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1 – 10 of over 5000Michael Sony, Jiju Antony and Olivia McDermott
The pandemic has reinforced the need for revamping the healthcare service delivery systems around the world to meet the increased challenges of modern-day illnesses. The use of…
Abstract
Purpose
The pandemic has reinforced the need for revamping the healthcare service delivery systems around the world to meet the increased challenges of modern-day illnesses. The use of medical cyber–physical system (MCPS) in the healthcare is one of the means of transforming the landscape of the traditional healthcare service delivery system. The purpose of this study is to critically examine the impact of MCPS on the quality of healthcare service delivery.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses an evidence-based approach, the authors have conducted a systematic literature review to study the impact of MCPS on healthcare service delivery. Fifty-four articles were thematically examined to study the impact of MCPS on eight characteristics of the healthcare service delivery proposed by the world health organisation.
Findings
The study proposes support that MCPS will positively impact (1) comprehensiveness, (2) accessibility, (3) coverage, (4) continuity, (5) quality, (6) person-centredness, (7) coordination, (8) accountability and (9) efficiency dimension of the healthcare service delivery. The study further draws nine propositions to support the impact of MCPS on the healthcare service delivery.
Practical implications
This study can be used by stakeholders as a guide point while using MCPS in healthcare service delivery systems. Besides, healthcare managers can use this study to understand the performance of their healthcare system. This study can further be used for designing effective strategies for deploying MCPS to be effective and efficient in each of the dimensions of healthcare service delivery.
Originality/value
The previous studies have focussed on technology aspects of MCPS and none of them critically analysed the impact on healthcare service delivery. This is the first literature review carried out to understand the impact of MCPS on the nine dimensions of healthcare service delivery proposed by WHO. This study provides improved thematic awareness of the resulting body of knowledge, allowing the field of MCPS and healthcare service delivery to progress in a more informed and multidisciplinary manner.
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Michael Rigby, Shalmali Deshpande, Daniela Luzi, Fabrizio Pecoraro, Oscar Tamburis, Ilaria Rocco, Barbara Corso, Nadia Minicuci, Harshana Liyanage, Uy Hoang, Filipa Ferreira, Simon de Lusignan, Ekelechi MacPepple and Heather Gage
In order to assess the state of health of Europe’s children, or to appraise the systems and models of healthcare delivery, data about children are essential, with as much…
Abstract
In order to assess the state of health of Europe’s children, or to appraise the systems and models of healthcare delivery, data about children are essential, with as much precision and accuracy as possible by small group characteristic. Unfortunately, the experience of the Models of Child Health Appraised (MOCHA) project and its scientists shows that this ideal is seldom met, and thus the accuracy of appraisal or planning work is compromised. In the project, we explored the data collected on children by a number of databases used in Europe and globally, to find that although the four quinquennial age bands are common, it is impossible to represent children aged 0–17 years as a legally defined group in statistical analysis. Adolescents, in particular, are the most invisible age group despite this being a time of life when they are rapidly changing and facing increasing challenges. In terms of measurement and monitoring, there is little progress from work of nearly two decades ago that recommended an information system, and no focus on the creation of a policy and ethical framework to allow collaborative analysis of the rich anonymised databases that hold real-world people-based data. In respect of data systems and surveillance, nearly all systems in European society pay lip service to the importance of children, but do not accommodate them in a practical and statistical sense.
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Miroslav Šplíchal, Miroslav Červenka and Jaroslav Juracka
This study aims to focus on verifying the possibility of monitoring the condition of a turboprop engine using data recorded by on-board avionics Garmin G1000. This approach has…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to focus on verifying the possibility of monitoring the condition of a turboprop engine using data recorded by on-board avionics Garmin G1000. This approach has potential benefits for operators without the need to invest in specialised equipment. The main focus was on the inter-turbine temperature (ITT). An unexpected increase in temperature above the usual value may indicate an issue with the engine. The problem lies in the detection of small deviations when the absolute value of the ITT is affected by several external variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The ITT is monitored by engine sensors and stored by avionics 1× per second onto an SD card. This process generates large amount of data that needs to be processed. Therefore, an algorithm was created to detect the steady states of the engine parameters. The ITT value also depends on the flight parameters and surrounding environment. As a solution to these effects, the division of data into clusters that represent the usual flight profiles was tested. This ensures a comparison at comparable ambient pressures. The dominant environmental influence then remain at the ambient air temperature (OAT). Three OAT compensation methods were tested in this study. Compensation for the standard atmosphere, compensation for the standard temperature of the given flight level and compensation for the speed of the generator, where the regression analysis proved the dependence between the ambient temperature and the speed of the generator.
Findings
The influence of ambient temperature on the corrected ITT values is noticeable. The best method for correcting the OAT appears to be the use of compensation through the revolutions of the compressor turbine NG. The speed of the generator depends on several parameters, and can refine the corrected ITT value. During the long-term follow-up, the ITT differences (delta values) were within the expected range. The tested data did not include the behaviour of the engine with a malfunction or other damage that would clearly verify this approach. Therefore, the engine monitoring will continue.
Practical implications
This study presents a possible approach to turbine engine condition monitoring using limited on board avionic data. These findings can support the development of an engine condition monitoring system with automatic abnormality detection and low operating costs.
Originality/value
This article represent a practical description of problems in monitoring the condition of a turboprop engine in an aircraft with variable flight profiles. The authors are not aware of a similar method that uses monitoring of engine parameters at defined flight levels. Described findings should limit the influence of ambient air pressure on engine parameters.
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Ilaria Rocco, Barbara Corso, Daniela Luzi, Fabrizio Pecoraro, Oscar Tamburis, Uy Hoang, Harshana Liyanage, Filipa Ferreira, Simon de Lusignan and Nadia Minicuci
Evaluating primary care for children has not before been undertaken on a national level, and only infrequently on an international level, an adult-focused perspective is the norm…
Abstract
Evaluating primary care for children has not before been undertaken on a national level, and only infrequently on an international level, an adult-focused perspective is the norm. The Models of Child Health Appraised (MOCHA) project explored the evaluation of quality of primary care for children in a nationally comparable way, which recognises the influence of all components of child well-being and well-becoming. Using adult-focused metrics fails to account for children’s physical and psycho-social development at different ages, differences in health and non-health determinants, patterns of disease and risk factors and the stages of the life course. To do this, we attempted to identify comparable measures of child health in the European Union and European Economic Area countries, we aimed to perform a structural equation modelling technique to identify causal effects of certain policies or procedures in children’s primary care and we aimed to identify and interrogate large datasets for key tracer conditions. We found that the creation of comparative data for children and child health services remains a low priority in Europe, and the largely unmet need for indicators covering all the healthcare dimensions hampers development of evidence-based policy. In terms of the MOCHA project objective of appraising models of child primary health care, the results of this specific work show that the means of appraisal of system and service quality are not yet agreed or mature, as well as having inadequate data to fuel them.
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Syahril Efendi, Baihaqi Siregar and Heru Pranoto
Innovation in a decentralized blockchain infrastructure can be used by medicine as a prerequisite for the exchange of patient data. Developments in the medical device industry…
Abstract
Innovation in a decentralized blockchain infrastructure can be used by medicine as a prerequisite for the exchange of patient data. Developments in the medical device industry that support the technology of the internet of things and wireless sensor networks also facilitate the examination of patient medical records that no longer require visits to the practice of doctors or hospitals which in some cases takes in a considerable time. Not to mention the consideration of traffic congestion and busy routine in the work. Patients can check their healthcare concerns using only sensors such as e-Health Sensor Shield Platform which then sends recording results through the transmission line to the data lakes. However, this patient’s medical record data is very confidential and may only be accessed by certain parties only. This required the design of the concept of security in the transmission of data so that the data does not leak to parties who are not eligible. This paper attempts to provide an overview of the concept of using encryption with an asymmetric key for securing data from sensors to data lakes before forwarding to a decentralized, interconnected blockchain infrastructure.
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Euodia Vermeulen and Sara Grobbelaar
In this article we aim to understand how the network formed by fitness tracking devices and associated apps as a subset of the broader health-related Internet of things is capable…
Abstract
Purpose
In this article we aim to understand how the network formed by fitness tracking devices and associated apps as a subset of the broader health-related Internet of things is capable of spreading information.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a combination of a content analysis, network analysis, community detection and simulation. A sample of 922 health-related apps (including manufacturers' apps and developers) were collected through snowball sampling after an initial content analysis from a Google search for fitness tracking devices.
Findings
The network of fitness apps is disassortative with high-degree nodes connecting to low-degree nodes, follow a power-law degree distribution and present with low community structure. Information spreads faster through the network than an artificial small-world network and fastest when nodes with high degree centrality are the seeds.
Practical implications
This capability to spread information holds implications for both intended and unintended data sharing.
Originality/value
The analysis confirms and supports evidence of widespread mobility of data between fitness and health apps that were initially reported in earlier work and in addition provides evidence for the dynamic diffusion capability of the network based on its structure. The structure of the network enables the duality of the purpose of data sharing.
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Yishou Wang, Zhibin Han, Tian Gao and Xinlin Qing
The purpose of this study is to develop a cylindrical capacitive sensor that has the advantages of high resolution, small size and designability and can be easily installed on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a cylindrical capacitive sensor that has the advantages of high resolution, small size and designability and can be easily installed on lubricant pipeline to monitor lubricant oil debris.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model of the cylindrical capacitive sensor is presented to analyze several parameters’ effectiveness on the performance of sensor. Numerical simulations are then conducted to determine the optimal parameters for preliminary experiments. Experiments are finally carried out to demonstrate the detectability of developed capacitive sensors.
Findings
It is clear from experimental results that the developed capacitive sensor can monitor the debris in lubricant oil well, and the capacitance values increase almost linearly when the number and size of debris increase.
Research limitations/implications
There is lot of further work to do to apply the presented method into the application. Especially, it is necessary to consider several factors’ influence on monitoring results. These factors include the flow rate of the lubricant oil, the temperature, the debris distribution and the vibration. Moreover, future work should consider the influence of the oil degradation to the capacitance change and other contaminations (e.g. water and dust).
Practical implications
This work conducts a feasibility study on application of capacitive sensing principle for detecting debris in aero engine lubricant oil.
Originality/value
The novelty of the presented capacitance sensor can be summarized into two aspects. One is that the sensor structure is simple and characterized by two coaxial cylinders as electrodes, while conventional capacitive sensors are composed of two parallel plates as electrodes. The other is that sensing mechanism and physical model of the presented sensor is verified and validated by the simulation and experiment.
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Antonio Lopo Martinez and Flávio Alves de Carvalho
This study examines whether Brazilian health insurance companies (HICs) engage in earnings management through discretionary accruals or operational decisions by refraining from…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines whether Brazilian health insurance companies (HICs) engage in earnings management through discretionary accruals or operational decisions by refraining from reporting a low indicator of sustainability in the market (IDSM).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used the Jones and Modified Jones models to identify earnings management through discretionary accruals and used the model described by Roychowdhury to estimate the abnormal behaviors of operational decisions. Data covering 2012 to 2018 were collected from the ANS website.
Findings
The results show that HICs engaged in earnings management to avoid reporting a low IDSM. The findings should help health insurance clients make decisions regarding the purchase or change of health insurance. The findings should also encourage regulators to improve their evaluation of the economic and financial risks around HICs.
Originality/value
The National Agency of Supplementary Health (ANS) established a qualification program for HICs, monitoring them based on a set of indicators. Managers may have an incentive to use earnings management to obtain indices that meet the requirements of the ANS qualification program in order to avoid showing signs of abnormality.
研究目的
本研究旨在探討巴西的醫療保險公司,透過避免報導低的市場可持續性指標,是以裁決性應計,抑或是以操作決策來進行盈餘管理。
研究的原創性
國立輔助醫療辦事處 (註:此為直譯)(The National Agency of Supplementary Health)為醫療保險公司建立了一個資格檢定機制,基於一套指標來監管這些公司。公司主管或會有鼓勵性的誘因去使用盈餘管理來取得符合國立輔助醫療辦事處資格檢定機制所要求的指標,從而避免顯示異常的跡象。
研究設計/方法/理念
本研究使用Jones 模型及Modified Jones模型,透過裁決性應計來辨認盈餘管理,研究亦使用羅伊喬杜里 (Roychowdhury) 描述的模型, 來估計操作決策的異常行為。數據取自國立輔助醫療辦事處的網址,並涵蓋2012年至2018年期間。
研究結果
研究結果顯示,醫療保險公司進行盈餘管理,以求避免報導低的市場可持續性指標。研究結果應可幫助醫療保險客戶在購買或更改醫療保險時作適當的決定。研究結果亦可鼓勵監管者改善他們對醫療保險公司的經濟及財務風險所作的評估。
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Suchismita Swain, Kamalakanta Muduli, Anil Kumar and Sunil Luthra
The goal of this research is to analyse the obstacles to the implementation of mobile health (mHealth) in India and to gain an understanding of the contextual inter-relationships…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this research is to analyse the obstacles to the implementation of mobile health (mHealth) in India and to gain an understanding of the contextual inter-relationships that exist amongst those obstacles.
Design/methodology/approach
Potential barriers and their interrelationships in their respective contexts have been uncovered. Using MICMAC analysis, the categorization of these barriers was done based on their degree of reliance and driving power (DP). Furthermore, an interpretive structural modeling (ISM) framework for the barriers to mHealth activities in India has been proposed.
Findings
The study explores a total of 15 factors that reduce the efficiency of mHealth adoption in India. The findings of the Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) investigation show that the economic situation of the government, concerns regarding the safety of intellectual technologies and privacy issues are the primary obstacles because of the significant driving power they have in mHealth applications.
Practical implications
Promoters of mHealth practices may be able to make better plans if they understand the social barriers and how they affect each other; this leads to easier adoption of these practices. The findings of this study might be helpful for governments of developing nations to produce standards relating to the deployment of mHealth; this will increase the efficiency with which it is adopted.
Originality/value
At this time, there is no comprehensive analysis of the factors that influence the adoption of mobile health care with social cognitive theory in developing nations like India. In addition, there is a lack of research in investigating how each of these elements affects the success of mHealth activities and how the others interact with them. Because developed nations learnt the value of mHealth practices during the recent pandemic, this study, by investigating the obstacles to the adoption of mHealth and their inter-relationships, makes an important addition to both theory and practice.
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