Standard Electronic System Research Articles

Using an anonymous, resident-run reporting mechanism to track self-reported duty hours

BackgroundImplementation of resident duty hour policies has resulted in a need to document work hours accurately. We compared the number of self-reported duty hour violations identified through an anonymous, resident-administered survey to that obtained from a standardized, ACGME-sanctioned electronic tracking system. Methods10 cross-sectional surveys were administered to general surgery residents over five years. A resident representative collected and de-identified the data. ResultsA median of 54 residents (52% male) participated per cohort. 429 responses were received (79% response rate). 111 violations were reported through the survey, while the standardized electronic system identified 76, a trend significantly associated with PGY-level (p < 0.001) and driven by first-year residents (n = 81 versus 37, p = 0.001). ConclusionsAn anonymous, resident-run mechanism identifies significantly more self-reported violations than a standardized electronic tracking system alone. This argues for individual program evaluation of duty hour tracking mechanisms to correct systematic issues that could otherwise lead to repeated violations.

A description of medication errors reported by pharmacists in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background Patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are at an increased risk for medication errors. Objective The objective of this study is to describe the nature and setting of medication errors occurring in patients admitted to an NICU in Qatar based on a standard electronic system reported by pharmacists. Setting Neonatal intensive care unit, Doha, Qatar. Method This was a retrospective cross-sectional study on medication errors reported electronically by pharmacists in the NICU between January 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015. Main outcome measure Data collected included patient information, and incident details including error category, medications involved, and follow-up completed. Results A total of 201 NICU pharmacists-reported medication errors were submitted during the study period. All reported errors did not reach the patient and did not cause harm. Of the errors reported, 98.5% occurred in the prescribing phase of the medication process with 58.7% being due to calculation errors. Overall, 53 different medications were documented in error reports with the anti-infective agents being the most frequently cited. The majority of incidents indicated that the primary prescriber was contacted and the error was resolved before reaching the next phase of the medication process. Conclusion Medication errors reported by pharmacists occur most frequently in the prescribing phase of the medication process. Our data suggest that error reporting systems need to be specific to the population involved. Special attention should be paid to frequently used medications in the NICU as these were responsible for the greatest numbers of medication errors.

Adopting E-Business in Small and Medium Enterprise

INTRODUCTION Electronic business (e-business) has become a part of everyday life for individuals and businesses. Advances in technology including web based technology have made e-business cost effective and easy to implement for even small businesses. The benefits and applications derived from e-business are vast and can be applied in areas including shipping, sales, advertising, supply chain, and electronic data interchange. Businesses are finding implementation of e- business a necessity to compete in the marketplace. In contrast to the benefits derived from the applications of e-business, Internet technologies have increased individual vulnerabilities to fraud and theft and raised concerns about privacy and policy (Magid, Tatikonda & Cochran, 2009). Advances in technology are expected to reduce individual vulnerabilities and increase the benefits and applications of e-business. RFID is a current technology being implemented, tested and improved and are expected to shape the future of electronic commerce. HISTORY OF E-BUSINESS E-business refers to the process of exchanging goods, services, and payments through electronic transactions typically performed through electronic data interchange (EDI), virtual private networks (VPN's) or the Internet. The origins of electronic business transactions or e-commerce can be traced back as early as 1910 when a group of florists developed a network utilizing the telegraph to exchange out-of-town orders for floral arrangements. This network developed into the Florists' Telegraph Delivery group which still exists today as FTD, Inc., (Hayes, 2002). The next major development in e-business came in 1948 during the Berlin airlift. Tons of food and supplies were flown to West Berlin, Germany by the United States as a result of Soviet road and railway blockades separating East and West Germany. The airlift required manifests to track the shipments of the supplies but the current manifest system had multiple forms making it difficult for timely processing of the complex tracking. As a result, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Edward A. Guilbert developed a manifest system that could be transmitted by telex, radio-teletype, or telephone (Hayes, 2002) allowing for electronic shipping transactions of the supplies. Guilbert took this concept to DuPont Co. in the 1960's and helped develop another standard electronic system for delivering order/shipping information between DuPont and one of its suppliers, Chemical Leahman Tank Lines. Electronic manifest systems flourished in the shipping industries for the next three years. The Transportation Data Coordinating Committee (TDCC) was formed in 1968 to set up standards among industries (not just the shipping industry). In 1975, they published the electronic data interchange (EDI) specifications (Hayes, 2002). Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) refers to the transfer of business information through computers using a standard format. Businesses rely on the telecommunications infrastructure, an early version of e-business network, to carry out the information exchange of EDI. When EDI first began being utilized, many companies developed their own proprietary EDI protocols. Only vendors or other business affiliates that had the same corresponding system could use these protocols. Therefore, typically only the largest companies who could afford to develop these protocols used EDI specifications. Value added networks (VAN's) were hence developed during this time by third party companies. They provided the EDI connection between businesses that did not have the appropriate capacity or means to develop one. Even so, the applications of EDI were kept developing throughout the shipping, food, automotive, and retail industries. As the use of EDI grew, more and more companies demanded their vendors or suppliers utilize these systems. As a result, a universal public EDI standard was developed called ANSI X12 in 1984 (Weisman, 2000). …

Electric-Powered Wheelchair (EPW) electronic system Adaptation to Pathology Progression. Experience from our younger neuromuscular patients

EPW are classically equipped with a standard electronic system allowing basic functionalities including: – variable and controlled speed driving; – position changing. Due to the negative and polymorphous progression of our patient’s deficiencies, the electronic system can become unable to meet the patient’s new needs. Adaptation of the EPW with an upgradable electronic system offers new possibilities to patients allowing: – continued use of the EPW with/or; – increase of autonomy and control on their environment. This electronic system evolution can provide: – new modalities of driving with new input devices: mini joystick, latched mode. . .; – more positions offered with new electrical functions, a better actuators management (stroke, speeds, ‘‘therapeutic’’ positions . . .); – effective role on environment with standards channels (IR, Bluetooth) or specialized channels ( 10, zWave). Power wheelchairs can be equipped by the manufacturer, during the initial order, with an upgradable electronic system, at an increased cost. The initial choice of an upgradable electronic system that will adapt to the progression of the deficiencies is very important. Otherwise, it is not necessary to renew the whole EPW, as often recommended. Nevertheless it is often cost effective to upgrade the electronic system even if minimally or not covered by health insurance. This upgrade allows keeping the wheelchair for which positioning work has already been done and funded. Further reading CERAH Les vehicules pour personnes handicapees – Module Technique. S. Bouche, B. Guillon, N. Pellegrini Fondation Garches; 2008 PICRI : Evaluation comparative de fauteuils roulants electriques. Bilan final. Feer L, Langbein Ed, Skaar St B. ‘‘Adequacy of power wheelchair control interfaces for persons with severe disabilities: a clinical survey’’. Journal of rehabilitation Research and Development Vol. 37 n83 May-June 2000.

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Prescription opioid misuse and abuse are concerns facing pain specialists. RADARS System poison center (PC) data may be useful in exploring the issue because the system provides timely surveillance data to detect and characterize misuse, abuse and diversion of pharmaceutical products. PC use a standard electronic system to record spontaneous calls from the public and health professionals. We hypothesize that there are no differences among prescription opioids for misuse/abuse rates or medical outcome of opioid misuse/abuse.

Forensic Engineering Update - Automotive Electronics

Automotive Electronics Technology Has Come A Long Way In A Very Short Time. Other Than Radios And Tape Players, The Only Standard Electronic Systems Available On Cars In The Early 1970s Were Voltage Regulators And Rectifier Diodes For Alternators. By 1974, Automotive Electronic Systems Included Fuel Injection, Electronic Ignition, Cruise Control, Traction Control, And Air Bag Sensors. Today, These Systems Are Considered Reliable And Cost Effective, And Modern Automotive Electronics Has Enabled Car Makers To Solve Very Complex Problems. The Future For Automotive Electronics Seems Almost Unlimited. This Paper Will Examine The History Of Automotive Electronics, Review Current Applications, And Present Future Trends And Emerging Technologies. It Will Also Assess University Education In Automotive Electronics And Summarize The Work Of The Nhtsa 5218 Working Group On Event Data Recorders. Finally, The Paper Will Consider The Impact Of Automotive Electronics On Forensic Engineering.

Hybrid optical-electronic logic gates in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor very-large-scale integration

Photodiodes are integrated into complementary metal-oxide semiconductor very-large-scale integration logic circuits to provide a hybrid interface between parallel-optical and electronic computing formats. This permits direct parallel transfer from an optical processor or storage element to a standard electronic system. The optical input beams may be viewed as control signals or as logical inputs that increase the system complexity and permit direct interaction of the electronic logic circuits with the optical beam states. Applications of the approach include hybrid optical-electronic logic gates, optical control of electronic data paths, and optically reconfigured very-large-scale integration circuits.