Web-based App Research Articles

Global Outreach of a Locally-Developed Mobile Phone App for Undergraduate Psychiatry Education.

BackgroundOver the past decade, there have been massive developments in both Web-based and mobile phone technologies. Mobile phones are well accepted by students, trainees, and doctors. A review of the current literature has identified the following specialties that have used mobile phones in education: pediatrics, ophthalmology, nephrology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, pharmacology, and urology. However, to date, there are no published papers examining the application of the latest mobile phone technologies for psychiatry education internationally.ObjectivesThe main objectives of this study are (1) to determine the feasibility and receptiveness of a locally-developed psychiatry mobile phone app and user perspectives (both quantitative and qualitative) towards it, and (2) to determine the receptiveness of a locally-developed app for psychiatry education internationally.MethodsA Web-based app that contained textbook contents, videos, and quizzes was developed using HTML5 technologies in 2012. Native apps were subsequently developed in 2013. Information about the apps was disseminated locally to Singaporean medical students, but the respective native apps were made available on the app stores. A user perspective survey was conducted locally to determine student’s perception of the app.ResultsFrom the inception of the app until the time of preparation of this manuscript, there have been a cumulative total of 28,500 unique visits of the responsive HTML5 Web-based mobile phone app. There have been a cumulative total of 2200 downloads of the Mastering Psychiatry app from the Apple app store and 7000 downloads of the same app from the Android app store. The initial user perspective survey conducted locally highlighted that approximately a total of 95.2% (177/186) of students felt that having a psychiatry mobile phone app was deemed to be useful. Further chi-squared analysis demonstrated that there was a significant difference between males and females in their perception of having textbook contents in the mobile phone app (χ2 4=12.9, P=.0012).ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility and global acceptance of a local, self-designed educational app for psychiatry education. Whilst the current research has managed to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptance of such an app, future studies would be warranted to look, in-depth, into whether there are cultural differences in terms of perceptions towards having such an app in psychiatry and what contents different cultures and cohorts of students might want within an app.

Evaluation of a Web-Based App Demonstrating an Exclusionary Algorithmic Approach to TNM Cancer Staging.

BackgroundTNM staging plays a critical role in the evaluation and management of a range of different types of cancers. The conventional combinatorial approach to the determination of an anatomic stage relies on the identification of distinct tumor (T), node (N), and metastasis (M) classifications to generate a TNM grouping. This process is inherently inefficient due to the need for scrupulous review of the criteria specified for each classification to ensure accurate assignment. An exclusionary approach to TNM staging based on sequential constraint of options may serve to minimize the number of classifications that need to be reviewed to accurately determine an anatomic stage.ObjectiveOur aim was to evaluate the usability and utility of a Web-based app configured to demonstrate an exclusionary approach to TNM staging.MethodsInternal medicine residents, surgery residents, and oncology fellows engaged in clinical training were asked to evaluate a Web-based app developed as an instructional aid incorporating (1) an exclusionary algorithm that polls tabulated classifications and sorts them into ranked order based on frequency counts, (2) reconfiguration of classification criteria to generate disambiguated yes/no questions that function as selection and exclusion prompts, and (3) a selectable grid of TNM groupings that provides dynamic graphic demonstration of the effects of sequentially selecting or excluding specific classifications. Subjects were asked to evaluate the performance of this app after completing exercises simulating the staging of different types of cancers encountered during training.ResultsSurvey responses indicated high levels of agreement with statements supporting the usability and utility of this app. Subjects reported that its user interface provided a clear display with intuitive controls and that the exclusionary approach to TNM staging it demonstrated represented an efficient process of assignment that helped to clarify distinctions between tumor, node, and metastasis classifications. High overall usefulness ratings were bolstered by supplementary comments suggesting that this app might be readily adopted for use in clinical practice.ConclusionsA Web-based app that utilizes an exclusionary algorithm to prompt the assignment of tumor, node, and metastasis classifications may serve as an effective instructional aid demonstrating an efficient and informative approach to TNM staging.

PD19-10 IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB-BASED, PROCEDURE-SPECIFIC, ROBOTIC TRAINING EXPERIENCE LOG WITH FEEDBACK AND LONGITUDINAL REPORTING FEATURES

You have accessJournal of UrologyTechnology & Instruments: Surgical Education & Skills Assessment III1 Apr 2015PD19-10 IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB-BASED, PROCEDURE-SPECIFIC, ROBOTIC TRAINING EXPERIENCE LOG WITH FEEDBACK AND LONGITUDINAL REPORTING FEATURES Ryan Thorwarth, Marcus Quek, and Gopal Gupta Ryan ThorwarthRyan Thorwarth More articles by this author , Marcus QuekMarcus Quek More articles by this author , and Gopal GuptaGopal Gupta More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2015.02.709AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The ability to distinguish areas of weakness, receive feedback, and track progress is vital to resident education. It has been shown that residents do not agree with supervising physicians about the frequency and specificity of feedback. Currently, residents are inaccurately logging cases for ACGME as “primary surgeon”, there is no mandated logging of cases at the step-specific level of the procedure, and no integration of feedback. These conditions suggest that the current mechanism of tracking true operative experience and surgical skill progression is inadequate. It was our objective to establish such a tool for surgical training. METHODS We propose a tool to log surgical skill progression, experience, and feedback with four major features: 1) A log of robotic case involvement, with nine common procedures deconstructed to their major steps, and a record of program-specific information 2) A built-in function where the resident may request the supervising attending quantitatively review their performance on four surgical skills, and add short notes 3) A function by which a sample video of the case can be reviewed in a blind fashion 4) Have this be accessible on any device, and be of minimal time burden. RESULTS The web-based app was successfully developed and piloted for 2 months with 6 residents and 5 attendings. A total of 81 cases were logged. A reporting structure was developed where individual residents or administrators could view statistics on several data points including, but not limited to: - Frequency of each procedure done - Resident involvement, step-for-step, for each procedure - Statistics broken down by supervising attending - A summary of scores for the four surgical skills reviewed There was a small time burden on residents (84.2 sec +/- 64.3 per case) and supervisors (122 +/- 100 sec per case requested for review). Insightful, granular, data on resident experience, skill progression, and learning environment was obtained. For instance, 91% of the 33 robotic prostatectomies logged were logged as primary surgeon, yet bladder neck dissection, dropping of the rectum, and transection of the urethra had <25% involvement. CONCLUSIONS In hopes of advancing the granularity and ease with which residents/surgeons track their training, we developed a modern, accessible logging system that is ready for multifaceted use at other institutions. We believe this system will enhance the awareness of residents and program directors about weaknesses in training curricula. © 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 193Issue 4SApril 2015Page: e395-e396 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ryan Thorwarth More articles by this author Marcus Quek More articles by this author Gopal Gupta More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Development of a web-based and mobile app to support physical activity in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the second step of a co-design process.

BackgroundLong-term adherence to physical activity recommendations remains challenging for most individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite evidence for its health benefits.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to provide basic data on system requirement specifications for a Web-based and mobile app to self-manage physical activity. More specifically, we explored the target user group, features of the future app, and correlations between the system requirements and the established behavior change techniques (BCTs).MethodsWe used a participatory action research design. Qualitative data were collected using multiple methods in four workshops. Participants were 5 individuals with RA, a clinical physiotherapist, an officer from the Swedish Rheumatism Association, a Web designer, and 2 physiotherapy researchers. A taxonomy was used to determine the degree of correlation between the system requirements and established BCTs.ResultsParticipants agreed that the future Web-based and mobile app should be based on two major components important for maintaining physical activity: (1) a calendar feature for goal setting, planning, and recording of physical activity performance and progress, and (2) a small community feature for positive feedback and support from peers. All system requirements correlated with established BCTs, which were coded as 24 different BCTs.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this study is the first to involve individuals with RA as co-designers, in collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and Web designers, to produce basic data to generate system requirement specifications for an eHealth service. The system requirements correlated to the BCTs, making specifications of content and future evaluation of effectiveness possible.

Real-time web-based assessment of total population risk of future emergency department utilization: statewide prospective active case finding study.

BackgroundAn easily accessible real-time Web-based utility to assess patient risks of future emergency department (ED) visits can help the health care provider guide the allocation of resources to better manage higher-risk patient populations and thereby reduce unnecessary use of EDs.ObjectiveOur main objective was to develop a Health Information Exchange-based, next 6-month ED risk surveillance system in the state of Maine.MethodsData on electronic medical record (EMR) encounters integrated by HealthInfoNet (HIN), Maine’s Health Information Exchange, were used to develop the Web-based surveillance system for a population ED future 6-month risk prediction. To model, a retrospective cohort of 829,641 patients with comprehensive clinical histories from January 1 to December 31, 2012 was used for training and then tested with a prospective cohort of 875,979 patients from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013.ResultsThe multivariate statistical analysis identified 101 variables predictive of future defined 6-month risk of ED visit: 4 age groups, history of 8 different encounter types, history of 17 primary and 8 secondary diagnoses, 8 specific chronic diseases, 28 laboratory test results, history of 3 radiographic tests, and history of 25 outpatient prescription medications. The c-statistics for the retrospective and prospective cohorts were 0.739 and 0.732 respectively. Integration of our method into the HIN secure statewide data system in real time prospectively validated its performance. Cluster analysis in both the retrospective and prospective analyses revealed discrete subpopulations of high-risk patients, grouped around multiple “anchoring” demographics and chronic conditions. With the Web-based population risk-monitoring enterprise dashboards, the effectiveness of the active case finding algorithm has been validated by clinicians and caregivers in Maine.ConclusionsThe active case finding model and associated real-time Web-based app were designed to track the evolving nature of total population risk, in a longitudinal manner, for ED visits across all payers, all diseases, and all age groups. Therefore, providers can implement targeted care management strategies to the patient subgroups with similar patterns of clinical histories, driving the delivery of more efficient and effective health care interventions. To the best of our knowledge, this prospectively validated EMR-based, Web-based tool is the first one to allow real-time total population risk assessment for statewide ED visits.

Enabling Psychiatrists to be Mobile Phone App Developers: Insights Into App Development Methodologies

BackgroundThe use of mobile phones, and specifically smartphones, in the last decade has become more and more prevalent. The latest mobile phones are equipped with comprehensive features that can be used in health care, such as providing rapid access to up-to-date evidence-based information, provision of instant communications, and improvements in organization. The estimated number of health care apps for mobile phones is increasing tremendously, but previous research has highlighted the lack of critical appraisal of new apps. This lack of appraisal of apps has largely been due to the lack of clinicians with technical knowledge of how to create an evidence-based app.ObjectiveWe discuss two freely available methodologies for developing Web-based mobile phone apps: a website builder and an app builder. With these, users can program not just a Web-based app, but also integrate multimedia features within their app, without needing to know any programming language.MethodsWe present techniques for creating a mobile Web-based app using two well-established online mobile app websites. We illustrate how to integrate text-based content within the app, as well as integration of interactive videos and rich site summary (RSS) feed information. We will also briefly discuss how to integrate a simple questionnaire survey into the mobile-based app. A questionnaire survey was administered to students to collate their perceptions towards the app.ResultsThese two methodologies for developing apps have been used to convert an online electronic psychiatry textbook into two Web-based mobile phone apps for medical students rotating through psychiatry in Singapore. Since the inception of our mobile Web-based app, a total of 21,991 unique users have used the mobile app and online portal provided by WordPress, and another 717 users have accessed the app via a Web-based link. The user perspective survey results (n=185) showed that a high proportion of students valued the textbook and objective structured clinical examination videos featured in the app. A high proportion of students concurred that a self-designed mobile phone app would be helpful for psychiatry education.ConclusionsThese methodologies can enable busy clinicians to develop simple mobile Web-based apps for academic, educational, and research purposes, without any prior knowledge of programming. This will be beneficial for both clinicians and users at large, as there will then be more evidence-based mobile phone apps, or at least apps that have been appraised by a clinician.

Innovation of communication technology to improve information transfer during handover

Background: Efficient information transfer during handover is a key part of high quality care. Handover represents a transition point in the patient pathway where there is susceptibility to communication failure, this can threaten patient safety. Existing communication technologies are sub-optimal and require innovation in line with modern technology in use by clinicians and the general public. The advent of web-based instant messaging and rapid app development in the mHealth arena provide better functionality for the consumer compared to old methods of communication. The healthcare industry should take advantage of this innovative time. This study aims to provide evidence-based, user-informed recommendations for the development of an application-based communication system (ABCS) tailored for use during patient handover. Methods: Phase 1: A systematic literature review aiming to identify best evidence exploring interventions in the handover process. Phase 2: Ethnographic, inter-professional observations to uncover issues surrounding patient handover in UK hospitals. Phase 3: Focus group sessions with International Digital Health and Care Congress, The King’s Fund, London, September 10-12 2014. International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 14, 01 November – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-116494– http://www.ijic.org/ 26 surgeons and nurses from 3 UK hospitals were conducted to uncover desirable features to include in an ABCS for surgical handover. Both homogenous and heterogeneous sessions were organised, to ensure methodological rigour. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim before being subjected to independent thematic analysis. Results: Phase 1: Analysis of 19 articles revealed that existing evidence for handover interventions is sparse with no exploration of patient outcome. All handover interventions were based on protocols or guidance templates; there were no app-based interventions and limited use of technology. Observation sessions lasted 3 hours and were conducted on 6 separate occasions on surgical wards by a mixture of designers and clinicians. Observation was performed during both night and day sessions to ensure comprehensive data capture. They revealed issues surrounding absence of junior staff co-ordination, confusion over patient locations, lack of feedback for nurses when contacting doctors and a lack of communication between teams outside normal working hours. The focus group sessions revealed great enthusiasm for communication technology innovation. Participants identified 6 themes detailing user perceptions of current communication technology and attitudes to smartphone technology. They felt that the pager device was outdated. The participants produced, via consensus agreement, 9 key recommendations to include in development of an ABCS: 1. Communication triage by senior staff 2. Communication triage based on clinical urgency 3. Feedback to establish a closed communication loop 4. Structured data input to include demographics and patient location 5. A team conversation function 6. Robust security systems to maintain confidentiality 7. Mobile devices for doctors and ward-based devices for nurses

Mobile phone brief intervention applications for risky alcohol use among university students: a randomized controlled study.

BackgroundBrief interventions via the internet have been shown to reduce university students’ alcohol intake. This study tested two smartphone applications (apps) targeting drinking choices on party occasions, with the goal of reducing problematic alcohol intake among Swedish university students.MethodsStudents were recruited via e-mails sent to student union members at two universities. Those who gave informed consent, had a smartphone, and showed risky alcohol consumption according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were randomized into three groups. Group 1 had access to the Swedish government alcohol monopoly’s app, Promillekoll, offering real-time estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) calculation; Group 2 had access to a web-based app, PartyPlanner, developed by the research group, offering real-time eBAC calculation with planning and follow-up functions; and Group 3 participants were controls. Follow-up was conducted at 7 weeks.ResultsAmong 28574 students offered participation, 4823 agreed to join; 415 were excluded due to incomplete data, and 1932 fulfilled eligibility criteria for randomization. Attrition was 22.7–39.3 percent, higher among heavier drinkers and highest in Group 2. Self-reported app use was higher in Group 1 (74%) compared to Group 2 (41%). Per-protocol analyses revealed only one significant time-by-group interaction, where Group 1 participants increased the frequency of their drinking occasions compared to controls (p = 0.001). Secondary analyses by gender showed a significant difference among men in Group 1 for frequency of drinking occasions per week (p = 0.001), but not among women. Among all participants, 29 percent showed high-risk drinking, over the recommended weekly drinking levels of 9 (women) and 14 (men) standard glasses.ConclusionsSmartphone apps can make brief interventions available to large numbers of university students. The apps studied using eBAC calculation did not, however, seem to affect alcohol consumption among university students and one app may have led to a negative effect among men. Future research should: 1) explore ways to increase user retention, 2) include apps facilitating technical manipulation for evaluation of added components, 3) explore the effects of adapting app content to possible gender differences, and 4) offer additional interventions to high-risk users.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov: NCT01958398.

Maintaining a stationary laser footprint during angular scan in internal-reflection experiments

In internal-reflection metrology using prisms, the prism is usually mounted on a rotation/translation stage to enable adjusting angle and location of the laser footprint on the surface. If a visual inspection method is used to find the laser footprint, the task becomes impossible if invisible radiation in the near infrared is employed. In addition, it may be desirable to perform angular scan experiments with a stationary footprint on the surface during scans, or even to automatically probe specific points on an extended prism face for predetermined incidence angles. In this paper, a formulation is developed to determine the required translation along the prism face to allow maintaining the laser footprint stationary under a given rotation. A web-based app developed under the scope of this work demonstrates the applicability of the approach for silica, BK7 and SF2 glasses, in the wavelength range from 500 to 1500 nm and for an arbitrary geometry of the glass prism.

Mobile Device Monitoring System in the Plant by an Innovative Approach

This This paper proposed method is to use a Smart phone in the real - time situation to carry out monitoring and controlling factory zone temperature, humidity, air quality, flame detection, staff not near the danger zone detection and electrical load analysis. The monitoring range also includes operating machine vibration detection in the factory area, so these methods are innovative research. Our research proposes the integration of ZigBee and Wi-Fi protocol intelligent monitoring system within the framework of the entire plant. The factory sensor using the ZigBee protocol to deliver the message, and real-time sensing data is sent to our integrated embedded systems. Our paper presents an integrated embedded systems using the open-source Arduino DUE module, which is a 32-bit ARM core. Our study proposed a way that writes the network code to ARM chipset become integrated controller. The intelligent integrated controller will instantly analytical processing by the ZigBee sensor pass to the message. Simultaneously this study using Android APP and web-based methods to show the measurement results. The web-based and Android APP approaches will transfer these results to specify the cloud device by way of the TCP / IP protocol. Finally, this paper utilizes FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) approach to analysis of power loads in the factory zones. Simultaneously this study also uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to carry out the actual measurement of the total electricity load experiments by smart phones.