature review of thirty journals related to the quality of student services so that later a policy model or framework can be provided to answer existing problems. The problems found in the literature review are focused on public services or student services. To approach this problem, Edward's theory is used as a reference, which consists of four variables, namely those related to communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure variables. Then the data is taken or collected through literature study or analysis of the thirty journals and then analyzed qualitatively. This study concludes that the Student Service Policy Model Innovation produces a model consisting of five alternative policy concepts or a mixture of public service models and public policy implementation models, namely Improving Financial Management, Development of Infrastructure and Digital Services, Improvement of Administrative Services, Improvement of Assurance and Empathy Aspects and Optimization of Library Services.

Urbanization of Chongqing Municipality: Regional Contributions and Influencing Mechanisms

Enhancing the level and quality of urbanization and embarking on a new path toward the sustainable development of urbanization are the forces that are driving the achievement of stable and healthy economic and social development. Based on data from three population censuses and official statistics spanning from 1997 to 2021, this study decomposed the changes in the urbanization rates in Chongqing during this period. We employed a fixed-effects model to conduct a regression analysis on the factors influencing the regional contributions of urbanization and provide a comprehensive analysis of their mechanisms. The study findings are as follows: 1. The central urban area has been the primary region driving the urbanization in Chongqing since the establishment of the Chongqing municipality; however, since 2017, the new urban area has gradually become the new “main force” driving the urbanization in Chongqing. In different stages, dynamic regions have exhibited a pattern of “diversification—centralization—diversification”. 2. Local urbanization is the main factor promoting the urbanization development in Chongqing, whereas remote urbanization has only played a supplementary role. The overall urbanization pattern in Chongqing is characterized by “local urbanization and population inflow”. The central urban area has primarily propelled the urbanization of Chongqing through remote urbanization, whereas the new urban area, as well as the northeastern Chongqing area and southeastern Chongqing area, have predominantly driven the urbanization of Chongqing through local urbanization. In the four major regions and 38 counties, the predominant urbanization type was often “local urbanization and population outflow”. 3. The level of the contribution of different regions to the urbanization development in Chongqing is the combined result of factors such as economic development, local administrative capacity, improvement in public services, and enhancement in transportation infrastructure.

Multi-scenario simulation and evaluation of the impacts of land use change on ecosystem service values in the Chishui River Basin of Guizhou Province, China

Changes in land-use patterns are the main driving factors of ecosystem service values (ESVs). The quantitative evaluation of ESVs is significant for the sustainable development of ecologically fragile areas. In this study, the Chishui River Basin (CRB) in China was selected as the study region, and an intensity map (IM) was used to analyze the transformation of land use/land cover (LULC). The modified equivalent coefficient value method was used to evaluate the ESVs based on the 2000, 2010, and 2020 land use datasets. The spatial and temporal distributions of ESV and its response to changes in LULC were analyzed using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistical method and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Moreover, spatial and temporal changes in LULC and ESV over the next 30 years in the four development scenarios were simulated using the Markov-PLUS model. The following results were obtained: 1) The farmland and forestland were the dominant LULC categories, and that the LULC pattern dramatically changed in the study area; 2) the total ESV of the CRB decreased significantly from 23.21 billion yuan in 2000 to 22.29 billion yuan in 2020; and 3) the ecological conservation scenario significantly promoted the total ESV, and the town development scenario was more conducive to the urbanization process. Therefore, although the ESV of the CRB showed a decreasing to slowly increasing trend in the context of a series of ecological restoration measures, scientific ecological protection and development policies must be continuously implemented to achieve harmony between ecological service improvement and urbanization development. Our results provide important information for making land-use decisions and facilitating sustainable development in ecologically protected basins.