Sample records for access telephone line

  1. Interactive water monitoring system accessible by cordless telephone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Volpicelli, Richard; Andeweg, Pierre; Hagar, William G.

    1985-12-01

    A battery-operated, microcomputer-controlled monitoring device linked with a cordless telephone has been developed for remote measurements. This environmental sensor is self-contained and collects and processes data according to the information sent to its on-board computer system. An RCA model 1805 microprocessor forms the basic controller with a program encoded in memory for data acquisition and analysis. Signals from analog sensing devices used to monitor the environment are converted into digital signals and stored in random access memory of the microcomputer. This remote sensing system is linked to the laboratory by means of a cordless telephone whose base unit is connected to regular telephone lines. This offshore sensing system is simply accessed by a phone call originating from a computer terminal in the laboratory. Data acquisition is initiated upon request: Information continues to be processed and stored until the computer is reprogrammed by another phone call request. Information obtained may be recalled by a phone call after the desired environmental measurements are finished or while they are in progress. Data sampling parameters may be reset at any time, including in the middle of a measurement cycle. The range of the system is limited only by existing telephone grid systems and by the transmission characteristics of the cordless phone used as a communications link. This use of a cordless telephone, coupled with the on-board computer system, may be applied to other field studies requiring data transfer between an on-site analytical system and the laboratory.

  2. Access to Complex Abortion Care Service and Planning Improved through a Toll-Free Telephone Resource Line

    PubMed Central

    Norman, Wendy V.; Hestrin, Barbara; Dueck, Royce

    2014-01-01

    Background. Providing equitable access to the full range of reproductive health services over wide geographic areas presents significant challenges to any health system. We present a review of a service provision model which has provided improved access to abortion care; support for complex issues experienced by women seeking nonjudgmental family planning health services; and a mechanism to collect information on access barriers. The toll-free pregnancy options service (POS) of British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Centre sought to improve access to services and overcome barriers experienced by women seeking abortion. Methods. We describe the development and implementation of a province-wide toll-free telephone counseling and access facilitation service, including establishment of a provincial network of local abortion service providers in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1998 to 2010. Results. Over 2000 women annually access service via the POS line, networks of care providers are established and linked to central support, and central program planners receive timely information on new service gaps and access barriers. Conclusion. This novel service has been successful in addressing inequities and access barriers identified as priorities before service establishment. The service provided unanticipated benefits to health care planning and monitoring of provincial health care related service delivery and gaps. This model for low cost health service delivery may realize similar benefits when applied to other health care systems where access and referral barriers exist. PMID:24693291

  3. Modeling Auditory-Haptic Interface Cues from an Analog Multi-line Telephone

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Begault, Durand R.; Anderson, Mark R.; Bittner, Rachael M.

    2012-01-01

    The Western Electric Company produced a multi-line telephone during the 1940s-1970s using a six-button interface design that provided robust tactile, haptic and auditory cues regarding the "state" of the communication system. This multi-line telephone was used as a model for a trade study comparison of two interfaces: a touchscreen interface (iPad)) versus a pressure-sensitive strain gauge button interface (Phidget USB interface controllers). The experiment and its results are detailed in the authors' AES 133rd convention paper " Multimodal Information Management: Evaluation of Auditory and Haptic Cues for NextGen Communication Dispays". This Engineering Brief describes how the interface logic, visual indications, and auditory cues of the original telephone were synthesized using MAX/MSP, including the logic for line selection, line hold, and priority line activation.

  4. 76 FR 60765 - Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-30

    ... access, not telephone dial-up. \\19\\ U.S. Census Bureau, E-Stats, 2007 E-Commerce Multi-Sector Report, May... Shopping and Mail-Order Houses--Total and E-Commerce Sales by Merchandise Line: 2006-2007. Second, consumer... buyers access the Internet (e.g., dial-up telephone modem, cable, or wireless); (2) allow sellers to...

  5. Toward The Goal Of Video Deaf Communication Over Public Telephone Lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Healy, Donald J.; Clements, Mark A.

    1986-11-01

    At least 500,000 profoundly deaf persons in the United States communicate primarily by American Sign Language (ASL), a language quite distinct from English and not well suited to writing. Currently, telephone communication for an ASL user is basically limited to use of a teletype machine, which requires both typing skills and proficiency in English. This paper reviews recent research relevant to the development of techniques which would allow manual communication across existing telephone channels using video imagery. Two possibilities for such manual communication are ASL and cued speech. The latter technique uses hand signals to aid lip reading. In either case, conventional television video transmission would require a bandwidth many times that available on a telephone channel. The achievement of visual communication using sign language or cued speech at data rates below 10 kbps, low enough to be transmitted over a public telephone line, will require the development of new data reducing algorithms. Avenues for future research toward this goal are presented.

  6. Japan's Widespread Use of Cellular Telephones To Access the Internet: Implications for Educational Telecommunications.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Douglass J.

    In the 3 years since their introduction, Internet-capable cellular telephones are used by over 47 million Japanese (37% of the population) which nearly equals the number of people using personal computers to access the Internet. If this trend continues, the cellular telephone will overtake the personal computer as the most widely used Internet…

  7. Expanding Access to BRCA1/2 Genetic Counseling with Telephone Delivery: A Cluster Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Butler, Karin M.; Schwartz, Marc D.; Mandelblatt, Jeanne S.; Boucher, Kenneth M.; Pappas, Lisa M.; Gammon, Amanda; Kohlmann, Wendy; Edwards, Sandra L.; Stroup, Antoinette M.; Buys, Saundra S.; Flores, Kristina G.; Campo, Rebecca A.

    2014-01-01

    Background The growing demand for cancer genetic services underscores the need to consider approaches that enhance access and efficiency of genetic counseling. Telephone delivery of cancer genetic services may improve access to these services for individuals experiencing geographic (rural areas) and structural (travel time, transportation, childcare) barriers to access. Methods This cluster-randomized clinical trial used population-based sampling of women at risk for BRCA1/2 mutations to compare telephone and in-person counseling for: 1) equivalency of testing uptake and 2) noninferiority of changes in psychosocial measures. Women 25 to 74 years of age with personal or family histories of breast or ovarian cancer and who were able to travel to one of 14 outreach clinics were invited to participate. Randomization was by family. Assessments were conducted at baseline one week after pretest and post-test counseling and at six months. Of the 988 women randomly assigned, 901 completed a follow-up assessment. Cluster bootstrap methods were used to estimate the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference between test uptake proportions, using a 10% equivalency margin. Differences in psychosocial outcomes for determining noninferiority were estimated using linear models together with one-sided 97.5% bootstrap CIs. Results Uptake of BRCA1/2 testing was lower following telephone (21.8%) than in-person counseling (31.8%, difference = 10.2%, 95% CI = 3.9% to 16.3%; after imputation of missing data: difference = 9.2%, 95% CI = -0.1% to 24.6%). Telephone counseling fulfilled the criteria for noninferiority to in-person counseling for all measures. Conclusions BRCA1/2 telephone counseling, although leading to lower testing uptake, appears to be safe and as effective as in-person counseling with regard to minimizing adverse psychological reactions, promoting informed decision making, and delivering patient-centered communication for both rural and urban women. PMID:25376862

  8. Performances of a date dissemination code on telephone lines using commercial modems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cordara, F.; Pettiti, V.; Quasso, R.; Rubiola, E.

    1993-01-01

    A coded time/date information dissemination system (CTD), based on telephone lines and commercial modems, is now in its experimental phase in Italy at IEN. This service, born from a cooperation with other metrological laboratories (TUG, Austria, SNT, Sweden, VSL, The Netherlands), represents an attempt towards an European standardization. Some results of an experimental analysis in which a few modems were tested, both in laboratory conditions and connected to the telephone network, in order to evaluate the timing capability of the system are given. When the system is used in a one-way mode, in many practical cases the modems delay turns out to be the main factor which limits the accuracy, even more than the telephone line delays. If the two-way mode is used, the modems asymmetry, i.e., the delay difference between transmission and reception, is almost always the most important source of uncertainty, provided the link is not including a space segment. Comparing the widely used V.22 modems to the old V.21 ones, the latters turn out to be better both in delay time (30-100 ms V.22, and 7-15 ms V.21) and asymmetry (10-50 micro-s V.22, and 10 ms V.22). Time transfer accuracies of 10 micron-s (same turn) to 100 micro-s (long distance calls) were obtained in two-way mode with commercial V.21 modems.

  9. Intervention among Suicidal Men: Future Directions for Telephone Crisis Support Research.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Tara; Wilson, Coralie J; Woodward, Alan; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian

    2018-01-01

    Telephone crisis support is a confidential, accessible, and immediate service that is uniquely set up to reduce male suicide deaths through crisis intervention. However, research focusing on telephone crisis support with suicidal men is currently limited. To highlight the need to address service delivery for men experiencing suicidal crisis, this perspective article identifies key challenges facing current telephone crisis support research and proposes that understanding of the role of telephone crisis helplines in supporting suicidal men may be strengthened by careful examination of the context of telephone crisis support, together with the impact this has on help-provision for male suicidal callers. In particular, the impact of the time- and information-poor context of telephone crisis support on crisis-line staff's identification of, and response to, male callers with thoughts of suicide is examined. Future directions for research in the provision of telephone crisis support for suicidal men are discussed.

  10. Intervention among Suicidal Men: Future Directions for Telephone Crisis Support Research

    PubMed Central

    Hunt, Tara; Wilson, Coralie J.; Woodward, Alan; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian

    2018-01-01

    Telephone crisis support is a confidential, accessible, and immediate service that is uniquely set up to reduce male suicide deaths through crisis intervention. However, research focusing on telephone crisis support with suicidal men is currently limited. To highlight the need to address service delivery for men experiencing suicidal crisis, this perspective article identifies key challenges facing current telephone crisis support research and proposes that understanding of the role of telephone crisis helplines in supporting suicidal men may be strengthened by careful examination of the context of telephone crisis support, together with the impact this has on help-provision for male suicidal callers. In particular, the impact of the time- and information-poor context of telephone crisis support on crisis-line staff’s identification of, and response to, male callers with thoughts of suicide is examined. Future directions for research in the provision of telephone crisis support for suicidal men are discussed. PMID:29404319

  11. Increasing access to smoking cessation treatment in a low-income, HIV-positive population: the feasibility of using cellular telephones.

    PubMed

    Lazev, Amy; Vidrine, Damon; Arduino, Roberto; Gritz, Ellen

    2004-04-01

    This study examined the feasibility of using cellular telephones to improve access to smoking cessation counseling in a low-income, HIV-positive population. Two pilot studies were conducted: (a). A survey of interest and barriers in participating in a smoking cessation intervention (n=49) and (b). a cellular telephone smoking cessation intervention in which participants were provided with free cellular telephones and received six telephone counseling sessions over a 2-week period (n=20). A primary care clinic serving a multiethnic, medically indigent, HIV-positive population served as the setting. Demographics and smoking status were assessed by self-report and expired-air carbon monoxide testing. In study 1, participants reported multiple barriers to participating in a smoking cessation intervention, including transportation, transience, and telephone availability. However, they also reported a high level of interest in participating in a smoking cessation intervention, with the greatest interest in a cellular telephone intervention. In study 2, 19 of the 20 participants successfully completed 2 weeks of smoking cessation counseling with a 93% (106 of 114 calls) contact rate. A total of 19 participants made a quit attempt, and the 2-week end of treatment point-prevalence abstinence rate was 75%. The provision of cellular telephones allowed for the implementation of a proactive telephone smoking cessation intervention providing an underserved population with access to care. Cellular telephones also may provide unique benefits because of the intensity of counseling and support provided as well as the ability to provide counseling in real-world, real-time situations (in vivo counseling).

  12. Use of a telephone nursing line in a pediatric neurology clinic: one approach to the shortage of subspecialists.

    PubMed

    Letourneau, Megan A; MacGregor, Daune L; Dick, Paul T; McCabe, E J; Allen, Anita J; Chan, Valerie W; MacMillan, Lynn J; Golomb, Meredith R

    2003-11-01

    There are not enough pediatric neurologists to meet the many needs of pediatric neurology patients. The Hospital for Sick Children has responded by expanding the nursing role in the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic. The objective of this study was to examine the use of a telephone nursing line in this hospital-based pediatric neurology clinic. A cross-sectional study was performed on all telephone call records collected during a 2-week study period. Each initial incoming call concerning a patient was counted as an index call. Associations between clinic type or diagnosis and length of telephone calls were assessed using the chi(2) test. A total of 208 index calls were received, generating a total of 597 incoming and outgoing calls. The most common clinic types were Epilepsy clinic (35.6%) and General Neurology clinic (32.7%), and the most common patient diagnoses were epilepsy (63.5%) and developmental delay (45.2%). Most patients were between the ages of 1 and <7 years (33.9%) and 12 and <18 years (32.8%) and male (55.2%). Most calls were made by mothers (57.2%) to ask about medical administrative issues (28.4%) and/or symptoms (27.9%). Physicians were notified for 47.1% of calls; nurses were twice as likely to notify physicians for calls concerning new symptoms (relative risk: 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-2.7). Most calls required between 1 and 5 minutes (49.0%). Long telephone calls (>10 minutes) were strongly associated with a diagnosis of epilepsy. There is a high demand for the neurology nursing line in our clinic. Most telephone calls and most long telephone calls concerned patients with epilepsy. Nurses managed more than half of all telephone calls without physician assistance. Use of a nursing line can aid in the provision of care to complicated subspecialty patients. Additional strategies are needed to optimize delivery of care to high-need medical populations.

  13. Patterns of Signs That Telephone Crisis Support Workers Associate with Suicide Risk in Telephone Crisis Line Callers.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Tara; Wilson, Coralie; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian; Woodward, Alan

    2018-01-30

    Signs of suicide are commonly used in suicide intervention training to assist the identification of those at imminent risk for suicide. Signs of suicide may be particularly important to telephone crisis-line workers (TCWs), who have little background information to identify the presence of suicidality if the caller is unable or unwilling to express suicidal intent. Although signs of suicide are argued to be only meaningful as a pattern, there is a paucity of research that has examined whether TCWs use patterns of signs to decide whether a caller might be suicidal, and whether these are influenced by caller characteristics such as gender. The current study explored both possibilities. Data were collected using an online self-report survey in a Australian sample of 137 TCWs. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered three patterns of suicide signs that TCWs may use to identify if a caller might be at risk for suicide (mood, hopelessness, and anger), which were qualitatively different for male and female callers. These findings suggest that TCWs may recognise specific patterns of signs to identify suicide risk, which appear to be influenced to some extent by the callers' inferred gender. Implications for the training of telephone crisis workers and others including mental-health and medical professionals, as well as and future research in suicide prevention are discussed.

  14. Patterns of Signs That Telephone Crisis Support Workers Associate with Suicide Risk in Telephone Crisis Line Callers

    PubMed Central

    Hunt, Tara; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian; Woodward, Alan

    2018-01-01

    Signs of suicide are commonly used in suicide intervention training to assist the identification of those at imminent risk for suicide. Signs of suicide may be particularly important to telephone crisis-line workers (TCWs), who have little background information to identify the presence of suicidality if the caller is unable or unwilling to express suicidal intent. Although signs of suicide are argued to be only meaningful as a pattern, there is a paucity of research that has examined whether TCWs use patterns of signs to decide whether a caller might be suicidal, and whether these are influenced by caller characteristics such as gender. The current study explored both possibilities. Data were collected using an online self-report survey in a Australian sample of 137 TCWs. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered three patterns of suicide signs that TCWs may use to identify if a caller might be at risk for suicide (mood, hopelessness, and anger), which were qualitatively different for male and female callers. These findings suggest that TCWs may recognise specific patterns of signs to identify suicide risk, which appear to be influenced to some extent by the callers’ inferred gender. Implications for the training of telephone crisis workers and others including mental-health and medical professionals, as well as and future research in suicide prevention are discussed. PMID:29385780

  15. The First Telephone Line for the Psychological Support to Oncological Patients and Their Family Members in Serbia.

    PubMed

    Klikovac, Tamara

    2015-01-01

    In October of 2010, Serbian Association for Psycho-Oncology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Serbia and the National Health Insurance has launched the first national telephone line for free psychological counseling and support for oncology patients and their families. The aim of this study was to present results of the first national telephone helpline for psychological support for oncological patients and their families. METHODS The telephone line for the psychological help and support was available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week and on holidays. A total of 12 previously educated psychologists were involved, with two on duty in the mornings and two in the afternoons.The basic work principles of the Line were anonymity for users (if they wished), free of charge service available to patients from all of Serbia, careful listening, emphatic reflection on anything communicated by users and adequate counselling. Since the beginning of the project (October 2010 up to April 2011) we received a total of 2,748 calls from across Serbia. Almost half of these calls were repeated calls, as patients asked for continuous psychological counselling. Larger percent (63.9%) of women called, when compared to men (35.4%) who used the Line. Most (52.4%) conversations were categorized as "psychological support and counseling," and as continual psychological counseling work (21.1%). The large number of calls suggests that this kind of public, free service for psychosocial and psychological support to cancer patients is necessary in Serbia.

  16. Cellular telephone interference with medical equipment.

    PubMed

    Tri, Jeffrey L; Severson, Rodney P; Firl, Allen R; Hayes, David L; Abenstein, John P

    2005-10-01

    To assess the potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects that new or current-generation cellular telephones have on medical devices. For this study, performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, between March 9, 2004, and April 24, 2004, we tested 16 different medical devices with 6 cellular telephones to assess the potential for EMI. Two of the medical devices were tested with both new and old interface modules. The 6 cellular telephones chosen represent the different cellular technology protocols in use: Code Division Multiple Access (2 models), Global System for Mobile communications, Integrated Digital Enhanced Network, Time Division Multiple Access, and analog. The cellular telephones were tested when operating at or near their maximum power output. The medical devices, connected to clinical simulators during testing, were monitored by observing the device displays and alarms. Of 510 tests performed, the incidence of clinically important interference was 1.2%; EMI was Induced in 108 tests (21.2%). Interference occurred in 7 (44%) of the 16 devices tested. Cellular telephones can interfere with medical equipment. Technology changes in both cellular telephones and medical equipment may continue to mitigate or may worsen clinically relevant interference. Compared with cellular telephones tested in previous studies, those currently in use must be closer to medical devices before any interference is noticed. However, periodic testing of cellular telephones to determine their effects on medical equipment will be required.

  17. [Telephone Counseling for Pathological Gamblers as Immediate Access to the Health Care System: Acceptance and Use of The Mainzer Behavioral Addiction Helpline].

    PubMed

    Aster, Rebecca; Quack, Anke; Wejbera, Martin; Beutel, Manfred E

    2018-05-14

    Despite extensive psychosocial consequences, just a small number of pathological gamblers participates in counseling or treatment. Telephone helplines should facilitate pathological gamblers' access to the health care system. There is a lack of research on the use and the effects of such facilities in Germany. The present research focuses on the question whether telephone helplines facilitate pathological gamblers' access to the health care system. All first time calls due to a gambling problem received by the behavioral addiction helpline of the University Medical Center Mainz between 2013 and 2016 were analyzed by SPSS. Of the 773 calls analyzed, 89% were from male gamblers. 79.7% reported gambling in slot machine arcades as the primary problem. 66.6% received a referral for a diagnostic in-person assessment at the outpatient clinic for behavioral addiction of the University Medical Center Mainz. 80.4% made an appointment, of which 81.3% were kept. Men were more likely to keep the appointment. Only a few callers had found out about the behavioral addiction helpline by gambling providers. Telephone helplines facilitate pathological gamblers' access to the health care system.There is a deficit in the propagation of such an offer by gambling providers. Telephone helplines should be communicated more actively to problem gamblers in all gambling venues. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  18. Does access to a colorectal cancer screening website and/or a nurse-managed telephone help line provided to patients by their family physician increase fecal occult blood test uptake?: A pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial study protocol.

    PubMed

    Clouston, Kathleen; Katz, Alan; Martens, Patricia J; Sisler, Jeff; Turner, Donna; Lobchuk, Michelle; McClement, Susan

    2012-05-17

    Fecal occult blood test screening in Canada is sub-optimal. Family physicians play a central role in screening and are limited by the time constraints of clinical practice. Patients face multiple barriers that further reduce completion rates. Tools that support family physicians in providing their patients with colorectal cancer information and that support uptake may prove useful. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of a patient decision aid (nurse-managed telephone support line and/or colorectal cancer screening website) distributed by community-based family physicians, in improving colorectal cancer screening rates. Secondary objectives include evaluation of (dis)incentives to patient FOBT uptake and internet use among 50 to 74 year old males and females for health-related questions. Challenges faced by family physicians in engaging in collaborative partnerships with primary healthcare researchers will be documented. A pragmatic, two-arm, randomized cluster controlled trial conducted in 22 community-based family practice clinics (36 clusters) with 76 fee-for-service family physicians in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Each physician will enroll 30 patients attending their periodic health examination and at average risk for colorectal cancer. All physicians will follow their standard clinical practice for screening. Intervention group physicians will provide a fridge magnet to each patient that contains information facilitating access to the study-specific colorectal cancer screening decision aids (telephone help-line and website). The primary endpoint is patient fecal occult blood test completion rate after four months (intention to treat model). Multi-level analysis will include clinic, physician and patient level variables. Patient Personal Health Identification Numbers will be collected from those providing consent to facilitate analysis of repeat screening behavior. Secondary outcome data will be obtained through the Clinic

  19. On-line access to geoscience bibliographic citations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wild, Emily C.

    2012-01-01

    On-line geoscience bibliographic citations and access points to citations are exponentially increasing as commercial, non-profit, and government agencies worldwide publish materials electronically. On-line bibliographic tools capture cited works, and open access content allows for freely obtained citations and documents. For this newsletter, citations from the numerous journals and books listed in the "Recent Papers" section of the EXPLORE newsletters from 2008-2011 were used to provide freely-accessible web sites to determine the availability of bibliographic information.

  20. [A telephone hotline as an easily accessible service for questions on schizophrenia].

    PubMed

    Wessling, A; Wölwer, W; Heres, S; Mayenberger, M; Rummel, C; Sievers, M; Wagner, M; Klosterkötter, J; Gaebel, W

    2006-09-01

    Public relations activities of the German Research Network on Schizophrenia (GRNS) have shown that there is a demand for more information about schizophrenia disorder. This confirms international research findings that relatives of schizophrenia patients are particularly in need of information and support. In response, the GRNS has maintained a telephone hotline since 2001. The hotline is manned by clinical experts, psychiatrists, or psychologists once a week. The telephone calls are documented in a systematic manner. From 2001 to 2003, 3,909 calls were registered. This volume exceeds the limit of the hotline's resources. The telephone hotline is mainly used by relatives of psychotic patients. Most questions relate to the symptoms of schizophrenia and pharmaceutical treatment. The need for emotional support is also a high motivational factor for dialing the hotline number. The telephone hotline seems to be a worthwhile addition to the already existing crisis telephones and should be maintained even after public funding of the network expires.

  1. Identifying the core competencies of mental health telephone triage.

    PubMed

    Sands, Natisha; Elsom, Stephen; Gerdtz, Marie; Henderson, Kathryn; Keppich-Arnold, Sandra; Droste, Nicolas; Prematunga, Roshani K; Wereta, Zewdu W

    2013-11-01

    The primary aim of this study was to identify the core competencies of mental health telephone triage, including key role tasks, skills, knowledge and responsibilities, in which clinicians are required to be competent to perform safe and effective triage. Recent global trends indicate an increased reliance on telephone-based health services to facilitate access to health care across large populations. The trend towards telephone-based health services has also extended to mental health settings, evidenced by the growing number of mental health telephone triage services providing 24-hour access to specialist mental health assessment and treatment. Mental health telephone triage services are critical to the early identification of mental health problems and the provision of timely, appropriate interventions. In spite of the rapid growth in mental health telephone triage and the important role these services play in the assessment and management of mental illness and related risks, there has been very little research investigating this area of practice. An observational design was employed to address the research aims. Structured observations (using dual wireless headphones) were undertaken on 197 occasions of mental health telephone triage over a three-month period from January to March 2011. The research identified seven core areas of mental health telephone triage practice in which clinicians are required to be competent in to perform effective mental health telephone triage, including opening the call; performing mental status examination; risk assessment; planning and action; termination of call; referral and reporting; and documentation. The findings of this research contribute to the evidence base for mental health telephone triage by articulating the core competencies for practice. The mental health telephone triage competencies identified in this research may be used to define an evidence-based framework for mental health telephone triage practice that aims to

  2. Browsing for the Best Internet Access Provider?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weil, Marty

    1996-01-01

    Highlights points to consider when choosing an Internet Service Provider. Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) and Point to Point Protocol (PPP) are compared regarding price, performance, bandwidth, speed, and technical support. Obtaining access via local, national, consumer online, and telephone-company providers is discussed. A pricing chart and…

  3. The impact of patient record access on appointments and telephone calls in two English general practices: a population-based study

    PubMed Central

    Fitton, Caroline; Fitton, Richard; Hannan, Amir; Morgan, Lawrie; Halsall, David

    2014-01-01

    Background Government policy expects all patients who wish to have online record access (RA) by 2015. We currently have no knowledge of the impact of patient record access on practice workload. Setting Two urban general practices in Manchester. Question What is the impact of patient RA on telephone calls and appointments in UK general practice? Method We asked patients in two urban general practices who used RA whether it had increased or decreased their use of the practice over the previous year. Using practice data, we calculated the change in appointments, telephone calls and staff cost. We also estimated the reduction in environmental costs and patient time. Results An average of 187 clinical appointments (of which 87 were with doctors and 45 with nurses) and 290 telephone calls were saved. If 30% of patients used RA at least twice a year, these figures suggest that a 10 000-patient practice would save 4747 appointments and 8020 telephone calls per year. Assuming a consultation rate of 5.3% annually, that equates to a release of about 11% of appointments per year, with significant resource savings for patients and the environment. Discussion This is the first such study in the UK. It shows similar results to a study in the USA. We discuss the study limitations, including the issue of patient recall, nature of the practices studied and nature of early adopter patients. Strengths include combining national data, practice data and local reflection. We are confident that the savings observed are the result of RA rather than other factors. We suggest that RA can be part of continuous practice improvement, given its benefits and the support it offers for patient confidence, self-care and shared decision-making. PMID:25949705

  4. On-line atomic data access

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schultz, David R.; Nash, Jeffrey K.

    1996-07-01

    The need for atomic data is one which continues to expand in a wide variety of applications including fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, and plasma processing. Modern computer database and communications technology enables this data to be placed on-line and obtained by users over the INTERNET. Presented here is a summary of the observations and conclusions regarding such on-line atomic data access derived from a forum held at the Tenth APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas.

  5. 11 CFR 100.28 - Telephone bank (2 U.S.C. 431(24)).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... telephone calls of an identical or substantially similar nature within any 30-day period. A telephone bank does not include electronic mail or Internet communications transmitted over telephone lines. For purposes of this section, substantially similar includes communications that include substantially the same...

  6. Telephone-Based Coaching.

    PubMed

    Boccio, Mindy; Sanna, Rashel S; Adams, Sara R; Goler, Nancy C; Brown, Susan D; Neugebauer, Romain S; Ferrara, Assiamira; Wiley, Deanne M; Bellamy, David J; Schmittdiel, Julie A

    2017-03-01

    Many Americans continue to smoke, increasing their risk of disease and premature death. Both telephone-based counseling and in-person tobacco cessation classes may improve access for smokers seeking convenient support to quit. Little research has assessed whether such programs are effective in real-world clinical populations. Retrospective cohort study comparing wellness coaching participants with two groups of controls. Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large integrated health care delivery system. Two hundred forty-one patients who participated in telephonic tobacco cessation coaching from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, and two control groups: propensity-score-matched controls, and controls who participated in a tobacco cessation class during the same period. Wellness coaching participants received an average of two motivational interviewing-based coaching sessions that engaged the patient, evoked their reason to consider quitting, and helped them establish a quit plan. Self-reported quitting of tobacco and fills of tobacco cessation medications within 12 months of follow-up. Logistic regressions adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and primary language. After adjusting for confounders, tobacco quit rates were higher among coaching participants vs. matched controls (31% vs. 23%, p < .001) and comparable to those of class attendees (31% vs. 29%, p = .28). Coaching participants and class attendees filled tobacco-cessation prescriptions at a higher rate (47% for both) than matched controls (6%, p < .001). Telephonic wellness coaching was as effective as in-person classes and was associated with higher rates of quitting compared to no treatment. The telephonic modality may increase convenience and scalability for health care systems looking to reduce tobacco use and improve health.

  7. Understanding reasons for asthma outpatient (non)‐attendance and exploring the role of telephone and e‐consulting in facilitating access to care: exploratory qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    van Baar, J D; Joosten, H; Car, J; Freeman, G K; Partridge, M R; van Weel, C; Sheikh, A

    2006-01-01

    Objective To understand factors influencing patients' decisions to attend for outpatient follow up consultations for asthma and to explore patients' attitudes to telephone and email consultations in facilitating access to asthma care. Design Exploratory qualitative study using in depth interviews. Setting Hospital outpatient clinic in West London. Participants Nineteen patients with moderate to severe asthma (12 “attenders” and 7 “non‐attenders”). Results Patients' main reasons for attending were the wish to improve control over asthma symptoms and a concern not to jeopardise the valued relationship with their doctor. Memory lapses, poor health, and disillusionment with the structure of outpatient care were important factors implicated in non‐attendance. The patients were generally sceptical about the suggestion that greater opportunity for telephone consulting might improve access to care. They expressed concerns about the difficulties in effectively communicating through non‐face to face media and were worried that clinicians would not be in a position to perform an adequate physical examination over the telephone. Email and text messaging were viewed as potentially useful for sending appointment reminders and sharing clinical information but were not considered to be acceptable alternatives to the face to face clinic encounter. Conclusions Memory lapses, impaired mobility due to poor health, and frustration with outpatient clinic organisation resulting in long waiting times and discontinuity of care are factors that deter patients from attending for hospital asthma assessments. The idea of telephone review assessments was viewed with scepticism by most study subjects. Particular attention should be given to explaining to patients the benefits of telephone consultations, and to seeking their views as to whether they would like to try them out before replacing face to face consultations with them. Email and text messaging may have a role in issuing

  8. Graphical Internet Access on a Budget: Making a Pseudo-SLIP Connection.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCulley, P. Michael

    1995-01-01

    Examines The Internet Adapter (TIA), an Internet protocol that allows computers to be directly on the Internet and access graphics over standard telephone lines using high-speed modems. Compares TIA's system requirements, performance, and costs to other Internet connections. Sidebars describe connections other than TIA and how to find information…

  9. 20 CFR 422.705 - When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false When SSA employees may listen-in to or record... ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES Use of SSA Telephone Lines § 422.705 When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations. SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations on SSA telephone...

  10. 47 CFR 63.62 - Type of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of telephone or telegraph service requiring...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... impairment of telephone or telegraph service requiring formal application. 63.62 Section 63.62... LINES, NEW LINES, AND DISCONTINUANCE, REDUCTION, OUTAGE AND IMPAIRMENT OF SERVICE BY COMMON CARRIERS... Impairment § 63.62 Type of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of telephone or telegraph service...

  11. Rheumatology telephone advice line - experience of a Portuguese department.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, R; Marques, A; Mendes, A; da Silva, J A

    2015-01-01

    Telephone helplines for patients are tool for information and advice. They can contribute to patient's satisfaction with care and to the effectiveness and safety of treatments. In order to achieve this, they need to be adequately adapted to the target populations, as to incorporate their abilities and expectations. a) Evaluate the adherence of patients to a telephone helpline managed by nurses in a Portuguese Rheumatology Department, b) Analyse the profile of users and their major needs, c) Analyse the management of calls by the nurses. The target population of this phone service are the patients treated at Day Care Hospital and Early Arthritis Clinic of our department. Nurses answered phone calls immediately between 8am and 4pm of working days. In the remaining hours messages were recorded on voice mail and answered as soon as possible. Details of the calls were registered in a dedicated sheet and patients were requested permission to use data to improve the service, with respect for their rights of confidentiality, anonymity and freedom of decision. In 18 months 173 calls were made by 79 patients, with a mean age of 47.9 years (sd=9.13). Considering the proportions of men and women in the target population, it was found that men called more frequently (M= 32.7% vs F= 20.4%, p=.016). The reasons for these calls can be divided into three categories: instrumental help, such as the request for results of complementary tests or rescheduling appointments (43.9% of calls); counselling on side effects or worsening of the disease/pain (31.2 %); counselling on therapy management (24.9%). Neither sex nor patient age were significantly related to these reasons for calling. Nurses resolved autonomously half (50.3%) of the calls and in 79.8% of the cases there was no need for patient referral to other health services. About a quarter of patients adhered to the telephone helpline.. Patients called to obtain support in the management of disease and therapy or to report side

  12. 47 CFR 64.501 - Recording of telephone conversations with telephone companies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Recording of telephone conversations with... Devices by Telephone Companies § 64.501 Recording of telephone conversations with telephone companies. No... any recording device in connection with any interstate or foreign telephone conversation between any...

  13. 47 CFR 64.501 - Recording of telephone conversations with telephone companies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Recording of telephone conversations with... Devices by Telephone Companies § 64.501 Recording of telephone conversations with telephone companies. No... any recording device in connection with any interstate or foreign telephone conversation between any...

  14. A pilot study of telephone cognitive-behavioural therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder in young people.

    PubMed

    Turner, Cynthia; Heyman, Isobel; Futh, Annabel; Lovell, Karina

    2009-07-01

    Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) is the recommended psychological treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. Access to CBT may be limited by a number of factors, including lack of trained therapists, and geographic or financial factors preventing access to a specialized service. Telephone delivery of CBT represents one way of overcoming some of these accessibility issues. This pilot study describes outcomes for a telephone-based cognitive-behavioural treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. Ten participants, aged 13 to 17 years, and their parents received up to 16 sessions of telephone CBT (TCBT). Measures of OCD symptoms were obtained using multiple informants and a repeated measures design. Assessments were conducted at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Improvements were found for OCD symptoms across all informants. Family satisfaction with treatment over the telephone was high. The findings suggest that TCBT is a clinically effective, feasible and acceptable means of service delivery that offers the potential to make CBT a more accessible treatment for young people. TCBT requires further evaluation in randomized, controlled trials to compare effectiveness with face-to-face CBT, which currently represents the usual care model.

  15. The $19.95 Solution to Large Group Telephone Interviews with Special Speakers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, George H.

    1998-01-01

    Describes an inexpensive solution for holding large-group telephone interviews, listing the equipment needed (record control, telephone, phone line with modular jack, portable amplifier with microphone-level input jack, audio cable with jack and plug compatible with the microphone input jack on the amplifier) and providing directions for setup.…

  16. [Psychometric validation of the telephone memory test].

    PubMed

    Ortiz, T; Fernández, A; Martínez-Castillo, E; Maestú, F; Martínez-Arias, R; López-Ibor, J J

    1999-01-01

    Several pathologies (i.e. Alzheimer's disease) that courses with memory alterations, appears in a context of impaired cognitive status and mobility. In recent years, several investigations were carried out in order to design short batteries that detect those subjects under risk of dementia. Some of this batteries were also design to be administrated over the telephone, trying to overcome the accessibility limitations of this patients. In this paper we present a battery (called Autotest de Memoria) essentially composed by episodic and semantic memory tests, administered both over the telephone and face to face. This battery was employed in the cognitive assessment of healthy controls and subjects diagnosed as probable Alzheimer's disease patients. Results show the capability of this battery in order to discriminate patients and healthy controls, a great sensibility and specificity, and a nearly absolute parallelism of telephone and face to face administrations. These data led us to claim the usefulness and practicality of our so called .

  17. Use of a health information telephone line, Info-santé CLSC, for the surveillance of waterborne gastroenteritis.

    PubMed

    Gilbert, Marie-Line; Levallois, Patrick; Rodriguez, Manuel J

    2006-06-01

    The increasing frequency of waterborne outbreaks demonstrates that classic indicators used for the surveillance of the microbiological quality of drinking water have several gaps and that routine public health surveillance seems insufficient to allow for the rapid detection of these outbreaks. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using a regional health information telephone line, 'Info-Santé CLSC' (Info-Health Local Community Health Centre), for the surveillance of waterborne gastroenteritis. This study measured the incidence rate of calls for acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) placed to the Info-Santé CLSC line, investigated the relationship between the frequency of calls for AGI placed to the Info-Santé CLSC line and the turbidity of the treated water in the Quebec City drinking water plant and evaluated the relevance and the conditions of use of the Info-Santé CLSC system for the surveillance of waterborne enteric illness. A relationship between the turbidity and the calls for AGI placed to Info-Santé CLSC line was observed. Significant time lags (11, 15 and 17 days prior to the outcome) were identified in the final model derived from a Poisson model using generalized additive models (GAM) as a time series analysis. Some recommendations to improve the system were formulated even though the system already seems to be useful for the surveillance of waterborne enteric diseases.

  18. Telephone follow-up following office anorectal surgery.

    PubMed

    Fallaize, Rebecca C; Tinline-Purvis, Christine; Dixon, Anthony R; Pullyblank, Anne-Marie

    2008-09-01

    Patients with minor anorectal conditions are frequently reviewed at an 8-week out-patient appointment (OPA). This study was designed to assess whether telephone follow-up could reduce OPA numbers whilst maintaining patient satisfaction. Over an 11-month period, 46 patients (23 male) underwent banding of haemorrhoids and 14 were prescribed medical treatment for fissure-in-ano (3 male). All were telephoned at 6 weeks and were offered an 8-week OPA if they had continuing problems. Patients were telephoned at a later date by a member of the hospital's patient panel to assess satisfaction. Overall, 88% were contacted at 6 weeks, 60% at the first attempt; 40% required two or more attempts. Of those who underwent banding, 68% were asymptomatic, 17% requested an OPA for re-banding and 15% requested an OPA for a different problem. Of fissure patients, 25% were cured; the remainder were prescribed either second-line medical treatment (8%), anorectal physiology (42%) or surgery (25%). All avoided an OPA. Of a potential 60 OPAs, 47 were saved by telephone follow-up. None of 7 non-contactable patients accepted a written offer of an OPA. Overall, 89% of patients were contacted by the patient panel; of these patients, 93% reported a high level of satisfaction. Telephone follow-up can reduce the number of OPAs following out-patient treatment of minor anorectal conditions whilst maintaining a high level of patient satisfaction. However, it requires considerable consultant time. This process could be developed into either a nurse-led service with booked telephone appointments or a patient-led service to a dedicated hotline.

  19. 47 CFR 36.212 - Basic local services revenue-Account 5000 (Class B telephone companies); Basic area revenue...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... (Class B telephone companies); Basic area revenue-Account 5001 (Class A telephone companies). 36.212..., REVENUES, EXPENSES, TAXES AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES 1 Operating Revenues and Certain... companies); Basic area revenue—Account 5001 (Class A telephone companies). (a) Local private line revenues...

  20. Headaches from cellular telephones: are they real and what are the implications?

    PubMed Central

    Frey, A H

    1998-01-01

    There have been numerous recent reports of headaches occurring in association with the use of hand-held cellular telephones. Are these reported headaches real? Are they due to emissions from telephones? There is reason to believe that the answer is "yes" to both questions. There are several lines of evidence to support this conclusion. First, headaches as a consequence of exposure to low intensity microwaves were reported in the literature 30 years ago. These were observed during the course of microwave hearing research before there were cellular telephones. Second, the blood-brain barrier appears to be involved in headaches, and low intensity microwave energy exposure affects the barrier. Third, the dopamine-opiate systems of the brain appear to be involved in headaches, and low intensity electromagnetic energy exposure affects those systems. In all three lines of research, the microwave energy used was approximately the same--in frequencies, modulations, and incident energies--as those emitted by present day cellular telephones. Could the current reports of headaches be the canary in the coal mine, warning of biologically significant effects? PMID:9441959

  1. Cordless telephone use: implications for mobile phone research.

    PubMed

    Redmayne, Mary; Inyang, Imo; Dimitriadis, Christina; Benke, Geza; Abramson, Michael J

    2010-04-01

    Cordless and mobile (cellular) telephone use has increased substantially in recent years causing concerns about possible health effects. This has led to much epidemiological research, but the usual focus is on mobile telephone radiofrequency (RF) exposure only despite cordless RF being very similar. Access to and use of cordless phones were included in the Mobile Radiofrequency Phone Exposed Users Study (MoRPhEUS) of 317 Year 7 students recruited from Melbourne, Australia. Participants completed an exposure questionnaire-87% had a cordless phone at home and 77% owned a mobile phone. There was a statistically significant positive relationship (r = 0.38, p < 0.01) between cordless and mobile phone use. Taken together, this increases total RF exposure and its ratio in high-to-low mobile users. Therefore, the design and analysis of future epidemiological telecommunication studies need to assess cordless phone exposure to accurately evaluate total RF telephone exposure effects.

  2. Telephone counselling for smoking cessation.

    PubMed

    Stead, Lindsay F; Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie; Perera, Rafael; Lancaster, Tim

    2013-08-12

    smokers who contacted helplines, quit rates were higher for groups randomized to receive multiple sessions of proactive counselling (nine studies, > 24,000 participants, risk ratio (RR) for cessation at longest follow-up 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26 to 1.50). There was mixed evidence about whether increasing the number of calls altered quit rates but most trials used more than two calls. Three studies comparing different counselling approaches during a single quitline contact did not detect significant differences. Of three studies that tested the provision of access to a hotline two detected a significant benefit and one did not.Telephone counselling not initiated by calls to helplines also increased quitting (51 studies, > 30,000 participants, RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.36). In a meta-regression controlling for other factors the effect was estimated to be slightly larger if more calls were offered, and in trials that specifically recruited smokers motivated to try to quit. The relative extra benefit of counselling was smaller when it was provided in addition to pharmacotherapy (usually nicotine replacement therapy) than when the control group only received self-help material or a brief intervention.A further eight studies were too diverse to contribute to meta-analyses and are discussed separately. Two compared different intensities of counselling, both of which detected a dose response; one of these detected a benefit of multiple counselling sessions over a single call for people prescribed bupropion. The others tested a variety of interventions largely involving offering telephone counselling as part of a referral or systems change and none detected evidence of effect. Proactive telephone counselling aids smokers who seek help from quitlines. Telephone quitlines provide an important route of access to support for smokers, and call-back counselling enhances their usefulness. There is limited evidence about the optimal number of calls. Proactive telephone

  3. Telephone Follow-Up following Office Anorectal Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Fallaize, Rebecca C; Tinline-Purvis, Christine; Dixon, Anthony R; Pullyblank, Anne-Marie

    2008-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Patients with minor anorectal conditions are frequently reviewed at an 8-week out-patient appointment (OPA). This study was designed to assess whether telephone follow-up could reduce OPA numbers whilst maintaining patient satisfaction. PATIENTS AND METHODS Over an 11-month period, 46 patients (23 male) underwent banding of haemorrhoids and 14 were prescribed medical treatment for fissure-in-ano (3 male). All were telephoned at 6 weeks and were offered an 8-week OPA if they had continuing problems. Patients were telephoned at a later date by a member of the hospital's patient panel to assess satisfaction. RESULTS Overall, 88% were contacted at 6 weeks, 60% at the first attempt; 40% required two or more attempts. Of those who underwent banding, 68% were asymptomatic, 17% requested an OPA for re-banding and 15% requested an OPA for a different problem. Of fissure patients, 25% were cured; the remainder were prescribed either second-line medical treatment (8%), anorectal physiology (42%) or surgery (25%). All avoided an OPA. Of a potential 60 OPAs, 47 were saved by telephone follow-up. None of 7 non-contactable patients accepted a written offer of an OPA. Overall, 89% of patients were contacted by the patient panel; of these patients, 93% reported a high level of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Telephone follow-up can reduce the number of OPAs following out-patient treatment of minor anorectal conditions whilst maintaining a high level of patient satisfaction. However, it requires considerable consultant time. This process could be developed into either a nurse-led service with booked telephone appointments or a patient-led service to a dedicated hotline. PMID:18598594

  4. Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Proactive Web-Based Versus Telephone-Based Information and Support: Can Electronic Platforms Deliver Effective Care for Lung Cancer Patients?

    PubMed

    Paul, Christine L; Boyes, Allison W; O'Brien, Lorna; Baker, Amanda L; Henskens, Frans A; Roos, Ian; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Bellamy, Douglas; Colburn, Glenda; Rose, Shiho; Cox, Martine E; Fradgley, Elizabeth A; Baird, Hannah; Barker, Daniel

    2016-10-26

    Community-based services such as telephone support lines can provide valuable informational, emotional, and practical support for cancer patients via telephone- or Web-based (live chat or email) platforms. However, very little rigorous research has examined the efficacy of such services in improving patient outcomes. This study will determine whether: proactive telephone or Web-delivered support produces outcomes superior to printed information; and Web-delivered support produces outcomes comparable to telephone support. A consecutive sample of 501 lung cancer outpatients will be recruited from 50 Australian health services to participate in a patient-randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible individuals must: be 18 years or older; have received a lung cancer diagnosis (including mesothelioma) within the previous 4 months; have an approximate life expectancy of at least 6 months; and have Internet access. Participants will be randomly allocated to receive: (1) an information booklet, (2) proactive telephone support, or (3) proactive Web support, chat, and/or email. The primary patient outcomes will be measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Health Education and Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) at 3 and 6 months post recruitment. The acceptability of proactive recruitment strategies will also be assessed. It is hypothesized that participants receiving telephone or Web support will report reduced distress (GHQ-12 scores that are 0.3 standard deviations (SD) lower) and greater self-efficacy (heiQ scores that are 0.3 SDs higher) than participants receiving booklets. Individuals receiving Web support will report heiQ scores within 0.29 SDs of individuals receiving telephone support. If proven effective, electronic approaches such as live-chat and email have the potential to increase the accessibility and continuity of supportive care delivered by community-based services. This evidence may also inform the redesigning of helpline-style services to be

  5. Telephone Medicine for Internists

    PubMed Central

    Elnicki, D Michael; Ogden, Paul; Flannery, Michael; Hannis, Mark; Cykert, Sam

    2000-01-01

    The role of the telephone in medical practice is important, but often problematic. Mistakes in telephone diagnosis and triage can have severe consequences. An effective office system can reduce liability risks, and in some cases telephone contact can substitute for office visits. Internists feel unprepared to provide telephone care. Therefore, residency education needs to focus on documentation, consultant availability, and performance feedback. Research should focus on improving outcomes, reimbursement issues, and technologic advances. This article describes internists' telephone interactions with ambulatory patients, preparation for telephone medicine, and aspects of office telephone systems and makes comparisons with other primary care fields. PMID:10840269

  6. Disparities in the Use of Internet and Telephone Medication Refills among Linguistically Diverse Patients.

    PubMed

    Moreno, Gerardo; Lin, Elizabeth H; Chang, Eva; Johnson, Ron L; Berthoud, Heidi; Solomon, Cam C; Morales, Leo S

    2016-03-01

    Health systems are increasingly implementing remote telephone and Internet refill systems to enhance patient access to medication refills. Remote refill systems may provide an effective approach for improving medication non-adherence, but more research is needed among patients with limited English proficiency with poor access to remote refill systems. To compare the use of remote medication refill systems among limited-English-proficiency (LEP) and English-proficient (EP) patients with chronic conditions. Cross-sectional survey in six languages/dialects (English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, and Spanish) of 509 adults with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia. Primary study outcomes were self-reported use of 1) Internet refills, 2) telephone refills, and 3) any remote refill system. LEP was measured by patient self-identification of a primary language other than English and a claims record of use of an interpreter. Other measures were age, gender, education, years in the U.S., insurance, health status, chronic conditions, and number of prescribed medications. Analyses included multivariable logistic regression weighted for survey non-response. Overall, 33.1 % of patients refilled their medications by telephone and 31.6 % by Internet. Among LEP patients (n = 328), 31.5 % refilled by telephone and 21.2 % by Internet, compared with 36.7 % by telephone and 52.7 % by Internet among EP patients (n = 181). Internet refill by language groups were as follows: English (52.7 %), Cantonese (34.9 %), Mandarin (17.4 %), Korean (16.7 %), Vietnamese (24.4 %), and Spanish (12.6 %). Compared to EP patients, LEP patients had lower use of any remote refill system (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.18; p < 0.001), CONCLUSIONS: LEP patients are significantly less likely than EP patients to use any remote medication refill system. Increased reliance on current systems for remote medication refills may increase disparities in health outcomes affecting LEP patients

  7. Effect of Information and Telephone-Guided Access to Community Support for People with Chronic Kidney Disease: Randomised Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Blakeman, Tom; Blickem, Christian; Kennedy, Anne; Reeves, David; Bower, Peter; Gaffney, Hannah; Gardner, Caroline; Lee, Victoria; Jariwala, Praksha; Dawson, Shoba; Mossabir, Rahena; Brooks, Helen; Richardson, Gerry; Spackman, Eldon; Vassilev, Ivaylo; Chew-Graham, Carolyn; Rogers, Anne

    2014-01-01

    Background Implementation of self-management support in traditional primary care settings has proved difficult, encouraging the development of alternative models which actively link to community resources. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common condition usually diagnosed in the presence of other co-morbidities. This trial aimed to determine the effectiveness of an intervention to provide information and telephone-guided access to community support versus usual care for patients with stage 3 CKD. Methods and Findings In a pragmatic, two-arm, patient level randomised controlled trial 436 patients with a diagnosis of stage 3 CKD were recruited from 24 general practices in Greater Manchester. Patients were randomised to intervention (215) or usual care (221). Primary outcome measures were health related quality of life (EQ-5D health questionnaire), blood pressure control, and positive and active engagement in life (heiQ) at 6 months. At 6 months, mean health related quality of life was significantly higher for the intervention group (adjusted mean difference = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.08) and blood pressure was controlled for a significantly greater proportion of patients in the intervention group (adjusted odds-ratio = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.25, 2.72). Patients did not differ significantly in positive and active engagement in life. The intervention group reported a reduction in costs compared with control. Conclusions An intervention to provide tailored information and telephone-guided access to community resources was associated with modest but significant improvements in health related quality of life and better maintenance of blood pressure control for patients with stage 3 CKD compared with usual care. However, further research is required to identify the mechanisms of action of the intervention. Trial Registration Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN45433299 PMID:25330169

  8. Moscow City Telephone Network

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-12-23

    of sounds over long distances, which he called the telephone, at an exhibition in...Philadelphia. This demonstration of the operation of the telephone was viewed with great interest by visitors at the exhibition . All who saw it were... of the telephones may inspect them at the Central Telephone Exchange from 2 to 4 o’clock. Operation of the telephone system will definitely begin

  9. Total Telephone Tips.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corder, Lloyd E.; And Others

    This manual of telephone behavior tips for business and sales professionals offers ways to handle the disgruntled caller and makes suggestions on topics relevant to the telephone. The manual is divided into the following sections and subsections: (1) Common Courtesy (staff tips, answering the telephone, screening calls, transferring calls, taking…

  10. On the Telephone Again! Differences in Telephone Behaviour: England versus Greece.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sifianou, Maria

    1989-01-01

    Investigation and comparison of telephone behavior, and the attitudes and values attached to telephone usage in England and Greece, from the perspective of an interaction model. Results revealed cultural differences in responses to making telephone calls, verifying numbers and speakers, and apologies for wrong numbers or disturbing calls.…

  11. Video on phone lines: technology and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsing, T. Russell

    1996-03-01

    Recent advances in communications signal processing and VLSI technology are fostering tremendous interest in transmitting high-speed digital data over ordinary telephone lines at bit rates substantially above the ISDN Basic Access rate (144 Kbit/s). Two new technologies, high-bit-rate digital subscriber lines and asymmetric digital subscriber lines promise transmission over most of the embedded loop plant at 1.544 Mbit/s and beyond. Stimulated by these research promises and rapid advances on video coding techniques and the standards activity, information networks around the globe are now exploring possible business opportunities of offering quality video services (such as distant learning, telemedicine, and telecommuting etc.) through this high-speed digital transport capability in the copper loop plant. Visual communications for residential customers have become more feasible than ever both technically and economically.

  12. 20 CFR 422.705 - When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations. 422.705 Section 422.705 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES Use of SSA Telephone Lines § 422.705 When SSA employees may listen-in to or record...

  13. 20 CFR 422.705 - When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When SSA employees may listen-in to or record telephone conversations. 422.705 Section 422.705 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES Use of SSA Telephone Lines § 422.705 When SSA employees may listen-in to or record...

  14. Telephone helplines as a source of support for eating disorders: Service user, carer, and health professional perspectives.

    PubMed

    Prior, Amie-Louise; Woodward, Debbie; Hoefkens, Toni; Clayton, Debbie; Thirlaway, Katie; Limbert, Caroline

    2018-01-01

    Access to care for eating disorders can be problematic for numerous reasons including lack of understanding and delays with treatment referrals. Previous research has highlighted the benefits of telephone helplines as an accessible source of support for those who may not wish to access face-to-face support or to fill a gap for those waiting for treatment. This study aimed to gain an insight into the perspectives of those who may use or refer others to a telephone helpline in order to identify the requirements of such a service. Triangulation of service user, carer and health professionals' perspectives resulted in identification of themes relating to the type of support, delivery and practicalities of a helpline. The findings indicated that telephone helplines may offer numerous benefits for individuals with an eating disorder, whether accessed as a first step, alongside treatment or as an extension of this support when in recovery. Additionally helplines may provide an opportunity for carers to access information and discuss their own experiences, while supporting their loved one. Raising awareness of these services is important to encourage those affected by an eating disorder to access and make the most of this type of support. These findings offer an insight into the key requirements for new and existing service development with regard to both the type of support and the method of communication required by individuals with eating disorders.

  15. [Depression telephone helpline: help seeking during the financial crisis].

    PubMed

    Economou, M; Peppou, L E; Louki, E; Komporozos, A; Mellou, A; Stefanis, C

    2012-01-01

    Mental health telephone help-lines usually play a significant role in mental health services system. Their importance is substantiated during periods of financial crisis, where the mental health of the population is gravely inflicted. Media reports have documented a large increase in calls made to mental health telephone help-lines around the world as a corollary to the global economic crisis; however, a systematic investigation of this observation is still lacking. In this context, the present study endeavours to fill this gap in the literature, while it adds strength to the handful of studies which have empirically supported the impact of the financial crisis on mental health in Greece. Data were extracted from information gleaned during the calls made to the Depression Telephone Helpline of the Greek University Mental Health Research Institute. The information entailed the reason for calling, the socio-demographic and clinical profile of the person with mental health problems, his/her previous and current contacts with mental health professionals and the treatment he/she might be receiving. The results showed a steep increase in calls with direct or indirect reference to the economic crisis during the first half of 2010 and onwards. The callers who referred to the economic crisis manifested depressive symptomatology of clinical significance to a greater degree than callers who made no such reference. The latter exhibited increased levels of distress and agitation as well as drug/alcohol misuse. Concomitantly, a higher frequency of depressive symptomatology was discerned among the unemployed, whereas employed people were found to experience anxiety symptoms to a higher degree. The impact of the financial crisis on the mental health of the Greek population has been considerable, underscoring in this way the importance of mental health help-lines as emotional buffers and as guides for timely and appropriate service use in response to the emerging mental health

  16. Telephone Primer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-09-01

    consequences contributed to the plan of universal service. Although the Communication Act of 1934 embraced the idea of regulation that provided market security...electronic communication device in use today. Because of this, the military is heavily reliant on the telephone system and considers it the primary voice... communications medium. Furthermore, % recent technological advances will dramatically change the telephone as we know it today. This thesis will take

  17. Tele-Education: Teaching over the Telephone with Slow-Scan Video.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelleher, Kathleen

    1983-01-01

    This report describes educational applications of slow-scan television (SSTV) teleconferencing, which uses a video signal generated from a standard, low-cost, industrial television camera and compressed to a bandwidth suitable for transmission over telephone lines. Following a brief explanation of the capabilities of SSTV and the required…

  18. It is important that they care - older persons' experiences of telephone advice nursing.

    PubMed

    Holmström, Inger K; Nokkoudenmäki, Mai-Britt; Zukancic, Selma; Sundler, Annelie J

    2016-06-01

    The aim of the study was to explore older persons' experiences of telephone advice nursing at primary healthcare centres. Telephone advice nursing is expanding worldwide, and the older population is increasing. Little is known about older persons' experiences of telephone advice nursing provided by primary healthcare. This study has a descriptive design with a qualitative inductive approach. Data were collected via interviews with a purposive sample of 10 older persons in 2014. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The older persons' experiences were described in two themes: the patient-friendly aspects of telephone advice nursing and the patient-unfriendly aspects of telephone advice nursing. The themes can be understood as two sides of the same coin; the differences point to both the advantages and disadvantages of the service and are further illuminated through seven subthemes. This study contributes to increased awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of the telephone advice nursing system as experienced by older persons. To be the focus of attention during calls was highlighted as important; and clear communication was deemed crucial. When the communication between the nurse and the older persons was perceived as good and the perspective of the caller was the focus, an experience of safety and satisfaction was described. Older persons had great confidence in the telephone nurses' competence and perceived their ability to access the service as mostly good, even if it was sometimes difficult to use the service. The communicative competence of telephone nurses is essential when providing telephone advice nursing to older persons. In addition, a person-centred approach is important to provide optimal care in telephone advice nursing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Evaluation of a telephone advice nurse in a nursing faculty managed pediatric community clinic.

    PubMed

    Beaulieu, Richard; Humphreys, Janice

    2008-01-01

    Nurse-managed health centers face increasing obstacles to financial viability. Efficient use of clinic resources and timely and appropriate patient care are necessary for sustainability. A registered nurse with adequate education and support can provide high-quality triage and advice in community-based practice sites. The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine the effect of a telephone advice nurse service on parent/caregiver satisfaction and access to care. A quasi-experimental separate pre-post sample design study investigated parent/caregiver satisfaction with a telephone advice nurse in an urban pediatric nurse-managed health center. The clinic medical information system was used to retrieve client visit data prior to the service and in the first year of the program. Statistically significant differences were found on two items from the satisfaction with the advice nurse survey: the reason for calling (P < .05), and the importance of being involved in decision making (P < .05). A telephone advice nurse may increase both parent/caregiver and provider satisfaction and access to care.

  20. Role of telephone triage in obstetrics.

    PubMed

    Manning, Nirvana Afsordeh; Magann, Everett F; Rhoads, Sarah J; Ivey, Tesa L; Williams, Donna J

    2012-12-01

    The telephone has become an indispensable method of communication in the practice of obstetrics. The telephone is one of the primary methods by which the patient makes her appointments and contacts her health care provider for advice, reassurance, and referrals. Current methods of telephone triage include personal at the physicians' office, telephone answering services, labor and delivery nurses, and a dedicated telephone triage system using algorithms. Limitations of telephone triage include the inability of the provider to see the patient and receive visual clues from the interaction and the challenges of obtaining a complete history over the telephone. In addition, there are potential safety and legal issues with telephone triage. To date, there is insufficient evidence to either validate or refute the use of a dedicated telephone triage system compared with a traditional system using an answering service or nurses on labor and delivery. Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians. After completing this CME activity, physicians should be better able to analyze the scope of variation in telephone triage across health care providers and categorize the components that go into a successful triage system, assess the current scope of research in telephone triage in obstetrics, evaluate potential safety and legal issues with telephone triage in obstetrics, and identify issues that should be addressed in any institution that is using or implementing a system of telephone triage in obstetrics.

  1. For whom bell toils: medical imaging by telephone.

    PubMed

    Kuhfeld, A W

    1991-01-01

    The use of the induction balance, which was invented by Alexander Graham Bell to cancel out line interference on his telephone, to determine the location of bullets inside the human body is discussed. Experiments conducted to locate a bullet in the body of US President Garfield, who had been shot by an assassin in 1881, are described. The trials on Garfield were unsuccessful, but the approach was later perfected by Bell.

  2. Telephone Counselling with Adolescents and Countertransference Phenomena: Particularities and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christogiorgos, Stelios; Vassilopoulou, Vassiliki; Florou, Aliki; Xydou, Varvara; Douvou, Maria; Vgenopoulou, Sofia; Tsiantis, John

    2010-01-01

    Telephone counselling with adolescents is well known in many countries all over the world, due to its special characteristics, which seem to suit to adolescents. Some of these characteristics are the low cost, the easy access, the anonymity, as well as the possibility for the callers to have the control over the call regarding its duration as they…

  3. Socio-economic status influences access to second-line disease modifying treatment in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis patients

    PubMed Central

    Dejardin, Olivier; Droulon, Karine; Launoy, Guy; Defer, Gilles

    2018-01-01

    Objective In MS, Socio-Economic status (SES) may influence healthcare and access to disease-modifying treatments (DMTs). Optimising delays to switch patients to a second-line DMT may hamper disease progression most effectively and achieve long term disease control. The objective of this study is to identify the influence of SES on the delay between first and second line DMT in RRMS patients, in Western-Normandy, France. Methods The association between SES and the delay to access a second-line DMT were studied using data from the MS registry of Western-Normandy including 733 patients with a diagnosis of RRMS during the period in question [1982–2011]. We used the European Deprivation Index (EDI), a score with a rank level inversely related to SES. We performed multivariate adjusted Cox models for studying EDI effect on the delay between first and second line DMT. Results No significant influence of SES was observed on delay to access a second-line DMT if first-line DMT exposure time was less than 5 years. After 5 years from initiation of first-line treatment the risk of accessing a second-line DMT is 3 times higher for patients with lower deprivation indices (1st quintile of EDI) ([HR] 3.14 95%CI [1.72–5.72], p-value<0.001) compared to patients with higher values (EDI quintiles 2 to 5). Interpretation In RRMS, a high SES may facilitate access to a second-line DMT a few years after first-line DMT exposure. Greater consideration should also be given to the SES of MS patients as a risk factor in therapeutic healthcare issues throughout medical follow-up. PMID:29390025

  4. Regulating Commercial Telephone Solicitations,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-03-01

    federal government should prohibit all commercial advertising calls. Advertisers have rights to free speech , and some consumers , I am told , don ’t...also proposed that telephone subscribers be given the right to indicate if they do not want to receive commercial advertising calls , whether from...from business advertisers and the telephone companies who did not want to see telephone solicitation regulated ; and in part because there was little

  5. Assisting the visually impaired to deal with telephone interview jobs using information and commutation technology.

    PubMed

    Yeh, Fung-Huei; Yang, Chung-Chieh

    2014-12-01

    This study proposed a new information and commutation technology assisted blind telephone interview (ICT-ABTI) system to help visually impaired people to do telephone interview jobs as normal sighted people and create more diverse employment opportunities for them. The study also used an ABAB design to assess the system with seven visually impaired people. As the results, they can accomplish 3070 effective telephone interviews per month independently. The results also show that working performance of the visually impaired can be improved effectively with appropriate design of operation working flow and accessible software. The visually impaired become productive, lucrative, and self-sufficient by using ICT-ABTI system to do telephone interview jobs. The results were also shared through the APEC Digital Opportunity Center platform to help visually impaired in Philippines, Malaysia and China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 16 CFR 1012.7 - Telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Telephone conversations. 1012.7 Section 1012... AGENCY PERSONNEL AND OUTSIDE PARTIES § 1012.7 Telephone conversations. (a) Telephone conversations... meet with Agency employees. However, because telephone conversations, by their very nature, are not...

  7. The Telephone Company Agrees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stokes, Rembert R.

    1975-01-01

    A representative of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company responds to a statement by the director of the National Institute for Rehabilitation Engineering on telephone communication systems for the hearing impaired. (GW)

  8. Telephone-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Telephone-Delivered Nondirective Supportive Therapy for Rural Older Adults With Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Brenes, Gretchen A; Danhauer, Suzanne C; Lyles, Mary F; Hogan, Patricia E; Miller, Michael E

    2015-10-01

    Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is common in older adults; however, access to treatment may be limited, particularly in rural areas. To examine the effects of telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) compared with telephone-delivered nondirective supportive therapy (NST) in rural older adults with GAD. Randomized clinical trial in the participants' homes of 141 adults aged 60 years and older with a principal or coprincipal diagnosis of GAD who were recruited between January 27, 2011, and October 22, 2013. Telephone-delivered CBT consisted of as many as 11 sessions (9 were required) focused on recognition of anxiety symptoms, relaxation, cognitive restructuring, the use of coping statements, problem solving, worry control, behavioral activation, exposure therapy, and relapse prevention, with optional chapters on sleep and pain. Telephone-delivered NST consisted of 10 sessions focused on providing a supportive atmosphere in which participants could share and discuss their feelings and did not provide any direct suggestions for coping. Primary outcomes included interviewer-rated anxiety severity (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) and self-reported worry severity (Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated) measured at baseline, 2 months' follow-up, and 4 months' follow-up. Mood-specific secondary outcomes included self-reported GAD symptoms (GAD Scale 7 Item) measured at baseline and 4 months' follow-up and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) measured at baseline, 2 months' follow-up, and 4 months' follow-up. Among the 141 participants, 70 were randomized to receive CBT and 71 to receive NST. At 4 months' follow-up, there was a significantly greater decline in worry severity among participants in the telephone-delivered CBT group (difference in improvement, -4.07; 95% CI, -6.26 to -1.87; P = .004) but no significant differences in general anxiety symptoms (difference in improvement, -1.52; 95% CI, -4.07 to 1.03; P = .24). At 4 months

  9. First-line managers' descriptions and reflections regarding their staff's access to empowering structures.

    PubMed

    Skytt, Bernice; Hagerman, Heidi; Strömberg, Annika; Engström, Maria

    2015-11-01

    To elucidate first-line managers' descriptions and reflections regarding their staff's access to empowering structures using Kanter's theory of structural empowerment. Good structural conditions within workplaces are essential to employees' wellbeing, and their ability to access empowerment structures is largely dependent on the management. Twenty-eight first-line managers in elderly care were interviewed. Deductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data. Managers perceived that staff had varying degrees of access to the empowering structures described in Kanter's theory - and that they possessed formal power in their roles as contact persons and representatives. The descriptions mostly started from the managers' own actions, although some started from the needs of staff members. All managers described their staff's access to the empowering structures in Kanter's theory as important, yet it seemed as though this was not always reflected on and discussed as a strategic issue. Managers could make use of performance and appraisal dialogues to keep up to date on staff's access to empowering structures. Recurrent discussions in the management group based on such current information could promote staff's access to power through empowering structures and make job definitions a strategic issue in the organisation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Recruitment using mobile telephones in an Irish general population sexual health survey: challenges and practical solutions

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Non-coverage of households without a landline telephone is a major concern of telephone survey researchers. Sampling mobile telephone users in national surveys is vital in order to gain access to the growing proportion of households that use mobile telephones extensively or exclusively. The complex logistics of conducting surveys with mobile telephones have been discussed in the literature. This paper outlines the actual challenges encountered during a recent national sexual health survey in Ireland, which utilized a mobile telephone sampling frame to recruit approximately half of the sample. Method The 2010 Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Survey (ICCP-2010) is a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18-45 years living in Ireland (n = 3002; 1416 recruited by landline telephone and 1586 recruited by mobile telephone). The overall response rate for the survey was 69% (79% for the landline telephone strand; 61% for the mobile telephone strand). All interviews were conducted using computer-assisting telephone interviewing. Results During the 18-week fieldwork period, five main challenges relating to the use of mobile telephones were encountered: (1) explaining to respondents how random digit dialling works in relation to mobile telephones; (2) establishing the respondent's eligibility; (3) calling the respondent with the Caller ID blocked or withheld; (4) calling the respondent when they are in any number of locations or situations; and (5) explaining to respondents the importance of refusal conversion calls for the response rate calculation. Details of how the survey protocols and procedures were monitored and adapted throughout the study to ensure a high response rate are outlined. Conclusion It is undeniably more challenging to recruit respondents using mobile telephones as opposed to landline telephones. Respondents are generally not familiar with being contacted on their personal mobile telephone for the purposes of being recruited

  11. Telephone calls by individuals with cancer.

    PubMed

    Flannery, Marie; McAndrews, Leanne; Stein, Karen F

    2013-09-01

    To describe symptom type and reporting patterns found in spontaneously initiated telephone calls placed to an ambulatory cancer center practice. Retrospective, descriptive. Adult hematology oncology cancer center. 563 individuals with a wide range of oncology diagnoses who initiated 1,229 telephone calls to report symptoms. Raw data were extracted from telephone forms using a data collection sheet with 23 variables obtained for each phone call, using pre-established coding criteria. A literature-based, investigator-developed instrument was used for the coding criteria and selection of which variables to extract. Symptom reporting, telephone calls, pain, and symptoms. A total of 2,378 symptoms were reported by telephone during the four months. At least 10% of the sample reported pain (38%), fatigue (16%), nausea (16%), swelling (12%), diarrhea (12%), dyspnea (10%), and anorexia (10%). The modal response was to call only one time and to report only one symptom (55%). Pain emerged as the symptom that most often prompted an individual to pick up the telephone and call. Although variation was seen in symptom reporting, an interesting pattern emerged with an individual reporting on a solitary symptom in a single telephone call. The emergence of pain as the primary symptom reported by telephone prompted educational efforts for both in-person clinic visit management of pain and prioritizing nursing education and protocol management of pain reported by telephone. Report of symptoms by telephone can provide nurses unique insight into patient-centered needs. Although pain has been an important focus of education and research for decades, it remains a priority for individuals with cancer. A wide range in symptom reporting by telephone was evident.

  12. Telephone Time - Naval Oceanography Portal

    Science.gov Websites

    section Advanced Search... Sections Home Time Earth Orientation Astronomy Meteorology Oceanography Ice You are here: Home › USNO › Precise Time › Telephone Time USNO Logo USNO Navigation Master Clock GPS Display Clocks TWSTT Telephone Time NTP Info Telephone Time USNO provides both voice announcements of the

  13. The Mental Number Line in Dyscalculia: Impaired Number Sense or Access From Symbolic Numbers?

    PubMed

    Lafay, Anne; St-Pierre, Marie-Catherine; Macoir, Joël

    Numbers may be manipulated and represented mentally over a compressible number line oriented from left to right. According to numerous studies, one of the primary reasons for dyscalculia is related to improper understanding of the mental number line. Children with dyscalculia usually show difficulty when they have to place Arabic numbers on a physical number line. However, it remains unclear whether they have a deficit with the mental number line per se or a deficit with accessing it from nonsymbolic and/or symbolic numbers. Quebec French-speaking 8- to 9-year-old children with (24) and without (37) dyscalculia were assessed with transcoding tasks ( number-to-position and position-to-number) designed to assess the acuity of the mental number line with Arabic and spoken numbers as well as with analogic numerosities. Results showed that children with dyscalculia produced a larger percentage absolute error than children without mathematics difficulties in every task except the number-to-position transcoding task with analogic numerosities. Hence, these results suggested that children with dyscalculia do not have a general deficit of the mental number line but rather a deficit with accessing it from symbolic numbers.

  14. PRN 97-4: Consumer Access Numbers on Pesticide Labels

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This notice describes EPA policy on including telephone numbers and other access numbers or internet addresses, on pesticide product labeling. It also explains how the telephone number of the National Pesticide Information Center hotline may be used.

  15. Potential use of telephone-based survey for non-communicable disease surveillance in Sri Lanka.

    PubMed

    Herath, H M M; Weerasinghe, N P; Weerarathna, T P; Hemantha, A; Amarathunga, A

    2017-12-29

    Telephone survey (TS) has been a popular tool for conducting health surveys, particularly in developed countries. However, the feasibility, and reliability of TS are not adequately explored in Sri Lanka. The main aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of telephone-based survey in estimating the prevalence of common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Sri Lanka. We carried out an observational cross-sectional study using telephone interview method in Galle district, Sri Lanka. The study participants were selected randomly from the residents living in the households with fixed land telephone lines. The prevalence of the main NCDs was estimated using descriptive statistics. Overall, 975 telephone numbers belonging to six main areas of Galle district were called, and 48% agreed to participate in the study. Of the non-respondents, 22% actively declined to participate. Data on NCDs were gathered from 1470 individuals. The most common self-reported NCD was hypertension (17.%), followed by diabetes (16.3%) and dyslipidaemia (15.6%). Smoking was exclusively seen in males (7.4%), and regular alcohol use was significantly more common in males (19.2%) than females (0.4%, P < .001). Our study revealed average response rate for telephone based interview in Sri Lankan setting. Overall prevalence of main NCDs in this study showed a comparable prevalence to studies used face to face interview method. This study supports the potential use of telephone-based survey to assess heath related information in Sri Lanka.

  16. 47 CFR 63.505 - Contents of applications for any type of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of telephone...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of telephone service not specifically provided for in this part. 63.505... (CONTINUED) EXTENSION OF LINES, NEW LINES, AND DISCONTINUANCE, REDUCTION, OUTAGE AND IMPAIRMENT OF SERVICE BY...; Examples § 63.505 Contents of applications for any type of discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of...

  17. Vibroacoustic Payload Environment Prediction System (VAPEPS): VAPEPS management center remote access guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fernandez, J. P.; Mills, D.

    1991-01-01

    A Vibroacoustic Payload Environment Prediction System (VAPEPS) Management Center was established at the JPL. The center utilizes the VAPEPS software package to manage a data base of Space Shuttle and expendable launch vehicle payload flight and ground test data. Remote terminal access over telephone lines to the computer system, where the program resides, was established to provide the payload community a convenient means of querying the global VAPEPS data base. This guide describes the functions of the VAPEPS Management Center and contains instructions for utilizing the resources of the center.

  18. Telephone communication between practice nurses and older patients with long term conditions - a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Raphael, Deborah; Waterworth, Susan; Gott, Merryn

    2017-01-01

    Background and aims Long term conditions are a significant health problem faced by older people worldwide. Telephone communication is often used to deliver health care to patients and is an important tool in improving access to care. Previous research has shown that primary health care nurses communicate with patients by telephone, but little is known about the way in which telephone communication can be used to benefit older patients with long term conditions. The aims of this review were to identify the range and scope of telephone use between practice nurses working in primary health care and older people with long term conditions, explore which elements of this communication has been successful, and determine whether older people see telephone communication as useful for their needs. Methods A systematic search of the literature was conducted through CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science and EMBASE between July and August 2015. Included were English language articles containing older adults, primary care nurses and both qualitative and quantitative designs. Results Five studies met the inclusion criteria. All were intervention studies, and none looked at routine telephone communication between nurse and patient. Most studies showed that telephone based interventions were successful in improving pre-determined disease-specific health indicators. Conclusions All telephone communication interventions in this review focused on a specific long term condition, which they aimed to help patients self-manage. While all studies' samples included older patients, they did not consider them separately in relation to the effectiveness of the intervention. What was also lacking was the patient perspective regarding effectiveness in all but one study.

  19. Development and Evaluation of the Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale.

    PubMed

    Kitchingman, Taneile A; Wilson, Coralie J; Caputi, Peter; Woodward, Alan; Hunt, Tara

    2015-01-01

    Although telephone services continue to play an important role in the delivery of front-line crisis support, published evidence of the standardized assessment of such services does not exist to date. To describe the development of the Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale (TCSSS), an instrument to assess workers' intentions to use recommended skills with callers, and to evaluate its factor structure and reliability. TCSSS items were mapped to a national telephone crisis support practice model. A national sample of workers (n = 210) completed the TCSSS as part of a larger online survey. Principal axis factoring was used to evaluate the structure of the instrument. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's α values. A single factor accounted for more than 40% of the variance within TCSSS ratings, indicating unidimensional structure. Cronbach's α coefficients suggested adequate internal consistency. Results indicate that the TCSSS is an internally consistent, unidimensional scale, sufficiently sensitive to detect workers' skill priorities for different caller problem types. Further study is required to confirm the factor structure and reliability of the TCSSS using workers from different organizations. Following further evaluation, the TCSSS may be applied to assessing readiness for and quality of service delivery.

  20. Influence of digital and analogue cellular telephones on implanted pacemakers.

    PubMed

    Altamura, G; Toscano, S; Gentilucci, G; Ammirati, F; Castro, A; Pandozi, C; Santini, M

    1997-10-01

    The aim of this study was to find out whether digital and analogue cellular 'phones affect patients with pacemakers. The study comprised continuous ECG monitoring of 200 pacemaker patients. During the monitoring certain conditions caused by interference created by the telephone were looked for: temporary or prolonged pacemaker inhibition; a shift to asynchronous mode caused by electromagnetic interference; an increase in ventricular pacing in dual chamber pacemakers, up to the programmed upper rate. The Global System for Mobile Communications system interfered with pacing 97 times in 43 patients (21.5%). During tests on Total Access of Communication System telephones, there were 60 cases of pacing interference in 35 patients (17.5%). There were 131 interference episodes during ringing vs 26 during the on/off phase; (P < 0.0001); 106 at maximum sensitivity level vs 51 at the 'base' value; P < 0.0001). Prolonged pacing inhibition (> 4 s) was seen at the pacemaker 'base' sensing value in six patients using the Global system but in only one patient using Total Access. Cellular 'phones may be dangerous for pacemaker patients. However, they can be used safely if patients do not carry the 'phone close to the pacemaker, which is the only place where high risk interference has been observed.

  1. A randomized controlled trial of disclosing genetic risk information for Alzheimer disease via telephone.

    PubMed

    Christensen, Kurt D; Uhlmann, Wendy R; Roberts, J Scott; Linnenbringer, Erin; Whitehouse, Peter J; Royal, Charmaine D M; Obisesan, Thomas O; Cupples, L Adrienne; Butson, Melissa B; Fasaye, Grace-Ann; Hiraki, Susan; Chen, Clara A; Siebert, Uwe; Cook-Deegan, Robert; Green, Robert C

    2018-01-01

    PurposeTelephone disclosure of genetic test results can improve access to services. To date, studies of its impact have focused on return of Mendelian risk information, principally hereditary cancer syndromes.MethodsIn a multisite trial of Alzheimer disease genetic risk disclosure, asymptomatic adults were randomized to receive test results in person or via telephone. Primary analyses examined patient outcomes 12 months after disclosure.ResultsData from 257 participants showed that telephone disclosure occurred 7.4 days sooner and was 30% shorter, on average, than in-person disclosure (both P < 0.001). Anxiety and depression scores were well below cutoffs for clinical concern across protocols. Comparing telephone and in-person disclosure protocols, 99% confidence intervals of mean differences were within noninferiority margins on scales assessing anxiety, depression, and test-related distress, but inconclusive about positive impact. No differences were observed on measures of recall and subjective impact. Subanalyses supported noninferiority on all outcomes among apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4-negative participants. Subanalyses were inconclusive for APOE ɛ4-positive participants, although mean anxiety and depression scores were still well below cutoffs for clinical concern.ConclusionTelephone disclosure of APOE results and risk for Alzheimer disease is generally safe and helps providers meet demands for services, even when results identify an increased risk for disease.

  2. ARTIMIS telephone travel information service : overall public awareness : evaluation of ARTIMIS telephone information system

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-12-01

    This report summarizes the results of a random telephone survey of households in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Area. The objective was to determine awareness of the traffic management center and its telephone travel information service...

  3. The acceptability to patients of PhysioDirect telephone assessment and advice services; a qualitative interview study.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Jennifer; Richardson, Jane; Calnan, Michael; Salisbury, Chris; Foster, Nadine E

    2016-03-28

    In response to long waiting lists and problems with access to primary care physiotherapy, several Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) (now Clinical Commissioning Groups CCGs) developed physiotherapy-led telephone assessment and treatment services. The Medical Research Council (MRC) funded PhysioDirect trial was a randomised control trial (RCT) in four PCTs, with a total of 2252 patients that compared this approach with usual physiotherapy care. This nested qualitative study aimed to explore the acceptability of the PhysioDirect telephone assessment and advice service to patients with musculoskeletal conditions. We conducted 57 semi-structured interviews with adults from 4 PCTs who were referred from general practice to physiotherapy with musculoskeletal conditions and were participating in the PhysioDirect trial. The Framework method was used to analyse the qualitative data. The PhysioDirect service was largely viewed as acceptable although some saw it as a first step to subsequent face-to-face physiotherapy. Most participants found accessing the PhysioDirect service straightforward and smooth, and they valued the faster access to physiotherapy advice offered by the telephone service. Participants generally viewed both the PhysioDirect service and the physiotherapists providing the service as helpful. Participants' preferences and priorities for treatment defined the acceptable features of PhysioDirect but the acceptable features were traded off against less acceptable features. Some participants felt that the PhysioDirect service was impersonal and impaired the development of a good relationship with their physiotherapist, which made the service feel remote and less valuable. The PhysioDirect service was broadly acceptable to participants since it provided faster access to physiotherapy advice for their musculoskeletal conditions. Participants felt that it is best placed as one method of accessing physiotherapy services, in addition to, rather than as a replacement for

  4. Telephone-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Older, Rural Veterans with Depression and Anxiety in Home-Based Primary Care.

    PubMed

    Barrera, Terri L; Cummings, Jeremy P; Armento, Maria; Cully, Jeffrey A; Bush Amspoker, Amber; Wilson, Nancy L; Mallen, Michael J; Shrestha, Srijana; Kunik, Mark E; Stanley, Melinda A

    2017-01-01

    Rural, homebound older adults are at increased risk for anxiety and depression and have limited access to mental health services. These individuals face many barriers to receiving evidence-based mental health treatment and would benefit from interventions that increase access to and efficiency of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate use of a telephone-delivered, modular, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for both late-life depression and anxiety delivered to rural, homebound Veterans. Three cases are presented to illustrate the flexible adaptation of the intervention for use among older Veterans enrolled in home-based primary care, with varying symptom presentations and functional limitations. The Veterans received 7 to 9 sessions of the CBT intervention, with ordering of skill modules based on symptom presentation and determined collaboratively between patient and therapist. The three Veterans showed improvement in depression and/or anxiety symptoms following treatment and provided positive feedback regarding their experiences in this program. These results suggest that telephone-delivered CBT is acceptable to older adults and can be tailored to individual patient needs. Clinicians should consider telephone-delivered CBT as an alternate mode of therapy to increase access to mental health care for rural, homebound individuals with depression and anxiety.

  5. Teaching the iPhone with Voiceover Accessibility to People with Visual Impairments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celusnak, Brian M.

    2016-01-01

    Moving from a conventional telephone keypad to a cellular telephone with a touchscreen can seem quite challenging for some people. When one is visually impaired, there is always the option of using VoiceOver, the iPhone's built-in access technology that is designed to allow individuals with visual impairments the ability to access the visual…

  6. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan

    2005-02-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the economic viability of many potential high-bandwidth applications. In recent years, optical access networks have been receiving tremendous attention from both academia and industry. A large number of research activities have been carried out or

  7. Vibroacoustic payload environment prediction system (VAPEPS): Data base management center remote access guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, V. C.

    1986-01-01

    A Vibroacoustic Data Base Management Center has been established at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The center utilizes the Vibroacoustic Payload Environment Prediction System (VAPEPS) software package to manage a data base of shuttle and expendable launch vehicle flight and ground test data. Remote terminal access over telephone lines to a dedicated VAPEPS computer system has been established to provide the payload community a convenient means of querying the global VAPEPS data base. This guide describes the functions of the JPL Data Base Management Center and contains instructions for utilizing the resources of the center.

  8. Patients' experiences when accessing their on-line electronic patient records in primary care.

    PubMed Central

    Pyper, Cecilia; Amery, Justin; Watson, Marion; Crook, Claire

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Patient access to on-line primary care electronic patient records is being developed nationally. Knowledge of what happens when patients access their electronic records is poor. AIM: To enable 100 patients to access their electronic records for the first time to elicit patients' views and to understand their requirements. DESIGN OF STUDY: In-depth interviews using semi-structured questionnaires as patients accessed their electronic records, plus a series of focus groups. SETTING: Secure facilities for patients to view their primary care records privately. METHOD: One hundred patients from a randomised group viewed their on-line electronic records for the first time. The questionnaire and focus groups addressed patients' views on the following topics: ease of use; confidentiality and security; consent to access; accuracy; printing records; expectations regarding content; exploitation of electronic records; receiving new information and bad news. RESULTS: Most patients found the computer technology used acceptable. The majority found viewing their record useful and understood most of the content, although medical terms and abbreviations required explanation. Patients were concerned about security and confidentiality, including potential exploitation of records. They wanted the facility to give informed consent regarding access and use of data. Many found errors, although most were not medically significant. Many expected more detail and more information. Patients wanted to add personal information. CONCLUSION: Patients have strong views on what they find acceptable regarding access to electronic records. Working in partnership with patients to develop systems is essential to their success. Further work is required to address legal and ethical issues of electronic records and to evaluate their impact on patients, health professionals and service provision. PMID:14965405

  9. Too Much Ado About Telephones

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Selwyn, Donald

    1975-01-01

    The director of the National Institute for Rehabilitation Engineering provides a favorable opinion of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company's plan to replace magnetic output receivers in telephones with an acoustic coupling device. (GW)

  10. An Intelligent Terminal for Access to a Medical Database

    PubMed Central

    Womble, M. E.; Wilson, S. D.; Keiser, H. N.; Tworek, M. L.

    1978-01-01

    Very powerful data base management systems (DBMS) now exist which allow medical personnel access to patient record data bases. DBMS's make it easy to retrieve either complete or abbreviated records of patients with similar characteristics. In addition, statistics on data base records are immediately accessible. However, the price of this power is a large computer with the inherent problems of access, response time, and reliability. If a general purpose, time-shared computer is used to get this power, the response time to a request can be either rapid or slow, depending upon loading by other users. Furthermore, if the computer is accessed via dial-up telephone lines, there is competition with other users for telephone ports. If either the DBMS or the host machine is replaced, the medical users, who are typically not sophisticated in computer usage, are forced to learn the new system. Microcomputers, because of their low cost and adaptability, lend themselves to a solution of these problems. A microprocessor-based intelligent terminal has been designed and implemented at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine to provide a transparent interface between the user and his data base. The intelligent terminal system includes multiple microprocessors, floppy disks, a CRT terminal, and a printer. Users interact with the system at the CRT terminal using menu selection (framing). The system translates the menu selection into the query language of the DBMS and handles all actual communication with the DBMS and its host computer, including telephone dialing and sign on procedures, as well as the actual data base query and response. Retrieved information is stored locally for CRT display, hard copy production, and/or permanent retention. Microprocessor-based communication units provide security for sensitive medical data through encryption/decryption algorithms and high reliability error detection transmission schemes. Highly modular software design permits adapation to a

  11. 47 CFR 63.66 - Closure of or reduction of hours of service at telephone exchanges at military establishments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Closure of or reduction of hours of service at telephone exchanges at military establishments. 63.66 Section 63.66 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) EXTENSION OF LINES, NEW LINES, AND DISCONTINUANCE, REDUCTION, OUTAGE AND...

  12. A biregional survey and review of first-line treatment failure and second-line paediatric antiretroviral access and use in Asia and southern Africa

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background To better understand the need for paediatric second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART), an ART management survey and a cross-sectional analysis of second-line ART use were conducted in the TREAT Asia Paediatric HIV Observational Database and the IeDEA Southern Africa (International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS) regional cohorts. Methods Surveys were conducted in April 2009. Analysis data from the Asia cohort were collected in March 2009 from 12 centres in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Data from the IeDEA Southern Africa cohort were finalized in February 2008 from 10 centres in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Results Survey responses reflected inter-regional variations in drug access and national guidelines. A total of 1301 children in the TREAT Asia and 4561 children in the IeDEA Southern Africa cohorts met inclusion criteria for the cross-sectional analysis. Ten percent of Asian and 3.3% of African children were on second-line ART at the time of data transfer. Median age (interquartile range) in months at second-line initiation was 120 (78-145) months in the Asian cohort and 66 (29-112) months in the southern African cohort. Regimens varied, and the then current World Health Organization-recommended nucleoside reverse transcriptase combination of abacavir and didanosine was used in less than 5% of children in each region. Conclusions In order to provide life-long ART for children, better use of current first-line regimens and broader access to heat-stable, paediatric second-line and salvage formulations are needed. There will be limited benefit to earlier diagnosis of treatment failure unless providers and patients have access to appropriate drugs for children to switch to. PMID:21306608

  13. Logical optical line terminal technologies towards flexible and highly reliable metro- and access-integrated networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Satoru; Sato, Takehiro; Yamanaka, Naoaki

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, flexible and highly reliable metro and access integrated networks with network virtualization and software defined networking technologies will be presented. Logical optical line terminal (L-OLT) technologies and active optical distribution networks (ODNs) are the key to introduce flexibility and high reliability into the metro and access integrated networks. In the Elastic Lambda Aggregation Network (EλAN) project which was started in 2012, a concept of the programmable optical line terminal (P-OLT) has been proposed. A role of the P-OLT is providing multiple network services that have different protocols and quality of service requirements by single OLT box. Accommodated services will be Internet access, mobile front-haul/back-haul, data-center access, and leased line. L-OLTs are configured within the P-OLT box to support the functions required for each network service. Multiple P-OLTs and programmable optical network units (P-ONUs) are connected by the active ODN. Optical access paths which have flexible capacity are set on the ODN to provide network services from L-OLT to logical ONUs (L-ONUs). The L-OLT to L-ONU path on the active ODN provides a logical connection. Therefore, introducing virtualization technologies becomes possible. One example is moving an L-OLT from one P-OLT to another P-OLT like a virtual machine. This movement is called L-OLT migration. The L-OLT migration provides flexible and reliable network functions such as energy saving by aggregating L-OLTs to a limited number of P-OLTs, and network wide optical access path restoration. Other L-OLT virtualization technologies and experimental results will be also discussed in the paper.

  14. Systems configured to distribute a telephone call, communication systems, communication methods and methods of routing a telephone call to a service representative

    DOEpatents

    Harris, Scott H.; Johnson, Joel A.; Neiswanger, Jeffery R.; Twitchell, Kevin E.

    2004-03-09

    The present invention includes systems configured to distribute a telephone call, communication systems, communication methods and methods of routing a telephone call to a customer service representative. In one embodiment of the invention, a system configured to distribute a telephone call within a network includes a distributor adapted to connect with a telephone system, the distributor being configured to connect a telephone call using the telephone system and output the telephone call and associated data of the telephone call; and a plurality of customer service representative terminals connected with the distributor and a selected customer service representative terminal being configured to receive the telephone call and the associated data, the distributor and the selected customer service representative terminal being configured to synchronize, application of the telephone call and associated data from the distributor to the selected customer service representative terminal.

  15. A telephone hotline for transient ischaemic attack and stroke: prospective audit of a model to improve rapid access to specialist stroke care.

    PubMed

    Kerr, Enda; Arulraj, Nolan; Scott, Maggie; McDowall, Mike; van Dijke, Margrethe; Keir, Sarah; Sandercock, Peter; Dennis, Martin

    2010-07-02

    Patients with transient ischaemic attack or stroke benefit from early diagnosis, specialist assessment, and treatment with thrombolysis, and from stroke unit care and secondary prevention. The challenge with such patients is to minimise delays and ensure that treatment is appropriate, and to provide this care with the available resources. An ongoing prospective audit of a transient ischaemic attack and stroke clinic (1 January 2005 to 30 September 2009), as part of the Scottish Stroke Care Audit, and a three month targeted audit of immediate telephone access to a specialist stroke consultant (1 February 2009 to 30 April 2009). Stroke and transient ischaemic attack services in Lothian, a region of Scotland with a population of 810,000. Delays to assessment at a rapid access transient ischaemic attack and stroke clinic; delays to appropriate treatment. In February 2007 we introduced a 24 hours a day, seven days a week hotline to a consultant, who provided immediate advice on diagnosis, investigation, and emergency treatment for patients with transient ischaemic attack or stroke, and suggested the most appropriate care pathway, which might include an early appointment in a transient ischaemic attack and stroke clinic. The introduction of the hotline was associated with an immediate and sustained reduction in delays to assessment (from 13 to three days) and treatment. The proportion of participants taking statins at the time of visiting the clinic increased from 40% before the introduction of the hotline to 60% after the hotline was in place. Also, the hotline contributed to a reduction in the delay from last event to carotid surgery, from 58 days to 21.5 days. A total of 376 calls were received during the three month audit. Of the 273 (88%) referrers who responded to our questionnaire, 257 (94%) were very satisfied with the advice given over the hotline. Although associated with some disruption to the activities of the consultants, a 24 hours a day, seven days a week

  16. How Telephone Interviewers' Responsiveness Impacts Their Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broome, Jessica

    2015-01-01

    Growing rates of nonresponse to telephone surveys can contribute to nonresponse error, and interviewers contribute differentially to nonresponse. Why do some telephone interviewers have better response rates than others? This study uncovered a critical behavior of successful telephone interviewers over the course of introductions: responsive…

  17. Using History to Teach Invention and Design: The Case of the Telephone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorman, Michael E.; Robinson, J. Kirby

    This paper shows how a historical case, the invention of the telephone, can be used to teach invention and design in a way that combines engineering, social sciences, and humanities. The historical problem of transmitting speech was turned into an active learning module, in which students sought to improve patents obtained by early telephone inventors like Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray, using equipment similar to what was available at the time. The result was a collaborative learning environment in which students from a wide range of majors worked in teams, eventually producing a patent application. As part of the project, they were allowed to search historical materials like the Bell notebooks, which were made available on line. This experience gave them a better understanding of the invention and design process.

  18. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Disclosing Genetic Risk Information for Alzheimer’s Disease via Telephone

    PubMed Central

    Christensen, Kurt D.; Uhlmann, Wendy R.; Roberts, J. Scott; Linnenbringer, Erin; Whitehouse, Peter J.; Royal, Charmaine D. M.; Obisesan, Thomas O.; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Butson, Melissa B.; Fasaye, Grace-Ann; Hiraki, Susan; Chen, Clara A.; Siebert, Uwe; Cook-Deegan, Robert; Green, Robert C.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Telephone disclosure of genetic test results can improve access to services. To date, studies of its impact have focused on return of Mendelian risk information, principally hereditary cancer syndromes. Methods In a multisite trial of Alzheimer’s disease genetic risk disclosure, asymptomatic adults were randomized to receive test results in-person or via telephone. Primary analyses examined patient outcomes 12 months after disclosure. Results Data from 257 participants showed that telephone disclosure occurred 7.4 days sooner and were 30% shorter, on average, than in-person disclosure (both p<0.001). Anxiety and depression scores were well below cutoffs for clinical concern across protocols. Comparing telephone and in-person disclosure protocols, 99% CIs of mean differences were within non-inferiority margins on scales assessing anxiety, depression, and test-related distress, but inconclusive about positive impact. No differences were observed on measures of recall and subjective impact. Sub-analyses supported non-inferiority on all outcomes among APOE ε4-negative participants. Sub-analyses were inconclusive for APOE ε4-positive participants, although mean anxiety and depression scores were still well below cutoffs for clinical concern. Conclusion Telephone disclosure of APOE results and risk for Alzheimer’s disease is generally safe and helps providers meet demands for services, even when results identify an increased risk for disease. PMID:28726810

  19. Impact of a Regional Pharmacy Call Center on Telephone Access Metrics Within the Veterans Health Administration.

    PubMed

    White, Christina A; Jones, Marshall R; Kuester, Melanie K; Myers, Kelly L; Schnarr, Barbara A

    2015-05-01

    To establish a cost-effective centralized pharmacy call center to serve the patients of Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11 that would meet established performance metrics. A pilot project began in August 2011 with the Indianapolis VA Medical Center (VAMC) and the Health Resource Center (HRC) in Topeka, Kansas. The Indianapolis VAMC used a first-call resolution business model consisting of pharmacy technicians receiving tier 1 phone calls that could be escalated to a tier 2 line that consisted of lead technicians and pharmacists, while the HRC utilized general telephone agents that would transfer unresolved calls to the primary facility. Pre- and post-VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center performance metrics were compared for each of the 7 facilities in the network with the goals being monthly average abandoned call rate less than 5% and average speed to answer less than 30 seconds. Cost per call was also compared. The average abandoned call rate for the network during the year prior to VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center implementation (August 2010-July 2011) was 15.66% and decreased to 3% in July 2014. The average abandoned call rate decreased for each individual facility. In fiscal year 2014, the VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center was operating at a cost of $4.35 per call while providing more services than the HRC, resulting in less workload being transferred back to the individual facilities. A centralized VISN pharmacy call center is a reasonable alternative to individual facility call centers or the HRC.

  20. Doctor-patient communication on the telephone.

    PubMed

    Curtis, P; Evens, S

    1989-01-01

    Since its invention, the telephone has been an important tool in medical practice, particularly for primary care physicians. Approximately half the calls made to a physician's office during regular consulting hours are for clinical problems and most are handled effectively over the phone without an immediate office visit. Telephone encounters are generally very brief, and managing such calls requires a pragmatic approach that is often quite different from the approach taken in the office visit. The telephone encounter should be recognized and recorded as a specific medical interaction in the medical chart for both clinical and legal reasons. Effective telephone encounters depend on good communication skills; decision making regarding disposition is a major goal. The physician's perception of a medical problem may be different from the patient's; patients are frequently seeking advice and reassurance rather than diagnosis and treatment, and may call because of anxiety and psychological stress. For physicians and their families who are not prepared for after-hours telephone encounters, calls that interrupt more "legitimate" activities may result in anger or frustration for the physician and dissatisfaction for the patient.

  1. 7 CFR 1737.60 - Telephone loan budget.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Telephone loan budget. 1737.60 Section 1737.60... Cost Estimation Procedures § 1737.60 Telephone loan budget. (a) RUS shall prepare a “Telephone Loan Budget” (RUS Form 493) showing all costs for the proposed project and the amount of loan and nonloan...

  2. Personal health monitoring - exploiting the power of the personal telephone.

    PubMed

    Hannan, Amir

    2015-11-01

    Many health issues that we currently face are related to our lifestyle choices. Educating patients can help them to make better informed health decisions. The internet and smartphones, mobile telephones that perform many of the functions of a computer, are becoming more accessible to the majority of the population. Applications on smartphones and professional health websites can signpost patients to trusted information and allow them to co-produce records. Empowering patients, staff and organizations through enabling access to records and understanding, building a partnership trust and the use of social media can enable people to do more and hopefully improve outcomes. In this article, I describe the steps we have taken to facilitate such interactions within our own primary care practice and the response of patients to these initiatives. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. Ambulatory obstetrical care: strategies to reduce telephone liability.

    PubMed

    Phelan, J P

    1998-09-01

    The telephone will become the centerpiece of ambulatory care services. As such, a pertinent aspect of office procedures will necessarily include a protocol to manage and document telephone calls. Encourage your office staff to use good telephone manners, as listed in Table 5. The net result should be a reduction in telephone liability risks and an enhanced reputation for your office.

  4. 78 FR 30226 - Accessibility Requirements for Internet Browsers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-22

    ... products and services with peripheral devices or specialized customer premise equipment commonly used by... the telephone or services that such manufacturer or provider offers is accessible to and usable by... requires certain Internet browsers used for advanced communications services to be accessible to people...

  5. Access to primary care for socio-economically disadvantaged older people in rural areas: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Ford, John A; Turley, Rachel; Porter, Tom; Shakespeare, Tom; Wong, Geoff; Jones, Andy P; Steel, Nick

    2018-01-01

    We aim to explore the barriers to accessing primary care for socio-economically disadvantaged older people in rural areas. Using a community recruitment strategy, fifteen people over 65 years, living in a rural area, and receiving financial support were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Four focus groups were held with rural health professionals. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify barriers to primary care access. Older people's experience can be understood within the context of a patient perceived set of unwritten rules or social contract-an individual is careful not to bother the doctor in return for additional goodwill when they become unwell. However, most found it difficult to access primary care due to engaged telephone lines, availability of appointments, interactions with receptionists; breaching their perceived social contract. This left some feeling unwelcome, worthless or marginalised, especially those with high expectations of the social contract or limited resources, skills and/or desire to adapt to service changes. Health professionals' described how rising demands and expectations coupled with service constraints had necessitated service development, such as fewer home visits, more telephone consultations, triaging calls and modifying the appointment system. Multiple barriers to accessing primary care exist for this group. As primary care is re-organised to reduce costs, commissioners and practitioners must not lose sight of the perceived social contract and models of care that form the basis of how many older people interact with the service.

  6. Investigating the validity and usability of an interactive computer programme for assessing competence in telephone-based mental health triage.

    PubMed

    Sands, Natisha; Elsom, Stephen; Keppich-Arnold, Sandra; Henderson, Kathryn; King, Peter; Bourke-Finn, Karen; Brunning, Debra

    2016-02-01

    Telephone-based mental health triage services are frontline health-care providers that operate 24/7 to facilitate access to psychiatric assessment and intervention for people requiring assistance with a mental health problem. The mental health triage clinical role is complex, and the populations triage serves are typically high risk; yet to date, no evidence-based methods have been available to assess clinician competence to practice telephone-based mental health triage. The present study reports the findings of a study that investigated the validity and usability of the Mental Health Triage Competency Assessment Tool, an evidence-based, interactive computer programme designed to assist clinicians in developing and assessing competence to practice telephone-based mental health triage. © 2015 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  7. Consolidated Area Telephone System-San Diego Area

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-02-29

    This audit resulted from the Audit on the Consolidated Area Telephone System-San Francisco Bay Area. The Consolidated Area Telephone System ( CATS ...San Diego contract, valued at $142 million, will expire in August 1996. In October 1995, administration of CATS transferred from the Navy Public Works...efficiency, and effectiveness of asset accountability over CATS leased telecommunications equipment and services (switches, cabling, and telephones

  8. Power in telephone-advice nursing.

    PubMed

    Leppänen, Vesa

    2010-03-01

    Power is a central aspect of nursing, especially in telephone-advice nursing, where nurses assess callers' medical problems and decide what measures that need to be taken. This article presents a framework for understanding how power operates in social interaction between nurses and callers in telephone-advice nursing in primary care in Sweden. Power is analysed as the result of nurses and callers being oriented to five social structures that are relevant to their actions in this context, namely the organization of telephone-advice nursing, the social stock of medical knowledge, the professional division of labour between nurses and doctors, structures of social interaction and structures of emotions. While structural constraints govern some actions to a high degree, calls take place in an organizational free room that give nurses more leeway for acting more creatively. The discussion focuses on the introduction of new technologies of control, for instance computerized decision support systems and audio recording of calls, and on how they reduce the free room. Empirical data consist of 276 audio-recorded telephone calls to 13 nurses at six primary-care centres and of qualitative interviews with 18 nurses.

  9. Impact of a Regional Pharmacy Call Center on Telephone Access Metrics Within the Veterans Health Administration

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Marshall R.; Kuester, Melanie K.; Myers, Kelly L.; Schnarr, Barbara A.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To establish a cost-effective centralized pharmacy call center to serve the patients of Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11 that would meet established performance metrics. Methods: A pilot project began in August 2011 with the Indianapolis VA Medical Center (VAMC) and the Health Resource Center (HRC) in Topeka, Kansas. The Indianapolis VAMC used a first-call resolution business model consisting of pharmacy technicians receiving tier 1 phone calls that could be escalated to a tier 2 line that consisted of lead technicians and pharmacists, while the HRC utilized general telephone agents that would transfer unresolved calls to the primary facility. Pre- and post-VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center performance metrics were compared for each of the 7 facilities in the network with the goals being monthly average abandoned call rate less than 5% and average speed to answer less than 30 seconds. Cost per call was also compared. Results: The average abandoned call rate for the network during the year prior to VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center implementation (August 2010-July 2011) was 15.66% and decreased to 3% in July 2014. The average abandoned call rate decreased for each individual facility. In fiscal year 2014, the VISN 11 Pharmacy Call Center was operating at a cost of $4.35 per call while providing more services than the HRC, resulting in less workload being transferred back to the individual facilities. Conclusion: A centralized VISN pharmacy call center is a reasonable alternative to individual facility call centers or the HRC. PMID:26405322

  10. Injuries caused by pets in Asian urban households: a cross-sectional telephone survey.

    PubMed

    Chan, Emily Y Y; Gao, Yang; Li, Liping; Lee, Po Yi

    2017-01-20

    Little is known about pet-related injuries in Asian populations. This study primarily aimed to investigate the incidence rate of pet-related household injuries in Hong Kong, an urban Chinese setting. Cantonese-speaking non-institutionalised population of all ages in Hong Kong accessible by telephone land-line. A total of 43 542 telephone numbers were dialled and 6570 residents successfully completed the interviews. Data of pet-related household injuries in the previous 12 months, pet ownership and socio-demographic characteristics were collected with a questionnaire. Direct standardisation of the incidence rates of pet-related household injuries by gender and age to the 2009 Hong Kong Population Census was estimated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to estimate risks of socio-demographic factors and pet ownership for the injury. A total of 84 participants experienced pet-related household injuries in the past 12 months, with an overall person-based incidence rate of 1.28%. The majority of the victims were injured once (69.6%). Cats (51.6%) were the most common pets involved. Pet owners were at an extremely higher risk after controlling for other factors (adjusted OR: 52.0, 95% CI 22.1 to 98.7). Females, the unmarried, those with higher monthly household income and those living in lower-density housing were more likely to be injured by pets. We project a pet-related household injury incidence rate of 1.24% in the general Hong Kong population, with 86 334 residents sustaining pet-related injuries every year. Pet ownership puts people at extremely high risk, especially the unmarried. Further studies should focus on educating pet owners to reduce pet-related injuries in urban Greater China. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  11. Injuries caused by pets in Asian urban households: a cross-sectional telephone survey

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Emily Y Y; Gao, Yang; Li, Liping; Lee, Po Yi

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Little is known about pet-related injuries in Asian populations. This study primarily aimed to investigate the incidence rate of pet-related household injuries in Hong Kong, an urban Chinese setting. Setting Cantonese-speaking non-institutionalised population of all ages in Hong Kong accessible by telephone land-line. Participants A total of 43 542 telephone numbers were dialled and 6570 residents successfully completed the interviews. Primary and secondary outcome measures Data of pet-related household injuries in the previous 12 months, pet ownership and socio-demographic characteristics were collected with a questionnaire. Direct standardisation of the incidence rates of pet-related household injuries by gender and age to the 2009 Hong Kong Population Census was estimated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to estimate risks of socio-demographic factors and pet ownership for the injury. Results A total of 84 participants experienced pet-related household injuries in the past 12 months, with an overall person-based incidence rate of 1.28%. The majority of the victims were injured once (69.6%). Cats (51.6%) were the most common pets involved. Pet owners were at an extremely higher risk after controlling for other factors (adjusted OR: 52.0, 95% CI 22.1 to 98.7). Females, the unmarried, those with higher monthly household income and those living in lower-density housing were more likely to be injured by pets. Conclusions We project a pet-related household injury incidence rate of 1.24% in the general Hong Kong population, with 86 334 residents sustaining pet-related injuries every year. Pet ownership puts people at extremely high risk, especially the unmarried. Further studies should focus on educating pet owners to reduce pet-related injuries in urban Greater China. PMID:28110284

  12. Impact of the Oregon Health Plan on Access and Satisfaction of Adults with Low-income

    PubMed Central

    Mitchell, Janet B; Haber, Susan G; Khatutsky, Galina; Donoghue, Suzanne

    2002-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the effects of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) on beneficiary access and satisfaction. Data Sources Telephone survey of nondisabled adults in 1998. Study Design Two groups of adults were surveyed: OHP enrollees and Food Stamp recipients not enrolled in OHP. The Food Stamp sample included both privately insured and uninsured recipients. This allowed us to disentangle the insurance effects of OHP from other effects such as its reliance on managed care and the priority list. OHP and Food Stamp adults were compared along the following measures: usual source of care, utilization of health care services, unmet need, and satisfaction with care. Data Collection The survey was conducted by telephone, using computer-assisted telephone interviewing techniques. Principal Findings Much of OHP's impact has been realized by its extension of health insurance coverage to Oregon's low-income residents. The availability of health insurance significantly increased the utilization of many health care services and reduced unmet need for care. OHP was associated within a higher percentage of enrollees having a usual source of care and higher rates of Pap test screening among women compared with Food Stamp recipients. OHP enrollees also reported significantly higher use of dental care and prescription drugs; use we attribute to the expanded benefit package under the priority list. At the same time, OHP enrollees reported a greater unmet need for prescription drugs. Drug treatment for below-the-line conditions was one reason for this unmet need, but often the specific drug simply was not in the plan's formulary. OHP enrollees were as satisfied with their health care as those Food Stamp recipients with private health insurance. Conclusions Despite the negative publicity prior to its implementation, there is no evidence that “rationing” under OHP's priority list has substantially restricted access to needed services. OHP adults appear to enjoy access equal to or better

  13. Utilization of a telephone interactive voice-response tobacco cessation support service in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    PubMed

    Heydari, G; Ahmady, A Ebn; Lando, H A; Almasinia, B

    2014-06-09

    Telephone smoking cessation counselling is a very cost-effective means of reaching dependent smokers in a population. We investigated the frequency of contacts and the types of topics that people accessed after a national telephone helpline was set up in the Islamic Republic of Iran at the beginning of 2011. From a total of 23 979 calls received over a 24-month period, 26.5% of callers hung up without selecting any menus. The most frequently accessed menu was addresses of smoking cessation support services (23.9%), followed by methods of smoking cessation (14.0%), self-help materials for quitting smoking (11.8%) and nicotine dependence assessment (10.4%). The average number of contacts decreased dramatically after the first month of the service but there was a significant increase in the 2 months preceding the feast of Ramadan. Religious messages provide a good opportunity to engage individuals in smoking cessation and may be useful in the planning of media campaigns.

  14. 16 CFR 1012.7 - Telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Telephone conversations. 1012.7 Section 1012.7 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL MEETINGS POLICY-MEETINGS BETWEEN... susceptible to public attendance, or participation, Agency employees must take care to ensure that telephone...

  15. 47 CFR 68.6 - Telephones with volume control.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Telephones with volume control. 68.6 Section 68.6 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK General § 68.6 Telephones with volume control. As...

  16. 47 CFR 68.6 - Telephones with volume control.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telephones with volume control. 68.6 Section 68.6 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK General § 68.6 Telephones with volume control. As...

  17. High tension electrical injury from a telephone receiver.

    PubMed

    Thomas, P C; Kumar, P

    2001-08-01

    A high tension (13000 V) electrical injury to a young man from telephone receiver is described. The current entered the telephone circuit due to contact with a high tension live wire running close to the telephone wire 2 km away from the site of incidence.

  18. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan

    2005-03-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the economic viability of many potential high-bandwidth applications. In recent years, optical access networks have been receiving tremendous attention from both academia and industry. A large number of research activities have been carried out or

  19. 49 CFR 172.604 - Emergency response telephone number.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Emergency response telephone number. 172.604... telephone number. (a) A person who offers a hazardous material for transportation must provide an emergency response telephone number, including the area code, for use in an emergency involving the hazardous...

  20. 49 CFR 172.604 - Emergency response telephone number.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Emergency response telephone number. 172.604... telephone number. (a) A person who offers a hazardous material for transportation must provide an emergency response telephone number, including the area code, for use in the event of an emergency involving the...

  1. Digital mobile telephones and interference of ophthalmic equipment.

    PubMed

    Ang, G S; Lian, P; Ng, W S; Whyte, I; Ong, J M

    2007-01-01

    To assess the effect of mobile telephone electromagnetic interference on electronic ophthalmic equipment. Prospective audit with mobile telephones placed at distances of 3 m, 1 m, and 30 cm from, and in contact with, electronic ophthalmic equipment. Any interruption or cessation of the function of the ophthalmic device was assessed with the mobile telephones in standby, and in dialling or receiving modes. Any alterations of displayed digital figures or numbers were also assessed. A total of 23 electronic ophthalmic devices in two hospital ophthalmology outpatient departments were evaluated. All six mobile telephones used, and 22 (95.7%) of the 23 ophthalmic equipment evaluated had the Conformité Européene (CE) mark. No device showed any interruption or cessation of function. There were no alterations of displayed digital figures or numbers. The only effect of any kind was found with four instruments (1 non-CE marked), where there was temporary flickering on the screen, and only occurred when the mobile telephones were dialling or receiving at a distance of 30 cm or less from the instruments. This study shows that among the electronic ophthalmic devices tested, none suffered failure or interruption of function, from mobile telephone interference. Although not comprehensive for all ophthalmic equipment, the results question the need for a complete ban of mobile telephones in ophthalmic departments. It highlights the need for a controlled, objectively measured study of the clinically relevant effects of mobile telephones in the ophthalmology outpatient setting.

  2. 47 CFR 15.214 - Cordless telephones.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... discrete digital codes. Factory-set codes must be continuously varied over at least 256 possible codes as... readily select from among at least 256 possible discrete digital codes. The cordless telephone shall be... fixed code that is continuously varied among at least 256 discrete digital codes as each telephone is...

  3. Impact of the telephone assistive device (TAD) on stuttering severity while speaking on the telephone.

    PubMed

    Chambers, Nola

    2009-01-01

    There is extensive experimental evidence that altered auditory feedback (AAF) can have a clinically significant effect on the severity of speech symptoms in people who stutter. However, there is less evidence regarding whether these experimental effects can be observed in naturalistic everyday settings particularly when using the telephone. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Telephone Assistive Device (TAD), which is designed to provide AAF on the telephone to people who stutter, on reducing stuttering severity. Nine adults participated in a quasi-experimental study. Stuttering severity was measured first without and then with the device in participants' naturalistic settings while making and receiving telephone calls (immediate benefit). Participants were then allowed a week of repeated use of the device following which all measurements were repeated (delayed benefit). Overall, results revealed significant immediate benefits from the TAD in all call conditions. Delayed benefits in received and total calls were also significant. There was substantial individual variability in response to the TAD but none of the demographic or speech-related factors measured in the study were found to significantly impact the benefit (immediate or delayed) derived from the TAD. Results have implications for clinical decision making for adults who stutter.

  4. Access to primary care for socio-economically disadvantaged older people in rural areas: A qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Turley, Rachel; Porter, Tom; Shakespeare, Tom; Wong, Geoff; Jones, Andy P.; Steel, Nick

    2018-01-01

    Objective We aim to explore the barriers to accessing primary care for socio-economically disadvantaged older people in rural areas. Methods Using a community recruitment strategy, fifteen people over 65 years, living in a rural area, and receiving financial support were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Four focus groups were held with rural health professionals. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify barriers to primary care access. Findings Older people’s experience can be understood within the context of a patient perceived set of unwritten rules or social contract–an individual is careful not to bother the doctor in return for additional goodwill when they become unwell. However, most found it difficult to access primary care due to engaged telephone lines, availability of appointments, interactions with receptionists; breaching their perceived social contract. This left some feeling unwelcome, worthless or marginalised, especially those with high expectations of the social contract or limited resources, skills and/or desire to adapt to service changes. Health professionals’ described how rising demands and expectations coupled with service constraints had necessitated service development, such as fewer home visits, more telephone consultations, triaging calls and modifying the appointment system. Conclusion Multiple barriers to accessing primary care exist for this group. As primary care is re-organised to reduce costs, commissioners and practitioners must not lose sight of the perceived social contract and models of care that form the basis of how many older people interact with the service. PMID:29509811

  5. Telephone communication of HIV testing results for improving knowledge of HIV infection status.

    PubMed

    Tudor Car, Lorainne; Gentry, Sarah; van-Velthoven, Michelle H M M T; Car, Josip

    2013-01-31

    This is one of three Cochrane reviews that examine the role of the telephone in HIV/AIDS services. Both in developed and developing countries there is a large proportion of people who do not know they are infected with HIV. Knowledge of one's own HIV serostatus is necessary to access HIV support, care and treatment and to prevent acquisition or further transmission of HIV. Using telephones instead of face-to-face or other means of HIV test results delivery could lead to more people receiving their HIV test results. To assess the effectiveness of telephone use for delivery of HIV test results and post-test counselling.To evaluate the effectiveness of delivering HIV test results by telephone, we were interested in whether they can increase the proportion of people who receive their HIV test results and the number of people knowing their HIV status. We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, PubMed Central, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health (CINAHL), WHOs The Global Health Library and Current Controlled Trials from 1980 to June 2011. We also searched grey literature sources such as Dissertation Abstracts International,CAB Direct Global Health, OpenSIGLE, The Healthcare Management Information Consortium, Google Scholar, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, International AIDS Society and AEGIS Education Global Information System, and reference lists of relevant studies for this review. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised controlled trials (qRCTs), controlled before and after studies (CBAs), and interrupted time series (ITS) studies comparing the effectiveness of telephone HIV test results notification and post-test counselling to face-to-face or other ways of HIV test result delivery in people regardless of their demographic characteristics and in all settings. Two reviewers independently searched, screened, assessed study quality and extracted data. A

  6. Direct Telephonic Communication in a Heart Failure Transitional Care Program: An observational study.

    PubMed

    Ota, Ken S; Beutler, David S; Sheikh, Hassam; Weiss, Jessica L; Parkinson, Dallin; Nguyen, Peter; Gerkin, Richard D; Loli, Akil I

    2013-10-01

    This study investigated the trend of phone calls in the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center (BGSMC) Heart Failure Transitional Care Program (HFTCP). The primary goal of the HFTCP is to reduce 30-Day readmissions for heart failure patients by using a multi-pronged approach. This study included 104 patients in the HFTCP discharged over a 51-week period who had around-the-clock telephone access to the Transitionalist. Cellular phone records were reviewed. This study evaluated the length and timing of calls. A total of 4398 telephone calls were recorded of which 39% were inbound and 61% were outbound. This averaged to 86 calls per week. During the "Weekday Daytime" period, Eighty-five percent of the totals calls were made. There were 229 calls during the "Weekday Nights" period with 1.5 inbound calls per week. The "Total Weekend" calls were 10.2% of the total calls which equated to a weekly average of 8.8. Our experience is that direct, physician-patient telephone contact is feasible with a panel of around 100 HF patients for one provider. If the proper financial reimbursements are provided, physicians may be apt to participate in similar transitional care programs. Likewise, third party payers will benefit from the reduction in unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

  7. 7 CFR 1744.63 - The telephone loan budget.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false The telephone loan budget. 1744.63 Section 1744.63... Disbursement of Funds § 1744.63 The telephone loan budget. When the loan is made, RUS provides the borrower a Telephone Loan Budget, RUS Form 493. This budget divides the loan into budget accounts such as “Engineering...

  8. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan

    2005-01-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks

    Guest Editors Jun Zheng, University of Ottawa Nirwan Ansari, New Jersey Institute of Technology

    Submission Deadline: 1 June 2005

    Background

    With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the

  9. Improving outpatient access and patient experiences in academic ambulatory care.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Sarah; Calderon, Sherry; Casella, Joanne; Wood, Elizabeth; Carvelli-Sheehan, Jayne; Zeidel, Mark L

    2012-02-01

    Effective scheduling of and ready access to doctor appointments affect ambulatory patient care quality, but these are often sacrificed by patients seeking care from physicians at academic medical centers. At one center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the authors developed interventions to improve the scheduling of appointments and to reduce the access time between telephone call and first offered appointment. Improvements to scheduling included no redirection to voicemail, prompt telephone pickup, courteous service, complete registration, and effective scheduling. Reduced access time meant being offered an appointment with a physician in the appropriate specialty within three working days of the telephone call. Scheduling and access were assessed using monthly "mystery shopper" calls. Mystery shoppers collected data using standardized forms, rated the quality of service, and transcribed their interactions with schedulers. Monthly results were tabulated and discussed with clinical leaders; leaders and frontline staff then developed solutions to detected problems. Eighteen months after the beginning of the intervention (in June 2007), which is ongoing, schedulers had gone from using 60% of their registration skills to over 90%, customer service scores had risen from 2.6 to 4.9 (on a 5-point scale), and average access time had fallen from 12 days to 6 days. The program costs $50,000 per year and has been associated with a 35% increase in ambulatory volume across three years. The authors conclude that academic medical centers can markedly improve the scheduling process and access to care and that these improvements may result in increased ambulatory care volume.

  10. Callers' Ability to Understand Advice Received from a Telephone Health-Line Service: Comparison of Self-Reported and Registered Data

    PubMed Central

    Leclerc, Bernard-Simon; Dunnigan, Lise; Côté, Harold; Zunzunegui, Maria-Victoria; Hagan, Louise; Morin, Diane

    2003-01-01

    Objective To validate users' perception of nurses' recommendations to look for another health resource among clients seeking teleadvice. To analyze the effects of different users' and call characteristics on the incorrectness of the self-report. Data Sources/Study Setting This study is a secondary analysis of data obtained from 4,696 randomly selected participants in a survey conducted in 1997 among users of Info-Santé CLSC, a no-charge telenursing health-line service (THLS) available all over the province of Québec. Study Design/Data Collection Self-reported advice from follow-up survey phone interviews, conducted within 48 to 120 hours after the participant's call, were compared to the data consigned by the nurse in the computerized call record. Covariables concerned characteristics of callers, context of the calls, and satisfaction about the nurses' intervention. Association between these variables and inaccurate reports was identified using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Principal Findings Advice to consult were recorded by the nurse in 42 percent of cases, whereas 39 percent of callers stated they had received one. Overall disagreement between the two sources is 27 percent (12 percent by false positive and 15 percent by false negative) and kappa is 0.45. Characteristics such as living alone (adjusted OR=2.5), calls relating to psychological problems (OR=2.8), perceived seriousness (OR=∼2.6), as well as others, were associated with inaccurate reports. Conclusions Telephone health-line providers should be aware that many callers appear to interpret advice to seek additional health care differently than intended. Our findings suggest the need for continuing quality control interventions to reduce miscommunication, insure better understanding of advice by callers, and contribute to more effective service. PMID:12785568

  11. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan

    2005-06-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the economic viability of many potential high-bandwidth applications. In recent years, optical access networks have been receiving tremendous attention from both academia and industry. A large number of research activities have been carried out or

  12. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan; Jersey Inst Ansari, New; Jersey Inst, New

    2005-04-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the economic viability of many potential high-bandwidth applications. In recent years, optical access networks have been receiving tremendous attention from both academia and industry. A large number of research activities have been carried out or

  13. Optical Access Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jun; Ansari, Nirwan

    2005-05-01

    Call for Papers: Optical Access Networks With the wide deployment of fiber-optic technology over the past two decades, we have witnessed a tremendous growth of bandwidth capacity in the backbone networks of today's telecommunications infrastructure. However, access networks, which cover the "last-mile" areas and serve numerous residential and small business users, have not been scaled up commensurately. The local subscriber lines for telephone and cable television are still using twisted pairs and coaxial cables. Most residential connections to the Internet are still through dial-up modems operating at a low speed on twisted pairs. As the demand for access bandwidth increases with emerging high-bandwidth applications, such as distance learning, high-definition television (HDTV), and video on demand (VoD), the last-mile access networks have become a bandwidth bottleneck in today's telecommunications infrastructure. To ease this bottleneck, it is imperative to provide sufficient bandwidth capacity in the access networks to open the bottleneck and thus present more opportunities for the provisioning of multiservices. Optical access solutions promise huge bandwidth to service providers and low-cost high-bandwidth services to end users and are therefore widely considered the technology of choice for next-generation access networks. To realize the vision of optical access networks, however, many key issues still need to be addressed, such as network architectures, signaling protocols, and implementation standards. The major challenges lie in the fact that an optical solution must be not only robust, scalable, and flexible, but also implemented at a low cost comparable to that of existing access solutions in order to increase the economic viability of many potential high-bandwidth applications. In recent years, optical access networks have been receiving tremendous attention from both academia and industry. A large number of research activities have been carried out or

  14. 47 CFR 69.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... part. (e) Big Three Expenses are the combined expense groups comprising: Plant Specific Operations... company or group of affiliated telephone companies with fewer than 300,000 access lines and less than $150... balance) to the association Common Line pool in 1988. (w) Level II Receivers. A telephone company or group...

  15. On-Line Remote Catalog Access and Circulation Control System. Part I: Functional Specifications. Part II: User's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Business Machines Corp., Gaithersburg, MD. Data Processing Div.

    The Ohio State University Libraries On-line Remote Catalog Access and Circulation Control System (LCS) began on-line operations with the conversion of one department library in November 1970. By December all 26 libraries had been converted to the automated system and LCS was fully operational one month ahead of schedule. LCS is designed as a…

  16. Evaluating the privacy properties of telephone metadata.

    PubMed

    Mayer, Jonathan; Mutchler, Patrick; Mitchell, John C

    2016-05-17

    Since 2013, a stream of disclosures has prompted reconsideration of surveillance law and policy. One of the most controversial principles, both in the United States and abroad, is that communications metadata receives substantially less protection than communications content. Several nations currently collect telephone metadata in bulk, including on their own citizens. In this paper, we attempt to shed light on the privacy properties of telephone metadata. Using a crowdsourcing methodology, we demonstrate that telephone metadata is densely interconnected, can trivially be reidentified, and can be used to draw sensitive inferences.

  17. Evaluating the privacy properties of telephone metadata

    PubMed Central

    Mayer, Jonathan; Mutchler, Patrick; Mitchell, John C.

    2016-01-01

    Since 2013, a stream of disclosures has prompted reconsideration of surveillance law and policy. One of the most controversial principles, both in the United States and abroad, is that communications metadata receives substantially less protection than communications content. Several nations currently collect telephone metadata in bulk, including on their own citizens. In this paper, we attempt to shed light on the privacy properties of telephone metadata. Using a crowdsourcing methodology, we demonstrate that telephone metadata is densely interconnected, can trivially be reidentified, and can be used to draw sensitive inferences. PMID:27185922

  18. [Electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of DECT cordless telephones and mobile phones].

    PubMed

    Mamrot, Paweł; Mariańska, Magda; Aniołczyk, Halina; Politański, Piotr

    2015-01-01

    Mobile telephones belong to the most frequently used personal devices. In their surroundings they produce the electromagnetic field (EMF), in which exposure range there are not only users but also nearby bystanders. The aim of the investigations and EMF measurements in the vicinity of phones was to identify the electric field levels with regard to various working modes. Twelve sets of DECT (digital enhanced cordless telecommunications) cordless phones (12 base units and 15 handsets), 21 mobile telephones produced by different manufactures, and 16 smartphones in various applications, (including multimedia) in the conditions of daily use in living rooms were measured. Measurements were taken using the point method in predetermined distances of 0.05-1 m from the devices without the presence of users. In the vicinity of DECT cordless phone handsets, electric field strength ranged from 0.26 to 2.30 V/m in the distance of 0.05 m - 0.18-0.26 V/m (1 m). In surroundings of DECT cordless telephones base units the values of EMF were from 1.78-5.44 V/m (0.05 m) to 0.19- 0.41 V/m (1 m). In the vicinity of mobile phones working in GSM mode with voice transmission, the electric field strength ranged from 2.34-9.14 V/m (0.05 m) to 0.18-0.47 V/m (1 m) while in the vicinity of mobile phones working in WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) mode the electric field strength ranged from 0.22-1.83 V/m (0.05 m) to 0.18-0.20 V/m (1 m). The mean values of the electric field strength for each group of devices, mobile phones and DECT wireless phones sets do not exceed the reference value of 7 V/m, adopted as the limit for general public exposure. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  19. Comparing office and telephone follow-up after medical abortion.

    PubMed

    Chen, Melissa J; Rounds, Kacie M; Creinin, Mitchell D; Cansino, Catherine; Hou, Melody Y

    2016-08-01

    Compare proportion lost to follow-up, successful abortion, and staff effort in women who choose office or telephone-based follow-up evaluation for medical abortion at a teaching institution. We performed a chart review of all medical abortions provided in the first three years of service provision. Women receiving mifepristone and misoprostol could choose office follow-up with an ultrasound evaluation one to two weeks after mifepristone or telephone follow-up with a scheduled telephone interview at one week post abortion and a second telephone call at four weeks to review the results of a home urine pregnancy test. Of the 176 medical abortion patients, 105 (59.7%) chose office follow-up and 71 (40.3%) chose telephone follow-up. Office evaluation patients had higher rates of completing all required follow-up compared to telephone follow-up patients (94.3% vs 84.5%, respectively, p=.04), but proportion lost to follow-up was similar in both groups (4.8% vs 5.6%, respectively, p=1.0). Medical abortion efficacy was 94.0% and 92.5% in women who chose office and telephone follow-up, respectively. We detected two (1.2%) ongoing pregnancies, both in the office group. Staff rescheduled 15.0% of appointments in the office group. For the telephone follow-up cohort, staff made more than one phone call to 43.9% and 69.4% of women at one week and four weeks, respectively. Proportion lost to follow-up is low in women who have the option of office or telephone follow-up after medical abortion. Women who choose telephone-based evaluation compared to office follow-up may require more staff effort for rescheduling of contact, but overall outcomes are similar. Although women who choose telephone evaluation may require more rescheduling of contact as compared to office follow-up, having alternative follow-up options may decrease the proportion of women who are lost to follow-up. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Electronic computers and telephone exchanges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flowers, T. H.

    1980-01-01

    A retrospective on the telephone, with emphasis on development of digital methods, is presented. Starting with its invention in 1876, major breakthroughs in transmission and switching circuitry are reviewed. The thermionic valve (1917), the Eccles-Jordan trigger circuit (1921), copper oxide rectifiers (1920's), and the gas-tube binary counter (1931) are highlighted. The evolution of logic design in telephone exchanges and the interaction this had with electronic computers is then traced up to the appearance of COLOSSUS, a specialized electronic computer used for cryptanalysis (1943).

  1. Participants' views of telephone interviews within a grounded theory study.

    PubMed

    Ward, Kim; Gott, Merryn; Hoare, Karen

    2015-12-01

    To offer a unique contribution to the evolving debate around the use of the telephone during semistructured interview by drawing on interviewees' reflections on telephone interview during a grounded theory study. The accepted norm for qualitative interviews is to conduct them face-to-face. It is typical to consider collecting qualitative data via telephone only when face-to-face interview is not possible. During a grounded theory study, exploring users' experiences with overnight mask ventilation for sleep apnoea, the authors selected the telephone to conduct interviews. This article reports participants' views on semistructured interview by telephone. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted on data pertaining to the use of the telephone interview in a grounded theory study. The data were collected during 4 months of 2011 and 6 months in 2014. The article presents an inductive thematic analysis of sixteen participants' opinions about telephone interviewing and discusses these in relation to existing literature reporting the use of telephone interviews in grounded theory studies. Overall, participants reported a positive experience of telephone interviewing. From each participants reports we identified four themes from the data: being 'phone savvy; concentrating on voice instead of your face; easy rapport; and not being judged or feeling inhibited. By drawing on these data, we argue that the telephone as a data collection tool in grounded theory research and other qualitative methodologies need not be relegated to second best status. Rather, researchers can consider telephone interview a valuable first choice option. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. [Potential selection bias in telephone surveys: landline and mobile phones].

    PubMed

    Garcia-Continente, Xavier; Pérez-Giménez, Anna; López, María José; Nebot, Manel

    2014-01-01

    The increasing use of mobile phones in the last decade has decreased landline telephone coverage in Spanish households. This study aimed to analyze sociodemographic characteristics and health indicators by type of telephone service (mobile phone vs. landline or landline and mobile phone). Two telephone surveys were conducted in Spanish samples (February 2010 and February 2011). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze differences in the main sociodemographic characteristics and health indicators according to the type of telephone service available in Spanish households. We obtained 2027 valid responses (1627 landline telephones and 400 mobile phones). Persons contacted through a mobile phone were more likely to be a foreigner, to belong to the manual social class, to have a lower educational level, and to be a smoker than those contacted through a landline telephone. The profile of the population that has only a mobile phone differs from that with a landline telephone. Therefore, telephone surveys that exclude mobile phones could show a selection bias. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  3. A national survey of public support for restrictions on youth access to tobacco.

    PubMed

    Bailey, W J; Crowe, J W

    1994-10-01

    A national telephone survey was conducted to measure public support for seven proposals to restrict youth access to tobacco products, including increases in the cigarette excise tax. A random digit dialing survey, using computer-assisted telephone interviews and a two-stage Mitofsky-Waksberg design, was used to generate and replace telephone numbers and to select individuals from within households. More than 94% of respondents believed cigarette smoking by children and adolescents to be a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" problem. Most respondents expressed support for all the proposed measures to restrict youth access to tobacco products (fines for sellers, fines for youthful violators, licensing of all tobacco vendors, restrictions on cigarette vending machines, ban on sponsorship of youth-oriented events, and ban on all tobacco advertising), and for increases in the cigarette excise tax.

  4. Comparison of numeric keyboard and CRT line-labeled buttons for information access. [in computerized, area navigation system for aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, D.

    1976-01-01

    Test were conducted to determine whether differences in speed and accuracy are experienced when using either line-labeled index buttons or a numeric keyboard for page selection in airborne CRT-display area navigation systems. The experiment was conducted with six airline pilots, each flying the same two simulated RNAV routes. Three pilot subjects used line-labeled buttons adjacent to the CRT screen, while three used a numeric keyboard for page access. The hypothesis of no differences in response times between the two modes of access could not be rejected.

  5. Selecting Telephone Systems for a School District.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paddock, Steve

    1989-01-01

    A tried and tested formula for selecting the right telephone system includes the following elements: determining telephone system needs, considering future growth, using written proposals to make comparisons, and shopping for quality products with excellent references. Flagstaff (Arizona) Uified School District's experience is used to illustrate…

  6. Telephone Support During Overseas Deployment for Military Spouses Formerly: Telephone Support During Deployment for OEF/OIF Spouses

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-01

    distance relationships, and other common problems. The study compared telephone support groups to online education sessions for 161 spouses. In the...Telephone Support groups , a group leader and participants 12 times over six months to focus on education, skills building and support. Education Only...coping. Both groups reported self-efficacy as a driver of benefit. For webinar participants, there was no effect for dosage. For support group

  7. The Telephone: An Invention with Many Fathers

    ScienceCinema

    Brenni, Paolo [CNR-FST-IMSS, Florence, Italy

    2017-12-09

    The names of A.G. Bell, A. Meucci, P.Reis, E. Gray, just to mention the most important ones, are all connected with the invention of the telephone. Today, the Italian inventor A. Meucci is recognized as being the first to propose a working prototype of the electric telephone. However, for a series of reasons his strenuous efforts were not rewarded. I will not repeat here the endless and complex disputes about the “real father” of the telephone. From an historical point of view it is more interesting to understand why so many individuals from different backgrounds conceived of a similar apparatus and why most of these devices were simply forgotten or just remained laboratory curiosities. The case of the development of the telephone is an emblematic and useful example for better understanding the intricate factors which are involved in the birth of an invention and reasons for its success and failure.

  8. 47 CFR 36.191 - Equal access equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... provided by long distance carriers affiliated with the local exchange company is included. (d) Effective... AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES 1 Telecommunications Property Equal Access Equipment... excluded. In the case of independent telephone companies, intrastate toll service provided by the...

  9. 47 CFR 42.6 - Retention of telephone toll records.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... telephone toll calls: the name, address, and telephone number of the caller, telephone number called, date, time and length of the call. Each carrier shall retain this information for toll calls that it bills whether it is billing its own toll service customers for toll calls or billing customers for another...

  10. Evidence-based development of a mobile telephone food record.

    PubMed

    Six, Bethany L; Schap, Tusarebecca E; Zhu, Fengqing M; Mariappan, Anand; Bosch, Marc; Delp, Edward J; Ebert, David S; Kerr, Deborah A; Boushey, Carol J

    2010-01-01

    Mobile telephones with an integrated camera can provide a unique mechanism for collecting dietary information that reduces burden on record-keepers. Objectives for this study were to test whether participant's proficiency with the mobile telephone food record improved after training and repeated use and to measure changes in perceptions regarding use of the mobile telephone food record after training and repeated use. Seventy-eight adolescents (26 males, 52 females) ages 11 to 18 years were recruited to use the mobile telephone food record for one or two meals. Proficiency with the mobile telephone food record was defined as capturing a useful image for image analysis and self-reported ease of use. Positive changes in perceptions regarding use of the mobile telephone food record were assumed to equate to potentially improved proficiency with the mobile telephone food record. Participants received instruction for using the mobile telephone food record prior to their first meal, and captured an image of their meals before and after eating. Following the first meal, participants took part in an interactive session where they received additional training on capturing images in various snacking situations and responded to questions about user preferences. Changes in the participants' abilities to capture useful images and perceptions about the usability of the mobile telephone food record were examined using McNemar, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and paired t test. After using the mobile telephone food record, the majority of participants (79%) agreed that the software was easy to use. Eleven percent of participants agreed taking images before snacking would be easy. After additional training, the percent increased significantly to 32% (P<0.0001). For taking images after snacking, there was also improvement (21% before training and 43% after; P<0.0001). Adolescents readily adopt new technologies; however, the mobile telephone food record design needs to accommodate the

  11. Direct Telephonic Communication in a Heart Failure Transitional Care Program: An observational study

    PubMed Central

    Ota, Ken S.; Beutler, David S.; Sheikh, Hassam; Weiss, Jessica L.; Parkinson, Dallin; Nguyen, Peter; Gerkin, Richard D.; Loli, Akil I.

    2013-01-01

    Background This study investigated the trend of phone calls in the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center (BGSMC) Heart Failure Transitional Care Program (HFTCP). The primary goal of the HFTCP is to reduce 30-Day readmissions for heart failure patients by using a multi-pronged approach. Methods This study included 104 patients in the HFTCP discharged over a 51-week period who had around-the-clock telephone access to the Transitionalist. Cellular phone records were reviewed. This study evaluated the length and timing of calls. Results A total of 4398 telephone calls were recorded of which 39% were inbound and 61% were outbound. This averaged to 86 calls per week. During the “Weekday Daytime” period, Eighty-five percent of the totals calls were made. There were 229 calls during the “Weekday Nights” period with 1.5 inbound calls per week. The “Total Weekend” calls were 10.2% of the total calls which equated to a weekly average of 8.8. Conclusions Our experience is that direct, physician-patient telephone contact is feasible with a panel of around 100 HF patients for one provider. If the proper financial reimbursements are provided, physicians may be apt to participate in similar transitional care programs. Likewise, third party payers will benefit from the reduction in unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations. PMID:28352437

  12. SEMG-controlled telephone interface for people with disabilities.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yu-Luen; Lai, Jin-Shin; Luh, Jer-Junn; Kuo, Te-Son

    2002-01-01

    This paper proposes the development of a surface electromyographic (SEMG)-controlled telephone interface for the disabled. The system is composed of three major components: (1) a SEMG receiving/signal-processing module; (2) a row-column scanning interface for the telephone dialling pad; and (3) a main controller, the Intel-8951 microprocessor. The design concept was based on the idea of using a SEMG generated by the disabled and converting it into a trigger pulse. This could allow convenient control of the dialing motion in the row-column scanning keys of a telephone dialling pad. People with disabilities are competent for certain kinds of work such as being a telephone operator. The increase of opportunities to perform a job for the disabled would help them live independently.

  13. Public Relations Telephone Surveys: Avoiding Methodological Debacles.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stone, Gerald C.

    1996-01-01

    Reports that a study revealed a serious methodological flaw in interviewer bias in telephone surveys. States that most surveys, using standard detection measures, would not find the defect, but outcomes were so misleading that a campaign using the results would be doomed. Warns about practitioner telephone surveys; suggests special precautions if…

  14. Web-Based and Telephone Surveys to Assess Public Perception Toward the National Health Insurance in Taiwan: A Comparison of Cost and Results

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Elise Chia-Hui

    2015-01-01

    Background Numerous studies have examined the impact of global budget payment systems of health insurance on patient access to medical care. In order to monitor the population’s accessibility to health services, a series of survey are often used to understand public perceptions of the health care provider. Taiwan implemented the single-payer National Health Insurance in 1995 and has been conducting a series of surveys to monitor public perception of the NHI after adopting a global budget payment system in 2002. Although telephone surveys are commonly used in obtaining public opinions on various public health issues, limitations such as higher cost and influence of interviewers do raise some concerns. Web-based surveys, one of the alternative methods, may be free from these problems. Objective Our aim was to examine the difference of sociodemographic characteristics, satisfaction of NHI and NHI-contracted health care providers, attitude toward NHI-related issues, behavior in seeking medical advice and self-reported health status between those who completed Web-based surveys and those reached by telephone. Methods This study compared the demographic factors of participants who took either a Web-based survey (1313 participants) or random digit dialing telephone survey (2411 participants) that contained identical questions. Results Compared to telephone survey respondents, Web-based respondents tended to be younger (P<.001), unmarried (P<.001), non-smokers (P<.001), with a higher education (P<.001), and a higher monthly household income (P<.001) and worse self-reported health status (P=.008); however, they were less likely to report suffering from a chronic disease (P<.001). Despite these differences in background characteristics, no significant differences were observed in their answers related to the seeking of medical care or NHI-related issues. Telephone survey respondents reported greater satisfaction with NHI services. Web-based surveys were also shown to

  15. 47 CFR 51.217 - Nondiscriminatory access: Telephone numbers, operator services, directory assistance services...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... to have access to its directory assistance services, including directory assistance databases, so... provider, including transfer of the LECs' directory assistance databases in readily accessible magnetic.... Updates to the directory assistance database shall be made in the same format as the initial transfer...

  16. The Electric Speaking Practice: A Telephone Workload Study

    PubMed Central

    Westbury, R. C.

    1974-01-01

    The telephone workload in a family practice was studied for two recording periods separated by a 12 month interval. A record was kept of the number of calls, their length, the day of the week on which they were made, to whom they were made, and for what purpose. The telephone practice accounts for about 20 percent of the total practice workload. Calls to the patients and to their representatives were about equally common and account for most of the workload, but a large amount of telephone work is devoted to ‘backing up’ these direct contacts. The use of the telephone for medical purposes saves much time for the patients and much money for the paying agency. A plea is made for intensive study of this aspect of family medicine. PMID:20469032

  17. Evaluation of Cognitively Accessible Software to Increase Independent Access to Cellphone Technology for People with Intellectual Disability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stock, S. E.; Davies, D. K.; Wehmeyer, M. L.; Palmer, S. B.

    2008-01-01

    Background: There are over two billion telephones in use worldwide. Yet, for millions of Americans with intellectual disabilities (ID), access to the benefits of cellphone technology is limited because of deficits in literacy, numerical comprehension, the proliferation of features and shrinking size of cellphone hardware and user interfaces.…

  18. Numbers or apologies? Customer reactions to telephone waiting time fillers.

    PubMed

    Munichor, Nira; Rafaeli, Anat

    2007-03-01

    The authors examined the effect of time perception and sense of progress in telephone queues on caller reactions to 3 telephone waiting time fillers: music, apologies, and information about location in the queue. In Study 1, conducted on 123 real calls, call abandonment was lowest, and call evaluations were most positive with information about location in the queue as the time filler. In Study 2, conducted with 83 participants who experienced a simulated telephone wait experience, sense of progress in the queue rather than perceived waiting time mediated the relationship between telephone waiting time filler and caller reactions. The findings provide insight for the management and design of telephone queues, as well as theoretical insight into critical cognitive processes that underlie telephone waiting, opening up an important new research agenda. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Sleep disturbance in cancer patients and caregivers who contact telephone-based help services.

    PubMed

    Morris, Bronwyn A; Thorndike, Frances P; Ritterband, Lee M; Glozier, Nick; Dunn, Jeff; Chambers, Suzanne K

    2015-04-01

    Insomnia is highly prevalent in people who are affected by cancer. However, options available to receive support for insomnia are limited. Telephone-based help services, such as cancer helplines, may be ideally placed to meet unmet needs regarding insomnia after cancer. The present study describes the prevalence and predictors of insomnia in patients and caregivers who call cancer helplines seeking support. Participants (N = 500 patients, N = 234 caregivers) were recruited through an Australian state-based telephone-delivered cancer helpline. In addition to routine screening with the Distress Thermometer, participants were administered the Insomnia Severity Index. Most participants were female, older than 50 years of age, and were three (caregivers) to four (patients) months post-diagnosis. Insomnia symptoms were reported by 59.4 % of patients and 62.9 % of caregivers, with moderate to severe levels of insomnia reported by 27 % of patients and 30 % of caregivers. Insomnia was predicted by distress level for both patients (β = .31, p < .001) and caregivers (β = .32, p < .001) and age for patients only (β = -.13, p < .01). Insomnia symptoms are common in patients and caregivers who call cancer helplines and appear to be related to distress. Telephone-based helplines have the potential to act as the first line of support in a stepped care approach addressing insomnia.

  20. Training interventions for improving telephone consultation skills in clinicians.

    PubMed

    Vaona, Alberto; Pappas, Yannis; Grewal, Rumant S; Ajaz, Mubasshir; Majeed, Azeem; Car, Josip

    2017-01-05

    Since 1879, the year of the first documented medical telephone consultation, the ability to consult by telephone has become an integral part of modern patient-centred healthcare systems. Nowadays, upwards of a quarter of all care consultations are conducted by telephone. Studies have quantified the impact of medical telephone consultation on clinicians' workload and detected the need for quality improvement. While doctors routinely receive training in communication and consultation skills, this does not necessarily include the specificities of telephone communication and consultation. Several studies assessed the short-term effect of interventions aimed at improving clinicians' telephone consultation skills, but there is no systematic review reporting patient-oriented outcomes or outcomes of interest to clinicians. To assess the effects of training interventions for clinicians' telephone consultation skills and patient outcomes. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, five other electronic databases and two trial registers up to 19 May 2016, and we handsearched references, checked citations and contacted study authors to identify additional studies and data. We considered randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted time series studies evaluating training interventions compared with any control intervention, including no intervention, for improving clinicians' telephone consultation skills with patients and their impact on patient outcomes. Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of eligible studies using standard Cochrane and EPOC guidance and the certainty of evidence using GRADE. We contacted study authors where additional information was needed. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane for data analysis. We identified one very small controlled before-after study performed in 1989: this study used a

  1. The Impact of Caller Gender on Telephone Crisis-Helpline Workers' Interpretation of Suicidality in Caller Vignettes.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Tara; Wilson, Coralie J; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian; Woodward, Alan

    2018-04-23

    Telephone crisis-line workers (TCWs) are trained in a variety of techniques and skills to facilitate the identification of suicidal callers. One factor that may influence the implementation of these skills is gender. This study used an experimental design to explore whether helpline callers being identified as male or female is associated with TCWs’ ratings of callers’ potential for suicide risk and TCWs’ intention to use support- or intervention-oriented skills with callers. Data were collected using an online self-report survey in an Australian sample of 133 TCWs. The results suggest that under some circumstances the callers’ gender might influence TCWs’ intention to use intervention-oriented skills with the caller. Implications for the training of telephone crisis workers, and those trained in suicide prevention more broadly are discussed.

  2. The Impact of Caller Gender on Telephone Crisis-Helpline Workers’ Interpretation of Suicidality in Caller Vignettes

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Coralie J.; Caputi, Peter; Woodward, Alan

    2018-01-01

    Telephone crisis-line workers (TCWs) are trained in a variety of techniques and skills to facilitate the identification of suicidal callers. One factor that may influence the implementation of these skills is gender. This study used an experimental design to explore whether helpline callers being identified as male or female is associated with TCWs’ ratings of callers’ potential for suicide risk and TCWs’ intention to use support- or intervention-oriented skills with callers. Data were collected using an online self-report survey in an Australian sample of 133 TCWs. The results suggest that under some circumstances the callers’ gender might influence TCWs’ intention to use intervention-oriented skills with the caller. Implications for the training of telephone crisis workers, and those trained in suicide prevention more broadly are discussed. PMID:29690628

  3. Content recognition for telephone monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wenndt, Stanley J.; Harris, David M.; Cupples, Edward J.

    2001-02-01

    This research began due to federal inmates abusing their telephone privileges by committing serious offenses such as murder, drug dealing, and fraud. On average, about 1000 calls are made per day at each federal prison with a peak of over 4000. Current monitoring capabilities are very man- intensive and only allow for about 2-3% monitoring of inmate telephone conversations. One of the main deficiencies identified by prison officials is the need to flag phone conversations pertaining to criminal activity. This research looks at two unique voice-processing methods to detect phone conversion pertaining to criminal activity. These two methods are digit string detection and whisper detection.

  4. Expanding patient access to quality medication-related information: the potential of medication hotlines to improve patient adherence in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Pettit, Amy R; Marcus, Steven C

    2015-05-01

    Medication nonadherence is a widespread problem that compromises treatment outcomes, particularly in schizophrenia. Weersink et al. (Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2015) describe telephone calls to a national medicines information line, with a focus on queries related to antipsychotic medications. Their analysis of callers' questions and concerns offers a valuable window into patient and caregiver perspectives. Given that many callers reported that they had not shared these concerns with a health care provider, this study also highlights the capacity of medication hotlines to address unmet needs. Establishing and maintaining long-term treatment regimens is a complex task, and truly patient-centered care requires a variety of creative and accessible support resources. Medication lines have the potential to serve as a resource and to provide proactive and timely adherence support.

  5. All in One Stop? The Accessibility of Work Support Programs at One-Stop Centers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richer, Elise; Kubo, Hitomi; Frank, Abbey

    The accessibility of work support programs at one-stop centers was examined in a study during which 33 telephone directors or managers of one-stop centers in 22 states were interviewed by telephone. The interviews established the existence of extensive differences between one-stop centers from the standpoint of all aspects of their operation,…

  6. A randomized comparison of online- and telephone-based care management with internet training alone in adult patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    McMahon, Graham T; Fonda, Stephanie J; Gomes, Helen E; Alexis, George; Conlin, Paul R

    2012-11-01

    Care management may improve the quality of diabetes care by enhancing contact between high-risk patients and their providers. This prospective, longitudinal, randomized trial sought to investigate whether telephone or online care management improves diabetes-related outcomes over time compared with usual care supplemented with Internet access and training. One hundred fifty-one adult subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and an elevated hemoglobin A1c (A1c) level (≥8.5%) were randomly assigned to online care management (n=51), telephone-based care management (n=51), or Web training (n=49) groups. Online and telephone participants interacted with a care manager through a diabetes education and care management Web site and by telephone, respectively. The Web training group was provided with online diabetes self-management resources but no care management support. The primary outcome measure was A1c measured every 3 months for a year. A1c declined significantly and substantially in all groups over 12 months. A1c declined linearly at a rate of 0.32% (P<0.0001) per quarter for the online group, 0.36% (P<0.0001) for the telephone group, and 0.41% for the Web training group (P<0.0001). The rate of change over time did not differ significantly among groups. The groups converged at 12 months with average absolute A1c difference of -1.5%. The number of interactions with care providers was not significantly associated with the change in A1c. Blood pressure, weight, lipid levels, and diabetes distress did not differ among groups over time. Online, telephone-based care management, and Web training for diabetes patients with elevated A1c were each associated with a substantial improvement in A1c over a 1-year period. Internet access and training alone may be as effective as care management in patients with poorly controlled diabetes.

  7. TELEPHONIC ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY

    PubMed Central

    Hoffman, Irwin; Cosby, Richard S.

    1964-01-01

    Telephonic electrocardiography is a new and useful adjunct to the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. It has already demonstrated its great value both in clinical practice and in hospital teaching. It has, however, many other possible roles, for example, in more efficient monitoring after operations on the heart, or in the office monitoring of seriously ill patients with infarction or Adams-Stokes attacks. The availability of increased data in cardiac cases leads automatically to a better understanding of cardiac disease. PMID:14165874

  8. Telecommunications Policy Research Conference. Subsidies in Telephone Pricing Section. Papers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, Inc., Washington, DC.

    Three papers consider the provision of telephone service to rural and/or low income customers. The first paper, "An Analysis of Telephone Penetration" (Alexander Belinfante), analyzes the relationship between telephone penetration (the proportion of households with phone service) and prices, household income, and other factors. This…

  9. Choosing a New Telephone System for Your Medical Practice.

    PubMed

    Metherell, Brian

    2016-01-01

    E-mail may rule the world in other types of businesses, but for medical practices, the telephone remains the primary mode of communication with patients, specialists, and pharmacies. From making appointments to calling in prescriptions, telephones are essential to patient care. With technology changing very quickly and new capabilities coming into the medical practice, such as telemedicine and Skype, you need to know your options when choosing a new telephone system. The possibilities include on-site, cloud, and hybrid networked solutions. A wide variety of features and capabilities are available, from dozens of vendors. Of course, no matter what telephone solution you choose, you must meet regulatory compliance, particularly HIPAA, and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard if you take credit cards. And it has to be affordable, reliable, and long lasting. This article explores what medical practices need to know when choosing a new business telephone system in order to find the right solutions for their businesses.

  10. 77 FR 58983 - Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-25

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 12-1] Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice of telephonic... standards, regulations, and consumer product safety rules; (11) Disclosure of the names of witnesses and of...

  11. 24 CFR 3285.906 - Telephone and cable TV.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL MANUFACTURED HOME INSTALLATION STANDARDS Optional Information for Manufacturer's Installation Instructions § 3285.906 Telephone and cable TV. It is recommended that the installation instructions explain that telephone and cable TV wiring should be installed in accordance with requirements of...

  12. 47 CFR 68.4 - Hearing aid-compatible telephones.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Hearing aid-compatible telephones. 68.4 Section 68.4 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK General § 68.4 Hearing aid-compatible...

  13. 47 CFR 68.4 - Hearing aid-compatible telephones.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Hearing aid-compatible telephones. 68.4 Section 68.4 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK General § 68.4 Hearing aid-compatible...

  14. 77 FR 58099 - Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-19

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 12-2] Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice of telephonic prehearing conference In the Matter of ZEN MAGNETS, LLC, CPSC Docket No. 12-2. [[Page 58100

  15. Developing an automated speech-recognition telephone diabetes intervention.

    PubMed

    Goldman, Roberta E; Sanchez-Hernandez, Maya; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Piette, John D; Trinacty, Connie Mah; Simon, Steven R

    2008-08-01

    Many patients do not receive guideline-recommended care for diabetes and other chronic conditions. Automated speech-recognition telephone outreach to supplement in-person physician-patient communication may enhance patient care for chronic illness. We conducted this study to inform the development of an automated telephone outreach intervention for improving diabetes care among members of a large, not-for-profit health plan. In-depth telephone interviews with qualitative analysis. participants Individuals with diabetes (n=36) enrolled in a large regional health plan in the USA. Main outcome measure Patients' opinions about automated speech-recognition telephone technology. Patients who were recently diagnosed with diabetes and some with diabetes for a decade or more expressed basic informational needs. While most would prefer to speak with a live person rather than a computer-recorded voice, many felt that the automated system could successfully supplement the information they receive from their physicians and could serve as an integral part of their care. Patients suggested that such a system could provide specific dietary advice, information about diabetes and its self-care, a call-in menu of information topics, reminders about laboratory test results and appointments, tracking of personal laboratory results and feedback about their self-monitoring. While some patients expressed negative attitudes toward automated speech recognition telephone systems generally, most felt that a variety of functions of such a system could be beneficial to their diabetes care. In-depth interviews resulted in substantive input from health plan members for the design of an automated telephone outreach system to supplement in-person physician-patient communication in this population.

  16. 78 FR 2258 - Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-10

    ... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [CPSC Docket No. 13-1] Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice of telephonic..., regulations, and consumer product safety rules; (11) Disclosure of the names of witnesses and of documents or...

  17. Accessing primary care: a simulated patient study.

    PubMed

    Campbell, John L; Carter, Mary; Davey, Antoinette; Roberts, Martin J; Elliott, Marc N; Roland, Martin

    2013-03-01

    Simulated patient, or so-called 'mystery-shopper', studies are a controversial, but potentially useful, approach to take when conducting health services research. To investigate the construct validity of survey questions relating to access to primary care included in the English GP Patient Survey. Observational study in 41 general practices in rural, urban, and inner-city settings in the UK. Between May 2010 and March 2011, researchers telephoned practices at monthly intervals, simulating patients requesting routine, but prompt, appointments. Seven measures of access and appointment availability, measured from the mystery-shopper contacts, were related to seven measures of practice performance from the GP Patient Survey. Practices with lower access scores in the GP Patient Survey had poorer access and appointment availability for five out of seven items measured directly, when compared with practices that had higher scores. Scores on items from the national survey that related to appointment availability were significantly associated with direct measures of appointment availability. Patient-satisfaction levels and the likelihood that patients would recommend their practice were related to the availability of appointments. Patients' reports of ease of telephone access in the national survey were unrelated to three out of four measures of practice call handling, but were related to the time taken to resolve an appointment request, suggesting responders' possible confusion in answering this question. Items relating to the accessibility of care in a the English GP patient survey have construct validity. Patients' satisfaction with their practice is not related to practice call handling, but is related to appointment availability.

  18. Randomized noninferiority trial of telephone versus in-person genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, Marc D; Valdimarsdottir, Heiddis B; Peshkin, Beth N; Mandelblatt, Jeanne; Nusbaum, Rachel; Huang, An-Tsun; Chang, Yaojen; Graves, Kristi; Isaacs, Claudine; Wood, Marie; McKinnon, Wendy; Garber, Judy; McCormick, Shelley; Kinney, Anita Y; Luta, George; Kelleher, Sarah; Leventhal, Kara-Grace; Vegella, Patti; Tong, Angie; King, Lesley

    2014-03-01

    Although guidelines recommend in-person counseling before BRCA1/BRCA2 gene testing, genetic counseling is increasingly offered by telephone. As genomic testing becomes more common, evaluating alternative delivery approaches becomes increasingly salient. We tested whether telephone delivery of BRCA1/2 genetic counseling was noninferior to in-person delivery. Participants (women age 21 to 85 years who did not have newly diagnosed or metastatic cancer and lived within a study site catchment area) were randomly assigned to usual care (UC; n = 334) or telephone counseling (TC; n = 335). UC participants received in-person pre- and post-test counseling; TC participants completed all counseling by telephone. Primary outcomes were knowledge, satisfaction, decision conflict, distress, and quality of life; secondary outcomes were equivalence of BRCA1/2 test uptake and costs of delivering TC versus UC. TC was noninferior to UC on all primary outcomes. At 2 weeks after pretest counseling, knowledge (d = 0.03; lower bound of 97.5% CI, -0.61), perceived stress (d = -0.12; upper bound of 97.5% CI, 0.21), and satisfaction (d = -0.16; lower bound of 97.5% CI, -0.70) had group differences and confidence intervals that did not cross their 1-point noninferiority limits. Decision conflict (d = 1.1; upper bound of 97.5% CI, 3.3) and cancer distress (d = -1.6; upper bound of 97.5% CI, 0.27) did not cross their 4-point noninferiority limit. Results were comparable at 3 months. TC was not equivalent to UC on BRCA1/2 test uptake (UC, 90.1%; TC, 84.2%). TC yielded cost savings of $114 per patient. Genetic counseling can be effectively and efficiently delivered via telephone to increase access and decrease costs.

  19. The telephone effect: Overcoming initiation deficits in two settings.

    PubMed

    Vickers, Kayci L; Keesler, Michael E; Williams, Kelli S; Charles, Jeremy Y; Hamilton, Roy H

    2018-04-19

    Disorders of motivation substantially impair an individual's ability to communicate with their families, therapists, and doctors. One method of overcoming initiation deficits is by utilizing the telephone effect, which is the ability for individuals with severe motivation deficits to communicate more readily when speaking on a telephone. However, little is available in the extant literature on how this effect works or how best to integrate this into patient care. This article aims to provide the first report of a proposed mechanism underlying the telephone effect and the first published procedures for eliciting this effect. This is largely a review article that also contains descriptions of clinical procedures for eliciting the telephone effect with 2 patient populations: acute inpatients following brain injury and dementia residents. A case vignette is also provided. We propose that the telephone effect is the result of an interaction between the patient and environment, and occurs because of Gibson's (1979) law of affordances. The use of this theory provides an explanation of the behaviors often observed when attempting to elicit this effect (i.e., disruption of the effect when using a cellular phone). Moreover, we argue that this can, and does, apply to social interactions as well. The telephone effect is an understudied phenomenon that provides a means of improving care for individuals with disorders of motivation. Future directions include systematic research into the telephone effect and further investigation of the mechanism underlying this effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. 28 CFR 540.103 - Inmate telephone calls to attorneys.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... MANAGEMENT CONTACT WITH PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY Telephone Regulations for Inmates § 540.103 Inmate telephone... attorneys when the inmate demonstrates that communication with attorneys by correspondence, visiting, or...

  1. 10 CFR 15.23 - Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. 15.23... Claims § 15.23 Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. (a) If a debtor has not responded to one or more demands, the NRC shall make reasonable efforts by telephone or internet to determine the...

  2. 10 CFR 15.23 - Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. 15.23... Claims § 15.23 Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. (a) If a debtor has not responded to one or more demands, the NRC shall make reasonable efforts by telephone or internet to determine the...

  3. 10 CFR 15.23 - Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. 15.23... Claims § 15.23 Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. (a) If a debtor has not responded to one or more demands, the NRC shall make reasonable efforts by telephone or internet to determine the...

  4. 10 CFR 15.23 - Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. 15.23... Claims § 15.23 Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. (a) If a debtor has not responded to one or more demands, the NRC shall make reasonable efforts by telephone or internet to determine the...

  5. 10 CFR 15.23 - Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. 15.23... Claims § 15.23 Telephone or internet inquiries and investigations. (a) If a debtor has not responded to one or more demands, the NRC shall make reasonable efforts by telephone or internet to determine the...

  6. The effect of telephone reminders on attendance in respiratory outpatient clinics.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Nicola; Meade, Karen; Partridge, Martyn

    2007-04-01

    Patient non-attendance is an area of concern for all health care providers. A randomized controlled trial was undertaken to investigate whether reminder telephone calls improved attendance at respiratory outpatient clinics in the English National Health Service (NHS). Patients were randomly allocated into one of two groups, either telephone reminder group or usual care. The telephone reminder group received a reminder telephone call between 9 am and 5 pm during the week prior to their appointment. Attendance and demographic information (age, sex, diagnosis and home postcode) were recorded. A total of 504 patients were recruited, 258 patients were allocated to the control group and 246 patients were allocated to the telephone reminder group. Fifty-eight percent of the patients allocated to the telephone reminder group were not contactable. Within the telephone reminder group, of the 104 patients who could be contacted, 86% attended. There was a significant 15% increase in attendance in the contacted group (n = 104) when compared both with the control group (71%, n = 258) and with the patients who could not be contacted (68%, n = 142) (P = 0.007; P = 0.004). It was estimated that the cost of telephoning 200 patients could be offset by preventing one non-attendance. Routine telephoning of outpatients should become standard practice if reducing non-attendance is thought to be desirable, but general practitioner (GP) referral letters and hospital records of current hospital outpatients need to include an up-to-date telephone number. Consideration should be given to 'out-of-hours' reminder calls to maximize the contact rate.

  7. 47 CFR 73.1206 - Broadcast of telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Broadcast of telephone conversations. 73.1206... conversations. Before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast, or broadcasting such a conversation... broadcast the conversation, except where such party is aware, or may be presumed to be aware from the...

  8. 47 CFR 73.1206 - Broadcast of telephone conversations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Broadcast of telephone conversations. 73.1206... conversations. Before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast, or broadcasting such a conversation... broadcast the conversation, except where such party is aware, or may be presumed to be aware from the...

  9. Implementation of a Telephone Postoperative Clinic in an Integrated Health System.

    PubMed

    Kummerow Broman, Kristy; Roumie, Christianne L; Stewart, Melissa K; Castellanos, Jason A; Tarpley, John L; Dittus, Robert S; Pierce, Richard A

    2016-10-01

    Earlier work suggested that telephone follow-up could be used in lieu of in-person follow-up after surgery, saving patients time and travel and maximizing use of scarce surgeon and facility resources. We report our experience implementing and evaluating telephone postoperative follow-up within an integrated health system. We conducted a pre-post evaluation of a general surgery telephone postoperative clinic at a tertiary care Veterans Affairs facility from April 2015 to February 2016. Patients were offered a telephone postoperative visit from a surgical provider in lieu of an in-person clinic visit. Telephone clinic operating procedures were refined through iterative cycles of change using the Plan-Do-Study-Act method. The study period included 2 months pre-intervention and 9 months post-intervention. The primary end point was mean number of clinic visits per eligible patient before and after telephone clinic implementation. Secondary outcomes were rates of emergency department visits and readmissions before vs after telephone clinic implementation and complication rates in patients scheduled for telephone vs in-person postoperative care. During the study period, 200 patients underwent eligible operations, 29 pre-intervention and 171 post-intervention. In-person clinic use decreased from 0.83 visits per eligible patient pre-intervention to 0.40 after implementation of the telephone clinic (p < 0.01). There was no difference in rates of emergency department presentation or readmission in eligible patients (0.17 visits/patient pre-intervention vs 0.12 post-intervention; p = 0.36). Complication rates were comparable for eligible patients who were and were not scheduled for telephone care (6% vs 8%; p = 0.31). Telephone postoperative care can be used in select populations as a triage tool to identify patients who require in-person care and decrease overall in-person clinic use. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Mice from lines selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running exhibit lower blood pressure during withdrawal from wheel access.

    PubMed

    Kolb, Erik M; Kelly, Scott A; Garland, Theodore

    2013-03-15

    Exercise is known to be rewarding and have positive effects on mental and physical health. Excessive exercise, however, can be the result of an underlying behavioral/physiological addiction. Both humans who exercise regularly and rodent models of exercise addiction sometimes display behavioral withdrawal symptoms, including depression and anxiety, when exercise is denied. However, few studies have examined the physiological state that occurs during this withdrawal period. Alterations in blood pressure (BP) are common physiological indicators of withdrawal in a variety of addictions. In this study, we examined exercise withdrawal in four replicate lines of mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running (HR lines). Mice from the HR lines run almost 3-fold greater distances on wheels than those from non-selected control lines, and have altered brain activity as well as increased behavioral despair when wheel access is removed. We tested the hypothesis that male HR mice have an altered cardiovascular response (heart rate, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure [MAP]) during exercise withdrawal. Measurements using an occlusion tail-cuff system were taken during 8 days of baseline, 6 days of wheel access, and 2 days of withdrawal (wheel access blocked). During withdrawal, HR mice had significantly lower systolic BP, diastolic BP, and MAP than controls, potentially indicating a differential dependence on voluntary wheel running in HR mice. This is the first characterization of a cardiovascular withdrawal response in an animal model of high voluntary exercise. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. 28 CFR 115.353 - Resident access to outside support services and legal representation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... provide residents with access to outside victim advocates for emotional support services related to sexual abuse, by providing, posting, or otherwise making accessible mailing addresses and telephone numbers... reports of abuse will be forwarded to authorities in accordance with mandatory reporting laws. (c) The...

  12. 28 CFR 115.353 - Resident access to outside support services and legal representation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... provide residents with access to outside victim advocates for emotional support services related to sexual abuse, by providing, posting, or otherwise making accessible mailing addresses and telephone numbers... reports of abuse will be forwarded to authorities in accordance with mandatory reporting laws. (c) The...

  13. 28 CFR 115.353 - Resident access to outside support services and legal representation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... provide residents with access to outside victim advocates for emotional support services related to sexual abuse, by providing, posting, or otherwise making accessible mailing addresses and telephone numbers... reports of abuse will be forwarded to authorities in accordance with mandatory reporting laws. (c) The...

  14. Use of the Internet by patients before and after cardiac surgery: telephone survey.

    PubMed

    Murero, M; D'Ancona, G; Karamanoukian, H

    2001-01-01

    Little is known about to what extent patients who underwent medical treatment access the Internet and whether they benefit from consulting the Internet. To understand if cardiopathic patients use the Internet for health-related information and whether they find retrieved information understandable and useful. Telephone interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted with 82 patients who had undergone off-pump coronary-artery bypass grafting at the Center for Less Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery in Buffalo, New York, USA. Study design was multidisciplinary, combining expertise of medical and communication science. Sources of medical information were identified (doctor, Internet, magazines, newspapers, television, radio, family members). Accessibility, quality, and readability of Internet medical information from the patients point of view were investigated. Out of 82 patients, 35 (35/82, 42.7%) were Internet users. Internet users had a significantly higher education level than Internet non-users (college education: 42.9% of users, 10.6% of non-users; P <.001). Among the Internet users, 18 (18/35, 51.4%) had used the Internet for retrieving medical information; 17 (17/35, 48.6%) had not. No statistically significant differences in demographic data were found when comparing these 2 sub-groups of patients. Family-members involvement was high (15/18, 83.3%). Internet medical information was rated helpful in most cases; readability was acceptable for only 3 patients (3/18, 16.7%). To improve on-line medical information, all patients interviewed suggested sites designed by their physicians. Although 1 in 5 patients in our sample has used the Internet to retrieve medical information, the majority of them experiences difficulties comprehending the information retrieved. Health-care providers should provide Internet medical information that is adequate for the non-medical public's needs.

  15. Telephone speech comprehension in children with multichannel cochlear implants.

    PubMed

    Aronson, L; Estienne, P; Arauz, S L; Pallante, S A

    1997-11-01

    Telephone speech comprehension is being evaluated in six prelingually deaf children implanted with the Nucleus 22 prosthesis fitted with the Speak strategy. All of them have had at least 1.5 years of experience with their implant. When the tests began, they had already had at least 2 months' experience with the same map in their speech processor. The children were trained in the use of the telephone as part of the rehabilitation program. None of them used it regularly but as a game that they found very entertaining. A special battery, the Bate-fon (batería para teléfono = telephone battery), was designed for training and evaluation purposes. It includes the five Spanish vowels in isolation, diphthongs, onomatopoetic animal voices, two-syllable, and three-syllable words. The tests were administered 1.5-2 years after the switch-on of their speech processor. Standard acoustic telephone coupling was used. The speech material was presented to the child on colored cards. Stimuli were presented twice. Children were informed when the response was incorrect. Averaged results indicated that the percentages of correct responses for all the speech material increase in the second presentation. All children have shown some degree of telephone communication abilities. As a result of the training, some of the children are using the telephone to communicate with their families.

  16. Safe use of cellular telephones in hospitals: fundamental principles and case studies.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Ted; Ellis, Willard S; Morrissey, Joseph J; Bakuzonis, Craig; David, Yadin; Paperman, W David

    2005-01-01

    Many industries and individuals have embraced cellular telephones. They provide mobile, synchronous communication, which could hypothetically increase the efficiency and safety of inpatient healthcare. However, reports of early analog cellular telephones interfering with critical life-support machines had led many hospitals to strictly prohibit cellular telephones. A literature search revealed that individual hospitals now are allowing cellular telephone use with various policies to prevent electromagnetic interference with medical devices. The fundamental principles underlying electromagnetic interference are immunity, frequency, modulation technology, distance, and power Electromagnetic interference risk mitigation methods based on these principles have been successfully implemented. In one case study, a minimum distance between cellular telephones and medical devices is maintained, with restrictions in critical areas. In another case study, cellular telephone coverage is augmented to automatically control the power of the cellular telephone. While no uniform safety standard yet exists, cellular telephones can be safely used in hospitals when their use is managed carefully.

  17. "I was really sceptical...But it worked really well": a qualitative study of patient perceptions of telephone-delivered exercise therapy by physiotherapists for people with knee osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Lawford, B J; Delany, C; Bennell, K L; Hinman, R S

    2018-06-01

    Physiotherapists typically prescribe exercise therapy for people with osteoarthritis (OA) via face-to-face consultations. This study aimed to explore peoples' perceptions of exercise therapy delivered by physiotherapists via telephone for their knee OA. A qualitative study (based on interpretivist methodology) embedded within a randomised controlled trial. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 20 people with knee OA who had received exercise advice and support from one of eight physiotherapists via telephone over 6 months. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Although people with OA were initially sceptical about receiving exercise therapy via telephone, they described mostly positive experiences, valuing the convenience and accessibility. However, some desired visual contact with the physiotherapist and suggested including video-conferencing calls or an initial in-person clinic visit. Participants valued the sense of undivided focus and attention they received from the physiotherapist and believed that they were able to communicate effectively via telephone. Participants felt confident performing their exercise program without supervision and described benefits including increased muscular strength, improved pain, and ability to perform tasks that they had not been previously able to. People with knee OA held mostly positive perceptions about receiving exercise therapy from a physiotherapist via telephone, suggesting that such a service is broadly acceptable to consumers. Such services were generally not viewed as a substitute for face-to-face physiotherapy care, but rather as a new option that could increase accessibility of physiotherapy services, particularly for follow-up consultations. Copyright © 2018 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 28 CFR 540.102 - Monitoring of inmate telephone calls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... conversations on any telephone located within the institution, said monitoring to be done to preserve the... telephone conversation with an attorney. [48 FR 24622, June 1, 1983. Redesignated at 59 FR 15824, Apr. 4...

  19. 28 CFR 540.102 - Monitoring of inmate telephone calls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... conversations on any telephone located within the institution, said monitoring to be done to preserve the... telephone conversation with an attorney. [48 FR 24622, June 1, 1983. Redesignated at 59 FR 15824, Apr. 4...

  20. Can smartphones enhance telephone-based cognitive assessment (TBCA)?

    PubMed

    Kwan, Rick Yiu-Cho; Lai, Claudia Kam-Yuk

    2013-12-12

    TBCA has emerged to solve the limitations of administering cognitive assessments face-to-face. The recent development of telephones and knowledge advances in the area of cognitive impairment may affect the development of TBCA. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how smartphones can be used to enhance the applicability of TBCA, which has previously been administered by conventional telephone. This paper will first review, describe and critique the existing TBCA instruments. It will then discuss the recent developments in tele-technology, the popularity of tele-technology among the elderly, potential benefits and challenges in using smartphones for cognitive assessment, and possible future developments in this technology. In the systematic review, eighteen TBCA instruments were identified. They were found to be valid in differentiating between people with and without dementia. TBCA was previously found to be launched on a conventional telephone platform. The advances in understanding of cognitive impairment may demand that telephones be equipped with more advanced features. Recently, the development and penetration of smartphones among the elderly has been rapid. This may allow the smartphone to enhance its TBCA applicability by overcoming the limitations of the conventional telephone, rendering the TBCA more efficient in addressing the increasing demand and complexity of cognitive assessments in the future. However, more research and technology developments are needed before smartphones can become a valid platform for TBCA.

  1. Telephone Crisis Support Workers' Psychological Distress and Impairment.

    PubMed

    Kitchingman, Taneile A; Wilson, Coralie J; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian; Woodward, Alan

    2018-01-01

    In order to respond to crises with appropriate intervention, crisis workers are required to manage their own needs as well as the needs of those they respond to. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to examine whether telephone crisis support workers experience elevated symptoms of psychological distress and are impaired by elevated symptoms. Studies were identified in April 2015 by searching three databases, conducting a gray literature search, and forward and backward citation chaining. Of 113 identified studies, seven were included in the review. Results suggest that that telephone crisis support workers experience symptoms of vicarious traumatization, stress, burnout, and psychiatric disorders, and that they may not respond optimally to callers when experiencing elevated symptoms of distress. However, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn due to the paucity and methodological limitations of available data. While the most comprehensive search strategy possible was adopted, resource constraints meant that conference abstracts were not searched and authors were not contacted for additional unpublished information. There is an urgent need to identify the impact of telephone crisis support workers' role on their well-being, the determinants of worker well-being in the telephone crisis support context, and the extent to which well-being impacts their performance and caller outcomes. This will help inform strategies to optimize telephone crisis support workers' well-being and their delivery of support to callers.

  2. Telephone-Based Coaching: A Comparison of Tobacco Cessation Programs in an Integrated Health Care System

    PubMed Central

    Boccio, Mindy; Sanna, Rashel S.; Adams, Sara R.; Goler, Nancy C.; Brown, Susan D.; Neugebauer, Romain S.; Ferrara, Assiamira; Wiley, Deanne M.; Bellamy, David J.; Schmittdiel, Julie A.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Many Americans continue to smoke, increasing their risk of disease and premature death. Both telephone-based counseling and in-person tobacco cessation classes may improve access for smokers seeking convenient support to quit. Little research has assessed whether such programs are effective in real-world clinical populations. Design Retrospective cohort study comparing wellness coaching participants with two groups of controls. Setting Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (KPNC), a large integrated health care delivery system. Subjects 241 patients who participated in telephonic tobacco cessation coaching from 1/1/2011–3/31/2012, and two control groups: propensity-score matched controls, and controls who participated in a tobacco cessation class during the same period. Wellness coaching participants received an average of two motivational interviewing based coaching sessions that engage the patient, evoke their reason to consider quitting and help them establish a quit plan. Measures Self-reported quitting of tobacco and fills of tobacco cessation medications within 12 months of follow-up. Analysis Logistic regressions adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and primary language. Results After adjusting for confounders, tobacco quit rates were higher among coaching participants vs. matched controls (31% vs. 23%, P<0.001) and comparable to class attendees (31% vs. 29%, P=0.28). Coaching participants and class attendees filled tobacco-cessation prescriptions at a higher rate (47% for both) than matched controls (6%, P<0.001). Conclusions Telephonic wellness coaching was as effective as in-person classes and was associated with higher rates of quitting compared to no treatment. The telephonic modality may increase convenience and scalability for health care systems looking to reduce tobacco use and improve health. PMID:26559720

  3. 26 CFR 49.4251-4 - Prepaid telephone cards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ...; adding value. (i) After using the card described in Example 2, P arranges with A by telephone to have 30... EXCISE TAXES FACILITIES AND SERVICES EXCISE TAXES Communications § 49.4251-4 Prepaid telephone cards. (a... section provides rules for the application of the section 4251 tax to PTCs. (b) Definitions. The following...

  4. 26 CFR 49.4251-4 - Prepaid telephone cards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...; adding value. (i) After using the card described in Example 2, P arranges with A by telephone to have 30... EXCISE TAXES FACILITIES AND SERVICES EXCISE TAXES Communications § 49.4251-4 Prepaid telephone cards. (a... section provides rules for the application of the section 4251 tax to PTCs. (b) Definitions. The following...

  5. 26 CFR 49.4251-4 - Prepaid telephone cards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ...; adding value. (i) After using the card described in Example 2, P arranges with A by telephone to have 30... EXCISE TAXES FACILITIES AND SERVICES EXCISE TAXES Communications § 49.4251-4 Prepaid telephone cards. (a... section provides rules for the application of the section 4251 tax to PTCs. (b) Definitions. The following...

  6. Telephone-based goal management training for adults with mild traumatic brain injury: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Archer, Kristin R; Coronado, Rogelio A; Haislip, Lori R; Abraham, Christine M; Vanston, Susan W; Lazaro, Anthony E; Jackson, James C; Ely, E Wesley; Guillamondegui, Oscar D; Obremskey, William T

    2015-06-02

    Approximately 1 million individuals experience a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cost the United States nearly $17 billion each year. Many trauma survivors with mild TBI have debilitating and long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive impairments that are unrecognized at trauma centers. Early intervention studies are needed to address these impairments, especially cognitive deficits in executive functioning. Goal management training (GMT) is a structured cognitive rehabilitation program that has been found to improve executive functioning in patients with moderate to severe TBI. The current study adapted the GMT program for telephone delivery in order to improve the accessibility of rehabilitation services in a patient population with multiple barriers to care and significant yet unrecognized cognitive impairment. The primary objective of this study is to examine the efficacy of telephone-based GMT for improving executive functioning, functional status, and psychological health in trauma survivors with mild TBI. This study is a three-group randomized controlled trial being conducted at a Level I trauma center. Ninety trauma survivors with mild TBI and cognitive deficits in executive functioning will be randomized to receive telephone-based GMT, telephone-based education, or usual care. GMT and education programs will be delivered by a physical therapist. The first in-person session is 1 h and the remaining six telephone sessions are 30 min. A battery of well-established cognitive tests will be conducted and validated questionnaires will be collected that measure executive functioning, functional status, and depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms at 6 weeks, 4 months, and 7 months following hospital discharge. This study supports a telephone-delivery approach to rehabilitation services in order to broaden the availability of evidence-based cognitive strategies. This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov on 10 October 2012, registration

  7. A telephonic intervention for promoting occupational re-integration in work-disabled individuals with musculoskeletal pain.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Michael J L; Simon, Gregory

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of the present research was to examine the feasibility of a telephonic occupational rehabilitation program. A sample of 23 individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain was enrolled in the telephonic version of the Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP-Tel). The PGAP-Tel is a risk-targeted intervention designed to reduce pain-related disability consequent to musculoskeletal injury. Treatment outcomes of PGAP-Tel were compared to a group of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, who participated in the face-to-face format of the PGAP. Results showed that PGAP-Tel was acceptable to the majority of participants (76%) to whom it was offered. There were indications that engagement and adherence issues were more problematic in PGAP-Tel than in the face-to-face intervention. Both groups showed comparable reductions in pain, depression, fear of symptom exacerbation, and self-reported disability. Participants in the face-to-face intervention showed greater reduction in catastrophic thinking than participants in PGAP-Tel. Finally, 26% of participants in PGAP-Tel had resumed some form of employment at treatment termination compared to 56% of the participants in the face-to-face intervention. Given the low cost of the PGAP-Tel intervention and the accessibility advantages of a telephonic delivery, this type of intervention might be an important resource for targeting occupational disability in rural or remote communities when face-to-face services are not available.

  8. Conducting Telephone Conference IEPs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Philip Patrick; Petit, Constance; Williams, Shandelyn

    2007-01-01

    Synchronizing the availability of team members for Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings can be a daunting task. Fortunately, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 permits alternative means of conducting such meetings. An example of an alternate means is a telephone conference, whereby parents communicate over the…

  9. 26 CFR 49.4252-2 - Toll telephone service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... telephone message or conversation. (2) The tax attaches to the total charge made to a hotel or similar subscriber for toll telephone service furnished to the hotel or its guests, but no tax attaches to any charge made by the hotel for service rendered in placing the calls for its guests. (c) Cross reference. For...

  10. 26 CFR 49.4252-2 - Toll telephone service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... telephone message or conversation. (2) The tax attaches to the total charge made to a hotel or similar subscriber for toll telephone service furnished to the hotel or its guests, but no tax attaches to any charge made by the hotel for service rendered in placing the calls for its guests. (c) Cross reference. For...

  11. Analysis of a Telephone Survey: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haines, Jenny M.; And Others

    This study analyzes the cost effectiveness of a telephone survey, using data collected from a survey of 110 Tennessee public school superintendents. The subject of the survey was the status and need for elementary guidance. A telephone survey approach was selected based on time and cost factors, since information had to be completed in the…

  12. Demographic characteristics, call details and psychosocial support needs of the family/friends of someone diagnosed with cancer who access Australian Cancer Council telephone information and support services.

    PubMed

    Heckel, Leila; Fennell, Kate M; Mohebbi, Mohammadreza; Byrnes, Monica; Livingston, Patricia M

    2017-06-01

    Community-based cancer organizations provide telephone-based information and support services to assist people diagnosed with cancer and their family/friends. We investigated the demographic characteristics and psychosocial support needs of family/friends who contacted Australian Cancer Council 13 11 20 information and support helplines. Data collected on 42,892 family/friends who contacted a 13 11 20 service across Australia from January 2010 to December 2012 were analyzed. Chi-square analysis was used to examine associations between caller groups and reasons for calling, logistic regression to examine age and gender interaction effects. The majority of calls received were from women (81%) of middle- (40%) and high-socio-economic backgrounds (41%), aged 40-59 years (46%); 52% phoned for information on cancer diagnosis (including early detection, risk factors), 22% on treatment/disease management, and 26% phoned seeking psychological/emotional support. Information on a diagnosis was significantly more often the reason older males called, compared to female callers of any age. Overall, 32% found out about the service through Cancer Council resources or events, 20% from the media, 18% from the internet; 11% from health professionals. Family/friends of persons diagnosed with cancer have specific information and support needs. This study identifies groups of family/friends to whom the promotion of this service could be targeted. Within Australia and internationally, clinicians and oncology nurses as well as allied health professionals can provide an important role in increasing access to cancer telephone support services to ensure the needs of the family and friends of people affected by cancer are being met. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Pilot Study to Estimate the Cost of a Telephone Survey of Rare Populations: African Americans and Persons with Angina.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bertram, Dennis A.

    1994-01-01

    This pilot study provides information on the effort required to conduct a telephone survey on access to care of persons with angina. Allowing for noncontact calls, refusal to participate, and ineligibility, the response rate for whites was 23.4% (2,724 of 11,559), and that of African Americans was 24.3% (2,003 of 8,242). (SLD)

  14. Market stimulus and genomic justice: evaluating the effects of market access to human germ-line enhancement.

    PubMed

    Crozier, G K D; Hajzler, Christopher

    2010-06-01

    The concept of "market stimulus"--the idea that free markets can play a role in widening access to new technologies--may help support the view that parents should be permitted to purchase germ-line enhancements. However, a critical examination of the topic shows that market stimulus, even if it applies to human genomic interventions, does not provide sufficient reason for deregulating germ-line enhancements because: (1) it could widen the gap between the rich and the poor; (2) even if it does not widen the gap, it might not sufficiently benefit the poor; and (3) it could have harmful effects for future generations.

  15. Surveying alcohol and other drug use through telephone sampling: a comparison of landline and mobile phone samples.

    PubMed

    Livingston, Michael; Dietze, Paul; Ferris, Jason; Pennay, Darren; Hayes, Linda; Lenton, Simon

    2013-03-16

    Telephone surveys based on samples of landline telephone numbers are widely used to measure the prevalence of health risk behaviours such as smoking, drug use and alcohol consumption. An increasing number of households are relying solely on mobile telephones, creating a potential bias for population estimates derived from landline-based sampling frames which do not incorporate mobile phone numbers. Studies in the US have identified significant differences between landline and mobile telephone users in smoking and alcohol consumption, but there has been little work in other settings or focussed on illicit drugs. This study examined Australian prevalence estimates of cannabis use, tobacco smoking and risky alcohol consumption based on samples selected using a dual-frame (mobile and landline) approach. Respondents from the landline sample were compared both to the overall mobile sample (including respondents who had access to a landline) and specifically to respondents who lived in mobile-only households. Bivariate comparisons were complemented with multivariate logistic regression models, controlling for the effects of basic demographic variables. The landline sample reported much lower prevalence of tobacco use, cannabis use and alcohol consumption than the mobile samples. Once demographic variables were adjusted for, there were no significant differences between the landline and mobile respondents on any of the alcohol measures examined. In contrast, the mobile samples had significantly higher rates of cannabis and tobacco use, even after adjustment. Weighted estimates from the dual-frame sample were generally higher than the landline sample across all substances, but only significantly higher for tobacco use. Landline telephone surveys in Australia are likely to substantially underestimate the prevalence of tobacco smoking by excluding potential respondents who live in mobile-only households. In contrast, estimates of alcohol consumption and cannabis use from

  16. Accessing primary care: a simulated patient study

    PubMed Central

    Campbell, John L; Carter, Mary; Davey, Antoinette; Roberts, Martin J; Elliott, Marc N; Roland, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Background Simulated patient, or so-called ‘mystery-shopper’, studies are a controversial, but potentially useful, approach to take when conducting health services research. Aim To investigate the construct validity of survey questions relating to access to primary care included in the English GP Patient Survey. Design and setting Observational study in 41 general practices in rural, urban, and inner-city settings in the UK. Method Between May 2010 and March 2011, researchers telephoned practices at monthly intervals, simulating patients requesting routine, but prompt, appointments. Seven measures of access and appointment availability, measured from the mystery-shopper contacts, were related to seven measures of practice performance from the GP Patient Survey. Results Practices with lower access scores in the GP Patient Survey had poorer access and appointment availability for five out of seven items measured directly, when compared with practices that had higher scores. Scores on items from the national survey that related to appointment availability were significantly associated with direct measures of appointment availability. Patient-satisfaction levels and the likelihood that patients would recommend their practice were related to the availability of appointments. Patients’ reports of ease of telephone access in the national survey were unrelated to three out of four measures of practice call handling, but were related to the time taken to resolve an appointment request, suggesting responders’ possible confusion in answering this question. Conclusion Items relating to the accessibility of care in a the English GP patient survey have construct validity. Patients’ satisfaction with their practice is not related to practice call handling, but is related to appointment availability. PMID:23561783

  17. 47 CFR 22.757 - Channels for basic exchange telephone radio systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Channels for basic exchange telephone radio... CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Rural Radiotelephone Service Basic Exchange Telephone Radio Systems § 22.757 Channels for basic exchange telephone radio systems. The channels listed in § 22.725 are...

  18. 77 FR 18258 - Government-to-Government Telephonic Consultation Meetings

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NRNHL-0212-9515; 2280-665] Government-to-Government Telephonic Consultation Meetings AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. SUMMARY: The National Park Service announces two telephonic government- to-government consultation meetings with Indian...

  19. The effect of GP telephone triage on numbers seeking same-day appointments.

    PubMed

    Jiwa, Moyez; Mathers, Nigel; Campbell, Mike

    2002-05-01

    Telephone consultations with general practitioners (GPs) have not been shown to be an effective way to reduce the demandfor face-to face appointments during the surgery hours. This study aims to determine if GP telephone triage can effectively reduce the demandforface-to -face consultations for patients seeking same-day appointments in general practice. We report an interrupted time series, twoyears before and one year after introduction of GP-led telephone triage. Demand for face-to face appointments with a GPwas reduced by 39% (95% CI = 29 to 51%, P < 0.001). more than 92% of the telephone calls lasted less thanfive minutes. The telephone bill increased by 26%. For a substantial proportion of patients seeking same-day appointments telephone consultations were an acceptable alternative service.

  20. Telephone Coverage and Health Survey Estimates: Evaluating the Need for Concern About Wireless Substitution

    PubMed Central

    Blumberg, Stephen J.; Luke, Julian V.; Cynamon, Marcie L.

    2006-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to determine whether the exclusion of adults without landline telephones may bias estimates derived from health-related telephone surveys. Methods. We took data from the 2004 and 2005 National Health Interview Survey and used logistic regression to compare the odds of behavioral risk factors and health care service use for adults with landline telephones to those for adults with only wireless telephones and adults without any telephone service. Results. When interviewed, 7.2% of adults, including those who did and did not have wireless telephones, did not have landline telephones. Relative to adults with landline telephones, adults without landline telephones had greater odds of smoking and being uninsured, and they had lower odds of having diabetes, having a usual place for medical care, and having received an influenza vaccination in the past year. Conclusions. As people substitute wireless telephones for landline telephones, the percentage of adults without landline telephones has increased significantly but is still low, which minimizes the bias resulting from their exclusion from telephone surveys. Bias greater than 1 percentage point is expected only for estimates of health insurance, smoking, binge drinking, having a usual place for care, and receiving an influenza vaccination. PMID:16571707

  1. Evaluating the uptake, acceptability, and effectiveness of Uliza! clinicians' HIV hotline: a telephone consultation service in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Karari, Charles; Tittle, Robin; Penner, Jeremy; Kulzer, Jayne; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Marima, Reson; Cohen, Craig R

    2011-01-01

    Many clinical sites that serve patients who are HIV positive face challenges of insufficient staffing levels and staff training and have limited access to consultation resources including specialists on site. Uliza! (Swahili for "ask") Clinicians' HIV Hotline was launched in April 2006 in Nyanza province in Kenya as a HIV telephone consultation service for healthcare providers. Hotline users called an Uliza! consultant who discussed the patients' problems and helped the caller work through a solution, as well as reinforced national guidelines. This objective of this study was to evaluate the uptake, acceptability, and effectiveness of Uliza! Consultants completed a form with details of each call, and healthcare workers completed satisfaction surveys during site visits. All available medical records were audited to determine whether the advice given by the consultant was implemented. After a year of service, Uliza! responded to 296 calls. Clinical officers (64%) followed by nurses (21%) most frequently used the service. Most callers had questions regarding antiretroviral therapy (36%) or tuberculosis (18%). Thirty-six percent of all consults were pediatric questions. Ninety-four percent of users rated the service as useful. Advice given to providers was implemented and documented in the medical records in 72% of the charts audited. Healthcare providers in HIV clinics will use a telephone consultation service when easily accessible. Clinicians using Uliza! found it useful, and advice given was usually implemented. Uliza! increased access to current information for quality care in a rural and resource limited setting and has potential for scale-up to a national level.

  2. Impact of telephone nursing education program for equity in healthcare.

    PubMed

    Höglund, Anna T; Carlsson, Marianne; Holmström, Inger K; Kaminsky, Elenor

    2016-09-21

    The Swedish Healthcare Act prescribes that healthcare should be provided according to needs and with respect for each person's human dignity. The goal is equity in health for the whole population. In spite of this, studies have revealed that Swedish healthcare is not always provided equally. This has also been observed in telephone nursing. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate if and how an educational intervention can improve awareness of equity in healthcare among telephone nurses. The study had a quasi-experimental design, with one intervention group and one control group. A base-line measurement was performed before an educational intervention and a follow-up measurement was made afterwards in both groups, using a study specific questionnaire in which fictive persons of different age, gender and ethnicity were assessed concerning, e.g., power over one's own life, quality of life and experience of discrimination. The educational intervention consisted of a web-based lecture, literature and a seminar, covering aspects of inequality in healthcare related to gender, age and ethnicity, and gender and intersectionality theories as explaining models for these conditions. The results showed few significant differences before and after the intervention in the intervention group. Also in the control group few significant differences were found in the second measurement, although no intervention was performed in that group. The reason might be that the instrument used was not sensitive enough to pick up an expected raised awareness of equity in healthcare, or that solely the act of filling out the questionnaire can create a sort of intervention effect. Fictive persons born in Sweden and of young age were assessed to have a higher Good life-index than the fictive persons born outside Europe and of higher age in all assessments. The results are an imperative that equity in healthcare still needs to be educated and discussed in different healthcare

  3. Computer and cell phone access for individuals with mobility impairments: an overview and case studies.

    PubMed

    Burgstahler, Sheryl; Comden, Dan; Lee, Sang-Mook; Arnold, Anthony; Brown, Kayla

    2011-01-01

    Computers, telephones, and assistive technology hold promise for increasing the independence, productivity, and participation of individuals with disabilities in academic, employment, recreation, and other activities. However, to reach this goal, technology must be accessible to, available to, and usable by everyone. The authors of this article share computer and telephone access challenges faced by individuals with neurological and other impairments, assistive technology solutions, issues that impact product adoption and use, needs for new technologies, and recommendations for practitioners and researchers. They highlight the stories of three individuals with neurological/mobility impairments, the technology they have found useful to them, and their recommendations for future product development.

  4. A Telephone Communication Skills Exercise for Veterinary Students: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities.

    PubMed

    Grevemeyer, Bernard; Betance, Larry; Artemiou, Elpida

    2016-01-01

    Evidence from human medicine shows a rise in telephone communication in support of after-hours services and in providing medical advice, follow-up information, etc. While specific training programs are continuously being developed for human medical education, limited publications are available on training veterinary students in telephone communication. Presented is our method of introducing a telephone communication skills exercise to third-year veterinary students. The exercise progressed over three phases and currently follows the principles of the Calgary-Cambridge Guide. Challenges and improvements on implementing a telephone communication exercise are discussed. Within veterinary communication curricula, attention should be given to the specific communication skills required for successful telephone consultations. In the absence of visual nonverbal cues and prompts during a telephone interaction, communication skills must be applied with greater intent and attention to achieve an effective consultation outcome.

  5. 49 CFR 195.52 - Telephonic notice of certain accidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telephonic notice of certain accidents. 195.52... TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE Annual, Accident, and Safety-Related Condition Reporting § 195.52 Telephonic notice of certain accidents. (a) At the earliest practicable moment following discovery of a...

  6. Communication in critical care environments: mobile telephones improve patient care.

    PubMed

    Soto, Roy G; Chu, Larry F; Goldman, Julian M; Rampil, Ira J; Ruskin, Keith J

    2006-02-01

    Most hospital policies prohibiting the use of wireless devices cite reports of disruption of medical equipment by cellular telephones. There have been no studies to determine whether mobile telephones may have a beneficial impact on safety. At the 2003 meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists 7878 surveys were distributed to attendees. The five-question survey polled anesthesiologists regarding modes of communication used in the operating room/intensive care unit and experience with communications delays and medical errors. Survey reliability was verified using test-retest analysis and proportion agreement in a convenience sample of 17 anesthesiologists. Four-thousand-eighteen responses were received. The test-retest reliability of the survey instrument was excellent (Kappa = 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-0.94). Sixty-five percent of surveyed anesthesiologists reported using pagers as their primary mode of communications, whereas only 17% used cellular telephones. Forty-five percent of respondents who use pagers reported delays in communications compared with 31% of cellular telephone users. Cellular telephone use by anesthesiologists is associated with a reduction in the risk of medical error or injury resulting from communication delay (relative risk = 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.6234-0.9649). The small risks of electromagnetic interference between mobile telephones and medical devices should be weighed against the potential benefits of improved communication.

  7. Telephone logs of neurosurgery specialty trainees: a time study.

    PubMed

    Manjunath Prasad, K S; Mahmood, Sajeda; Gregson, Barbara A; Mitchell, Patrick

    2012-04-01

    With a constant debate on working hours and improved patient outcomes, time studies are crucial to obtain and analyse timelines and work components. This includes time spent on communication. The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and patterns of telephone call episodes in the work schedule of neurosurgery trainees. Logs of handheld telephone sets assigned to neurosurgery specialty trainees in a British regional neurosurgical centre were obtained from the hospital switchboard for a 6-month period. This formed the primary data. Ringtime was added to the talktime for outgoing calls. Monday to Friday, 8 am-5 pm was considered as regular hours and the rest as other hours. The outcome measures used were number and duration of telephone episodes (individual and collective) and the timing of these episodes. During the study period of 6 months, there were 12071 incoming calls and 10712 outgoing calls (total calls-22783). The maximum number of incoming calls/ day/ trainee was in the range of 39-78 while the range for outgoing calls was 36-102. On an average, the on-call trainee made and received 33 and 36 calls respectively in a 24-hour period (mean call duration was 1.7 minutes) which meant that a telephone call intruded into the schedule almost once every 21 minutes. Typically, the on-call trainee spent 138 minutes on the telephone (69 calls) in 24 hours, while on an off-call day it was significantly less at 25 minutes (18 calls). Of the calls, 67% happened out of regular hours. Time spent on the telephone is a significant work component and would have a bearing on timelines.

  8. CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR TELEPHONE SAMPLE SUBJECTS RECRUITMENT (SOP-1.12)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The subject recruitment procedures for the telephone sample component are described in the SOP. A random telephone sample list is ordered from a commercial survey sampling firm. Using this list, introductory letters are sent to targeted homes prior to making initial telephone c...

  9. Is there a bias against telephone interviews in qualitative research?

    PubMed

    Novick, Gina

    2008-08-01

    Telephone interviews are largely neglected in the qualitative research literature and, when discussed, they are often depicted as a less attractive alternative to face-to-face interviewing. The absence of visual cues via telephone is thought to result in loss of contextual and nonverbal data and to compromise rapport, probing, and interpretation of responses. Yet, telephones may allow respondents to feel relaxed and able to disclose sensitive information, and evidence is lacking that they produce lower quality data. This apparent bias against telephone interviews contrasts with a growing interest in electronic qualitative interviews. Research is needed comparing these modalities, and examining their impact on data quality and their use for studying varying topics and populations. Such studies could contribute evidence-based guidelines for optimizing interview data. 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

  10. Is There a Bias Against Telephone Interviews In Qualitative Research?

    PubMed Central

    Novick, Gina

    2011-01-01

    Telephone interviews are largely neglected in the qualitative research literature and, when discussed, they are often depicted as a less attractive alternative to face-to-face interviewing. The absence of visual cues via telephone is thought to result in loss of contextual and nonverbal data and to compromise rapport, probing, and interpretation of responses. Yet, telephones may allow respondents to feel relaxed and able to disclose sensitive information, and evidence is lacking that they produce lower quality data. This apparent bias against telephone interviews contrasts with a growing interest in electronic qualitative interviews. Research is needed comparing these modalities, and examining their impact on data quality and their use for studying varying topics and populations. Such studies could contribute evidence-based guidelines for optimizing interview data. PMID:18203128

  11. Safety aspects for public access defibrillation using automated external defibrillators near high-voltage power lines.

    PubMed

    Schlimp, C J; Breiteneder, M; Lederer, W

    2004-05-01

    Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) must combine easy operability and high-quality diagnosis even under unfavorable conditions. This study determined the influence of electromagnetic interference caused by high-voltage power lines with 16.7-Hz alternating current on the quality of AEDs' rhythm analysis. Two AEDs frequently used in Austria were tested near high-voltage power lines (15 kV or 110 kV, alternating current with 16.7 Hz). The defibrillation electrodes were attached either to a proband with true sinus rhythm or to a resuscitation dummy with generated sinus rhythm, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia or asystole. Electromagnetic interference was much more prominent in a human's than in a dummy's electrocardiogram and depended on the position of the electrodes and cables in relation to the power line. Near high-voltage power lines the AEDs showed a significant operational fault. One AED interpreted the interference as a motion artifact, even when underlying rhythms were clearly detectable. The other AED interpreted 16.7-Hz oscillation as ventricular fibrillation with consequent shock advice when no underlying rhythm was detected. The tested AEDs neither filter nor recognize a technical interference of 16.7 Hz caused by 15-kV power lines above railway tracks or 110-kV overland power lines, as run by railway companies in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. These failures in AEDs' algorithms for rhythm analysis may cause substantial harm to patients undergoing public access defibrillation. The proper function of AEDs needs to be reconsidered to guarantee patients' safety near high-voltage power lines.

  12. 50 CFR 29.21-8 - Electric power transmission line rights-of-way.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Electric power transmission line rights-of... General Regulations § 29.21-8 Electric power transmission line rights-of-way. By accepting a right-of-way... with the rules prescribed in the National Electric Safety Code, all Government and other telephone...

  13. Evaluating telephone follow-up of a mail survey of community pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Westrick, Salisa C; Mount, Jeanine K

    2007-06-01

    Mail and telephone are commonly used modes of survey with pharmacists. Research conducted using general population surveys consistently describes mail surveys as being less expensive but yielding lower response rates than telephone surveys. However, findings obtained from the general population may not be generalizable to pharmacist surveys. This study evaluates the effectiveness of telephone follow-up of mail survey nonrespondents by comparing the 2 survey modes on response rates, cooperation rates, cost per sample unit, and cost per usable response and evaluating potential nonresponse bias in the context of immunization activities. A census mail survey of 1,143 Washington State community pharmacies and a follow-up telephone survey of 262 randomly selected mail survey nonrespondents were compared. Both surveys included the same 15 yes/no-type questions to ask respondents about their pharmacy's involvement in immunization activities. The mail survey yielded a response rate 1 of 26.7% and a cooperation rate 1 of 26.7%, compared with 83.6% and 87.8%, respectively, for the follow-up telephone survey. With respect to cost per sample unit, the mail survey was the least expensive option ($1.20). However, when comparing cost per usable response, the mail survey was the most expensive ($4.37), and the follow-up telephone survey without an advance notification was the least expensive ($1.99). Furthermore, results suggest the presence of nonresponse bias: compared with pharmacies participating in the follow-up telephone survey, pharmacies participating in the mail survey were more likely to be involved in in-house immunization services but less likely to be involved in outsourced services. The telephone survey achieved higher outcome rates with reduced cost per usable response. A telephone survey is a viable mode that holds promise in pharmacy practice research. Maximizing response rates and assessing potential nonresponse bias should be a standard practice among pharmacy

  14. 30 CFR 57.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... AND NONMETAL MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors. Each ungrounded conductor or telephone wire that leads underground and is directly...

  15. 30 CFR 56.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... NONMETAL MINES Electricity § 56.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors. Each ungrounded power conductor or telephone wire that leads underground and is directly exposed to...

  16. 30 CFR 56.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... NONMETAL MINES Electricity § 56.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors. Each ungrounded power conductor or telephone wire that leads underground and is directly exposed to...

  17. 30 CFR 57.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... AND NONMETAL MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors. Each ungrounded conductor or telephone wire that leads underground and is directly...

  18. Easing reintegration: telephone support groups for spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan service members.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Linda Olivia; Martindale-Adams, Jennifer; Graney, Marshall J; Zuber, Jeffrey; Burns, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Spouses of returning Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, OIF) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, OEF) military service members report increased depression and anxiety post deployment as they work to reintegrate the family and service member. Reconnecting the family, renegotiating roles that have shifted, reestablishing communication patterns, and dealing with mental health concerns are all tasks that spouses must undertake as part of reintegration. We tested telephone support groups focusing on helping spouses with these basic reintegration tasks. Year-long telephone support groups focused on education, skills building (communication skills, problem solving training, cognitive behavioral techniques, stress management), and support. Spouse depression and anxiety were decreased and perceived social support was increased during the course of the study. In subgroup analyses, spouses with husbands whose injuries caused care difficulties had a positive response to the intervention. However, they were more likely to be depressed, be anxious, and have less social support compared to participants who had husbands who had no injury or whose injury did not cause care difficulty. Study findings suggest that this well-established, high-access intervention can help improve quality of life for military spouses who are struggling with reintegration of the service member and family.

  19. 49 CFR 190.11 - Availability of informal guidance and interpretive assistance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... guidance and interpretive assistance. (a) Availability of telephonic and Internet assistance. (1) PHMSA has established a website on the Internet and a telephone line at the Office of Pipeline Safety headquarters where... accessed via the Internet at http://ops.dot.gov. (2) PHMSA's Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC) is available...

  20. Use of the Internet by Patients Before and After Cardiac Surgery: An Interdisciplinary Telephone Survey

    PubMed Central

    D'Ancona, Giuseppe; Karamanoukian, Hratch

    2001-01-01

    Background Little is known about to what extent patients who underwent medical treatment access the Internet and whether they benefit from consulting the Internet. Objective To understand if cardiopathic patients use the Internet for health-related information and whether they find retrieved information understandable and useful. Methods Telephone interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted with 82 patients who had undergone off-pump coronary-artery bypass grafting at the Center for Less Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery in Buffalo, New York, USA. Study design was multidisciplinary, combining expertise of medical and communication science. Sources of medical information were identified (doctor, Internet, magazines, newspapers, television, radio, family members). Accessibility, quality, and readability of Internet medical information from the patients' point of view were investigated. Results Out of 82 patients, 35 (35/82, 42.7%) were Internet users. Internet users had a significantly higher education level than Internet non-users (college education: 42.9% of users, 10.6% of non-users; P < .001). Among the Internet users, 18 (18/35, 51.4%) had used the Internet for retrieving medical information; 17 (17/35, 48.6%) had not. No statistically significant differences in demographic data were found when comparing these 2 sub-groups of patients. Family-members' involvement was high (15/18, 83.3%). Internet medical information was rated helpful in most cases; readability was acceptable for only 3 patients (3/18, 16.7%). To improve on-line medical information, all patients interviewed suggested sites designed by their physicians. Conclusions Although 1 in 5 patients in our sample has used the Internet to retrieve medical information, the majority of them experiences difficulties comprehending the information retrieved. Health-care providers' should provide Internet medical information that is adequate for the non-medical public's needs. PMID:11720969

  1. Call Us: Development of a Library Telephone Enquiry Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Liz; Beranek, Lea

    2006-01-01

    The authors detail the trial and piloting of a telephone enquiry service (TES) at the Bundoora Campus Library at La Trobe University in order to attempt to resolve the balance between telephone and face-to-face enquiries at the library service desk. They investigated various options throughout 2001 and 2002 and settled on a centralised service…

  2. South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, oblique view of east side; ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, oblique view of east side; view northwest - Fort McKinley, South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, South side of Weymouth Way, approximately 100 feet west of East Side Drive, Great Diamond Island, Portland, Cumberland County, ME

  3. South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, interior west room showing hardwood ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, interior west room showing hardwood floor; view south - Fort McKinley, South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, South side of Weymouth Way, approximately 100 feet west of East Side Drive, Great Diamond Island, Portland, Cumberland County, ME

  4. Not sold here: limited access to legally available syringes at pharmacies in Tijuana, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Sterile syringe access is a critical component of HIV prevention programs. Although retail pharmacies provide convenient outlets for syringe access, injection drug users (IDUs) may encounter barriers to syringe purchase even where purchase without a prescription is legal. We sought to obtain an objective measure of syringe access in Tijuana, Mexico, where IDUs report being denied or overcharged for syringes at pharmacies. Methods Trained "mystery shoppers" attempted to buy a 1 cc insulin syringe according to a predetermined script at all retail pharmacies in three Tijuana neighborhoods. The same pharmacies were surveyed by telephone regarding their syringe sales policies. Data on purchase attempts were analyzed using basic statistics to obtain an objective measure of syringe access and compared with data on stated sales policies to ascertain consistency. Results Only 46 (28.4%) of 162 syringe purchase attempts were successful. Leading reasons for unsuccessful attempts were being told that the pharmacy didn't sell syringes (35.3%), there were no syringes in stock (31.0%), or a prescription was required (20.7%). Of 136 pharmacies also surveyed by telephone, a majority (88.2%) reported selling syringes but only one-third (32.5%) had a successful mystery shopper purchase; the majority of unsuccessful purchases were attributed to being told the pharmacy didn't sell syringes. There was similar discordance regarding prescription policies: 74 pharmacies said in the telephone survey that they did not require a prescription for syringes, yet 10 of these pharmacies asked the mystery shopper for a prescription. Conclusions IDUs in Tijuana have limited access to syringes through retail pharmacies and policies and practices regarding syringe sales are inconsistent. Reasons for these restrictive and inconsistent practices must be identified and addressed to expand syringe access, reduce syringe sharing and prevent HIV transmission. PMID:21609471

  5. Not sold here: limited access to legally available syringes at pharmacies in Tijuana, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Pollini, Robin A; Rosen, Perth C; Gallardo, Manuel; Robles, Brenda; Brouwer, Kimberly C; Macalino, Grace E; Lozada, Remedios

    2011-05-24

    Sterile syringe access is a critical component of HIV prevention programs. Although retail pharmacies provide convenient outlets for syringe access, injection drug users (IDUs) may encounter barriers to syringe purchase even where purchase without a prescription is legal. We sought to obtain an objective measure of syringe access in Tijuana, Mexico, where IDUs report being denied or overcharged for syringes at pharmacies. Trained "mystery shoppers" attempted to buy a 1 cc insulin syringe according to a predetermined script at all retail pharmacies in three Tijuana neighborhoods. The same pharmacies were surveyed by telephone regarding their syringe sales policies. Data on purchase attempts were analyzed using basic statistics to obtain an objective measure of syringe access and compared with data on stated sales policies to ascertain consistency. Only 46 (28.4%) of 162 syringe purchase attempts were successful. Leading reasons for unsuccessful attempts were being told that the pharmacy didn't sell syringes (35.3%), there were no syringes in stock (31.0%), or a prescription was required (20.7%). Of 136 pharmacies also surveyed by telephone, a majority (88.2%) reported selling syringes but only one-third (32.5%) had a successful mystery shopper purchase; the majority of unsuccessful purchases were attributed to being told the pharmacy didn't sell syringes. There was similar discordance regarding prescription policies: 74 pharmacies said in the telephone survey that they did not require a prescription for syringes, yet 10 of these pharmacies asked the mystery shopper for a prescription. IDUs in Tijuana have limited access to syringes through retail pharmacies and policies and practices regarding syringe sales are inconsistent. Reasons for these restrictive and inconsistent practices must be identified and addressed to expand syringe access, reduce syringe sharing and prevent HIV transmission.

  6. South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, general view in setting showing ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, general view in setting showing (N) side; view (S) - Fort McKinley, South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, South side of Weymouth Way, approximately 100 feet west of East Side Drive, Great Diamond Island, Portland, Cumberland County, ME

  7. South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, oblique view of (W) and ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, oblique view of (W) and (S) sides, view to northeast - Fort McKinley, South Fork Telephone Switchboard Building, South side of Weymouth Way, approximately 100 feet west of East Side Drive, Great Diamond Island, Portland, Cumberland County, ME

  8. Telephone calls postdischarge from hospital to home: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Hand, Kristin E; Cunningham, Regina S

    2014-02-01

    The oncology population is particularly affected by hospital readmissions because hospitalized patients with cancer often have complex needs. The complexity and diversity of care requirements create substantial challenges in planning for appropriate postdischarge support. Implementing postdischarge telephone calls in the population of patients with cancer could offer a low-cost intervention to address the complex needs of patients during the transition from hospital to home. The goal of the current literature review is to provide an understanding about postdischarge telephone calls in patients with cancer. Findings from this review support the notion that discharge phone calls could improve care continuity for patients transitioning from hospital to home. The literature review outlines information related to telephone call content, timing, and structure for healthcare systems that want to use a postdischarge telephone intervention for patients with cancer. However, additional research is needed to develop and test cancer-specific protocols.

  9. Schramm-Loewner evolution of the accessible perimeter of isoheight lines of correlated landscapes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Posé, N.; Schrenk, K. J.; Araújo, N. A. M.; Herrmann, H. J.

    Real landscapes exhibit long-range height-height correlations, which are quantified by the Hurst exponent H. We give evidence that for negative H, in spite of the long-range nature of correlations, the statistics of the accessible perimeter of isoheight lines is compatible with Schramm-Loewner evolution curves and therefore can be mapped to random walks, their fractal dimension determining the diffusion constant. Analytic results are recovered for H=-1 and H=0 and a conjecture is proposed for the values in between. By contrast, for positive H, we find that the random walk is not Markovian but strongly correlated in time. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

  10. Why are background telephone conversations distracting?

    PubMed

    Marsh, John E; Ljung, Robert; Jahncke, Helena; MacCutcheon, Douglas; Pausch, Florian; Ball, Linden J; Vachon, François

    2018-06-01

    Telephone conversation is ubiquitous within the office setting. Overhearing a telephone conversation-whereby only one of the two speakers is heard-is subjectively more annoying and objectively more distracting than overhearing a full conversation. The present study sought to determine whether this "halfalogue" effect is attributable to unexpected offsets and onsets within the background speech (acoustic unexpectedness) or to the tendency to predict the unheard part of the conversation (semantic [un]predictability), and whether these effects can be shielded against through top-down cognitive control. In Experiment 1, participants performed an office-related task in quiet or in the presence of halfalogue and dialogue background speech. Irrelevant speech was either meaningful or meaningless speech. The halfalogue effect was only present for the meaningful speech condition. Experiment 2 addressed whether higher task-engagement could shield against the halfalogue effect by manipulating the font of the to-be-read material. Although the halfalogue effect was found with an easy-to-read font (fluent text), the use of a difficult-to-read font (disfluent text) eliminated the effect. The halfalogue effect is thus attributable to the semantic (un)predictability, not the acoustic unexpectedness, of background telephone conversation and can be prevented by simple means such as increasing the level of engagement required by the focal task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Telephone-Directory Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vlahos, William

    2005-01-01

    eDirectory is a computer program that makes it possible to view entries in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) telephone directory by use of PalmPilot(TradeMark) (or equivalent) personal digital assistants. When one uses eDirectory, a single click causes the downloading of a current copy of the directory (which is updated nightly) from a server. The downloaded directory data can be sorted and searched. The program can append a "JPL" category and save directory information in a file that can be imported into the Palm Desktop(TradeMark) software.

  12. 47 CFR 15.214 - Cordless telephones.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... for a cordless telephone system, provided the application clearly identifies and provides data for all... contain the following statement: “Privacy of communications may not be ensured when using this phone.” (d...

  13. Design and implementation of telephone dialer based on Arduino

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Zilong; Lei, Ying

    2017-03-01

    Introduces a system design scheme of the telephone dialer based on Arduino, including the design principle, hardware and software design and the experimental results in this paper. The scheme is based on the dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) dialing mode, using the Arduino UNO as the main controller, the serial port send out the telephone number to be dialed, speaker synthesize the voice.

  14. Implementation and evaluation of Parkinson disease management in an outpatient clinical pharmacist-run neurology telephone clinic.

    PubMed

    Stefan, Teodora Cristina; Elharar, Nicole; Garcia, Guadalupe

    2018-05-01

    Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive, debilitating neurodegenerative disease that often requires complex pharmacologic treatment regimens. Prior to this clinic, there was no involvement of a clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) in the outpatient neurology clinic at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This was a prospective, quality-improvement project to develop a clinical pharmacist-run neurology telephone clinic and evaluate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions in an effort to improve the quality of care for patients with PD. Additionally, the CPS conducted medication education groups to 24 patients with PD and their caregivers, if applicable, at this medical center with the purpose of promoting patient knowledge and medication awareness. Medication management was performed via telephone rather than face to face. Only patients with a concomitant mental health diagnosis for which they were receiving at least one psychotropic medication were included for individual visits due to the established scope of practice of the CPS being limited to mental health and primary care medications. Data collection included patient and clinic demographics as well as pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions made for patients enrolled from January 6, 2017, through March 31, 2017. A total of 49 pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions were made for 10 patients. We successfully implemented and evaluated a clinical pharmacist-run neurology telephone clinic for patients with PD. Expansion of this clinic to patients with various neurological disorders may improve access to care using an innovative method of medication management expertise by a CPS.

  15. State University of New York Controls Over Telephone Systems at Selected Campuses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York State Office of the Comptroller, Albany.

    The State University of New York (SUNY) consists of 29 State-operated campuses. Campuses of the SUNY system each operate and manage their own telephone systems. Campuses may own or lease their own telephone system called a private branch exchange (PBX). A PBX makes a campus a miniature telephone company with the ability to add and delete telephone…

  16. Access to Mobile Communication Technology and Willingness to Participate in Automated Telemedicine Calls Among Chronically Ill Patients in Honduras

    PubMed Central

    Mendoza-Avelares, Milton O.; Milton, Evan C.; Lange, Ilta; Fajardo, Roosevelt

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Objectives: Patients in underdeveloped countries may be left behind by advances in telehealthcare. We surveyed chronically ill patients with low incomes in Honduras to measure their use of mobile technologies and willingness to participate in mobile disease management support. Materials and Methods: 624 chronically ill primary care patients in Honduras were surveyed. We examined variation in telephone access across groups defined by patients' sociodemographic characteristics, diagnoses, and access to care. Logistic regression was used to identify independent correlates of patients' interest in automated telephonic support for disease management. Results: Participants had limited education (mean 4.8 years), and 65% were unemployed. Eighty-four percent had telephone access, and 78% had cell phones. Most respondents had voicemail (61%) and text messaging (58%). Mobile technologies were particularly common among patients who had to forego clinic visits and medications due to cost concerns (each p < 0.05). Most patients (>80%) reported that they would be willing to receive automated calls focused on appointment reminders, medication adherence, health status monitoring, and self-care education. Patients were more likely to be willing to participate in automated telemedicine services if they had to cancel a clinic appointment due to transportation problems or forego medication due to cost pressures. Conclusions: Even in this poor region of Honduras, most chronically ill patients have access to mobile technology, and most are willing to participate in automated telephone disease management support. Given barriers to in-person care, new models of mobile healthcare should be developed for chronically ill patients in developing countries. PMID:21062234

  17. 29. VIEW OF 4TH FLOOR'S TELEPHONE RACKS WITH CABLE TRAYS ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    29. VIEW OF 4TH FLOOR'S TELEPHONE RACKS WITH CABLE TRAYS ABOVE. THESE ARE NEWER APPARATUS AND NOT ORIGINAL. - Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company Building, 1519 Franklin Street, Oakland, Alameda County, CA

  18. ARTIMIS Telephone Travel Information Service : current use patterns and user satisfaction : evaluation of ARTIMIS Telephone Information System

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-06-01

    This report summarizes the results of a phone survey that evaluated the user satisfaction of the telephone traveler information service, ARTIMIS (Advanced Regional Traffic Interactive Management and Information System), in Cincinnati / Northern Kentu...

  19. New Technologies and Telephone Hotlines.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berman, Alan L., Ed.

    1991-01-01

    Identifies telephone technologies that may affect hotline services: Caller Identification, which displays number of in-coming call; Call Block, which prevents connection of calls from specified numbers; and Call Trace, which traces current or most recent call. Presents four cases highlighting issues created by availability and use of new telephone…

  20. Quality of communication during telephone triage at Dutch out-of-hours centres.

    PubMed

    Derkx, Hay P; Rethans, Jan-Joost E; Maiburg, Bas H; Winkens, Ron A; Muijtjens, Arno M; van Rooij, Harrie G; Knottnerus, J André

    2009-02-01

    To assess the quality of communication skills of triagists, working at out-of-hours (OOH) centres, and to determine the correlation between the communication score and the duration of the telephone consultation. Telephone incognito standardised patients (TISPs) called 17 OOH centres presenting different clinical cases. The assessment of communication skills was carried out using the RICE-communication rating list. The duration of each telephone consultation was determined. The mean overall score for communication skills was 35% of the maximum feasible. Triagists usually asked questions about the clinical situation correctly and little about the patients' personal situation, perception of the problem or expectation. Advice about the outcome of triage and self-care advice was usually given without checking for patients' understanding and acceptance of the advice. Calls were often handled in an unstructured way, without summarizing or clarifying the different steps within the consultation. There was a positive correlation of 0.86 (p<0.01) between the overall communication score and the duration of the telephone consultation. Assessment of communication skills of triagists revealed specific shortcomings and learning points to improve the quality of communication skills during telephone triage. Training in telephone consultation should focus more on patient-centred communication with active listening, active advising and structuring the call. Apart from adequate communication skills, triagists need sufficient time for telephone consultation to enable high quality performance.

  1. Reasons to love life. Effects of a suicide-awareness campaign on the utilization of a telephone emergency line in Austria.

    PubMed

    Till, Benedikt; Sonneck, Gernot; Baldauf, Gerhard; Steiner, Elise; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    A suicide awareness campaign was initiated in the Austrian federal state of Styria to increase help-seeking behavior in the population. Billboards were shown throughout Styria depicting joyful everyday-life situations with a focus on social and family connectedness, and promoting the Telephone Emergency Service, a crisis hotline. The present study investigated the impact of this campaign on the utilization of the crisis hotline and on suicide rates. Phone calls and suicide rates in the study region 3 months before the campaign were compared with rates 3 months after the campaign. The changes were contrasted with the characteristics of phone calls and the suicide rate in a comparable control region. There were significantly more phone calls in the study region after the awareness campaign compared to the control region, which was similar to seasonal trends in nonintervention years, and there was no increase of suicide-related phone calls. The proportion of suicide-related phone calls referring to family problems decreased after the initiation of the campaign. Suicide rates did not change. The campaign may have had some minor immediate impact on the utilization of the Telephone Emergency Service, but it did not seem to motivate suicidal individuals, especially those with family problems, to call.

  2. [Screening for dementia using telephone interviews. An evaluation and reliability study of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) in its modified German version].

    PubMed

    Matrisch, M; Trampisch, U; Klaassen-Mielke, R; Pientka, L; Trampisch, H J; Thiem, U

    2012-04-01

    To assess cognitive impairment or dementia in epidemiologic studies using telephone interviews for data acquisition, valid, reliable and short instruments suitable for telephone administration are required. For the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) in its modified German version, the only instrument used in Germany so far, more data on reliability and practicability are needed. Participants were recruited in the offices of nine primary care physicians. Data from 197 participants (115 females, mean age 78.5±4.1 years) who were tested by telephone and in the office by means of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used for the evaluation. For assessing reliability, a group of 91 participants (55 females, mean age 78.1±4.1 years) was contacted twice during 30 days to be tested during a telephone interview by means of the TICS in its modified German version. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), a measure of reliability, was 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53; 0.77]. The Bland-Altman plot did not reveal any relationship between the variability of the difference between repeated measures and the total amount of the measure. For the overall TICS score, no differences were found between repeated measurements. However, the tasks recall of the word list and counting backwards showed some improvement in the repeated tests. TICS and MMSE showed only moderate correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.48 (95% CI: 0.36; 0.58). TICS values were dependent on age and educational level of the person tested. The TICS in its modified German version appears to be of acceptable reliability for the assessment of cognitive impairment during a telephone interview. TICS values depend on age and educational level of the person tested. TICS and MMSE correlate only moderately.

  3. A Critical Analysis of Interview, Telephone, and Mail Survey Designs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katz, Elinor

    A critical analysis is presented of the literature as it relates to survey research, including personal interviews, telephone interviews, and mail questionnaires. Additional research concerns are explored, and a code of ethics for survey researchers is presented. Focus groups, interviews, long interviews, telephone interviews, and mail surveys are…

  4. The Path to Academic Access for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timberlake, Maria T.

    2016-01-01

    Federal special education law (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act) guarantees, but does not define, access to the general education curriculum for all students with disabilities. In-depth qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with special educators (n = 33) about their academic decision making for students with significant…

  5. 46 CFR 45.181 - Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor... line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes. Barges operating on the Burns... addresses and telephone numbers); (3) Service route (Milwaukee and/or Burns Harbor); (4) Design type...

  6. 46 CFR 45.181 - Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor... line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes. Barges operating on the Burns... addresses and telephone numbers); (3) Service route (Milwaukee and/or Burns Harbor); (4) Design type...

  7. 46 CFR 45.181 - Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor... line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes. Barges operating on the Burns... addresses and telephone numbers); (3) Service route (Milwaukee and/or Burns Harbor); (4) Design type...

  8. 46 CFR 45.181 - Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Load line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor... line exemption requirements for the Burns Harbor and Milwaukee routes. Barges operating on the Burns... addresses and telephone numbers); (3) Service route (Milwaukee and/or Burns Harbor); (4) Design type...

  9. Testing a Model of Functional Impairment in Telephone Crisis Support Workers.

    PubMed

    Kitchingman, Taneile A; Wilson, Coralie J; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian; Woodward, Alan

    2017-11-01

    It is well known that helping professionals experience functional impairment related to elevated symptoms of psychological distress as a result of frequent empathic engagement with distressed others. Whether telephone crisis support workers are impacted in a similar way is not currently reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to test a hypothesized model of factors contributing to functional impairment in telephone crisis support workers. A national sample of 210 telephone crisis support workers completed an online survey including measures of emotion regulation, symptoms of general psychological distress and suicidal ideation, intentions to seek help for symptoms, and functional impairment. Structural equation modeling was used to test the fit of the data to the hypothesized model. Goodness-of-fit indices were adequate and supported the interactive effects of emotion regulation, general psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and intentions to seek help for ideation on functional impairment. These results warrant the deliberate management of telephone crisis support workers' impairment through service selection, training, supervision, and professional development strategies. Future research replicating and extending this model will further inform the modification and/or development of strategies to optimize telephone crisis support workers' well-being and delivery of support to callers.

  10. Telephone Care Management of Fall Risk:: A Feasibility Study.

    PubMed

    Phelan, Elizabeth A; Pence, Maureen; Williams, Barbara; MacCornack, Frederick A

    2017-03-01

    Care management has been found to be more effective than usual care for some chronic conditions, but few studies have tested care management for prevention of elder falls. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of telephone care management of older adults presenting for medical attention due to a fall. The setting was an independent practice association in western Washington serving 1,300 Medicare Advantage-insured patients. Patients aged ≥65 years treated for a fall in an emergency department or their primary care provider's office were contacted via telephone by a care manager within 48 hours of their fall-related visit and invited to participate in a telephone-administered interview to identify modifiable fall risk factors and receive recommendations and follow-up to address identified risk factors. Data from care manager records, patient medical records, and healthcare claims for the first 6 months (November 2009-April 2010) of program implementation were analyzed in 2011. The feasibility of screening and management of fall risk factors over the telephone and the effect on medically attended falls were assessed. Twenty-two patients eligible for fall care management were reached and administered the protocol. Administration took 15-20 minutes and integrated easily with the care manager's other responsibilities. Follow-through on recommendations varied, from 45% for those for whom exercise participation was recommended to 100% for other recommendations. No medically attended falls occurred over 6 months of follow-up. Telephone care management of fall risk appears feasible and may reduce falls requiring medical attention. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Emergency telephone consultations: a new course for medical students.

    PubMed

    Schaufelberger, Mireille; Harris, Michael; Frey, Peter

    2012-12-01

    Using the telephone for consultations is now common practice. Although there is a clear need for specific training for telephone consultations, it is uncommon for it to be taught in medical school. A practical course on emergency telephone consultations (ECTs) was designed for the medical degree course at the University of Bern Medical School. During the module, each of the volunteer fifth-year medical students had to perform two simulated telephone consultations. Medical students in their first year of medical school acted as simulated patients (SPs), and they gave immediate feedback to the participants. Nineteen per cent of fifth-year students voluntarily undertook the ETC course. The course was rated 'very informative' by 68 per cent of the participants, and 'informative' by 32 per cent. Ninety-four per cent of the attendees recorded a personal learning gain, and 68 per cent suggested that the course should be obligatory. All the participants thought that the SPs played their roles realistically. In their rating of the ETC, the fifth-year students gave it a mean mark of 5.5 (out of a maximum of 6), suggesting that they thought it had been very successful. Students became aware of their need for ETC training through the course itself, and they recommended that it should be obligatory. The ETC pilot received a highly positive response from lead clinicians who anticipated a rising number of telephone consultations, and who have to deal with trainees who have not been taught about how to deal with ETCs. As a result, the Faculty of Medicine decided to make the course obligatory. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

  12. Resurfacing the care in nursing by telephone: lessons from ambulatory oncology.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Rosemary; Hubert, John

    2002-01-01

    The practice of providing telephone mediated advice and assistance is often described as "telephone triage" in relevant literature. The decision-making processes required for priority-setting and the provision of advice have been found to be complex and multifaceted. Conceptualization of this valuable patient care activity as a linear "triage" function serves to make invisible the nursing care provided. This article explores the current practice of providing telephone mediated advice and assistance in the following 2 distinct nursing care settings: emergency departments and ambulatory oncology centers. Examination of this activity in these 2 settings provides a forum to discuss and critique legally and fiscally driven prescriptive protocol use to inform decision-making. The effectiveness of experiential knowledge coupled with the strengths of nurse-patient relationships suggests that a need exists to highlight the caring aspects of telephone mediated assistance.

  13. Strategies for Suicide Intervention by Telephone.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hinson, Jennifer

    1982-01-01

    Describes techniques helpful for telephone counselors dealing with suicide intervention, including reinstating control, reducing anxiety through problem clarification, and providing hope by active listening and tolerance of dispositions. The use of time-outs and detective work is also discussed. (JAC)

  14. Teaching by Telephone: The Problems of Teaching Without the Visual Channel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Short, John

    1974-01-01

    Observations and research on telephone communication as opposed to face-to-face and closed circuit TV communication are examined, and telephone's advantages and disadvantages are listed with the conclusion that it can constitute an acceptable complementary teaching approach. (JT)

  15. What do first-time mothers worry about? A study of usage patterns and content of calls made to a postpartum support telephone hotline.

    PubMed

    Osman, Hibah; Chaaya, Monique; El Zein, Lama; Naassan, Georges; Wick, Livia

    2010-10-15

    Telephone hotlines designed to address common concerns in the early postpartum could be a useful resource for parents. Our aim was to test the feasibility of using a telephone as an intervention in a randomized controlled trial. We also aimed to test to use of algorithms to address parental concerns through a telephone hotline. Healthy first-time mothers were recruited from postpartum wards of hospitals throughout Lebanon. Participants were given the number of a 24-hour telephone hotline that they could access for the first four months after delivery. Calls were answered by a midwife using algorithms developed by the study team whenever possible. Callers with medical complaints were referred to their physicians. Call patterns and content were recorded and analyzed. Eighty-four of the 353 women enrolled (24%) used the hotline. Sixty percent of the women who used the service called more than once, and all callers reported they were satisfied with the service. The midwife received an average of three calls per day and most calls occurred during the first four weeks postpartum. Our algorithms were used to answer questions in 62.8% of calls and 18.6% of calls required referral to a physician. Of the questions related to mothers, 66% were about breastfeeding. Sixty percent of questions related to the infant were about routine care and 23% were about excessive crying. Utilization of a telephone hotline service for postpartum support is highest in the first four weeks postpartum. Most questions are related to breastfeeding, routine newborn care, and management of a fussy infant. It is feasible to test a telephone hotline as an intervention in a randomized controlled trial. Algorithms can be developed to provide standardized answers to the most common questions.

  16. 47 CFR 68.201 - Connection to the public switched telephone network.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... network. 68.201 Section 68.201 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK Terminal Equipment Approval Procedures § 68.201 Connection to the public switched telephone network. Terminal equipment may...

  17. 47 CFR 68.201 - Connection to the public switched telephone network.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... network. 68.201 Section 68.201 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK Terminal Equipment Approval Procedures § 68.201 Connection to the public switched telephone network. Terminal equipment may...

  18. Speech perception and communication ability over the telephone by Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants.

    PubMed

    Wu, Che-Ming; Liu, Tien-Chen; Wang, Nan-Mai; Chao, Wei-Chieh

    2013-08-01

    (1) To understand speech perception and communication ability through real telephone calls by Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants and compare them to live-voice perception, (2) to report the general condition of telephone use of this population, and (3) to investigate the factors that correlate with telephone speech perception performance. Fifty-six children with over 4 years of implant use (aged 6.8-13.6 years, mean duration 8.0 years) took three speech perception tests administered using telephone and live voice to examine sentence, monosyllabic-word and Mandarin tone perception. The children also filled out a questionnaire survey investigating everyday telephone use. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the scores between live-voice and telephone tests, and Pearson's test to examine the correlation between them. The mean scores were 86.4%, 69.8% and 70.5% respectively for sentence, word and tone recognition over the telephone. The corresponding live-voice mean scores were 94.3%, 84.0% and 70.8%. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed the sentence and word scores were significantly different between telephone and live voice test, while the tone recognition scores were not, indicating tone perception was less worsened by telephone transmission than words and sentences. Spearman's test showed that chronological age and duration of implant use were weakly correlated with the perception test scores. The questionnaire survey showed 78% of the children could initiate phone calls and 59% could use the telephone 2 years after implantation. Implanted children are potentially capable of using the telephone 2 years after implantation, and communication ability over the telephone becomes satisfactory 4 years after implantation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Pilot study of telephone tutoring in reading skills.

    PubMed

    Strayhorn, Joseph M

    2005-10-01

    This study tested the feasibility of tutoring children in reading via telephone sessions. 19 children received tutoring from any of 6 tutors for an average of 7.6 hr. per month. Initially, these children were an average of 10.4 yr. old, in average Grade 4.8, and averaged 2.9 grade levels behind their grade expectations on the Slosson Oral Reading Test. Before tutoring the children had progressed on the Slosson at an average of 0.44 grade levels per year (95% CI = 0.30 to 0.57). The children participated in telephone tutoring for an average of 1.5 yr. During tutoring the students progressed at an average of 2.0 grade levels per year (95% CI = 1.2 to 2.8). The rate of progress during tutoring was significantly greater than that before tutoring (p<.001). The relations between tutors and students appeared to be positive and pleasant. Telephone tutoring seems to be a practical and feasible service delivery method which should be tested further.

  20. The relationship between geographic remoteness and intentions to use a telephone support service among Australian men following radical prostatectomy.

    PubMed

    Corboy, Denise; McLaren, Suzanne; Jenkins, Megan; McDonald, John

    2014-11-01

    The objective is to investigate the influence of characteristics related to place of residence (self-reliance and stoicism) on men's intentions to use a telephone support service following radical prostatectomy. A community sample of 447 prostate cancer patients (31% response), recruited via Medicare Australia, completed a survey to assess levels of self-reliance and stoicism, and beliefs about addressing emotional distress through using telephone support services. Results indicated that the model was a partially mediated model. Geographic remoteness was directly related to intention, and indirectly related through stoicism and subjective norms. Men from rural and remote areas in Australia might face particular challenges in seeking support following treatment for prostate cancer. These challenges appear to relate to the influence of stoic attitudes and normative expectations, than to issues of access and availability. Addressing stoic attitudes in the clinical setting, through normalising emotional reactions to cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the act of help-seeking for emotional support, may be beneficial. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. 47 CFR 73.4265 - Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources). 73.4265 Section 73.4265 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED... Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources). See Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 75-1406...

  2. 47 CFR 73.4265 - Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources). 73.4265 Section 73.4265 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED... Telephone conversation broadcasts (network and like sources). See Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 75-1406...

  3. Improving Posthospital Discharge Telephone Reach Rates Through Prehospital Discharge Face-to-Face Meetings.

    PubMed

    Vergara, Franz H; Sheridan, Daniel J; Sullivan, Nancy J; Budhathoki, Chakra

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether a face-to-face meeting with patients by a telephonic case manager prehospital discharge would result in increased telephone follow-up (TFU) reach rates posthospital discharge. Acute care adult medicine inpatient units. A quasiexperimental design was utilized. Two adult inpatient medicine units were selected as the intervention and comparison groups. The framework of the study is the transitions theory. A convenience sampling technique was used, whereby 88 eligible patients on the intervention unit received face-to-face meetings prehospital discharge whereas 123 patients on the comparison unit received standard care (no face-to-face meetings). Cross-tabulation and chi-square tests were employed to examine the association of face-to-face meeting intervention and TFU reach rates. Implementing brief (<10 min) face-to-face meetings by a telephonic case manager prehospital discharge resulted in a TFU reach rate of 87% on the intervention unit, whereas the comparison unit only had a 58% TFU reach rate (p < .001). Increasing reach rates by a telephonic case manager facilitates communication with more patients posthospital discharge. A brief prehospital discharge face-to-face meeting with patients assisted them to understand the reasons for a posthospital discharge telephone call, identified the best times to call using accurate telephone numbers, and taught patients how best to prepare for the call. In addition, by meeting patients face-to-face, the telephonic case manager was no longer an unknown person on the telephone asking them questions about their medical condition. These factors combined may have significantly helped to increase TFU reach rates.

  4. Socioeconomic Disparities in Telephone-Based Treatment of Tobacco Dependence

    PubMed Central

    Varghese, Merilyn; Stitzer, Maxine; Landes, Reid; Brackman, S. Laney; Munn, Tiffany

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. We examined socioeconomic disparities in tobacco dependence treatment outcomes from a free, proactive telephone counseling quitline. Methods. We delivered cognitive–behavioral treatment and nicotine patches to 6626 smokers and examined socioeconomic differences in demographic, clinical, environmental, and treatment use factors. We used logistic regressions and generalized estimating equations (GEE) to model abstinence and account for socioeconomic differences in the models. Results. The odds of achieving long-term abstinence differed by socioeconomic status (SES). In the GEE model, the odds of abstinence for the highest SES participants were 1.75 times those of the lowest SES participants. Logistic regression models revealed no treatment outcome disparity at the end of treatment, but significant disparities 3 and 6 months after treatment. Conclusions. Although quitlines often increase access to treatment for some lower SES smokers, significant socioeconomic disparities in treatment outcomes raise questions about whether current approaches are contributing to tobacco-related socioeconomic health disparities. Strategies to improve treatment outcomes for lower SES smokers might include novel methods to address multiple factors associated with socioeconomic disparities. PMID:24922165

  5. Telephone-quality pathological speech classification using empirical mode decomposition.

    PubMed

    Kaleem, M F; Ghoraani, B; Guergachi, A; Krishnan, S

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents a computationally simple and effective methodology based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for classification of telephone quality normal and pathological speech signals. EMD is used to decompose continuous normal and pathological speech signals into intrinsic mode functions, which are analyzed to extract physically meaningful and unique temporal and spectral features. Using continuous speech samples from a database of 51 normal and 161 pathological speakers, which has been modified to simulate telephone quality speech under different levels of noise, a linear classifier is used with the feature vector thus obtained to obtain a high classification accuracy, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of the methodology. The classification accuracy reported in this paper (89.7% for signal-to-noise ratio 30 dB) is a significant improvement over previously reported results for the same task, and demonstrates the utility of our methodology for cost-effective remote voice pathology assessment over telephone channels.

  6. Evaluation of a wireless audio streaming accessory to improve mobile telephone performance of cochlear implant users.

    PubMed

    Wolfe, Jace; Morais Duke, Mila; Schafer, Erin; Cire, George; Menapace, Christine; O'Neill, Lori

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential improvement in word recognition in quiet and in noise obtained with use of a Bluetooth-compatible wireless hearing assistance technology (HAT) relative to the acoustic mobile telephone condition (e.g. the mobile telephone receiver held to the microphone of the sound processor). A two-way repeated measures design was used to evaluate differences in telephone word recognition obtained in quiet and in competing noise in the acoustic mobile telephone condition compared to performance obtained with use of the CI sound processor and a telephone HAT. Sixteen adult users of Nucleus cochlear implants and the Nucleus 6 sound processor were included in this study. Word recognition over the mobile telephone in quiet and in noise was significantly better with use of the wireless HAT compared to performance in the acoustic mobile telephone condition. Word recognition over the mobile telephone was better in quiet when compared to performance in noise. The results of this study indicate that use of a wireless HAT improves word recognition over the mobile telephone in quiet and in noise relative to performance in the acoustic mobile telephone condition for a group of adult cochlear implant recipients.

  7. 75 FR 78269 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Telephone...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-15

    ... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Telephone Point of Purchase Survey ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Telephone Point of Purchase Survey,'' to the Office [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Telephone Point of Purchase Survey is to...

  8. 30 CFR 77.508 - Lightning arresters, ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... power conductors and telephone wires. 77.508 Section 77.508 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH... arresters, ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires. All ungrounded, exposed power conductors and telephone wires shall be equipped with suitable lightning arresters which are adequately...

  9. 30 CFR 77.508 - Lightning arresters, ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... power conductors and telephone wires. 77.508 Section 77.508 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH... arresters, ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires. All ungrounded, exposed power conductors and telephone wires shall be equipped with suitable lightning arresters which are adequately...

  10. Rural Community-Dwelling Elders' Reports of Access to Care: Are There Hispanic versus Non-Hispanic White Disparities?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borders, Tyrone F.

    2004-01-01

    Consumer reports can provide useful information about the dimensions of access in need of improvement for particular population subgroups. To determine if there are Hispanic versus non- Hispanic white disparities in rural elders' reports of their health care access. A telephone survey was conducted among 2,097 rural community-dwelling elders in…

  11. Field-Based Video Pre-Test Counseling, Oral Testing, and Telephonic Post-Test Counseling: Implementation of an HIV Field Testing Package among High-Risk Indian Men

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snyder, Hannah; Yeldandi, Vijay V.; Kumar, G. Prem; Liao, Chuanhong; Lakshmi, Vemu; Gandham, Sabitha R.; Muppudi, Uma; Oruganti, Ganesh; Schneider, John A.

    2012-01-01

    In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) and truck drivers are high-risk groups that often do not access HIV testing due to stigma and high mobility. This study evaluated a field testing package (FTP) that identified HIV positive participants through video pre-test counseling, OraQuick oral fluid HIV testing, and telephonic post-test counseling…

  12. 1What do first-time mothers worry about? A study of usage patterns and content of calls made to a postpartum support telephone hotline

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Telephone hotlines designed to address common concerns in the early postpartum could be a useful resource for parents. Our aim was to test the feasibility of using a telephone as an intervention in a randomized controlled trial. We also aimed to test to use of algorithms to address parental concerns through a telephone hotline. Methods Healthy first-time mothers were recruited from postpartum wards of hospitals throughout Lebanon. Participants were given the number of a 24-hour telephone hotline that they could access for the first four months after delivery. Calls were answered by a midwife using algorithms developed by the study team whenever possible. Callers with medical complaints were referred to their physicians. Call patterns and content were recorded and analyzed. Results Eighty-four of the 353 women enrolled (24%) used the hotline. Sixty percent of the women who used the service called more than once, and all callers reported they were satisfied with the service. The midwife received an average of three calls per day and most calls occurred during the first four weeks postpartum. Our algorithms were used to answer questions in 62.8% of calls and 18.6% of calls required referral to a physician. Of the questions related to mothers, 66% were about breastfeeding. Sixty percent of questions related to the infant were about routine care and 23% were about excessive crying. Conclusions Utilization of a telephone hotline service for postpartum support is highest in the first four weeks postpartum. Most questions are related to breastfeeding, routine newborn care, and management of a fussy infant. It is feasible to test a telephone hotline as an intervention in a randomized controlled trial. Algorithms can be developed to provide standardized answers to the most common questions. PMID:20946690

  13. Simple Spectral Lines Data Model Version 1.0

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osuna, Pedro; Salgado, Jesus; Guainazzi, Matteo; Dubernet, Marie-Lise; Roueff, Evelyne; Osuna, Pedro; Salgado, Jesus

    2010-12-01

    This document presents a Data Model to describe Spectral Line Transitions in the context of the Simple Line Access Protocol defined by the IVOA (c.f. Ref[13] IVOA Simple Line Access protocol) The main objective of the model is to integrate with and support the Simple Line Access Protocol, with which it forms a compact unit. This integration allows seamless access to Spectral Line Transitions available worldwide in the VO context. This model does not provide a complete description of Atomic and Molecular Physics, which scope is outside of this document. In the astrophysical sense, a line is considered as the result of a transition between two energy levels. Under the basis of this assumption, a whole set of objects and attributes have been derived to define properly the necessary information to describe lines appearing in astrophysical contexts. The document has been written taking into account available information from many different Line data providers (see acknowledgments section).

  14. Tailored telephone counseling increases colorectal cancer screening.

    PubMed

    Rawl, Susan M; Christy, Shannon M; Monahan, Patrick O; Ding, Yan; Krier, Connie; Champion, Victoria L; Rex, Douglas

    2015-08-01

    To compare the efficacy of two interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening participation and forward stage movement of colorectal cancer screening adoption among first-degree relatives of individuals diagnosed with adenomatous polyps. One hundred fifty-eight first-degree relatives of individuals diagnosed with adenomatous polyps were randomly assigned to receive one of two interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening. Participants received either a tailored telephone counseling plus brochures intervention or a non-tailored print brochures intervention. Data were collected at baseline and 3 months post-baseline. Group differences and the effect of the interventions on adherence and stage movement for colorectal cancer screening were examined using t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Individuals in the tailored telephone counseling plus brochures group were significantly more likely to complete colorectal cancer screening and to move forward on stage of change for fecal occult blood test, any colorectal cancer test stage and stage of the risk-appropriate test compared with individuals in the non-tailored brochure group at 3 months post-baseline. A tailored telephone counseling plus brochures intervention successfully promoted forward stage movement and colorectal cancer screening adherence among first-degree relatives of individuals diagnosed with adenomatous polyps. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. 78 FR 78389 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Telephone...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-26

    ... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Telephone Point of Purchase Survey ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... request (ICR) revision titled, ``Telephone Point of Purchase Survey,'' to the Office of Management and... seeks to make minor modifications to the Telephone Point of Purchase Survey (TPOPS) and extend its PRA...

  16. 30 CFR 75.521 - Lightning arresters; ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Lightning arresters; ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires. 75.521 Section 75.521 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH... telephone wires. Each ungrounded, exposed power conductor and each ungrounded, exposed telephone wire that...

  17. 30 CFR 75.521 - Lightning arresters; ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Lightning arresters; ungrounded and exposed power conductors and telephone wires. 75.521 Section 75.521 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH... telephone wires. Each ungrounded, exposed power conductor and each ungrounded, exposed telephone wire that...

  18. A randomized study of electronic mail versus telephone follow-up after emergency department visit.

    PubMed

    Ezenkwele, Ugo A; Sites, Frank D; Shofer, Frances S; Pritchett, Ellen N; Hollander, Judd E

    2003-02-01

    This study was conducted to determine whether electronic mail (e-mail) increases contact rates after patients are discharged from the emergency department (ED). Following discharge, patients were randomized to be contacted by telephone or e-mail. The main outcome was success of contact. Secondary outcome was the median time of response. There were 1561 patients initially screened. Of these, 444 had e-mail and were included in the study. Half were contacted by telephone and the rest via e-mail. Our telephone contact rate was 58% (129/222) after two calls in a 48-h period and our e-mail contact was 41% (90/222). The telephone was nearly two times better than e-mail. The median time of response was 48 h for e-mail and 18 h for telephone. It is concluded that the telephone is a better modality of contact than e-mail for patients discharged from the ED.

  19. Telephone system operations evaluation : before AOS implementation

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-01-01

    This study provides a detailed baseline analysis of telephone system performance before AOS : implementation. By the time of the preparation of this report, the phone system component of : AOS had not been implemented.

  20. Telephone survey respondents' reactions to questions regarding interpersonal violence.

    PubMed

    Black, Michele C; Kresnow, Marcie-jo; Simon, Thomas R; Arias, Ileana; Shelley, Gene

    2006-08-01

    Concerns have been raised regarding the appropriateness of asking about violence victimization in telephone interviews and whether asking such questions increases respondents' distress or risk for harm. However, no large-scale studies have evaluated the impact of asking such questions during a telephone interview. This study explored respondents' reactions to questions regarding violence in two large recently completed telephone surveys. After respondents were asked about violence, they were asked if they thought surveys should ask such questions and whether they felt upset or afraid because of the questions. In both surveys, the majority of respondents (regardless of their victimization history) were willing to answer questions about violence and were not upset or afraid because of the questions. More than 92% of respondents thought such questions should be asked. These results challenge commonly held beliefs and assumptions and provide some assurance to those concerned with the ethical collection of data on violent victimization.

  1. Feasibility of including cellular telephone numbers in random digit dialing for epidemiologic case-control studies.

    PubMed

    Voigt, Lynda F; Schwartz, Stephen M; Doody, David R; Lee, Spencer C; Li, Christopher I

    2011-01-01

    The usefulness of landline random digit dialing (RDD) in epidemiologic studies is threatened by the rapid increase in households with only cellular telephone service. This study assessed the feasibility of including cellular telephone numbers in RDD and differences between young adults with landline telephones and those with only cellular telephones. Between 2008 and 2009, a total of 9,023 cellular telephone numbers were called and 43.8% were successfully screened; 248 men and 249 women who resided in 3 Washington State counties, were 20-44 years of age, and used only cellular telephones were interviewed. They were compared with 332 men and 526 women with landline telephones interviewed as controls for 2 case-control studies conducted in parallel with cellular telephone interviewing. Cellular-only users were more likely to be college educated and less likely to have fathered/birthed a child than were their landline counterparts. Male cellular-only users were less likely to be obese and more likely to exercise, to be Hispanic, and to have lower incomes, while female cellular-only users were more likely to be single than landline respondents. Including cellular telephone numbers in RDD is feasible and should be incorporated into epidemiologic studies that rely on this method to ascertain subjects, although low screening rates could hamper the representativeness of such a sample.

  2. Report: Controls and Oversight Needed to Improve Administration of EPA’s Customer Service Lines

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report #13-P-0432, September 26, 2013. The EPA has a variety of resources—including telephone hotlines, Web clearinghouses, and other online reference information—which the OIG has categorized as customer service lines (CSLs).

  3. Effects of a Mail and Telephone Intervention on Breast Health Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowen, Deborah J.; Powers, Diane

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated a mail and telephone intervention to improve breast health behaviors while maintaining quality of life. Women recruited from the general public were randomized to a stepped-intensity intervention consisting of mailings, telephone calls, and counseling (if requested or appropriate given a woman's genetic risk for breast cancer)…

  4. Bundling the value of discharge telephone calls and leader rounding.

    PubMed

    Setia, Nina; Meade, Christine

    2009-03-01

    Discharge telephone calls made by hospital staff provide invaluable opportunities to prevent adverse events, improve quality of care, and increase patient satisfaction. Similarly, the effect of rounding on patients can improve clinical quality and improve both patient and staff satisfaction. The author discusses how the combination of implementing both nurse leader rounding and discharge telephone calls simultaneously produced powerful positive outcomes in satisfaction and patient quality of care.

  5. Heterodyne detection using spectral line pairing for spectral phase encoding optical code division multiple access and dynamic dispersion compensation.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yi; Foster, Mark; Khurgin, Jacob B; Cooper, A Brinton

    2012-07-30

    A novel coherent optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA) scheme is proposed that uses spectral line pairing to generate signals suitable for heterodyne decoding. Both signal and local reference are transmitted via a single optical fiber and a simple balanced receiver performs sourceless heterodyne detection, canceling speckle noise and multiple-access interference (MAI). To validate the idea, a 16 user fully loaded phase encoded system is simulated. Effects of fiber dispersion on system performance are studied as well. Both second and third order dispersion management is achieved by using a spectral phase encoder to adjust phase shifts of spectral components at the optical network unit (ONU).

  6. Tobacco cessation among users of telephone and web-based interventions--four states, 2011-2012.

    PubMed

    Puckett, Mary; Neri, Antonio; Thompson, Trevor; Underwood, J Michael; Momin, Behnoosh; Kahende, Jennifer; Zhang, Lei; Stewart, Sherri L

    2015-01-02

    Smoking caused an average of 480,000 deaths per year in the United States from 2005 to 2009, and three in 10 cancer deaths in the United States are tobacco related. Tobacco cessation is a high public health priority, and all states offer some form of tobacco cessation service. Quitlines provide telephone-based counseling services and are an effective intervention for tobacco cessation. In addition to telephone services, 96% of all U.S. quitlines offer Web-based cessation services. Evidence is limited on the number of tobacco users who use more than one type of service, and studies report mixed results on whether combined telephone and Web-based counseling improves long-term cessation compared with telephone alone. CDC conducted a survey of users of telephone and Web-based cessation services in four states to determine the cessation success of users of these interventions. After adjusting for multiple variables, persons who used both telephone and Web-based services were more likely to report abstinence from smoking for 30 days at follow up (odds ratio = 1.3) compared with telephone-only users and with Web-only users (odds ratio = 1.5). These findings suggest that states might consider offering both types of cessation services to increase cessation success.

  7. 5 CFR 1690.1 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... which TSP participants may, among other things, access their accounts by telephone. The ThriftLine can... services for the Thrift Savings Plan. TSP Web site means the Internet location maintained by the Board, which contains information about the TSP and by which TSP participants may, among other things, access...

  8. Optical solutions for unbundled access network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bacîş Vasile, Irina Bristena

    2015-02-01

    The unbundling technique requires finding solutions to guarantee the economic and technical performances imposed by the nature of the services that can be offered. One of the possible solutions is the optic one; choosing this solution is justified for the following reasons: it optimizes the use of the access network, which is the most expensive part of a network (about 50% of the total investment in telecommunications networks) while also being the least used (telephone traffic on the lines has a low cost); it increases the distance between the master station/central and the terminal of the subscriber; the development of the services offered to the subscribers is conditioned by the subscriber network. For broadband services there is a need for support for the introduction of high-speed transport. A proper identification of the factors that must be satisfied and a comprehensive financial evaluation of all resources involved, both the resources that are in the process of being bought as well as extensions are the main conditions that would lead to a correct choice. As there is no single optimal technology for all development scenarios, which can take into account all access systems, a successful implementation is always done by individual/particularized scenarios. The method used today for the selection of an optimal solution is based on statistics and analysis of the various, already implemented, solutions, and on the experience that was already gained; the main evaluation criterion and the most unbiased one is the ratio between the cost of the investment and the quality of service, while serving an as large as possible number of customers.

  9. Operating Room Telephone Microbial Flora

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-02

    infections per year in the United States (1). Nosocomial infections contribute to prolonged antimicrobial treatments, length-of-stays, and even death. The...surgical site infections ? An inanimate surface that is implicated in a nosocomial infection is termed as a fomite. Are telephones in the OR fomites? Given...the potential impact of nosocomial infections in the perioperative setting, research is needed to describe if the bacteria most frequently involved in

  10. Communication access to businesses and organizations for people with complex communication needs.

    PubMed

    Collier, Barbara; Blackstone, Sarah W; Taylor, Andrew

    2012-12-01

    Human rights legislation and anti-discrimination and accessibility laws exist in many countries and through international conventions and treaties. To varying degrees, these laws protect the rights of people with disabilities to full and equal access to goods and services. Yet, the accessibility requirements of people with complex communication needs (CCN) are not well represented in the existing accessibility literature. This article describes the results of surveys completed by disability service providers and individuals with CCN due to cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and acquired disabilities. It identifies accessibility requirements for people with CCN for face-to-face communication; comprehension of spoken language; telephone communication; text and print-based communication; Internet, email, and social media interactions; and written communication. Recommendations are made for communication accessibility accommodations in regulations, guidelines, and practices.

  11. Episodic memory impairment in Addison's disease: results from a telephonic cognitive assessment.

    PubMed

    Henry, Michelle; Thomas, Kevin G F; Ross, Ian L

    2014-06-01

    Patients with Addison's disease frequently self-report memory and attention difficulties, even when on standard replacement therapy. However, few published studies examine, using objective measures and assessing across multiple domains, the cognitive functioning of Addison's disease patients relative to healthy controls. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the previously reported subjective cognitive deficits in Addison's disease are confirmed by objective measures. Conducting comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of patients with relatively rare clinical disorders, such as Addison's disease, is challenging because access to those patients is often limited, and because their medical condition might prevent extended testing sessions. Brief telephonic cognitive assessments are a useful tool in such circumstances. Hence, we administered the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone to 27 Addison's disease patients and 27 matched healthy controls. The instrument provides objective assessment of episodic memory, working memory, executive functioning, reasoning, and speed of processing. Statistical analyses confirmed that, as expected, patients performed significantly more poorly than controls on the episodic memory subtest. There were, however, no significant between-group differences on the attention, executive functioning, reasoning, and speed of processing subtests. Furthermore, patients with a longer duration of illness performed more poorly across all domains of cognition. We conclude that, for Addison's disease patients, previously reported subjective cognitive deficits are matched by objective impairment, but only in the domain of episodic memory. Future research might investigate (a) whether these memory deficits are material-specific (i.e., whether non-verbal memory is also affected), and (b) the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these deficits.

  12. Mobile telephones: a comparison of radiated power between 3G VoIP calls and 3G VoCS calls.

    PubMed

    Jovanovic, Dragan; Bragard, Guillaume; Picard, Dominique; Chauvin, Sébastien

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess the mean RF power radiated by mobile telephones during voice calls in 3G VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) using an application well known to mobile Internet users, and to compare it with the mean power radiated during voice calls in 3G VoCS (Voice over Circuit Switch) on a traditional network. Knowing that the specific absorption rate (SAR) is proportional to the mean radiated power, the user's exposure could be clearly identified at the same time. Three 3G (High Speed Packet Access) smartphones from three different manufacturers, all dual-band for GSM (900 MHz, 1800 MHz) and dual-band for UMTS (900 MHz, 1950 MHz), were used between 28 July and 04 August 2011 in Paris (France) to make 220 two-minute calls on a mobile telephone network with national coverage. The places where the calls were made were selected in such a way as to describe the whole range of usage situations of the mobile telephone. The measuring equipment, called "SYRPOM", recorded the radiation power levels and the frequency bands used during the calls with a sampling rate of 20,000 per second. In the framework of this study, the mean normalised power radiated by a telephone in 3G VoIP calls was evaluated at 0.75% maximum power of the smartphone, compared with 0.22% in 3G VoCS calls. The very low average power levels associated with use of 3G devices with VoIP or VoCS support the view that RF exposure resulting from their use is far from exceeding the basic restrictions of current exposure limits in terms of SAR.

  13. Everyday Ethics in Dementia Day Care: Narratives of Crossing the Line.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasselkus, Betty Risteen

    1997-01-01

    Examines the ethical aspects of the experience of providing day care to dementia patients. Results, based on telephone interviews (N=40), indicate that ethical challenges arise in everyday incidents when participants, staff, or family members "cross the line" of acceptable behavior. Staff responses ranged from benign manipulation to…

  14. Efficacy and experiences of telephone counselling for informal carers of people with dementia.

    PubMed

    Lins, Sabine; Hayder-Beichel, Daniela; Rücker, Gerta; Motschall, Edith; Antes, Gerd; Meyer, Gabriele; Langer, Gero

    2014-09-01

    Informal carers of people with dementia can suffer from depressive symptoms, emotional distress and other physiological, social and financial consequences. This review focuses on three main objectives:To:1) produce a quantitative review of the efficacy of telephone counselling for informal carers of people with dementia;2) synthesize qualitative studies to explore carers' experiences of receiving telephone counselling and counsellors' experiences of conducting telephone counselling; and3) integrate 1) and 2) to identify aspects of the intervention that are valued and work well, and those interventional components that should be improved or redesigned. The Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialized Register, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, MEDLINE in Process, EMBASE, CINAHL, PSYNDEX, PsycINFO, Web of Science, DIMDI databases, Springer database, Science direct and trial registers were searched on 3 May 2011 and updated on 25 February 2013. A Forward Citation search was conducted for included studies in Web of Science and Google Scholar. We used the Related Articles service of PubMed for included studies, contacted experts and hand-searched abstracts of five congresses. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cross-over trials that compared telephone counselling for informal carers of people with dementia against no treatment, usual care or friendly calls for chatting were included evaluation of efficacy. Qualitative studies with qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were also included to address experiences with telephone counselling. Two authors independently screened articles for inclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed the quantitative trials with the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool and the qualitative studies with the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool. The authors conducted meta-analyses, but reported some results in narrative form due to clinical heterogeneity. The authors synthesised the qualitative data and

  15. Comparison of telephone with World Wide Web-based responses by parents and teens to a follow-up survey after injury.

    PubMed

    Rivara, Frederick P; Koepsell, Thomas D; Wang, Jin; Durbin, Dennis; Jaffe, Kenneth M; Vavilala, Monica; Dorsch, Andrea; Roper-Caldbeck, Maria; Houseknecht, Eileen; Temkin, Nancy

    2011-06-01

    To identify sociodemographic factors associated with completing a follow-up survey about health status on the web versus by telephone, and to examine differences in reported health-related quality of life by method of response. Survey about child health status of 896 parents of children aged 0-17 years treated in a hospital emergency department or admitted for a traumatic brain injury or arm injury, and 227 injured adolescents aged 14-17 years. The main outcomes were characteristics of those who completed a follow-up survey on the web versus by telephone and health-related quality of life by method of response. Email addresses were provided by 76.9 percent of parents and 56.5 percent of adolescents at baseline. The survey was completed on the web by 64.9 percent of parents and 40.2 percent of adolescents through email. Parents with email access who were Blacks, Hispanics, had lower incomes, and those who were not working were less likely to choose the web mode for completing the survey. Unlike adolescents, the amount of time for parents to complete the survey online was significantly shorter than completion by telephone. Differences by survey mode were small but statistically significant in some of the six functional outcome measures examined. Survey mode was associated with several sociodemographic characteristics. Sole use of web surveys could provide biased data. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  16. 47 CFR 36.374 - Telephone operator services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS PROCEDURES; STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR SEPARATING TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROPERTY COSTS... Customer Operations Expenses § 36.374 Telephone operator services. (a) Expenses in this classification include costs incurred for operators in call completion service and number services. This includes...

  17. Midwives' and women's views on accessing dental care during pregnancy: an Australian qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Lim, M; Riggs, E; Shankumar, R; Marwaha, P; Kilpatrick, N

    2018-04-16

    Maternal behaviours during pregnancy are likely to play a significant role in the development of dental caries in children. Although midwives are well placed to discuss oral health and provide information to women, dental attendance by women during pregnancy is minimal. This study aimed to explore midwives' experience of facilitating pregnant women's access to dental care and to document women's experience of receiving dental information and care during pregnancy. Focus groups with midwives and telephone interviews with women who were referred to Monash Health Dental Services were conducted to explore their perspectives and experiences. The qualitative data was thematically analysed. Three focus groups with 13 midwives and telephone interviews with eight women who recently gave birth were conducted. Three key themes were identified: maternal oral health knowledge; barriers to accessing dental information and care during pregnancy; and suggested recommendations. This study highlighted the barriers that exist for midwives to discuss oral health with women and refer women to dental care, and women's experiences of accessing dental care during pregnancy. Ongoing collaboration between the maternity and dental services is required to strengthen midwives' knowledge, confidence and practise in supporting women to access dental care during pregnancy. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

  18. 47 CFR 64.706 - Minimum standards for the routing and handling of emergency telephone calls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... of emergency telephone calls. 64.706 Section 64.706 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS... Operator Services § 64.706 Minimum standards for the routing and handling of emergency telephone calls. Upon receipt of any emergency telephone call, providers of operator services and aggregators shall...

  19. Focus prosody of telephone numbers in Tokyo Japanese.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yong-Cheol; Nambu, Satoshi; Cho, Sunghye

    2018-05-01

    Using production and perception experiments, this study examined whether the prosodic structure inherent to telephone numbers in Tokyo Japanese affects the realization of focus prosody as well as its perception. It was hypothesized that prosodic marking of focus differs by position within the digit groups of phone number strings. Overall, focus prosody of telephone numbers was not clearly marked, resulting in poor identification in perception. However, a difference between positions within digit groups was identified, reflecting a prosodic structure where one position is assigned an accentual peak instead of the other. The findings suggest that, conforming to a language-specific prosodic structure, focus prosody within a language can vary under the influence of a particular linguistic environment.

  20. 47 CFR 36.331 - Information origination/termination expenses-Account 6310 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... telephone companies). (a) The expenses in this account are classified as follows: (1) Other Information... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Information origination/termination expenses-Account 6310 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351, and 6362 (Class A telephone...

  1. Evaluating Opportunities to Enhance Hoosier State Train Ridership through a Survey of Riders’ Opinions and an Assessment of Access to the Line

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-12-01

    Passenger rail is an integral part of intercity transportation networks, especially in areas where residents do not have access to a car or there are not any other options for intercity travel. The Hoosier State Train (HST) line connects five station...

  2. Operating Room Telephone Microbial Flora

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-05-24

    times of the bacteria most frequently implicated in surgical site infections on hands and inanimate surfaces . These bacteria are: S . aureus, CNS...variants of S . aureus and Enterococcus spp. Due to the lack of studies specific to telephone surfaces , we also used plastic surfaces as a substitute search...comparison with tube Coagulase test on S . aureus isolates has been found to have a relative sensitivity of 99.4%, a relative specificity of 95.5% and

  3. Growing cell-phone population and noncoverage bias in traditional random digit dial telephone health surveys.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sunghee; Brick, J Michael; Brown, E Richard; Grant, David

    2010-08-01

    Examine the effect of including cell-phone numbers in a traditional landline random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey. The 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). CHIS 2007 is an RDD telephone survey supplementing a landline sample in California with a sample of cell-only (CO) adults. We examined the degree of bias due to exclusion of CO populations and compared a series of demographic and health-related characteristics by telephone usage. When adjusted for noncoverage in the landline sample through weighting, the potential noncoverage bias due to excluding CO adults in landline telephone surveys is diminished. Both CO adults and adults who have both landline and cell phones but mostly use cell phones appear different from other telephone usage groups. Controlling for demographic differences did not attenuate the significant distinctiveness of cell-mostly adults. While careful weighting can mitigate noncoverage bias in landline telephone surveys, the rapid growth of cell-phone population and their distinctive characteristics suggest it is important to include a cell-phone sample. Moreover, the threat of noncoverage bias in telephone health survey estimates could mislead policy makers with possibly serious consequences for their ability to address important health policy issues.

  4. Telephone screening tests for functionally impaired hearing: current use in seven countries and development of a US version.

    PubMed

    Watson, Charles S; Kidd, Gary R; Miller, James D; Smits, Cas; Humes, Larry E

    2012-01-01

    An estimated 36 million US citizens have impaired hearing, but nearly half of them have never had a hearing test. As noted by a recent National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH/NIDCD) Working Group, "In the United States (in contrast to many other nations) there are no readily accessible low cost hearing screening programs…" (Donahue et al, 2010, p. 2). Since 2004, telephone administered screening tests utilizing three-digit sequences presented in noise have been developed, validated, and implemented in seven countries. Each of these tests has been based on a test protocol conceived by Smits and colleagues in The Netherlands. Investigators from Communication Disorders Technology, Inc., Indiana University, and VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam agreed to collaborate in the development and validation of a screening test for hearing impairment suitable for delivery over the telephone, for use in the United States. This test, utilizing spoken three-digit sequences (triplets), was to be based on the design of Smits and his colleagues. A version of the digits-in-noise test was developed utilizing digit triplets spoken in Middle American dialect. The stimuli were individually adjusted to speech-to-noise ratio (SNR) values yielding 50% correct identification, on the basis of data collected from a group of 10 young adult listeners with normal hearing. A final set of 64 homogeneous stimuli were selected from an original 160 recorded triplets. Each test consisted of a series of 40 triplets drawn at random, presented in a noise background. The SNR threshold for 50% correct identification of the triplets was determined by a one-down, one-up adaptive procedure. The test was implemented by telephone, and administered to listeners with varying levels of hearing impairment. The listeners were then evaluated with pure-tone tests and other audiometric measures as clinically appropriate. Ninety participants included 72

  5. Telephone Interview Audience Analysis of WPSX-TV--its Measurement and Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dubin, Samuel S.; And Others

    The results of a telephone survey were used to estimate that 156,000 families watch WPSX-TV, an Educational television station located in central Pennsylvania. Of the sample contacted (N=1,984) 78% watched the station at least once a week and 15% watched daily. During the telephone interview 80% of the respondents agreed to fill out a follow-up…

  6. Alliance in Two Telephone-Administered Treatments: Relationship with Depression and Health Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beckner, Victoria; Vella, Lea; Howard, Isa; Mohr, David C.

    2007-01-01

    The present study examined the relationship between therapeutic alliance and both depression and health outcomes in a randomized clinical trial of 2 telephone-administered treatments with 97 clients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The 16-week, manualized treatments compared were telephone-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (T-CBT) and…

  7. Plans for future on-line access to the historical astronomical literature through the Astrophysics Data System.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eichhorn, G.; Kurtz, M. J.; Coletti, D.

    1997-09-01

    The NASA Astrophysics Data System provides access to about 1 million abstracts and 50,000 journal articles. This service is funded by NASA and is accessible world-wide through the World Wide Web free without restrictions at: http://adswww.harvard.edu We currently have on-line journals starting with 1975. We plan to extend the coverage for the journals and also include scans from observatory publications in our database. Eventually we plan to provide access to scans of the complete journal literature and as much observatory literature as possible. In order to accomplish this, we have started discussions with the preservation group at the Harvard University Library. Harvard University Library, together with the Library at the Center for Astrophysics is in the process of microfilming their collection of observatory publications. We are working together with this project to prepare for scanning the microfilms and make these scans available through the ADS. We are also collecting older journals and preparing them for scanning. We already have the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in hand from Volume 1, and have been promised a large part of the Astronomische Nachrichten prior to 1945. We will start scanning these volumes soon. All volumes that can be fed automatically through the scanning machine should be scanned and put on-line within the next 6 - 12 months. In order to scan volumes that are too brittle, we need additional funding. We hope to obtain additional funding to cover such scanning for 1998. In order to cover more of the astronomical literature, we need donations of astronomical literature. We have a web page that lists the volumes that we need so we can scan them. If you have any of these journals (or other astronomical literature), please contact us. the web page is at: http://adshome.harvard.edu/pubs/missing_journals.html We would appreciate any contributions, even smaller sets, since it will be more and more difficult to find complete sets.

  8. Telephone Crisis Support Workers' Intentions to Use Recommended Skills While Experiencing Functional Impairment.

    PubMed

    Kitchingman, Taneile A; Wilson, Coralie J; Woodward, Alan; Caputi, Peter; Wilson, Ian

    2018-05-01

    Empathic engagement with distressed others can lead to elevated symptoms of psychological distress and functional impairment, which preclude helping professionals' delivery of optimal patient care. Whether telephone crisis support workers are impacted in a similar way is not currently reported in the literature. This study examined the relationship between functional impairment and intentions to use recommended support skills in a representative national sample of 210 telephone crisis support workers. Participants completed an online survey including measures of functional impairment and intentions to use recommended telephone crisis support skills with callers reporting suicidal ideation, symptoms of depression, and anxiety. As a group, participants who experienced greater functional impairment during the past month reported significantly lower intentions to use recommended support skills with callers than those who reported lower functional impairment. Future research is needed to clarify the extent to which results generalize to telephone crisis support workers from other organizations. Results warrant further research to (a) identify determinants of telephone crisis support workers' functional impairment, and (b) for the deliberate management of telephone crisis support workers' functional impairment through developing and/or modifying existing service strategies to optimize workers' psychological well-being and delivery of support to callers.

  9. The impact of standalone call centres and GP cooperatives on access to after hours GP care: a before and after study adjusted for secular trend.

    PubMed

    Dunt, David; Day, Susan E; Kelaher, Margaret; Montalto, Michael

    2006-08-01

    The After Hours Primary Medical Trials were initiated by the Australian government to redress difficulties in after hours (AH) GP care in areas of high need. The study's objective is to study the impact of two standalone call centres and one GP cooperative offering comprehensive services, in improving consumer access to services for residents of a defined geographic area. A pre-post design was used to evaluate their impact after adjusting for secular trend at a national level. Access was considered in terms of availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability and responsiveness of care. Unmet need and ease of obtaining AH telephone professional medical advice were also considered. Pre-trial and post-trial telephone surveys of two separate random samples of approximately 350 households using AH services in each trial area as well as in a national sample outside the trial areas. Consumer acceptability and affordability increased in residents in the area served by the GP cooperative. Access, however measured, did not improve in either of the standalone call centre areas. Reduction in unmet need approached but did not achieve statistical significance in most but not all trial areas. Improvements in access in the GP cooperative conformed to expectations based on current and pre-existing AH care arrangements put in place. Absence of improvements in access in the standalone call centres did not conform to expectations but may be partly explained by the reductions in consumer acceptability, following introduction of telephone triage systems reported elsewhere.

  10. 30 CFR 57.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... of the point where the circuit enters the mine. Lightning arrestors shall be connected to a low... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... AND NONMETAL MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and...

  11. 30 CFR 57.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... of the point where the circuit enters the mine. Lightning arrestors shall be connected to a low... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... AND NONMETAL MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and...

  12. 30 CFR 57.12069 - Lightning protection for telephone wires and ungrounded conductors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... of the point where the circuit enters the mine. Lightning arrestors shall be connected to a low... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Lightning protection for telephone wires and... AND NONMETAL MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12069 Lightning protection for telephone wires and...

  13. A simple method using on-line continuous leaching and ion exchange chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the speciation analysis of bio-accessible arsenic in rice.

    PubMed

    Horner, Nolan S; Beauchemin, Diane

    2012-03-02

    A simple method for the speciation analysis of bio-accessible arsenic (As) in rice was developed using a continuous on-line leaching method to release the bio-accessible fraction. The continuous on-line leaching method has several advantages over commonly used batch methods including quicker and easier sample preparation, reduced risk of contamination and access to real time leaching data. The bio-accessibility of As in the samples was monitored using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results from a certified reference material as well as cooked and uncooked white rice showed that the majority of As was leached by saliva. Results obtained using the continuous on-line leaching method were comparable to those obtained using a batch method. Speciation analysis of the saliva leachate was performed using ion exchange chromatography coupled to ICP-MS. The four most toxic forms of As (As(III), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and As(V)) were clearly separated within 5 min in a single chromatographic run. Over 92% of bio-accessible As in the certified reference material and uncooked white rice sample was in the form of DMA and As(V), whereas it was present as DMA and As(III) in the cooked white rice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Methodological and ethical issues related to qualitative telephone interviews on sensitive topics.

    PubMed

    Mealer, Meredith; Jones Rn, Jacqueline

    2014-03-01

    To explore the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews about personal or professional trauma with critical care nurses. The most common method for conducting interviews is face-to-face. However, there is evidence to support telephone interviewing on a variety of sensitive topics including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Qualitative telephone interviews can limit emotional distress because of the comfort experienced through virtual communication. Critical care nurses are at increased risk of developing PTSD due to the cumulative exposure to work-related stress in the intensive care unit. We explored the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews, drawing on our experiences communicating with a group of critical care nurses. Qualitative research interviews with 27 critical care nurses. Fourteen of the nurses met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD; 13 did not and had scores consistent with high levels of resilience. This is a methodology paper on the authors' experiences of interviewing critical care nurses on sensitive topics via the telephone. The authors found that establishing rapport and connections with the participants and the therapeutic use of non-verbal communication were essential, and fostered trust and compassion. The ethical issues of this mode of communication include protecting the privacy and confidentiality associated with the disclosure of sensitive information, and minimising the risk of psychological harm to the researcher and participants. Qualitative telephone interviews are a valuable method of collecting information on sensitive topics. This paper explores a method of interviewing in the workplace. It will help inform interventions to promote healthy adaptation following trauma exposure in the intensive care unit.

  15. Evaluation of telephone first approach to demand management in English general practice: observational study

    PubMed Central

    Newbould, Jennifer; Abel, Gary; Ball, Sarah; Corbett, Jennie; Elliott, Marc; Exley, Josephine; Martin, Adam; Saunders, Catherine; Wilson, Edward; Winpenny, Eleanor; Yang, Miaoqing

    2017-01-01

    Objective To evaluate a “telephone first” approach, in which all patients wanting to see a general practitioner (GP) are asked to speak to a GP on the phone before being given an appointment for a face to face consultation. Design Time series and cross sectional analysis of routine healthcare data, data from national surveys, and primary survey data. Participants 147 general practices adopting the telephone first approach compared with a 10% random sample of other practices in England. Intervention Management support for workload planning and introduction of the telephone first approach provided by two commercial companies. Main outcome measures Number of consultations, total time consulting (59 telephone first practices, no controls). Patient experience (GP Patient Survey, telephone first practices plus controls). Use and costs of secondary care (hospital episode statistics, telephone first practices plus controls). The main analysis was intention to treat, with sensitivity analyses restricted to practices thought to be closely following the companies’ protocols. Results After the introduction of the telephone first approach, face to face consultations decreased considerably (adjusted change within practices −38%, 95% confidence interval −45% to −29%; P<0.001). An average practice experienced a 12-fold increase in telephone consultations (1204%, 633% to 2290%; P<0.001). The average duration of both telephone and face to face consultations decreased, but there was an overall increase of 8% in the mean time spent consulting by GPs, albeit with large uncertainty on this estimate (95% confidence interval −1% to 17%; P=0.088). These average workload figures mask wide variation between practices, with some practices experiencing a substantial reduction in workload and others a large increase. Compared with other English practices in the national GP Patient Survey, in practices using the telephone first approach there was a large (20.0 percentage

  16. Telephone cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.

    PubMed

    Turner, Cynthia M; Mataix-Cols, David; Lovell, Karina; Krebs, Georgina; Lang, Katie; Byford, Sarah; Heyman, Isobel

    2014-12-01

    Many adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) do not have access to evidence-based treatment. A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial was conducted in a specialist OCD clinic to evaluate the effectiveness of telephone cognitive-behavioral therapy (TCBT) for adolescents with OCD compared to standard clinic-based, face-to-face CBT. Seventy-two adolescents, aged 11 through 18 years with primary OCD, and their parents were randomized to receive specialist TCBT or CBT. The intervention provided differed only in the method of treatment delivery. All participants received up to 14 sessions of CBT, incorporating exposure with response prevention (E/RP), provided by experienced therapists. The primary outcome measure was the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). Blind assessor ratings were obtained at midtreatment, posttreatment, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that TCBT was not inferior to face-to-face CBT at posttreatment, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, there were no significant between-group differences on the CY-BOCS, but the confidence intervals exceeded the non-inferiority threshold. All secondary measures confirmed non-inferiority at all assessment points. Improvements made during treatment were maintained through to 12-month follow-up. Participants in each condition reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention received. TCBT is an effective treatment and is not inferior to standard clinic-based CBT, at least in the midterm. This approach provides a means of making a specialized treatment more accessible to many adolescents with OCD. Clinical trial registration information-Evaluation of telephone-administered cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) for young people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); http://www.controlled-trials.com; ISRCTN27070832. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Telephone Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Non-inferiority Trial

    PubMed Central

    Turner, Cynthia M.; Mataix-Cols, David; Lovell, Karina; Krebs, Georgina; Lang, Katie; Byford, Sarah; Heyman, Isobel

    2014-01-01

    Objective Many adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) do not have access to evidence-based treatment. A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial was conducted in a specialist OCD clinic to evaluate the effectiveness of telephone cognitive-behavioral therapy (TCBT) for adolescents with OCD compared to standard clinic-based, face-to-face CBT. Method Seventy-two adolescents, aged 11 through 18 years with primary OCD, and their parents were randomized to receive specialist TCBT or CBT. The intervention provided differed only in the method of treatment delivery. All participants received up to 14 sessions of CBT, incorporating exposure with response prevention (E/RP), provided by experienced therapists. The primary outcome measure was the Children’s Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). Blind assessor ratings were obtained at midtreatment, posttreatment, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Results Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that TCBT was not inferior to face-to-face CBT at posttreatment, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. At 12-month follow-up, there were no significant between-group differences on the CY-BOCS, but the confidence intervals exceeded the non-inferiority threshold. All secondary measures confirmed non-inferiority at all assessment points. Improvements made during treatment were maintained through to 12-month follow-up. Participants in each condition reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention received. Conclusion TCBT is an effective treatment and is not inferior to standard clinic-based CBT, at least in the midterm. This approach provides a means of making a specialized treatment more accessible to many adolescents with OCD. Clinical trial registration information–Evaluation of telephone-administered cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) for young people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); http://www.controlled-trials.com; ISRCTN27070832. PMID:25457928

  18. Inter-disciplinary focus groups on telephone medicine: a quality improvement initiative.

    PubMed

    Whitson, Heather E; Hastings, S Nicole; McConnell, Eleanor S; Lekan-Rutledge, Deborah A

    2006-09-01

    To identify opportunities for quality improvement in long-term care telephone medicine using a model of interdisciplinary focus groups. Descriptive pilot project. Extended Care and Rehabilitation Center (ECRC), Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Eight of 20 registered or licensed practical nurses and 4 of 6 geriatric medicine fellows voluntarily participated in this quality improvement project. In two 45-minute focus groups, participants were asked to discuss 3 open-ended questions related to telephone medicine. Comments were recorded during the discussions; topical themes were identified by the authors. Participant comments could be categorized into 4 domains describing the characteristics of nurses and physicians who practice the best telephone medicine: (1) provides the appropriate medical component of patient care; (2) appreciates contextual issues; (3) respects the other party's time and resources; and (4) possesses a collaborative attitude. The focus groups identified 5 quality improvement goals: (1) better nursing assessment and provision of patient information; (2) minimization of non-urgent calls after hours; (3) more decisive physician action (or explanation of inaction); (4) better physician familiarity with facility policies/logistics; and (5) better communication/paging system. The discussion format allowed nurses and physicians to identify and respond to potential barriers to improving quality in each area. Nurses and physicians appreciate unique aspects of long-term care telephone medicine and identify distinct barriers to improving practice. Interdisciplinary focus groups were a productive step toward understanding the telephone medicine experience in our facility and developing quality improvement interventions for both nurses and physicians.

  19. The quality, safety and governance of telephone triage and advice services - an overview of evidence from systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Lake, Rebecca; Georgiou, Andrew; Li, Julie; Li, Ling; Byrne, Mary; Robinson, Maureen; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2017-08-30

    Telephone triage and advice services (TTAS) are increasingly being implemented around the world. These services allow people to speak to a nurse or general practitioner over the telephone and receive assessment and healthcare advice. There is an existing body of research on the topic of TTAS, however the diffuseness of the evidence base makes it difficult to identify key lessons that are consistent across the literature. Systematic reviews represent the highest level of evidence synthesis. We aimed to undertake an overview of such reviews to determine the scope, consistency and generalisability of findings in relation to the governance, safety and quality of TTAS. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library for English language systematic reviews focused on key governance, quality and safety findings related to telephone based triage and advice services, published since 1990. The search was undertaken by three researchers who reached consensus on all included systematic reviews. An appraisal of the methodological quality of the systematic reviews was independently undertaken by two researchers using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews. Ten systematic reviews from a potential 291 results were selected for inclusion. TTAS was examined either alone, or as part of a primary care service model or intervention designed to improve primary care. Evidence of TTAS performance was reported across nine key indicators - access, appropriateness, compliance, patient satisfaction, cost, safety, health service utilisation, physician workload and clinical outcomes. Patient satisfaction with TTAS was generally high and there is some consistency of evidence of the ability of TTAS to reduce clinical workload. Measures of the safety of TTAS tended to show that there is no major difference between TTAS and traditional care. Taken as a whole, current evidence does not provide definitive answers to questions about the quality of care

  20. Telephone reminders reduced the non-attendance rate in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic.

    PubMed

    Jeppesen, Maja Haunstrup; Ainsworth, Mark Andrew

    2015-06-01

    Non-attendance is a global health-care problem. The aim of the present study was 1) to investigate if a telephone reminder could reduce the non-attendance rate, 2) to study reasons for non-attendance and 3) to evaluate if a permanent implementation would be economically advantageous in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic like ours. This was a comparative intervention study with a historical control group in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic. The study lasted six months. Patients with a scheduled appointment in the first three-month period received no reminder (control group, n = 2,705). Patients in the following three-month period were reminded by telephone one weekday in advance of their appointment, when possible (intervention group, n = 2,479). Non-attending patients in the intervention group received a questionnaire. Based on the results, a financial cost-benefit analysis was made. In the intervention group, 1,577 (64%) patients answered the reminder telephone call. The non-attendance rate was significantly lower in the intervention group (6.1%) than in the control group (10.5%) (p < 0.00001). Only 1.3% of the patients who answered the reminder turned out to be non-attendees. The most common explanation for non-attendance in the intervention group was forgetfulness (39%). The reminder telephone call was cost-effective. In this outpatient clinic, telephone reminders were cost-effective and significantly reduced the non-attendance rate by 43%.

  1. A Comparison of Two Native American Navigator Formats: Face-to-Face and Telephone

    PubMed Central

    Dignan, Mark B.; Burhansstipanov, Linda; Hariton, Judy; Harjo, Lisa; Rattler, Jerri; Lee, Rose; Mason, Mondi

    2012-01-01

    The study was designed to test the relative effectiveness of a Navigator intervention delivered face-to-face or by telephone to urban Native American women. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using a design that included a pretest, random assignment to face-to-face or telephone group, and posttest. The Social Cognitive Theory-based intervention was a tailored education program developed to address individual risk factors for breast cancer. At posttest, self-reported mammograms in the past year increased from 29% to 41.3% in the telephone group and from 34.4%: to 45.2% in the face-to-face group. There was no difference in change from pretest to posttest between the telephone and face-to-face groups. Navigators can be effective in increasing adherence to recommendations for screening mammography among urban American Indian women. PMID:16327748

  2. Effects of Helper and Caller Characteristics on the Process and Outcome of Telephone Crisis Intervention.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Echterling, Lennis G.; Hartsough, Don M.

    Research has examined the relationship of characteristics of crisis telephone workers to their performance. The influence and interaction of the characteristics of both the helper and caller on the telephone crisis intervention and outcome were explored for a sample of 59 calls to a crisis center. Data about the telephone helper (age, sex,…

  3. Automated Tests for Telephone Telepathy Using Mobile Phones.

    PubMed

    Sheldrake, Rupert; Smart, Pamela; Avraamides, Leonidas

    2015-01-01

    To carry out automated experiments on mobile phones to test for telepathy in connection with telephone calls. Subjects, aged from 10 to 83, registered online with the names and mobile telephone numbers of three or two senders. A computer selected a sender at random, and asked him to call the subject via the computer. The computer then asked the subject to guess the caller׳s name, and connected the caller and the subject after receiving the guess. A test consisted of six trials. The effects of subjects׳ sex and age and the effects of time delays on guesses. The proportion of correct guesses of the caller׳s name, compared with the 33.3% or 50% mean chance expectations. In 2080 trials with three callers there were 869 hits (41.8%), above the 33.3% chance level (P < 1 × 10(-15)). The hit rate in incomplete tests was 43.8% (P = .00003) showing that optional stopping could not explain the positive results. In 745 trials with two callers, there were 411 hits (55.2%), above the 50% chance level (P = .003). An analysis of the data made it very unlikely that cheating could explain the positive results. These experiments showed that automated tests for telephone telepathy can be carried out using mobile phones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Multipath for Agricultural and Rural Information Services in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ge, Ningning; Zang, Zhiyuan; Gao, Lingwang; Shi, Qiang; Li, Jie; Xing, Chunlin; Shen, Zuorui

    Internet cannot provide perfect information services for farmers in rural regions in China, because farmers in rural regions can hardly access the internet by now. But the wide coverage of mobile signal, telephone line, and television network, etc. gave us a chance to solve the problem. The integrated pest management platform of Northern fruit trees were developed based on the integrated technology, which can integrate the internet, mobile and fixed-line telephone network, and television network, to provide integrated pest management(IPM) information services for farmers in rural regions in E-mail, telephone-voice, short message, voice mail, videoconference or other format, to users' telephone, cell phone, personal computer, personal digital assistant(PDA), television, etc. alternatively. The architecture and the functions of the system were introduced in the paper. The system can manage the field monitoring data of agricultural pests, deal with enquiries to provide the necessary information to farmers accessing the interactive voice response(IVR) in the system with the experts on-line or off-line, and issue the early warnings about the fruit tree pests when it is necessary according to analysis on the monitoring data about the pests of fruit trees in variety of ways including SMS, fax, voice and intersystem e-mail.The system provides a platform and a new pattern for agricultural technology extension with a high coverage rate of agricultural technology in rural regions, and it can solve the problem of agriculture information service 'last kilometer' in China. The effectiveness of the system was certified.

  5. Turbulence Measurement in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Using Cellular Telephone Signals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    TURBULENCE MEASUREMENT IN THE ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER USING CELLULAR TELEPHONE SIGNALS THESIS Lee R. Burchett, Civilian AFIT/APPLPHY/ENP/12 - M01...85 xiv TURBULENCE MEASUREMENT IN THE ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER USING CELLULAR TELEPHONE SIGNALS I. Introduction What follows is an...efficient use of these systems. For example, the effective range of a laser weapon is limited by the strength of turbulence on the path to the target

  6. National AIDS Hotline: HIV and AIDS information service through a toll-free telephone system.

    PubMed Central

    Waller, R R; Lisella, L W

    1991-01-01

    The National AIDS Hotline (NAH), a service of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is an information resource for the population of the United States, its Territories, and Puerto Rico concerning the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Since its inception in 1983, NAH has grown to be the world's largest health-related hotline service. NAH has received an average of more than 1.4 million calls per year since October 1987. Services of NAH include responding to the public's questions about HIV and AIDS and providing referrals to State and local resources. All services, including HIV and AIDS publications, are provided free of charge. The public contacts NAH 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through a toll-free telephone system. Services are available to English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and deaf populations. Each service has its own telephone number--English-speaking, 1-800-342-2437; Spanish-speaking, 1-800-344-7432; TTY service for the deaf, 1-800-243-7889. NAH employs approximately 170 information specialists to answer calls. The facility uses modern telecommunications technology to effectively manage and direct calls to 43 work stations. Each work station is supported by a personal computer that allows access to CDC's National AIDS Clearinghouse data bases for referrals and publication ordering. NAH ensures that information provided to the public is current, accurate, and consistent with approved government policy. Quality assurance reviews address call management, delivery of information, and content of calls. PMID:1659708

  7. A randomized trial of face-to-face counselling versus telephone counselling versus bibliotherapy for occupational stress.

    PubMed

    Kilfedder, Catherine; Power, Kevin; Karatzias, Thanos; McCafferty, Aileen; Niven, Karen; Chouliara, Zoë; Galloway, Lisa; Sharp, Stephen

    2010-09-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness and acceptability of three interventions for occupational stress. A total of 90 National Health Service employees were randomized to face-to-face counselling or telephone counselling or bibliotherapy. Outcomes were assessed at post-intervention and 4-month follow-up. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used to evaluate intervention outcomes. An intention-to-treat analyses was performed. Repeated measures analysis revealed significant time effects on all measures with the exception of CORE Risk. No significant group effects were detected on all outcome measures. No time by group significant interaction effects were detected on any of the outcome measures with the exception of CORE Functioning and GHQ total. With regard to acceptability of interventions, participants expressed a preference for face-to-face counselling over the other two modalities. Overall, it was concluded that the three intervention groups are equally effective. Given that bibliotherapy is the least costly of the three, results from the present study might be considered in relation to a stepped care approach to occupational stress management with bibliotherapy as the first line of intervention, followed by telephone and face-to-face counselling as required.

  8. Case report: patient portal versus telephone recruitment for a surgical research study.

    PubMed

    Baucom, R B; Ousley, J; Poulose, B K; Rosenbloom, S T; Jackson, G P

    2014-01-01

    Patient portal adoption has rapidly increased over the last decade. Most patient portal research has been done in primary care or medical specialties, and few studies have examined their use in surgical patients or for recruiting research subjects. No known studies have compared portal messaging with other approaches of recruitment. This case report describes our experience with patient portal versus telephone recruitment for a study involving long-term follow up of surgical patients. Participants were recruited for a study of recurrence after ventral hernia repair through telephone calls and patient portal messaging based on registration status with the portal. Potential subjects who did not have a portal account or whose portal messages were returned after 5 days were called. The proportion of participants enrolled with each method was determined and demographics of eligible patients, portal users, and participants were compared. 1359 patients were eligible for the hernia study, and enrollment was 35% (n=465). Most participants were recruited by telephone (84%, n=391); 16% (n=74) were recruited through portal messaging. Forty-four percent of eligible participants had a registered portal account, and 14% of users responded to the recruitment message. Portal users were younger than non-users (55 vs. 58 years, p<0.001); participants recruited through the portal versus telephone were also younger (54 vs. 59 years, p=0.001). Differences in the sex and racial distributions between users and non-users and between portal and telephone recruits were not significant. Portal versus telephone recruitment for a surgical research study demonstrated modest portal recruitment rates and similar demographics between recruitment methods. Published studies of portal-only recruitment in primary care or medical-specialty patient populations have demonstrated higher enrollment rates, but this case study demonstrates that portal recruitment for research studies in the surgical

  9. Improved Sepsis Alert With a Telephone Call From the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

    PubMed Central

    Bunsow, Eleonora; Vecchio, Marcela González-Del; Sanchez, Carlos; Muñoz, Patricia; Burillo, Almudena; Bouza, Emilio

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Early sepsis attention is a standard of care in many institutions and the role of different specialists is well recognized. However, the impact of a telephone call from a specialist in Clinical Microbiology upon blood cultures request has not been assessed to the best of our knowledge. We performed telephone calls followed by an interview with physicians and nurses in charge of adult patients (> 18 years old) whose blood cultures had just been received in the Microbiology Laboratory in a tertiary hospital. Patients were randomly classified in 2 different groups: group A (telephone call performed) and group B (no telephone call). At the end of the telephonic intervention, recommendations on the use of microbiology and biochemical tests as well as on the management and antibiotic therapy of sepsis were made if required. We included 300 patients. Of those fulfilling standard criteria of sepsis, 30.3% of the nurses and 50% of the physicians immediately recognized it. Advice to optimize the use of biochemical and microbiological tests was provided in 36% of the cases and to improve antimicrobial therapy in 57.6%. The median number of days of antibiotic use in groups A and B were, respectively, 6 days (IQR: 2–12) vs 9 days (IQR: 4–16) P = 0.008 and the median number of prescribed daily doses of antimicrobials (6 [IQR: 3–17] vs 10 [IQR: 5–22] P = 0.016) were lower in group A. We estimate a reduction, only in the use of antibiotic, of 1.8 million Euros per year. A telephone call with management advice, immediately after the arrival of blood cultures in the Microbiology Laboratory improves the recognition of sepsis and the use of diagnostic resources and reduces antimicrobial consumption and expenses. PMID:26426609

  10. Structured telephone support or non-invasive telemonitoring for patients with heart failure.

    PubMed

    Inglis, Sally C; Clark, Robyn A; Dierckx, Riet; Prieto-Merino, David; Cleland, John G F

    2015-10-31

    Specialised disease management programmes for heart failure aim to improve care, clinical outcomes and/or reduce healthcare utilisation. Since the last version of this review in 2010, several new trials of structured telephone support and non-invasive home telemonitoring have been published which have raised questions about their effectiveness. To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of structured telephone support or non-invasive home telemonitoring compared to standard practice for people with heart failure, in order to quantify the effects of these interventions over and above usual care. We updated the searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health Technology AsseFssment Database (HTA) on the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Conference Proceedings Citation Index- Science (CPCI-S) on Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), AMED, Proquest Theses and Dissertations, IEEE Xplore and TROVE in January 2015. We handsearched bibliographies of relevant studies and systematic reviews and abstract conference proceedings. We applied no language limits. We included only peer-reviewed, published RCTs comparing structured telephone support or non-invasive home telemonitoring to usual care of people with chronic heart failure. The intervention or usual care could not include protocol-driven home visits or more intensive than usual (typically four to six weeks) clinic follow-up. We present data as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality, all-cause and heart failure-related hospitalisations, which we analysed using a fixed-effect model. Other outcomes included length of stay, health-related quality of life, heart failure knowledge and self care, acceptability and cost; we described and tabulated these. We performed meta-regression to assess homogeneity (the

  11. Risk Factors for Suicidal Ideation Among Telephone Crisis Hotline Callers in Japan.

    PubMed

    Doki, Shotaro; Kaneko, Hidetoshi; Oi, Yuichi; Usami, Kazuya; Sasahara, Shinichiro; Matsuzaki, Ichiyo

    2016-11-01

    Telephone hotlines are a widely used type of suicide prevention program. The aim of this study was to clarify the risk factors for suicidal ideation by investigating its association with a number of characteristics among telephone hotline callers. Data were collected over a 10-year period from a total of 246,595 calls to Inochi No Denwa, a telephone crisis hotline in Ibaraki, Japan, and subsequently analyzed. Odds ratios for suicidal compared with nonsuicidal ideation were also calculated. About 6% of the calls to the hotline were suicide related, and about 2% of the callers had attempted suicide in the past. Odds ratios for suicidal ideation increased during winter, but no daily tendencies were evident. Those whose problems were related to their way of life were at the highest risk of suicidal ideation, followed by those with health-related concerns. We were able to identify risk factors for suicidal ideation based on an analysis of enormous amounts of data from a telephone crisis hotline in Japan. Knowledge of these risk factors is expected to lead to improvements in suicide prevention programs.

  12. Effects of Telephone Ring on Two Mental Tasks Relative to AN Office

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mouri, K.; Akiyama, K.; Ando, Y.

    2001-03-01

    In many cases, there are a lot of noise sources in an office and particularly, telephone ringing often irritates the office workers. Effects of aircraft noise on the mental work of pupils were reported by Ando et al.[1]. In spite of its serious effect, it has not yet been found how the physical parameters of the wave form influence the perception of noise. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of telephone ringing on two mental tasks. This investigation is based on the human auditory-brain model consisting of the auto-correlation function (ACF) of sound source, the interaural cross-correlation function (IACF) for sound signals arriving at the two ears, and the specialization of the cerebral hemispheres. Under the stimulus of a telephone ringing, an adding task and a drawing task were performed. Results show that telephone ringing influences differently the two tasks: the V-type relaxation was observed only during the drawing task. It is revealed that the interference effect between the drawing task and the noise may occur in the right hemisphere.

  13. Evaluation of telephone first approach to demand management in English general practice: observational study.

    PubMed

    Newbould, Jennifer; Abel, Gary; Ball, Sarah; Corbett, Jennie; Elliott, Marc; Exley, Josephine; Martin, Adam; Saunders, Catherine; Wilson, Edward; Winpenny, Eleanor; Yang, Miaoqing; Roland, Martin

    2017-09-27

    Objective  To evaluate a "telephone first" approach, in which all patients wanting to see a general practitioner (GP) are asked to speak to a GP on the phone before being given an appointment for a face to face consultation. Design  Time series and cross sectional analysis of routine healthcare data, data from national surveys, and primary survey data. Participants  147 general practices adopting the telephone first approach compared with a 10% random sample of other practices in England. Intervention  Management support for workload planning and introduction of the telephone first approach provided by two commercial companies. Main outcome measures  Number of consultations, total time consulting (59 telephone first practices, no controls). Patient experience (GP Patient Survey, telephone first practices plus controls). Use and costs of secondary care (hospital episode statistics, telephone first practices plus controls). The main analysis was intention to treat, with sensitivity analyses restricted to practices thought to be closely following the companies' protocols. Results  After the introduction of the telephone first approach, face to face consultations decreased considerably (adjusted change within practices -38%, 95% confidence interval -45% to -29%; P<0.001). An average practice experienced a 12-fold increase in telephone consultations (1204%, 633% to 2290%; P<0.001). The average duration of both telephone and face to face consultations decreased, but there was an overall increase of 8% in the mean time spent consulting by GPs, albeit with large uncertainty on this estimate (95% confidence interval -1% to 17%; P=0.088). These average workload figures mask wide variation between practices, with some practices experiencing a substantial reduction in workload and others a large increase. Compared with other English practices in the national GP Patient Survey, in practices using the telephone first approach there was a large (20.0 percentage points, 95

  14. Telephone Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain Following Traumatic Brain Injury

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-10-01

    impression of change, and life satisfaction (secondary outcomes) relative to a telephone-delivered pain psycho-educational active control condition...global impression of change, and life satisfaction (secondary outcomes) relative to a telephone-delivered pain psycho-educational active control...interference, sleep problems, and depression, as well as improving global impression of change and life satisfaction . •We will determine whether

  15. Telephone delivered interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in people with HIV infection.

    PubMed

    Gentry, Sarah; van-Velthoven, Michelle H M M T; Tudor Car, Lorainne; Car, Josip

    2013-05-31

    This is one of three Cochrane reviews examining the role of the telephone in HIV/AIDS services. Telephone interventions, delivered either by landline or mobile phone, may be useful in the management of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in many situations. Telephone delivered interventions have the potential to reduce costs, save time and facilitate more support for PLHIV. To assess the effectiveness of voice landline and mobile telephone delivered interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in people with HIV infection. We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, PubMed Central, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health, World Health Organisation's The Global Health Library and Current Controlled Trials from 1980 to June 2011. We searched the following grey literature sources: Dissertation Abstracts International, Centre for Agriculture Bioscience International Direct Global Health database, The System for Information on Grey Literature Europe, The Healthcare Management Information Consortium database, Google Scholar, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, International AIDS Society, AIDS Educational Global Information System and reference lists of articles. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised controlled trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time series studies comparing the effectiveness of telephone delivered interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in persons with HIV infection versus in-person interventions or usual care, regardless of demographic characteristics and in all settings. Both mobile and landline telephone interventions were included, but mobile phone messaging interventions were excluded. Two reviewers independently searched, screened, assessed study quality and extracted data. Primary outcomes were change in behaviour, healthcare uptake or clinical outcomes. Secondary outcomes were appropriateness of the

  16. The relative costs and benefits of telephone interviews versus self-administered diaries for daily data collection.

    PubMed

    Hoppe, M J; Gillmore, M R; Valadez, D L; Civic, D; Hartway, J; Morrison, D M

    2000-02-01

    This article compares two methods of collecting daily data: self-administered diaries and telephone interviews. Study participants included 44 men and 56 women between the ages of 16 and 35 who participated in a larger study of drinking, drug use, and sexual activity. Participants were randomly assigned to either the written diary or the telephone interview conditions; question wording and format were identical in both conditions. Daily data were collected for a period of 8 weeks. Results indicate that although telephone interviews resulted in slightly more missed days of data collection, they generally yielded less item-level missing data, produced cleaner data and therefore were less costly to process, and were as palatable to participants as self-administered diaries. Except for reports of drinking and vegetable consumption, telephone and diary conditions did not differ in the amount of behavior reported; more drinking and vegetable consumption were reported with telephone interviews, however. Telephone interviews also imposed considerably higher overall personnel costs.

  17. 26 CFR 49.4252-1 - General telephone service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... total charge made to a hotel or similar subscriber for general telephone service furnished to the hotel or its guests, but no tax attaches to any charge made by the hotel for service rendered in placing...

  18. 26 CFR 49.4252-1 - General telephone service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... total charge made to a hotel or similar subscriber for general telephone service furnished to the hotel or its guests, but no tax attaches to any charge made by the hotel for service rendered in placing...

  19. Telephone Encounters Predict Future High Financial Expenditures in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A 3-Year Prospective Observational Study.

    PubMed

    Click, Benjamin; Anderson, Alyce M; Ramos Rivers, Claudia; Koutroubakis, Ioannis E; Hashash, Jana G; Dunn, Michael A; Schwartz, Marc; Swoger, Jason; Barrie, Arthur; Szigethy, Eva; Regueiro, Miguel; Schoen, Robert E; Binion, David G

    2018-04-01

    Telephone activity is essential in management of complex chronic diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Telephone encounters logged in the electronic medical record have recently been proposed as a surrogate marker of disease activity and impending health care utilization; however, the association between telephone calls and financial expenditures has not been evaluated. We performed a 3-year prospective observational study of telephone encounters logged at a tertiary referral IBD center. We analyzed patient demographics, disease characteristics, comorbidities, clinical activity, and health care financial charges by telephone encounter frequency. Eight hundred one patients met inclusion criteria (52.3% female; mean age, 44.1 y), accounted for 12,669 telephone encounters, and accrued $70,513,449 in charges over 3 years. High telephone encounter frequency was associated with female gender (P=0.003), anxiety/depression (P<0.001), and prior IBD surgery (P<0.001). High telephone encounter categories had significantly more hospitalizations (P<0.001), IBD surgery (P<0.001), worse quality of life (P<0.001), more corticosteroid (P<0.001), biological (P<0.001), and opiate prescriptions (P<0.001). High telephone encounter frequency patients amassed higher total available charges in each year (P<0.001) and over the 3 years (P<0.001). Telephone encounters in 2009 (P=0.02) and 2010 (P<0.001) were significantly associated with financial charges the following year after controlling for demographic, utilization, and medication covariates. Increased telephone encounters are associated with significantly higher health care utilization and financial expenditures. Increased call frequency is predictive of future health care spending. Telephone encounters are a useful tool to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration and large financial expense.

  20. An assessesment of telephone assistance systems for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Garzón-Maldonado, F J; Gutiérrez-Bedmar, M; Serrano-Castro, V; Requena-Toro, M V; Padilla-Romero, L; García-Casares, N

    Telephone assistance is a common practice in neurology, although there are only a few studies about this type of healthcare. We have evaluated a Telephone Assistance System (TAS) for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from 2 points of view: financially and according to the level of satisfaction of the caregiver. 97 patients with a diagnosis of AD according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria and their 97 informal caregivers were selected. We studied cost differences between on-site assistance and telephone assistance (TAS) for 12 months. We used a self-administered questionnaire to assess the level of satisfaction of caregivers at the end of the study period. TAS savings amounted to 80.05 ± 27.07 euros per user. 73.6% of the caregivers consider TAS a better or much better system than on-site assistance, while only 2.6% of the caregivers considered TAS a worse or much worse system than on-site assistance. Telephone assistance systems are an efficient healthcare resource for monitoring patients with AD in neurology departments. Furthermore, the level of user satisfaction was high. We therefore consider that telephone assistance service should be offered by healthcare services. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  1. Effects of enterostomal nurse telephone follow-up on postoperative adjustment of discharged colostomy patients.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jun-e; Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; You, Li-ming; Zheng, Mei-chun; Li, Qiong; Zhang, Bing-yan; Huang, Man-rong; Ye, Xin-Mei; Liang, Ming-juan; Liu, Jin-ling

    2013-01-01

    People with a new colostomy encounter many difficulties as they struggle to adjust to their ostomies. Nurse telephone follow-up is a convenient way to ensure continuity of care. There is a paucity of studies testing if nurse telephone follow-up can enhance adjustment of postdischarged colostomy patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of enterostomal nurse telephone follow-up on the adjustment levels of discharged colostomy patients. This was a randomized controlled trial. Participants (n = 103) who had undergone colostomy operations in China were recruited and randomly assigned to the study or control group. Both the study and control groups received routine discharge care, whereas the study group received 2-3 nurse telephone calls in the follow-up period. The outcome measures included Ostomy Adjustment Scale, Stoma Self-efficacy Scale, satisfaction with care, and stoma complications. Results of this study indicated that participants in the study group had significantly better ostomy adjustment, higher stoma self-efficacy, higher satisfaction with care, and less stoma complications compared with those in the control group. This study provided evidence to support that enterostomal nurse telephone follow-up can improve patient ostomy adjustment level and other related outcomes. Nurse telephone follow-up is an effective intervention to support the adjustment of stoma patients after hospital discharge.

  2. Does extended proactive telephone support increase smoking cessation among low-income women using nicotine patches?

    PubMed

    Solomon, Laura J; Marcy, Theodore W; Howe, Kathleen D; Skelly, Joan M; Reinier, Kyndaron; Flynn, Brian S

    2005-03-01

    It is unclear whether proactive telephone support enhances smoking cessation beyond the provision of nicotine replacement therapy alone. We randomly assigned 330 low-income women smokers to receive either free nicotine patches (control condition) or free nicotine patches with up to 16 weeks of proactive telephone support (experimental condition). All participants were assessed by telephone at baseline and at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-baseline to determine smoking status. Results revealed a significant effect for the telephone support at 3 months, with 43% of experimental versus 26% of control condition women reporting 30-day point prevalent abstinence (P = 0.002). The difference was no longer significant at 6 months. A metaanalysis conducted with five randomized studies revealed a slight but non-significant long-term benefit of proactive telephone support when added to the provision of free nicotine patches for smoking cessation. This is the second study to demonstrate a short-term effect for proactive telephone support added to free nicotine replacement therapy; however, neither the current study, nor the metaanalysis including the four other published trials, confirmed a longer-term benefit.

  3. Equal Telecommunications Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Virginians (TDD/Message Relay Programs). Report to the Governor and the General Assembly of Virginia. House Document No. 9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virginia State Dept. for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Richmond.

    The report addresses issues of telecommunications access for hearing and speech impaired persons in Virginia. Six analyses were performed: (1) Accessibility of service organizations--over 89% of sample organizations were not accessible by a telecommunications device for the deaf and existing TDDs were underutilized; (2) Telephone use by persons…

  4. Telephone, print, and Web-based interventions for physical activity, diet, and weight control among cancer survivors: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Goode, Ana D; Lawler, Sheleigh P; Brakenridge, Charlotte L; Reeves, Marina M; Eakin, Elizabeth G

    2015-12-01

    Broad-reach (non-face-to-face) modalities offer an accessible and cost-effective means to provide behavior change programs in diverse and growing cancer survivor populations. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of physical activity, dietary, and/or weight control interventions for cancer survivors in which telephone, short-message service, print, and/or Web is the primary method of delivery. A structured search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and CENTRAL (May 2013) was conducted. Included studies focused and reported on physical activity (PA) and dietary change and/or weight control in adult cancer survivors, delivered at least 50% of intervention contacts by broad-reach modality and included a control group. Study design, intervention features, and behavioral/weight outcomes were extracted, tabulated, and summarized. Twenty-seven studies were included; 22 telephone, three Web, and two print. Sixteen studies targeted PA, two diet, and nine targeted multiple behaviors. Most studies (18/27) targeted a single survivor group, namely breast cancer (n = 12). Nineteen of 27 studies found evidence for initiation of behavior change, with only eight reporting on maintenance and one on cost-effectiveness. This review provides support for broad-reach modalities, particularly the telephone, in the delivery of lifestyle interventions to cancer survivors. Future research should evaluate (1) newer technologies (i.e., SMS and mobile phone applications), (2) interventions for diverse cancer survivors and those targeting multiple behaviors, (3) long-term outcomes, and 4) cost-effectiveness. Broad-reach lifestyle interventions are effective, with further research needed to evaluate their generalizability and integration into cancer care.

  5. The RESPECT Approach to Tailored Telephone Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brouse, Corey H.; Basch, Charles E.; Wolf, Randi L.

    2008-01-01

    Objective: The objective of the RESPECT approach to tailored telephone education (TTE) is described. This approach was shown to be highly effective through a randomized intervention trial for increasing the rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Methods: At the conclusion of the trial, the investigators identified the main principles that…

  6. Computer-automated dementia screening using a touch-tone telephone.

    PubMed

    Mundt, J C; Ferber, K L; Rizzo, M; Greist, J H

    2001-11-12

    This study investigated the sensitivity and specificity of a computer-automated telephone system to evaluate cognitive impairment in elderly callers to identify signs of early dementia. The Clinical Dementia Rating Scale was used to assess 155 subjects aged 56 to 93 years (n = 74, 27, 42, and 12, with a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale score of 0, 0.5, 1, and 2, respectively). These subjects performed a battery of tests administered by an interactive voice response system using standard Touch-Tone telephones. Seventy-four collateral informants also completed an interactive voice response version of the Symptoms of Dementia Screener. Sixteen cognitively impaired subjects were unable to complete the telephone call. Performances on 6 of 8 tasks were significantly influenced by Clinical Dementia Rating Scale status. The mean (SD) call length was 12 minutes 27 seconds (2 minutes 32 seconds). A subsample (n = 116) was analyzed using machine-learning methods, producing a scoring algorithm that combined performances across 4 tasks. Results indicated a potential sensitivity of 82.0% and specificity of 85.5%. The scoring model generalized to a validation subsample (n = 39), producing 85.0% sensitivity and 78.9% specificity. The kappa agreement between predicted and actual group membership was 0.64 (P<.001). Of the 16 subjects unable to complete the call, 11 provided sufficient information to permit us to classify them as impaired. Standard scoring of the interactive voice response-administered Symptoms of Dementia Screener (completed by informants) produced a screening sensitivity of 63.5% and 100% specificity. A lower criterion found a 90.4% sensitivity, without lowering specificity. Computer-automated telephone screening for early dementia using either informant or direct assessment is feasible. Such systems could provide wide-scale, cost-effective screening, education, and referral services to patients and caregivers.

  7. Accessible Support for Family Caregivers of Seniors with Chronic Conditions: From Isolation to Inclusion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Miriam; Barnfather, Alison; Neufeld, Anne; Warren, Sharon; Letourneau, Nicole; Liu, Lili

    2006-01-01

    Accessible support programs can improve health outcomes for family caregivers of older relatives with a chronic condition. Over the course of 6 months, 27 experienced family caregivers provided weekly support via the telephone to 66 individuals, either new family caregivers of seniors recently diagnosed with stroke or newly vulnerable family…

  8. A randomized trial of mailed questionnaires versus telephone interviews: Response patterns in a survey

    PubMed Central

    Feveile, Helene; Olsen, Ole; Hogh, Annie

    2007-01-01

    Background Data for health surveys are often collected using either mailed questionnaires, telephone interviews or a combination. Mode of data collection can affect the propensity to refuse to respond and result in different patterns of responses. The objective of this paper is to examine and quantify effects of mode of data collection in health surveys. Methods A stratified sample of 4,000 adults residing in Denmark was randomised to mailed questionnaires or computer-assisted telephone interviews. 45 health-related items were analyzed; four concerning behaviour and 41 concerning self assessment. Odds ratios for more positive answers and more frequent use of extreme response categories (both positive and negative) among telephone respondents compared to questionnaire respondents were estimated. Tests were Bonferroni corrected. Results For the four health behaviour items there were no significant differences in the response patterns. For 32 of the 41 health self assessment items the response pattern was statistically significantly different and extreme response categories were used more frequently among telephone respondents (Median estimated odds ratio: 1.67). For a majority of these mode sensitive items (26/32), a more positive reporting was observed among telephone respondents (Median estimated odds ratio: 1.73). The overall response rate was similar among persons randomly assigned to questionnaires (58.1%) and to telephone interviews (56.2%). A differential nonresponse bias for age and gender was observed. The rate of missing responses was higher for questionnaires (0.73 – 6.00%) than for telephone interviews (0 – 0.51%). The "don't know" option was used more often by mail respondents (10 – 24%) than by telephone respondents (2 – 4%). Conclusion The mode of data collection affects the reporting of self assessed health items substantially. In epidemiological studies, the method effect may be as large as the effects under investigation. Caution is needed

  9. Evaluation of the use and usefulness of telephone consultations in one general practice.

    PubMed Central

    Nagle, J P; McMahon, K; Barbour, M; Allen, D

    1992-01-01

    In one practice with 14,000 patients an advice line was set aside at designated times to enable patients to speak directly to a doctor on the telephone. The aim of this study was to determine who used the line, why they called, the conditions callers presented with, the action taken by the doctor and whether patients and doctors thought the service was a good idea. A total of 277 calls were made during the five month study period. Responses to a questionnaire were received from doctors for all 277 calls and from 152 patients. It was found that most calls lasted about three minutes. Most of the callers (59%) were known to the doctor taking the call. Users of the advice line were most likely to be women, married people and people with children. Equal numbers of calls were received about new and existing problems. The most frequent reason for calling was to obtain the result of a test (21% of calls). The most frequent diagnosis by the doctors was chronic complaints for which the patient was already receiving treatment (19%). The data from patients and doctors were similar. In 30% of cases callers were advised to take medicine, mostly a prescription to be collected (16%), while a few callers received a home visit (7%). Doctors thought they provided reassurance in 26% of cases while callers thought they had received reassurance in 43% of cases. If the advice line had not been available three quarters of the respondents would have made an appointment and 13% would have asked the doctor to make a home visit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1389429

  10. A Telephone Support Program for Adult Day Center Caregivers: Early Indications of Impact

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gendron, Tracey; Pelco, Lynn E.; Pryor, Jennifer; Barsness, Sonya; Seward, Lynne

    2013-01-01

    The Virginia Commonwealth University/A Grace Place Caregiver Telephone Support Pilot Program was developed as a service-learning experience for graduate students to address the need for family caregiver support services. The Telephone Support Program was developed by the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Gerontology, in collaboration…

  11. 29 CFR 1926.1420 - Signals-radio, telephone or other electronic transmission of signals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 8 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Signals-radio, telephone or other electronic transmission of signals. 1926.1420 Section 1926.1420 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL... CONSTRUCTION Cranes and Derricks in Construction § 1926.1420 Signals—radio, telephone or other electronic...

  12. 29 CFR 1926.1420 - Signals-radio, telephone or other electronic transmission of signals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 8 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Signals-radio, telephone or other electronic transmission of signals. 1926.1420 Section 1926.1420 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL... CONSTRUCTION Cranes and Derricks in Construction § 1926.1420 Signals—radio, telephone or other electronic...

  13. Speech Recognition of Bimodal Cochlear Implant Recipients Using a Wireless Audio Streaming Accessory for the Telephone.

    PubMed

    Wolfe, Jace; Morais, Mila; Schafer, Erin

    2016-02-01

    The goals of the present investigation were (1) to evaluate recognition of recorded speech presented over a mobile telephone for a group of adult bimodal cochlear implant users, and (2) to measure the potential benefits of wireless hearing assistance technology (HAT) for mobile telephone speech recognition using bimodal stimulation (i.e., a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid on the other ear). A three-by-two-way repeated measures design was used to evaluate mobile telephone sentence-recognition performance differences obtained in quiet and in noise with and without the wireless HAT accessory coupled to the hearing aid alone, CI sound processor alone, and in the bimodal condition. Outpatient cochlear implant clinic. Sixteen bimodal users with Nucleus 24, Freedom, CI512, or CI422 cochlear implants participated in this study. Performance was measured with and without the use of a wireless HAT for the telephone used with the hearing aid alone, CI alone, and bimodal condition. CNC word recognition in quiet and in noise with and without the use of a wireless HAT telephone accessory in the hearing aid alone, CI alone, and bimodal conditions. Results suggested that the bimodal condition gave significantly better speech recognition on the mobile telephone with the wireless HAT. A wireless HAT for the mobile telephone provides bimodal users with significant improvement in word recognition in quiet and in noise over the mobile telephone.

  14. Automated telephone reminder messages can assist electronic diabetes care.

    PubMed

    Mollon, Brent; Holbrook, Anne M; Keshavjee, Karim; Troyan, Sue; Gaebel, Kathryn; Thabane, Lehana; Perera, Gihan

    2008-01-01

    Telephone reminder systems have been used to assist in the treatment of many chronic diseases. However, it is unclear if these systems can increase medication and appointment adherence in patients with diabetes without direct patient-provider telephone contact. We tested the feasibility of using an automated telephone reminder system (ATRS) to deliver reminder messages to 253 adults with diabetes enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four percent of the patients were able to register using voice recognition and at least one reminder was delivered to 95% of registered patients over a period of 7.5 months. None of the demographic features studied predicted a patient's ability to enroll or to receive reminder calls. At the end of the study, 63% of patients indicated that they wished to continue to receive ATRS calls. The level of system use as determined by the number of received reminder calls was not associated with a change in the number of physician visits or diabetes-related laboratory tests during follow-up. The clinical benefits and sustainability of ATRS remain unproven, but our results indicate that an automated reminder system can be effective for providing messages to a large group of older patients with diabetes.

  15. Access Barriers to Distance Education in Secondary Career and Technical Education Programs in Central Virginia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwyn, Patrell Vachyi

    2010-01-01

    The qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceived institutional access barriers to distance education at comprehensive high schools with secondary career and technical education programs in central Virginia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data via email, telephone, and face-to-face. A purposive sample of 24…

  16. Follow-up after telephone consultations at out-of-hours primary care.

    PubMed

    Huibers, Linda; Koetsenruijter, Jan; Grol, Richard; Giesen, Paul; Wensing, Michel

    2013-01-01

    After a contact with a primary care physician (PCP) cooperative for out-of-hours care, many patients have subsequent contact with health care. Little is known about the factors associated with these follow-up contacts. The objective of this study was to examine whether patient experiences with nurse telephone consultations and the cooperative's organizational characteristics were associated with the probability of follow-up contact. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients attending 16 Dutch PCP cooperatives (2009 to 2011) using a validated questionnaire to measure patient experiences with nurse telephone consultations and patient-reported follow-up. Participating cooperatives provided information on 12 organizational characteristics. Multilevel regression modeling was used to identify associations. A total of 7039 patients returned a questionnaire (50.4%), of which 5678 were complete. About half of patients reported a follow-up contact (47%). Regression analyses showed increasing probability of follow-up contact in patients with higher age (≥65 years; odds ratio [OR], 2.39), patients receiving a home visit (OR, 1.32), and cooperatives with a higher percentage of telephone consultations (OR, 1.02) and a decreased probability among patients with more positive experiences with a nurse via telephone contact (OR, 0.68). Although follow-up contacts can be medically required, a substantial number of contacts seem to be not required and thus are potentially avoidable (eg, by changes in work routine and communication).

  17. Emotional first aid for a suicide crisis: comparison between Telephonic hotline and internet.

    PubMed

    Gilat, Itzhak; Shahar, Golan

    2007-01-01

    The telephone and the internet have become popular sources of psychological help in various types of distress, including a suicide crisis. To gain more insight into the unique features of these media, we compared characteristics of calls to three technologically mediated sources of help that are part of the volunteer-based Israeli Association for Emotional First Aid (ERAN): Telephonic hotline (n = 4426), personal chat (n = 373) and an asynchronous online support group (n = 954). Threats of suicide were much more frequent among participants in the asynchronous support group than the telephone and personal chat. These findings encourage further research into suicide-related interpersonal exchanges in asynchronous online support groups.

  18. Supporting family carers through telephone-mediated group programs: opportunities for gerontological social workers.

    PubMed

    Shanley, Chris

    2008-01-01

    Telephone-mediated group programs are an important but under-utilized medium for reaching frail or disabled older persons' family carers who are in need of support. The primary purpose and style of group programs can range across a broad spectrum-encompassing educational, supportive and therapeutic types. Gerontological social workers are the members of the multidisciplinary care team whose training, experience and supervision makes them most suitable for facilitating this broad range of group types. Drawing on the experience of training a number of group facilitators, this article provides suggestions for social workers contemplating the use of telephone-mediated groups and highlights groupwork skills peculiar to conducting group programs via the telephone.

  19. 47 CFR 32.2351 - Public telephone terminal equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Public telephone terminal equipment. 32.2351 Section 32.2351 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Balance Sheet Accounts § 32...

  20. The SPAN cookbook: A practical guide to accessing SPAN

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mason, Stephanie; Tencati, Ronald D.; Stern, David M.; Capps, Kimberly D.; Dorman, Gary; Peters, David J.

    1990-01-01

    This is a manual for remote users who wish to send electronic mail messages from the Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) to scientific colleagues on other computer networks and vice versa. In several instances more than one gateway has been included for the same network. Users are provided with an introduction to each network listed with helpful details about accessing the system and mail syntax examples. Also included is information on file transfers, remote logins, and help telephone numbers.

  1. Free nicotine patches plus proactive telephone peer support to help low-income women stop smoking.

    PubMed

    Solomon, L J; Scharoun, G M; Flynn, B S; Secker-Walker, R H; Sepinwall, D

    2000-07-01

    This study tested the impact of free nicotine patches plus proactive telephone peer support to help low-income women stop smoking. A total of 214 Medicaid-eligible women smokers of childbearing age were randomized to receive free nicotine patches through the mail or free nicotine patches through the mail plus the provision of proactive support by telephone from a woman ex-smoker for up to 3 months. Assessments were conducted by telephone at baseline, 10 days, and 3 and 6 months after enrollment. At the 3-month follow-up, significantly more women in the patch plus proactive telephone support condition were abstinent (42%) compared to the patch only condition (28%) (P = 0.03). Similarly, more women in the experimental condition were abstinent at both the 10-day and 3-month assessments (32 v 19%, P = 0.02). However, differences were not found at the 6-month follow-up, suggesting that the addition of proactive telephone peer support enhanced short-term, but not long-term cessation. This is the first study to demonstrate a beneficial effect for the addition of proactive telephone support as an adjunct to free nicotine replacement in a low-income population. Copyright 2000 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.

  2. Association between Enhanced Access Services in Pediatric Primary Care and Utilization of Emergency Departments: A National Parent Survey

    PubMed Central

    Zickafoose, Joseph S.; DeCamp, Lisa R.; Prosser, Lisa A.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To measure the prevalence of enhanced access services in pediatric primary care and to assess whether enhanced access services are associated with lower emergency department (ED) utilization. Study design Internet-based survey of a national sample of parents (n=820, response rate 41%). We estimated the prevalence of reported enhanced access services and ED use in the prior 12 months. We then used multivariate negative binomial regression to assess associations between enhanced access services and ED use. Results The majority of parents reported access to advice by telephone during office hours (80%), same-day sick visits (79%), and advice by telephone outside office hours (54%). Fewer than one-half of parents reported access to their child’s primary care office on weekends (47%), after 5:00 pm on any night (23%), or by email (13%). Substantial proportions of parents reported that they did not know if these services were available (7-56%, depending on service). Office hours after 5:00 pm on ≥5 nights a week was the only service significantly associated with ED utilization in multivariate analysis (adjusted incidence rate ratio: 0.51 [95% CI 0.28-0.92]). Conclusions The majority of parents report enhanced access to their child’s primary care office during office hours, but many parents do not have access or do not know if they have access outside of regular office hours. Extended office hours may be the most effective practice change to reduce emergency department use. Primary care practices should prioritize the most effective enhanced access services and communicate existing services to families. PMID:23759421

  3. Educator and Participant Perceptions and Cost Analysis of Stage-Tailored Educational Telephone Calls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esters, Onikia N.; Boeckner, Linda S.; Hubert, Melanie; Horacek, Tanya; Kritsch, Karen R.; Oakland, Mary J.; Lohse, Barbara; Greene, Geoffrey; Nitzke, Susan

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To identify strengths and weaknesses of nutrition education via telephone calls as part of a larger stage-of-change tailored intervention with mailed materials. Design: Evaluative feedback was elicited from educators who placed the calls and respondents who received the calls. Setting: An internet and telephone survey of 10 states in…

  4. 47 CFR 64.3002 - Transition to 911 as the universal emergency telephone number.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Transition to 911 as the universal emergency... Telephone Number § 64.3002 Transition to 911 as the universal emergency telephone number. As of December 11, 2001, except where 911 is already established as the exclusive emergency number to reach a PSAP within...

  5. Exploring Culture from a Distance: The Utility of Telephone Interviews in Qualitative Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lechuga, Vicente M.

    2012-01-01

    Qualitative studies that utilize telephone interviews, as a primary data collection mode, often are not discussed in the qualitative research literature. Data excerpts from a study that sought to understand the culture of for-profit universities are used to illustrate the types of data that can be garnered through telephone interviews. In…

  6. PAL-MED CONNECT ®: a telephone consultation hotline for palliative medicine questions.

    PubMed

    Carr, Connie H; McNeal, Helen; Regalado, Elaine; Nelesen, Richard A; Lloyd, Linda S

    2013-03-01

    Community physicians are often ill-prepared for the management of complex symptoms. With a shortage of board certified physicians in palliative medicine to assist, the result is a lack of access to critical pain and symptom management expertise to care for seriously ill Californians. We report on a palliative medicine telephone hotline available to health care professionals. San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine received a grant to provide a telephone hotline for health care professionals to assist in answering clinical questions relating to palliative care. An extensive marketing campaign was initiated to publicize the service. Information from the calls was collected over a 2.5-year period. The data included referral source, geographic area, diagnosis, and reason for call. Satisfaction surveys were sent following each call. During the first 2.5 years of operation 498 calls were recorded. Although marketing was directed within the state of California, the majority of calls originated outside the state after the first year (66%). Approximately 43% of calls came from physicians, followed by 22% from registered nurses, 15% from nurse practitioners, and 6% from pharmacists. Nearly half of the calls were received from repeat callers. The most frequent topics for callers were related to pain and symptom management (29%), followed by hospice care (21%), medication dosing, and general palliative care (14% each). Ninety-five percent of the callers completed the satisfaction survey with 89% likely to use the service again. The hotline proved to be a valuable resource for health care providers caring for patients requiring palliative care as evidenced by the steady increase in the number of calls over the initial 2.5 years of operation. Future research on how the information directly impacted patient care might generate data to support the continuation of this service via partnerships with other organizations.

  7. 78 FR 14701 - Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-07

    ...] Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and..., the information collection associated with the Commission's Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned... Registration and Documentation of Disability for Eligibility to Use IP Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket...

  8. 77 FR 56814 - Notice of Telephonic Prehearing Conference

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-14

    ... Conference AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice of telephonic...) Petitions for leave to intervene; (2) Motions, including motions for consolidation of proceedings and for certification of class actions; (3) Identification, simplification and clarification of the issues; (4...

  9. Learning how to learn using simulation: Unpacking disguised feedback using a qualitative analysis of doctors' telephone talk.

    PubMed

    Eppich, Walter J; Rethans, Jan-Joost; Dornan, Timothy; Teunissen, Pim W

    2018-05-04

    Telephone talk between clinicians represents a substantial workplace activity in postgraduate clinical education, yet junior doctors receive little training in goal-directed, professional telephone communication. To assess educational needs for telephone talk and develop a simulation-based educational intervention. Thematic analysis of 17 semi-structured interviews with doctors-in-training from various training levels and specialties. We identified essential elements to incorporate into simulation-based telephone talk, including common challenging situations for junior doctors as well as explicit and informal aspects that promote learning. These elements have implications for both junior doctors and clinical supervisors, including: (a) explicit teaching and feedback practices and (b) informal conversational interruptions and questions. The latter serve as "disguised" feedback, which aligns with recent conceptualizations of feedback as "performance relevant information". In addition to preparing clinical supervisors to support learning through telephone talk, we propose several potential educational strategies: (a) embedding telephone communication skills throughout simulation activities and (b) developing stand-alone curricular elements to sensitize junior doctors to "disguised" feedback during telephone talk as a mechanism to augment future workplace learning, i.e. 'learning how to learn' through simulation.

  10. Children's Concerns about Their Parents' Health and Well-Being: Researching with ChildLine Scotland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Backett-Milburn, Kathryn; Jackson, Sharon

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on collaborative research conducted with ChildLine Scotland, a free, confidential, telephone counselling service, using their database. We focussed on children's calls about parental health and well-being and how this affected their own lives. Children's concerns emerged within multi-layered calls in which they discussed…

  11. 'Putting Life in Years' (PLINY) telephone friendship groups research study: pilot randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Mountain, Gail A; Hind, Daniel; Gossage-Worrall, Rebecca; Walters, Stephen J; Duncan, Rosie; Newbould, Louise; Rex, Saleema; Jones, Carys; Bowling, Ann; Cattan, Mima; Cairns, Angela; Cooper, Cindy; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Goyder, Elizabeth C

    2014-04-24

    Loneliness in older people is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We undertook a parallel-group randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telephone befriending for the maintenance of HRQoL in older people. An internal pilot tested the feasibility of the trial and intervention. Participants aged >74 years, with good cognitive function, living independently in one UK city were recruited through general practices and other sources, then randomised to: (1) 6 weeks of short one-to-one telephone calls, followed by 12 weeks of group telephone calls with up to six participants, led by a trained volunteer facilitator; or (2) a control group. The main trial required the recruitment of 248 participants in a 1-year accrual window, of whom 124 were to receive telephone befriending. The pilot specified three success criteria which had to be met in order to progress the main trial to completion: recruitment of 68 participants in 95 days; retention of 80% participants at 6 months; successful delivery of telephone befriending by local franchise of national charity. The primary clinical outcome was the Short Form (36) Health Instrument (SF-36) Mental Health (MH) dimension score collected by telephone 6 months following randomisation. We informed 9,579 older people about the study. Seventy consenting participants were randomised to the pilot in 95 days, with 56 (80%) providing valid primary outcome data (26 intervention, 30 control). Twenty-four participants randomly allocated to the research arm actually received telephone befriending due to poor recruitment and retention of volunteer facilitators. The trial was closed early as a result. The mean 6-month SF-36 MH scores were 78 (SD 18) and 71 (SD 21) for the intervention and control groups, respectively (mean difference, 7; 95% CI, -3 to 16). Recruitment and retention of participants to a definitive trial with a recruitment window of 1 year is feasible. For

  12. Educator and participant perceptions and cost analysis of stage-tailored educational telephone calls.

    PubMed

    Esters, Onikia N; Boeckner, Linda S; Hubert, Melanie; Horacek, Tanya; Kritsch, Karen R; Oakland, Mary J; Lohse, Barbara; Greene, Geoffrey; Nitzke, Susan

    2008-01-01

    To identify strengths and weaknesses of nutrition education via telephone calls as part of a larger stage-of-change tailored intervention with mailed materials. Evaluative feedback was elicited from educators who placed the calls and respondents who received the calls. An internet and telephone survey of 10 states in the midwestern United States. 21 educators in 10 states reached via the internet and 50 young adults reached via telephone. VARIABLES MEASURED AND ANALYSIS: Rankings of intervention components, ratings of key aspects of educational calls, and cost data (as provided by a lead researcher in each state) were summarized via descriptive statistics. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS: Educational calls used 6 to 17 minutes of preparation time, required 8 to 15 minutes of contact time, and had a mean estimated cost of $5.82 per call. Low-income young adults favored print materials over educational calls. However, the calls were reported to have positive effects on motivating participants to set goals. Educators who use educational telephone calls to reach young adults, a highly mobile target audience, may require a robust and flexible contact plan.

  13. 78 FR 54201 - Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-03

    ...] Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and... further possible actions necessary to improve internet protocol captioned telephone relay service (IP CTS... for calculating the compensation rate paid to IP CTS providers. This action is necessary to ensure...

  14. 47 CFR 68.110 - Compatibility of the public switched telephone network and terminal equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... network and terminal equipment. 68.110 Section 68.110 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK Conditions on Use of Terminal Equipment § 68.110 Compatibility of the public switched telephone network and...

  15. 47 CFR 68.110 - Compatibility of the public switched telephone network and terminal equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... network and terminal equipment. 68.110 Section 68.110 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK Conditions on Use of Terminal Equipment § 68.110 Compatibility of the public switched telephone network and...

  16. 76 FR 79607 - Local Number Portability Porting Interval and Validation Requirements; Telephone Number Portability

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-22

    ... 11-1954] Local Number Portability Porting Interval and Validation Requirements; Telephone Number... information when the new service provider requests a CSR: any working telephone number associated with the...://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs . For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional information on...

  17. TimeSet: A computer program that accesses five atomic time services on two continents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petrakis, P. L.

    1993-01-01

    TimeSet is a shareware program for accessing digital time services by telephone. At its initial release, it was capable of capturing time signals only from the U.S. Naval Observatory to set a computer's clock. Later the ability to synchronize with the National Institute of Standards and Technology was added. Now, in Version 7.10, TimeSet is able to access three additional telephone time services in Europe - in Sweden, Austria, and Italy - making a total of five official services addressable by the program. A companion program, TimeGen, allows yet another source of telephone time data strings for callers equipped with TimeSet version 7.10. TimeGen synthesizes UTC time data strings in the Naval Observatory's format from an accurately set and maintained DOS computer clock, and transmits them to callers. This allows an unlimited number of 'freelance' time generating stations to be created. Timesetting from TimeGen is made feasible by the advent of Becker's RighTime, a shareware program that learns the drift characteristics of a computer's clock and continuously applies a correction to keep it accurate, and also brings .01 second resolution to the DOS clock. With clock regulation by RighTime and periodic update calls by the TimeGen station to an official time source via TimeSet, TimeGen offers the same degree of accuracy within the resolution of the computer clock as any official atomic time source.

  18. Supporting Family Carers Through Telephone-Mediated Group Programs: Opportunities For Gerontological Social Workers.

    PubMed

    Shanley, Chris

    2008-01-01

    Telephone-mediated group programs are an important but under-utilized medium for reaching frail or disabled older persons' family carers who are in need of support. The primary purpose and style of group programs can range across a broad spectrum–encompassing educational, supportive and therapeutic types. Gerontological social workers are the members of the multidisciplinary care team whose training, experience and supervision makes them most suitable for facilitating this broad range of group types. Drawing on the experience of training a number of group facilitators, this article provides suggestions for social workers contemplating the use of telephone-mediated groups and highlights groupwork skills peculiar to conducting group programs via the telephone.

  19. The Effectiveness of Reverse Telephon Emergency Warning Systems in the October 2007 San Diego Wildfires

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sorensen, John H; Sorensen, Barbara Vogt

    2009-01-01

    Late in October, 2007, fast-moving wildfires fueled by extreme Santa Ana winds threatened residents and their properties in San Diego County, California. The impacted area also included the City of San Diego within the County s boundaries. It turns out the San Diego firestorms would be the biggest in the County's history, surpassing the devastating 2003 firestorms in intensity, duration, and impacted populations. Both San Diego County and the City of San Diego have installed telephone reverse call-down emergency warning systems. A telephone survey of 1200 households located in areas identified by emergency officials as the evacuation zones for themore » 2007 fires was conducted in late March and early April 2008 using a random telephone dialing process to determine if people responded to the reverse telephone warning systems calls. Findings indicate that those who received a reverse emergency warning call were much more likely to evacuate than those who did not receive a call. The telephone calls were also the most likely source of first warning.« less

  20. The effectiveness of telephone counselling in the treatment of illicit drug and alcohol use concerns.

    PubMed

    Gates, Peter; Albertella, Lucy

    2016-03-01

    Technology-assisted substance use interventions such as 'high-tech' internet-based treatments are thought to be effective; however, the relatively 'low-tech' use of telephone counselling does not yet have an established evidence base. This paper reviews the literature including articles with information on the use of telephone counselling for the treatment of illicit drug or alcohol use. A systematic literature search using a set of telephone counselling and substance-related terms was conducted across four electronic databases. English studies prior to June 2014 that involved the use of telephone counselling with the treatment of illicit drug or alcohol use as a primary or secondary outcome were included. Review papers, opinion pieces, letters or editorials, case studies, published abstracts, and posters were excluded. In all, 94 publications were included in the review. The literature was supportive of telephone counselling for the treatment of alcohol use in the short term; however, literature regarding illicit drug use was particularly scarce. The generalisability of findings was limited by evident methodological issues in the included studies. © The Author(s) 2015.

  1. Safety of clinical and non-clinical decision makers in telephone triage: a narrative review.

    PubMed

    Wheeler, Sheila Q; Greenberg, Mary E; Mahlmeister, Laura; Wolfe, Nicole

    2015-09-01

    Patient safety is a persistent problem in telephone triage research; however, studies have not differentiated between clinicians' and non-clinicians' respective safety. Currently, four groups of decision makers perform aspects of telephone triage: clinicians (physicians, nurses), and non-clinicians (emergency medical dispatchers (EMD) and clerical staff). Using studies published between 2002-2012, we applied Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model to examine groups' systems for evidence of system completeness (a minimum measure of structure and quality). We defined system completeness as the presence of a decision maker and four additional components: guidelines, documentation, training, and standards. Defining safety as appropriate referrals (AR) - (right time, right place with the right person), we measured each groups' corresponding AR rate percentages (outcomes). We analyzed each group's respective decision-making process as a safe match to the telephone triage task, based on each group's system structure completeness, process and AR rates (outcome). Studies uniformly noted system component presence: nurses (2-4), physicians (1), EMDs (2), clerical staff (1). Nurses had the highest average appropriate referral (AR) rates (91%), physicians' AR (82% average). Clerical staff had no system and did not perform telephone triage by standard definitions; EMDs may represent the use of the wrong system. Telephone triage appears least safe after hours when decision makers with the least complete systems (physicians, clerical staff) typically manage calls. At minimum, telephone triage decision makers should be clinicians; however, clinicians' safety calls for improvement. With improved training, standards and CDSS quality, the 24/7 clinical call center has potential to represent the national standard. © The Author(s) 2015.

  2. Accessing specialty behavioral health treatment in private health plans.

    PubMed

    Merrick, Elizabeth L; Horgan, Constance M; Garnick, Deborah W; Reif, Sharon; Stewart, Maureen T

    2009-10-01

    Connecting people to mental health and substance abuse services is critical, given the extent of unmet need. The way health plans structure access to care can play a role. This study examined treatment entry procedures for specialty behavioral health care in private health plans and their relationship with behavioral health contracting arrangements, focusing primarily on initial entry into outpatient treatment. The data source was a nationally representative health plan survey on behavioral health services in 2003 (N = 368 plans with 767 managed care products; 83% response rate). Most health plan products initially authorized six or more outpatient visits if authorization was required, did not routinely conduct telephonic clinical assessment, had standards for timely access, and monitored wait time. Products with carve-outs differed on several treatment entry dimensions. Findings suggest that health plans focus on timely access and typically do not heavily manage initial entry into outpatient treatment.

  3. Telephone based cognitive-behavioral screening for frontotemporal changes in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

    PubMed

    Christodoulou, Georgia; Gennings, Chris; Hupf, Jonathan; Factor-Litvak, Pam; Murphy, Jennifer; Goetz, Raymond R; Mitsumoto, Hiroshi

    Our objective was to establish a valid and reliable battery of measures to evaluate frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in patients with ALS over the telephone. Thirty-one subjects were administered either in-person or by telephone-based screening followed by the opposite mode of testing two weeks later, using a modified version of the UCSF Cognitive Screening Battery. Equivalence testing was performed for in-person and telephone based tests. The standard ALS Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS) showed statistical equivalence at the 5% significance level compared to a revised phone version of the ALS-CBS. In addition, the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) and Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) were also found to be equivalent at the 5% and 10% significance level, respectively. Similarly, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the well-established Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) were also statistically equivalent. Equivalence could not be claimed for the ALS-Frontal Behavioral Inventory (ALS-FBI) caregiver interview and the Written Verbal Fluency Index (WVFI). In conclusion, our study suggests that telephone-based versions of the ALS-CBS, COWAT, and CNS-LS may offer clinicians valid tools to detect frontotemporal changes in the ALS population. Development of telephone based cognitive testing for ALS could become an integral resource for population based research in the future.

  4. [COOP/WONCA: Reliability and validity of the test administered by telephone].

    PubMed

    Pedrero-Pérez, Eduardo J; Díaz-Olalla, José Manuel

    2016-01-01

    The COOP/WONCA test was initially proposed as a self-report in which the answers were supported by drawings illustrating the state investigated. Subsequent studies have confirmed its usefulness as a mere verbal self-report face-to-face administered. No data have been found about its useful when administered by telephone interview. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the COOP / WONCA test to measure Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) administered by telephone and compare them with those obtained in other forms of prior administration. Cross-sectional study on a random. City of Madrid. Random sample of 802 adult subjects, representative of the adult population in Madrid, obtained by stratification from the population census. Questionnaire COOP/WONCA with 9 ítems included in a broader battery, administered by telephone interview. The unrestricted factor analysis points to the unifactoriality of the scale, which measures a single latent construct (HRQOL), showing high internal consistency, not significantly different from those found by face-to-face administration, ruling out the existence of biases in the phone modality. The COOP/WONCA test appears as a reliable and valid measure of HRQOL and telephonic administration allows to assume no changes in the results, which can reduce costs in population studies, increasing efficiency without loss of quality in the information collected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. [Symbolical violence in the access of disabled persons to basic health units].

    PubMed

    de França, Inacia Sátiro Xavier; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; Baptista, Rosilene Santos; de França, Eurípedes Gil; Coura, Alexsandro Silva; de Souza, Jeová Alves

    2010-01-01

    A descriptive study which aimed to characterize the conditions of people with disabilities (PD) in the Basic Health Units-UBS. Data were collected in January 2009 in 20 UBSF. It was used digital camera and check list based on the 9050-NBR ABNT. The results showed: Access town - no traffic lights (100%) of lanes for pedestrians (100%), bumpy sidewalks (90%); Access in UBS: non-standard ports (30%) staircases without banisters (20%); floor outside the standard (75%), in disagreement with standard mobile (20%), drinking at odds with standard (55%), making it difficult to people with disabilities to use a filter (30%), has no drinking or filters (15%); telephones installed inadequately (55%); inaccessible restrooms (96%). Access to UBS of PD is permeated by the symbolic violence.

  6. 25 CFR 169.26 - Telephone and telegraph lines; radio, television, and other communications facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... width in excess of 50 feet on each side of the centerline, unless special requirements are clearly set forth in the application which fully justify a width in excess of 50 feet on each side of the centerline... from those showing the line of route, and shall be drawn to a scale of 50 feet to an inch. Such maps...

  7. 25 CFR 169.26 - Telephone and telegraph lines; radio, television, and other communications facilities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... width in excess of 50 feet on each side of the centerline, unless special requirements are clearly set forth in the application which fully justify a width in excess of 50 feet on each side of the centerline... from those showing the line of route, and shall be drawn to a scale of 50 feet to an inch. Such maps...

  8. An Administrator's Guide to Installing a Telephone System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forbes, Phyllis Rossiter

    1986-01-01

    Guidelines for administrators concerning installation of a new campus telephone system address these issues: where to start; location and emergency power; the project team; paperwork; communication among those involved in installation; working with the local operating company; existing wiring; the external cable plant; special needs; and training…

  9. 24 CFR 3285.704 - Telephone and cable TV.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL MANUFACTURED HOME INSTALLATION STANDARDS Electrical Systems and Equipment § 3285... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Telephone and cable TV. 3285.704 Section 3285.704 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development...

  10. An Evaluation of Empathic Listening in Telephone Counseling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Libow, Judith A.; Doty, David W.

    1976-01-01

    Two counseling-analogue studies compared empathic-listening and active advice-giving styles of telephone counseling with college undergraduate participants. Results consistently indicated significant participant preference for active advice giving on overall call evaluation and on the two major factors (Helpfulness of Call and Helper Likability)…

  11. Database of emission lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Binette, L.; Ortiz, P.; Joguet, B.; Rola, C.

    1998-11-01

    A widely accessible data bank (available through Netscape) and consiting of all (or most) of the emission lines reported in the litterature is being built. It will comprise objects as diverse as HII regions, PN, AGN, HHO. One of its use will be to define/refine existing diagnostic emission line diagrams.

  12. 78 FR 8090 - Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-05

    ... communicate in a manner that is functionally equivalent to communication by conventional voice telephone users... actually need the service to communicate in a manner that is functionally equivalent to communication by... equivalent to communication by conventional voice telephone users. In fact, the unobtrusive nature of IP CTS...

  13. 77 FR 11529 - Nushagak Electric and Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-27

    ... Electric and Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and... Electric and Telephone Cooperative, Inc. filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section.../generator units; (5) a 40-foot-long, 20- foot-wide tailrace discharging flows from the powerhouse into Elva...

  14. The effect of telephone support to evacuees with risks of hypertension and diabetes mellitus after a disaster: the Fukushima Health Management Survey.

    PubMed

    Horikoshi, Naoko; Ohira, Tetsuya; Yasumura, Seiji; Yabe, Hirooki; Maeda, Masaharu

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Fukushima Medical University has been conducting the Fukushima Health Management Survey "Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey" annually as part of the health care of evacuees following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. This study aimed to clarify the effects of telephone support performed by nurses or public health nurses. In particular, we investigated the response rates for questionnaire of the following year and the recommended effect of medical support for evacuees with risks of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the fiscal year 2011 (FY2011).Methods The study population included evacuees (1,620 people) with risks of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in FY2011. We compared the participants' responses to the FY2012 survey and medical results based on those who received telephone support and those who did not.Results Evacuees who have received telephone support (telephone supporters) comprised 1,078 people. Evacuees who did not receive telephone support (non-telephone supporters) comprised 542 people. Telephone supporters consisted of more people from outside Fukushima prefecture (P=0.001), with above high school education (P<0.001), and who were unemployed (P<0.001) compared to non-telephone supporters. For the FY2012 survey, 616 telephone supporters responded (57.1%), while 248 non-telephone supporters responded (45.8%). The response rate of telephone supporters was significantly higher compared to non-telephone supporters for the FY2012 questionnaire (P<0.001). In addition, 184 (29.9%) telephone supporters and 68 (27.4%) non-telephone supporters underwent the medical examination. In the multivariate analysis, responses to the FY2012 questionnaire were significantly associated with receiving telephone support (P=0.016).Conclusion Telephone supporters had higher response rates for the questionnaire the following year compared to non-telephone supporters. Therefore, telephone support was effective in increasing the

  15. Telephone and In-Person Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Major Depression after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Bombardier, Charles H.; Vannoy, Steven; Dyer, Joshua; Ludman, Evette; Dikmen, Sureyya; Marshall, Kenneth; Barber, Jason; Temkin, Nancy

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Major depressive disorder (MDD) is prevalent after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, there is a lack of evidence regarding effective treatment approaches. We conducted a choice-stratified randomized controlled trial in 100 adults with MDD within 10 years of complicated mild to severe TBI to test the effectiveness of brief cognitive behavioral therapy administered over the telephone (CBT-T) (n=40) or in-person (CBT-IP) (n=18), compared with usual care (UC) (n=42). Participants were recruited from clinical and community settings throughout the United States. The main outcomes were change in depression severity on the clinician-rated 17 item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and the patient-reported Symptom Checklist-20 (SCL-20) over 16 weeks. There was no significant difference between the combined CBT and UC groups over 16 weeks on the HAMD-17 (treatment effect=1.2, 95% CI: −1.5–4.0; p=0.37) and a nonsignificant trend favoring CBT on the SCL-20 (treatment effect=0.28, 95% CI: −0.03–0.59; p=0.074). In follow-up comparisons, the CBT-T group had significantly more improvement on the SCL-20 than the UC group (treatment effect=0.36, 95% CI: 0.01–0.70; p=0.043) and completers of eight or more CBT sessions had significantly improved SCL-20 scores compared with the UC group (treatment effect=0.43, 95% CI: 0.10–0.76; p=0.011). CBT participants reported significantly more symptom improvement (p=0.010) and greater satisfaction with depression care (p<0.001), than did the UC group. In-person and telephone-administered CBT are acceptable and feasible in persons with TBI. Although further research is warranted, telephone CBT holds particular promise for enhancing access and adherence to effective depression treatment. PMID:25072405

  16. Randomised controlled trial of an automated, interactive telephone intervention to improve type 2 diabetes self-management (Telephone-Linked Care Diabetes Project): study protocol

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background An estimated 285 million people worldwide have diabetes and its prevalence is predicted to increase to 439 million by 2030. For the year 2010, it is estimated that 3.96 million excess deaths in the age group 20-79 years are attributable to diabetes around the world. Self-management is recognised as an integral part of diabetes care. This paper describes the protocol of a randomised controlled trial of an automated interactive telephone system aiming to improve the uptake and maintenance of essential diabetes self-management behaviours. Methods/Design A total of 340 individuals with type 2 diabetes will be randomised, either to the routine care arm, or to the intervention arm in which participants receive the Telephone-Linked Care (TLC) Diabetes program in addition to their routine care. The intervention requires the participants to telephone the TLC Diabetes phone system weekly for 6 months. They receive the study handbook and a glucose meter linked to a data uploading device. The TLC system consists of a computer with software designed to provide monitoring, tailored feedback and education on key aspects of diabetes self-management, based on answers voiced or entered during the current or previous conversations. Data collection is conducted at baseline (Time 1), 6-month follow-up (Time 2), and 12-month follow-up (Time 3). The primary outcomes are glycaemic control (HbA1c) and quality of life (Short Form-36 Health Survey version 2). Secondary outcomes include anthropometric measures, blood pressure, blood lipid profile, psychosocial measures as well as measures of diet, physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, foot care and medication taking. Information on utilisation of healthcare services including hospital admissions, medication use and costs is collected. An economic evaluation is also planned. Discussion Outcomes will provide evidence concerning the efficacy of a telephone-linked care intervention for self-management of diabetes. Furthermore

  17. Telephone counselling by nurses in Norwegian primary care out-of-hours services: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Midtbø, Vivian; Raknes, Guttorm; Hunskaar, Steinar

    2017-09-06

    The primary care out-of-hours (OOH) services in Norway are characterized by high contact rates by telephone. The telephone contacts are handled by local emergency medical communication centres (LEMCs), mainly staffed by registered nurses. When assessment by a medical doctor is not required, the nurse often handles the contact solely by nurse telephone counselling. Little is known about this group of contacts. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of encounters with the OOH services that are handled solely by nurse telephone counselling. Nurses recorded ICPC-2 reason for encounter (RFE) codes and patient characteristics of all patients who contacted six primary care OOH services in Norway during 2014. Descriptive statistics and frequency analyses were applied. Of all telephone contacts (n = 61,441), 23% were handled solely by nurse counselling. Fever was the RFE most frequently handled (7.3% of all nurse advice), followed by abdominal pain, cough, ear pain and general symptoms. Among the youngest patients, 32% of the total telephone contacts were resolved by nurse advice compared with 17% in the oldest age group. At night, 31% of the total telephone contacts were resolved solely by nurse advice compared with 21% during the day shift and 23% in the evening. The share of nurse advice was higher on weekdays compared to weekends (mean share 25% versus 20% respectively). This study shows that nurses make a significant contribution to patient management in the Norwegian OOH services. The findings indicate which conditions nurses should be able to handle by telephone, which has implications for training and routines in the LEMCs. There is the potential for more nurse involvement in several of the RFEs with a currently low share of nurse counselling.

  18. A pilot study on mobile phones as a means to access maternal health education in eastern rural Uganda.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Sanford; Birgisson, Natalia; Julia Chang, Diana; Koopman, Cheryl

    2015-01-01

    Maternal mortality in Uganda has remained relatively high since 2006. We studied access to mobile phones and people's interest in receiving audio-based maternal health lessons delivered via a toll-free telephone line. Interviews were conducted, using a male and a female translator, with 42 men and 41 women in four villages located in eastern rural Uganda. Most of the participants were recruited through systematic sampling, but some were recruited through community organizations and antenatal clinics. Ownership of a mobile phone was reported by 79% of men and by 42% of women. Among those who did not own a mobile phone, 67% of men and 88% of women reported regularly borrowing a mobile phone. Among women, 98% reported interest in receiving maternal mobile health lessons, and 100% of men. Providing local communities with mobile maternal health education offers a new potential method of reducing maternal mortality. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  19. Telephone screening for mild cognitive impairment in hispanics using the Alzheimer's questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Salazar, Ricardo; Velez, Carlos E; Royall, Donald R

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: There is a need for a simple and reliable screening test to detect individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors analyzed the relationship between performance of the Alzheimer's Questionnaire (AQ), an informant-rated measure of dementia-related behaviors, relative to the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified (TICS-m), Memory Impairment Scale-telephone version (MIS-t), and the Telephone Executive Assessment (TEXAS) as predictors of MCI. Comparative cross-sectional design, with data collected from participants in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium's (TARCC) San Antonio site. One-hundred percent of our sample was Hispanic. The San Antonio subset of TARCC sample is highly enriched with Mexican Americans (MAs). Fifty-five percent of the interviews were conducted in Spanish. Of the 184 persons enrolled, 124 were normal controls (NCs), and 60 participants had MCI. MCI status and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB) were determined through clinical consensus and performed blind to telephone assessments. Controlling for age, gender, education, and language of interview, the association between telephone measures and CDR-SOB was evaluated by multivariate regression. AQ scores were not affected by education, gender, and language of interview, but subject's age did show a positive correlation with informant AQ ratings. The AQ predicted CDR-SOB independently of the cognitive measures, adding variance above and beyond demographics. The TICS-m and the TEXAS appear to have additive value in improving the detection of cognitively impaired patients. The MIS-t failed to contribute significantly to CDR-SOB, independent of the other measures. The AQ may have utility as a culture-fair telephone screening for MCI. The AQ was able to modestly distinguish MCI from NCs. The TEXAS adds variance to a model of dementia severity independent of the AQ, suggesting that the latter may weakly assess that

  20. Telephone Equipment Installation and Repair Specialist (AFSC 36254).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Air Univ., Gunter AFS, Ala. Extension Course Inst.

    This document contains the four volumes of an Air Force correspondence course in telephone equipment installation and repair. Each volume consists of student learning objectives, information, exercises, and answers to exercises; a volume review exercise is included for each volume. The first volume includes information about career field duties…

  1. Telephone-delivered problem-solving training after mild traumatic brain injury: Qualitative analysis of service members' perceptions.

    PubMed

    Brockway, Jo Ann; St De Lore, Jef; Fann, Jesse R; Hart, Tessa; Hurst, Samantha; Fey-Hinckley, Sara; Savage, Jocelyn; Warren, Michael; Bell, Kathleen R

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the specific reasons for service members' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with problem-solving training (PST), telephone delivery, and other aspects of a telephone-delivered PST intervention in order to determine what might enhance this approach for future clinical use. Standard qualitative methods were employed, using a "process" coding strategy to explore the conceptual perceptions of the intervention experience as suggested by the data recorded from final telephone interviews of 80 service members who participated in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of telephone-delivered PST after having sustained concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries during recent (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Patient-Provider Communication: Does Electronic Messaging Reduce Incoming Telephone Calls?

    PubMed

    Dexter, Eve N; Fields, Scott; Rdesinski, Rebecca E; Sachdeva, Bhavaya; Yamashita, Daisuke; Marino, Miguel

    2016-01-01

    Internet-based patient portals are increasingly being implemented throughout health care organizations to enhance health and optimize communication between patients and health professionals. The decision to adopt a patient portal requires careful examination of the advantages and disadvantages of implementation. This study aims to investigate 1 proposed advantage of implementation: alleviating some of the clinical workload faced by employees. A retrospective time-series analysis of the correlation between the rate of electronic patient-to-provider messages-a common attribute of Internet-based patient portals-and incoming telephone calls. The rate of electronic messages and incoming telephone calls were monitored from February 2009 to June 2014 at 4 economically diverse clinics (a federally qualified health center, a rural health clinic, a community-based clinic, and a university-based clinic) related to 1 university hospital. All 4 clinics showed an increase in the rate of portal use as measured by electronic patient-to-provider messaging during the study period. Electronic patient-to-provider messaging was significantly positively correlated with incoming telephone calls at 2 of the clinics (r = 0.546, P < .001 and r = 0.543, P < .001). The remaining clinics were not significantly correlated but demonstrated a weak positive correlation (r = 0.098, P = .560 and r = 0.069, P = .671). Implementation and increased use of electronic patient-to-provider messaging was associated with increased use of telephone calls in 2 of the study clinics. While practices are increasingly making the decision of whether to implement a patient portal as part of their system of care, it is important that the motivation behind such a change not be based on the idea that it will alleviate clinical workload. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

  3. Economic evaluation of the differential benefits of home visits with telephone calls and telephone calls only in transitional discharge support.

    PubMed

    Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; So, Ching; Chau, June; Law, Antony Kwan Pui; Tam, Stanley Ku Fu; McGhee, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    home visits and telephone calls are two often used approaches in transitional care, but their differential economic effects are unknown. to examine the differential economic benefits of home visits with telephone calls and telephone calls only in transitional discharge support. cost-effectiveness analysis conducted alongside a randomised controlled trial (RCT). patients discharged from medical units randomly assigned to control (control, N = 210), home visits with calls (home, N = 196) and calls only (call, N = 204). cost-effectiveness analyses were conducted from the societal perspective comparing monetary benefits and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. the home arm was less costly but less effective at 28 days and was dominating (less costly and more effective) at 84 days. The call arm was dominating at both 28 and 84 days. The incremental QALY for the home arm was -0.0002/0.0008 (28/84 days), and the call arm was 0.0022/0.0104 (28/84 days). When the three groups were compared, the call arm had a higher probability being cost-effective at 84 days but not at 28 days (home: 53%, call: 35% (28 days) versus home: 22%, call: 73% (84 days)) measuring against the NICE threshold of £20,000. the original RCT showed that the bundled intervention involving home visits and calls was more effective than calls only in the reduction of hospital readmissions. This study adds a cost perspective to inform policymakers that both home visits and calls only are cost-effective for transitional care support, but calls only have a higher chance of being cost-effective for a sustained period after intervention. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.

  4. Validation of a brief telephone battery for neurocognitive assessment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

    PubMed

    Taichman, Darren B; Christie, Jason; Biester, Rosette; Mortensen, Jennifer; White, Joanne; Kaplan, Sandra; Hansen-Flaschen, John; Palevsky, Harold I; Elliott, C Gregory; Hopkins, Ramona O

    2005-04-25

    The effects of pulmonary arterial hypertension on brain function are not understood, despite patients' frequent complaints of cognitive difficulties. Using clinical instruments normally administered during standard in-person assessment of neurocognitive function in adults, we assembled a battery of tests designed for administration over the telephone. The purpose was to improve patient participation, facilitate repeated test administration, and reduce the cost of research on the neuropsychological consequences of acute and chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. We undertook this study to validate telephone administration of the tests. 23 adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent neurocognitive assessment using both standard in-person and telephone test administration, and the results of the two methods compared using interclass correlations. For most of the tests in the battery, scores from the telephone assessment correlated strongly with those obtained by in-person administration of the same tests. Interclass correlations between 0.5 and 0.8 were observed for tests that assessed attention, memory, concentration/working memory, reasoning, and language/crystallized intelligence (p < or = 0.05 for each). Interclass correlations for the Hayling Sentence Completion test of executive function approached significance (p = 0.09). All telephone tests were completed within one hour. Administration of this neurocognitive test battery by telephone should facilitate assessment of neuropsychological deficits among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension living across broad geographical areas, and may be useful for monitoring changes in neurocognitive function in response to PAH-specific therapy or disease progression.

  5. [Effectiveness of a new model of telephone derivation shared between primary care and hospital care].

    PubMed

    Azogil-López, Luis Miguel; Pérez-Lázaro, Juan José; Ávila-Pecci, Patricia; Medrano-Sánchez, Esther María; Coronado-Vázquez, María Valle

    2018-04-23

    The purpose of this study is to find out whether telephone referral from Primary Health Care to Internal Medicine Consult manages to reduce waiting days as compared to traditional referral. This study also aims to know how acceptable is the telephone referral to general practitioners and their patients. No blind randomized controlled clinical trial. Northern Huelva Health District. 154 patients. Patients referrals from intervention clinicians were sent via telephone consultation, whereas patients referrals from control clinicians were sent by traditional via. Number of days from referral request to Internal Medicine Consult. Number of telephone and traditional referrals. Number of doctors and patients denied. Denial reasons. A statistically significant difference was found between groups, with an average of 27 (21-34) days. Among General Practitioners, 8 of the first 58 total doctors after randomization and, subsequently, 6 of the 20 doctors of the test group refused to engage in the trial because they considered "excessive time and effort consuming". 50% of patients referred by the 14 General Practitioners finally randomized to the intervention group were denied referral by telephone due to patient's complexity. Telephone referral significantly reduces waiting days for Internal Medicine consult. This type of referral did not mean an "excessive time and effort consuming" to General Practitioners and was not all that beneficial to complex patients. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Improving fatigue and depression in individuals with multiple sclerosis using telephone-administered physical activity counseling.

    PubMed

    Turner, Aaron P; Hartoonian, Narineh; Sloan, Alicia P; Benich, Marisa; Kivlahan, Daniel R; Hughes, Christina; Hughes, Abbey J; Haselkorn, Jodie K

    2016-04-01

    To evaluate the impact of a physical activity intervention consisting of telephone counseling with home-based monitoring to improve fatigue and depression in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four individuals with MS received either telephone counseling (N = 31), or self-directed physical activity education (N = 33). The education condition (EC) consisted of advice to increase physical activity and a DVD with examples of in-home exercises for multiple physical ability levels. The telephone counseling condition (TC) included EC as well as mailed graphic feedback, 6 telephone counseling sessions using principles of motivational interviewing, and telehealth home monitoring to track progress on physical activity goals. Booster sessions were provided when participants indicated they did not meet their goals. Assessment was conducted at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. TC participants reported significantly reduced fatigue (d = -.70), reduced depression (d = -.72) and increased physical activity (d = .92) relative to EC participants. Of individuals receiving TC, 33.3% experienced clinically significant improvement in fatigue (vs. 18.2% in EC) and 53.3% experienced clinically significant improvement in depression (vs. 9.1% in EC). Improvements in physical activity mediated improvements in fatigue with a similar trend for depression. TC was highly feasible (participants completed 99.5% of schedule telephone sessions) and well tolerated (100% rated it highly successful). Telephone-based counseling with home monitoring is a promising modality to improve physical activity and treat fatigue and depression. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. The effect of telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy on parenting stress: A randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Ngai, Fei Wan; Wong, Paul Wai-Ching; Chung, Ka Fai; Leung, Kwok Yin

    2016-07-01

    Objective Stress related to parenting has detrimental effects on the well-being of children, parents and the family system as a whole. There are limited studies about the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy delivered by telephone in reducing parenting stress. The present study investigates the effect of telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy on parenting stress at six weeks and six months postpartum. This is a multi-site randomised controlled trial. A total of 397 Chinese mothers at risk of postnatal depression were randomly assigned to receive either telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy or routine postpartum care. Parental stress was assessed by the Parenting Stress Index Short Form at six weeks and six months postpartum. The findings revealed that mothers who had received telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy showed significantly lower levels of parenting stress than women only receiving routine postpartum care at six weeks (mean difference=9.42, 95% confidence interval 5.85-12.99, p<0.001, Cohen's d=0.52) and six months postpartum (mean difference=3.58, 95% confidence interval 0.07-7.09, p=0.046, Cohen's d=0.20). Telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy is a promising treatment modality for supporting parenting and reducing stress during the transition period. Integration of telephone-based cognitive-behavioural therapy into routine postpartum care might facilitate positive adaptation in particular for mothers at risk of postnatal depression. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. The Effect of Telephone-Administered Psychotherapy on Symptoms of Depression and Attrition: A Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Mohr, David C.; Vella, Lea; Hart, Stacey; Heckman, Timothy; Simon, Gregory

    2008-01-01

    Increasingly, the telephone is being used to deliver psychotherapy for depression, in part as a means to reduce barriers to treatment. Twelve trials of telephone-administered psychotherapies, in which depressive symptoms were assessed, were included. There was a significant reduction in depressive symptoms for patients enrolled in telephone-administered psychotherapy as compared to control conditions (d = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.14–0.39, p < .0001). There was also a significant reduction in depressive symptoms in analyses of pretreatment to posttreatment change (d = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.50–1.13, p < .0001). The mean attrition rate was 7.56% (95% CI = 4.23–10.90). These findings suggest that telephone-administered psychotherapy can produce significant reductions in depressive symptoms. Attrition rates were considerably lower than rates reported in face-to-face psychotherapy. PMID:21369344

  9. Cell Line Data Base: structure and recent improvements towards molecular authentication of human cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Romano, Paolo; Manniello, Assunta; Aresu, Ottavia; Armento, Massimiliano; Cesaro, Michela; Parodi, Barbara

    2009-01-01

    The Cell Line Data Base (CLDB) is a well-known reference information source on human and animal cell lines including information on more than 6000 cell lines. Main biological features are coded according to controlled vocabularies derived from international lists and taxonomies. HyperCLDB (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/hypercldb/) is a hypertext version of CLDB that improves data accessibility by also allowing information retrieval through web spiders. Access to HyperCLDB is provided through indexes of biological characteristics and navigation in the hypertext is granted by many internal links. HyperCLDB also includes links to external resources. Recently, an interest was raised for a reference nomenclature for cell lines and CLDB was seen as an authoritative system. Furthermore, to overcome the cell line misidentification problem, molecular authentication methods, such as fingerprinting, single-locus short tandem repeat (STR) profile and single nucleotide polymorphisms validation, were proposed. Since this data is distributed, a reference portal on authentication of human cell lines is needed. We present here the architecture and contents of CLDB, its recent enhancements and perspectives. We also present a new related database, the Cell Line Integrated Molecular Authentication (CLIMA) database (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/clima/), that allows to link authentication data to actual cell lines. PMID:18927105

  10. Cell Line Data Base: structure and recent improvements towards molecular authentication of human cell lines.

    PubMed

    Romano, Paolo; Manniello, Assunta; Aresu, Ottavia; Armento, Massimiliano; Cesaro, Michela; Parodi, Barbara

    2009-01-01

    The Cell Line Data Base (CLDB) is a well-known reference information source on human and animal cell lines including information on more than 6000 cell lines. Main biological features are coded according to controlled vocabularies derived from international lists and taxonomies. HyperCLDB (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/hypercldb/) is a hypertext version of CLDB that improves data accessibility by also allowing information retrieval through web spiders. Access to HyperCLDB is provided through indexes of biological characteristics and navigation in the hypertext is granted by many internal links. HyperCLDB also includes links to external resources. Recently, an interest was raised for a reference nomenclature for cell lines and CLDB was seen as an authoritative system. Furthermore, to overcome the cell line misidentification problem, molecular authentication methods, such as fingerprinting, single-locus short tandem repeat (STR) profile and single nucleotide polymorphisms validation, were proposed. Since this data is distributed, a reference portal on authentication of human cell lines is needed. We present here the architecture and contents of CLDB, its recent enhancements and perspectives. We also present a new related database, the Cell Line Integrated Molecular Authentication (CLIMA) database (http://bioinformatics.istge.it/clima/), that allows to link authentication data to actual cell lines.

  11. A Comparison of Telephone Genetic Counseling and In-Person Genetic Counseling from the Genetic Counselor's Perspective.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Kelly R; Carmany, Erin P; Trepanier, Angela M

    2016-02-01

    Growing demand for and limited geographic access to genetic counseling services is increasing the need for alternative service delivery models (SDM) like telephone genetic counseling (TGC). Little research has been done on genetic counselors' perspectives of the practice of TGC. We created an anonymous online survey to assess whether telephone genetic counselors believed the tasks identified in the ABGC (American Board of Genetic Counseling) Practice Analysis were performed similarly or differently in TGC compared to in person genetic counseling (IPGC). If there were differences noted, we sought to determine the nature of the differences and if additional training might be needed to address them. Eighty eight genetic counselors with experience in TGC completed some or all of the survey. Respondents identified differences in 13 (14.8%) of the 88 tasks studied. The tasks identified as most different in TGC were: "establishing rapport through verbal and nonverbal interactions" (60.2%; 50/83 respondents identified the task as different), "recognizing factors affecting the counseling interaction" (47.8%; 32/67), "assessing client/family emotions, support, etc." (40.1%; 27/66) and "educating clients about basic genetic concepts" (35.6%; 26/73). A slight majority (53.8%; 35/65) felt additional training was needed to communicate information without visual aids and more effectively perform psychosocial assessments. In summary, although a majority of genetic counseling tasks are performed similarly between TGC and IPGC, TGC counselors recognize that specific training in the TGC model may be needed to address the key differences.

  12. Do as I say, not as I do: a survey of public impressions of queue-jumping and preferential access.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Steven Marc; Schofield, Lee; Tirkos, Sam

    2007-10-01

    The Canada Health Act legislates that Canadian citizens have access to healthcare that is publicly administered, universal, comprehensive, portable, and accessible (i.e. unimpeded by financial, clinical, or social factors). We surveyed public impressions and practices regarding preferential access to healthcare and queue jumping. Households were randomly selected from the Toronto telephone directory. English speakers aged 18 years or older were solicited for a standardized telephone survey. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and SAS. Fifteen percent (n=101) of 668 solicited were surveyed. Ninety-five percent advocated equal access based on need. Support for queue jumping in the emergency department (ED) was strong for cases of emergency, severe pain, and pediatrics, equivocal for police, and minimal for the homeless, doctors, hospital administrators, and government officials. To improve a position on a waiting list, approximately half surveyed would call a friend who is a doctor, works for a doctor, or is a hospital administrator. Sixteen percent reported having done this. The likelihoods of offering material inducement for preferential access were 30 and 51% for low and high-impact medical scenarios, respectively. The likelihoods of offering nonmaterial inducement were 56 and 71%, respectively. Responses were not associated with sex, occupation, or education. Respondents expressed support for equal access based on need. Policy and scenario-type questions elicited different responses. Expressed beliefs may vary from personal practice. Clearly defined and enforced policies at the hospital and provincial level might enhance principles of fairness in the ED queue.

  13. Persons with Alzheimer's Disease Make Phone Calls Independently Using a Computer-Aided Telephone System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perilli, Viviana; Lancioni, Giulio E.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Cassano, Germana; Cordiano, Noemi; Pinto, Katia; Minervini, Mauro G.; Oliva, Doretta

    2012-01-01

    This study assessed whether four patients with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease could make independent phone calls via a computer-aided telephone system. The study was carried out according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. All participants started with baseline during which the telephone system was not available,…

  14. A pilot study of a computer-assisted cell-phone interview (CACI) methodology to survey respondents in households without telephones about alcohol use.

    PubMed

    Wilkins, Chris; Casswell, Sally; Barnes, Helen Moewaka; Pledger, Megan

    2003-06-01

    An intrinsic drawback with the use of a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) survey methodology is that people who live in households without a connected landline telephone are excluded from the survey sample. This paper presents a pilot of the feasibility of a computer-assisted cell-phone interview (CACI) methodology designed to survey people living in households without a telephone about alcohol use and be compatible with a larger telephone based alcohol sample. The CACI method was found to be an efficient and cost competitive method to reach non-telephone households. Telephone ownership was found to make a difference to the typical occasion amount of alcohol consumed, with respondents from households without telephones drinking significantly more than those with telephones even when consumption levels were controlled for socio-economic status. Although high levels of telephone ownership in the general population mean these differences may not have any impact on population alcohol measures they may be important in sub-populations where telephone ownership is lower.

  15. Patient compliance with telephone triage recommendations: a meta-analytic review.

    PubMed

    Purc-Stephenson, Rebecca J; Thrasher, Christine

    2012-05-01

    To systematically investigate the extent to which patients comply with triage advice from telenurses and to identify factors that potentially influence compliance. Findings from 13 studies identified through interdisciplinary research databases (1990-2010) were meta-analyzed. Separate pooled analyses compared patients' compliance rates for emergency services and office care (13 outcomes), emergency services and self care (13 outcomes), and self care and office care (12 outcomes). Overall patient compliance was 62%, but varied by intensity of care recommended with low compliance rates for advice to see a general practitioner. Reasons for noncompliance include patients reporting to have heard a different disposition, patients' intentions and health beliefs. Patient compliance to triage recommendations was influenced by the interactive role of patient perceptions and the quality of provider communication, both of which were mediated by access to health services. Further research is needed to clarify whether noncompliance is attributable to poor communication by the nurse or patient misinterpretation. We highlight the need for communication-skills training in a telephone-consultation context that is patient centered, and specifically addresses building active listening and active advising skills and advantages to structuring the call. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. ‘Putting Life in Years’ (PLINY) telephone friendship groups research study: pilot randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Loneliness in older people is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We undertook a parallel-group randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telephone befriending for the maintenance of HRQoL in older people. An internal pilot tested the feasibility of the trial and intervention. Methods Participants aged >74 years, with good cognitive function, living independently in one UK city were recruited through general practices and other sources, then randomised to: (1) 6 weeks of short one-to-one telephone calls, followed by 12 weeks of group telephone calls with up to six participants, led by a trained volunteer facilitator; or (2) a control group. The main trial required the recruitment of 248 participants in a 1-year accrual window, of whom 124 were to receive telephone befriending. The pilot specified three success criteria which had to be met in order to progress the main trial to completion: recruitment of 68 participants in 95 days; retention of 80% participants at 6 months; successful delivery of telephone befriending by local franchise of national charity. The primary clinical outcome was the Short Form (36) Health Instrument (SF-36) Mental Health (MH) dimension score collected by telephone 6 months following randomisation. Results We informed 9,579 older people about the study. Seventy consenting participants were randomised to the pilot in 95 days, with 56 (80%) providing valid primary outcome data (26 intervention, 30 control). Twenty-four participants randomly allocated to the research arm actually received telephone befriending due to poor recruitment and retention of volunteer facilitators. The trial was closed early as a result. The mean 6-month SF-36 MH scores were 78 (SD 18) and 71 (SD 21) for the intervention and control groups, respectively (mean difference, 7; 95% CI, -3 to 16). Conclusions Recruitment and retention of participants to a definitive trial with a

  17. A profile of communication in primary care physician telephone consultations: application of the Roter Interaction Analysis System.

    PubMed

    Innes, Michael; Skelton, John; Greenfield, Sheila

    2006-05-01

    Telephone consultations are a part of everyday practice, there is surprisingly little research on the subject. To describe the variation of consulting skills within a body of telephone consultations in primary care, highlighting the performance of one method of assessing the process of the consultation-- the Roter Interaction Analysis System-- with telephone consultations. Cross sectional study of 43 recordings of telephone consultations with GPs. One rural county in the Midlands. Recordings were made of 8 GPs, purposively selected for maximum variance in one region of the UK. Forty-three consultations were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. From the descriptive categories, six composite categories were compiled reflecting a number of domains of interaction in a consultation: rapport, data gathering, patient education and counselling, partnership building, doctor dominance and patient-centredness. Analysis of variance was undertaken to explain variations between consultations for the different domains. Comparison was made to findings from similar work for face-to-face consultations. These telephone consultations feature more biomedical information exchange than psychosocial or affective communication. Length of interaction accounts for much of the variation seen between consultations in the domains of rapport, data gathering, patient education and counselling and partnership. Male doctors are more patient centred in this study. There is the suggestion of more doctor dominance and a less patient-centred approach when comparisons are made with previous work on face-to-face consultations. Although the telephone is increasingly being used to provide care, this study highlights the fact that telephone consultations cannot be taken as equivalent to those conducted face to face. More work needs to be done to delineate the features of telephone consultations.

  18. 47 CFR 54.807 - Interstate access universal service support.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... supported service within the study area of a price cap local exchange carrier shall receive Interstate Access Universal Service Support for each line that it serves within that study area. (b) In any study... Service Support Per Line by dividing Study Area Access Universal Service Support by twelve times all...

  19. Crisis Intervention and Counseling by Telephone. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lester, David, Ed.

    This extensively revised second edition provides a practical framework for offering immediate problem-solving assistance by telephone to persons in crisis. The text offers specific techniques to deal with out-of-control situations with the highly important initial steps to protect the caller, the crisis worker, and the community. The scope of the…

  20. Telephone Communication for the Deaf: Speech Indicator Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Ray L.

    The instructional manual is designed to accompany the Speech Indicator, a small, portable, economical ($15) device for deaf persons for telephone communication (available from Leadership Training Program in the Area of the Deaf, San Fernando State College). The device indicates when the other party speaks, not what he says. A topic outline and…

  1. Telephone interview strategy can be used for screening inflammatory back pain in the community.

    PubMed

    Solmaz, Dilek; Gunduz, Ozgul; Akar, Servet; Can, Gercek; Birlik, Merih; Akkoc, Yesim; Gerdan, Vedat; Onen, Fatos; Akkoc, Nurullah

    2017-01-01

    Telephone surveys are less expensive and time-consuming for both interviewers and interviewees, with similar or even higher response rates than face-to-face interviews. In rheumatology, telephone technique has been used in a number of epidemiologic studies. In the present study, we conducted a telephone survey for screening inflammatory back pain (IBP) in the community. One hundred and seventy-two patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and 25 patients with chronic mechanical back pain were included. A telephone interview and a face-to-face interview was conducted by the same physician using a standardized questionnaire that elicited information on all the components of IBP addressed in the Calin, Berlin and ASAS (the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society) criteria sets. The telephone survey was repeated by another rheumatologist within the same week to assess the inter-rater agreement. Of 172 patients with axSpA, 114 could be classified as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) according to the modified New York criteria (AS group).The remaining 58 patients had active sacroiliitis on magnetic resonance imaging and they constituted the non-radiographic axSpA group (nr-axSpA group). Calin's criteria showed the highest sensitivity but also the lowest specificity with both interview methods. Calin's criteria showed the best agreement between the interview methods (kappa = 0.60). The results of our study indicate that telephone surveys based on Calin's criteria for IBP has a moderate, almost substantial agreement with face-to-face interviews and can be used as an easily applicable, less expensive and time-saving method in screening subjects for IBP. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  2. Changes in self assessment of continence status between telephone survey and subsequent clinical visit

    PubMed Central

    Thomas, A; Kane Low, L; Tumbarello, JA; Miller, JM; Fenner, DE; DeLancey, JOL

    2012-01-01

    AIMS To explore variance in reporting continence information obtained by telephone survey with face-to-face clinician interview in a clinical setting. METHODS As part of a cross-sectional, epidemiologic study of incontinence prevalence among Black and White women ages 35-64 years, randomly selected households were contacted from geographic areas of known racial composition. Of 2814 women who completed a 20-minute, 137-item telephone interview, 1702 were invited for future components of the study. A subset of these women was recruited for a clinical evaluation that was conducted within a mean of 82 days (SD 38 days) following the interviews. Prior to urodynamics testing, a clinician interview was conducted inquiring about continence status. The criterion for incontinence for both the telephone interview and the clinician interview was constant: twelve or more episodes of incontinence per year. Women whose subjective reports of continence information differed between telephone and clinician interviews were designated as “switchers”. RESULTS Of the 394 women (222 Black, 172 White) who completed the clinical portion, 24.6% (n=97) were switchers. Switchers were four times more likely to change from continent to incontinent (80.4% N=78) than from incontinent to continent (19.4%; N=19 p=.000) and nearly three times more likely to be Black (69% N=67) than White (31%; N=30 p=.001). Telephone qualitative interviews were completed with 72 of the switchers. The primary reason for switching was changes in women’s life circumstances such as variation in seasons, activities of daily living, and health status followed by increased awareness of leakage secondary to the phone interview. CONCLUSION One-time subjective telephone interviews assessing incontinence symptoms may underestimate the prevalence of incontinence especially among Black women. PMID:19816917

  3. 47 CFR 64.1505 - Restrictions on collect telephone calls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Restrictions on collect telephone calls. 64.1505 Section 64.1505 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS Interstate Pay-Per-Call and Other...

  4. The challenge of global water access monitoring: evaluating straight-line distance versus self-reported travel time among rural households in Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Ho, Jeff C; Russel, Kory C; Davis, Jennifer

    2014-03-01

    Support is growing for the incorporation of fetching time and/or distance considerations in the definition of access to improved water supply used for global monitoring. Current efforts typically rely on self-reported distance and/or travel time data that have been shown to be unreliable. To date, however, there has been no head-to-head comparison of such indicators with other possible distance/time metrics. This study provides such a comparison. We examine the association between both straight-line distance and self-reported one-way travel time with measured route distances to water sources for 1,103 households in Nampula province, Mozambique. We find straight-line, or Euclidean, distance to be a good proxy for route distance (R(2) = 0.98), while self-reported travel time is a poor proxy (R(2) = 0.12). We also apply a variety of time- and distance-based indicators proposed in the literature to our sample data, finding that the share of households classified as having versus lacking access would differ by more than 70 percentage points depending on the particular indicator employed. This work highlights the importance of the ongoing debate regarding valid, reliable, and feasible strategies for monitoring progress in the provision of improved water supply services.

  5. 47 CFR 15.609 - Marketing of Access BPL equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Marketing of Access BPL equipment. 15.609 Section 15.609 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Access Broadband Over Power Line (Access BPL) § 15.609 Marketing of Access BPL equipment. The marketing of Access...

  6. 47 CFR 15.609 - Marketing of Access BPL equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Marketing of Access BPL equipment. 15.609 Section 15.609 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Access Broadband Over Power Line (Access BPL) § 15.609 Marketing of Access BPL equipment. The marketing of Access...

  7. Directory of On-Line Networks, Databases and Bulletin Boards on Assistive Technology. Second Edition. RESNA Technical Assistance Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    RESNA: Association for the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology, Washington, DC.

    This resource directory provides a selective listing of electronic networks, online databases, and bulletin boards that highlight technology-related services and products. For each resource, the following information is provided: name, address, and telephone number; description; target audience; hardware/software needs to access the system;…

  8. Cost effectiveness of a telephone intervention to promote dilated fundus examination in adults with diabetes mellitus

    PubMed Central

    Schechter, Clyde B; Basch, Charles E; Caban, Arlene; Walker, Elizabeth A

    2008-01-01

    In a clinical trial, we have previously shown that a telephone intervention can significantly increase participation in dilated fundus examination (DFE) screening among low-income adults with diabetes. Here the costs and cost-effectiveness ratio of this intervention are calculated. Intervention effectiveness was estimated as the difference in DFE utilization between the telephone intervention and print groups from the clinical trial multiplied by the size of the telephone intervention group. A micro-costing approach was used. Personnel time was aggregated from logs kept during the clinical trial of the intervention. Wage rates were taken from a commercial compensation database. Telephone charges were estimated based on prevailing fees. The cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated as the ratio of total costs of the intervention to the number of DFEs gained by the intervention. A sensitivity analysis estimated the cost-effectiveness of a more limited telephone intervention. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis using bootstrap samples from the clinical trial results quantified the uncertainties in resource utilization and intervention effectiveness. Net intervention costs were US$18,676.06, with an associated gain of 43.7 DFEs and 16.4 new diagnoses of diabetic retinopathy. The cost-effectiveness ratio is US$427.37 per DFE gained. A restricted intervention limiting the number of calls to 5, as opposed to 7, would achieve the same results, but would cost approximately 17% less. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, the 5th and 95th percentiles of the cost-effectiveness ratio were US$304.05 and US$692.52 per DFE gained, respectively. Our telephone intervention is more expensive than simple mail or telephone reminders used in other settings to promote preventive care; it is, however, also considerably more effective, and is effective in a low-income minority population at greater risk for diabetes complications. The costs are dominated by labor costs, and may be

  9. Telephone use among noninstitutionalized persons with dementia living alone: mapping out difficulties and response strategies.

    PubMed

    Nygård, Louise; Starkhammar, Sofia

    2003-09-01

    The aim of this study was to map out and describe difficulties and response strategies in telephone use among elderly, noninstitutionalized persons with dementia living alone. To obtain explorative data, interviews and observations in the homes were undertaken with 10 participants diagnosed with dementia. The participants were observed when showing their telephones, calling a well-known number, responding to a request previously sent by letter to make a telephone call, and finding a number in the telephone directories. The data were analysed using a comparative approach, and resulted in descriptive categories. The participants' difficulties were categorized as difficulty in 'knowing what', 'knowing where', 'knowing how' and overcoming motor, perceptual, verbal and environmental obstacles. In responding to these, they used a variety of environmentally related strategies such as using perception or habits and habitual places, verbalizing aloud, seeking help from others, and adjusting the physical environment. They also used a few cognitively related strategies such as repeating and stopping and reflecting. Overall, difficulties were frequent and common, and the effectiveness of the strategies was questionable. The results indicate that it might be unrealistic to assume that elderly persons with symptoms of dementia who live alone are able to satisfactorily use the telephone for safety, communication and participation in society.

  10. 49 CFR 1018.21 - Telephone inquiries and investigations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... one or more written demands, the Board shall make reasonable efforts by telephone to determine the... employment if the debtor cannot be contacted by phone or the debtor does not respond to written demands by the Board for payment of claims. (c) The Board under 15 U.S.C. 1681(f) may obtain consumer credit...

  11. The Future of the Telephone Industry; 1970-1985.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baran, Paul; Lipinski, Andrew J.

    Projections about the growth of the telephone industry from 1970-1985 were made from forecasts of five panels of experts, in five areas: (1) the regulatory environment; (2) changes in U.S. society; (3) existing networks and services; (4) future networks and services; (5) future characteristics of the labor force and employee-management relations.…

  12. TEACHING BY TELEPHONE, AN EXPERIMENT IN LANGUAGE TEACHING.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    GOROSCH, MAX

    PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH IS A REQUIREMENT IN SWEDEN FOR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL TEACHERS. TEACHING BY TELEPHONE WAS EXPERIMENTED WITH IN AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A RESERVE OF THESE TEACHERS WHO WOULD MEET THE REQUIRED PROFICIENCY LEVEL. CANDIDATES WHO PASSED AN INITIAL PROFICIENCY TEST FOLLOWED A COURSE FOR FOUR MONTHS IN WHICH SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS WITH…

  13. Employees' views on home-based, after-hours telephone triage by Dutch GP cooperatives.

    PubMed

    Backhaus, Ramona; van Exel, Job; de Bont, Antoinette

    2013-11-04

    Dutch out-of-hours (OOH) centers find it difficult to attract sufficient triage staff. They regard home-based triage as an option that might attract employees. Specially trained nurses are supposed to conduct triage by telephone from home for after-hours medical care. The central aim of this research is to investigate the views of employees of OOH centers in The Netherlands on home-based telephone triage in after-hours care. The study is a Q methodology study. Triage nurses, general practitioners (GPs) and managers of OOH centers ranked 36 opinion statements on home-based triage. We interviewed 10 participants to help develop and validate the statements for the Q sort, and 77 participants did the Q sort. We identified four views on home-based telephone triage. Two generally favor home-based triage, one highlights some concerns and conditions, and one opposes it out of concern for quality. The four views perceive different sources of credibility for nurse triagists working from home. Home-based telephone triage is a controversial issue among triage nurses, GPs and managers of OOH centers. By identifying consensus and dissension among GPs, triagists, managers and regulators, this study generates four perspectives on home-based triage. In addition, it reveals the conditions considered important for home-based triage.

  14. Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing.

    PubMed

    Lang, Frieder R; John, Dennis; Lüdtke, Oliver; Schupp, Jürgen; Wagner, Gert G

    2011-06-01

    We examined measurement invariance and age-related robustness of a short 15-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-S) of personality dimensions, which is well suited for applications in large-scale multidisciplinary surveys. The BFI-S was assessed in three different interviewing conditions: computer-assisted or paper-assisted face-to-face interviewing, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and a self-administered questionnaire. Randomized probability samples from a large-scale German panel survey and a related probability telephone study were used in order to test method effects on self-report measures of personality characteristics across early, middle, and late adulthood. Exploratory structural equation modeling was used in order to test for measurement invariance of the five-factor model of personality trait domains across different assessment methods. For the short inventory, findings suggest strong robustness of self-report measures of personality dimensions among young and middle-aged adults. In old age, telephone interviewing was associated with greater distortions in reliable personality assessment. It is concluded that the greater mental workload of telephone interviewing limits the reliability of self-report personality assessment. Face-to-face surveys and self-administrated questionnaire completion are clearly better suited than phone surveys when personality traits in age-heterogeneous samples are assessed.

  15. Telephone equipment room, showing channel terminal bank with vacuum tubes. ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Telephone equipment room, showing channel terminal bank with vacuum tubes. View to east - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

  16. Automatically Producing Accessible Learning Objects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Di Iorio, Angelo; Feliziani, Antonio Angelo; Mirri, Silvia; Salomoni, Paola; Vitali, Fabio

    2006-01-01

    The "Anywhere, Anytime, Anyway" slogan is frequently associated to e-learning with the aim to emphasize the wide access offered by on-line education. Otherwise, learning materials are currently created to be used with a specific technology or configuration, leaving out from the virtual classroom students who have limited access capabilities and,…

  17. How well do adolescents recall use of mobile telephones? Results of a validation study

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background In the last decade mobile telephone use has become more widespread among children. Concerns expressed about possible health risks have led to epidemiological studies investigating adverse health outcomes associated with mobile telephone use. Most epidemiological studies have relied on self reported questionnaire responses to determine individual exposure. We sought to validate the accuracy of self reported adolescent mobile telephone use. Methods Participants were recruited from year 7 secondary school students in Melbourne, Australia. Adolescent recall of mobile telephone use was assessed using a self administered questionnaire which asked about number and average duration of calls per week. Validation of self reports was undertaken using Software Modified Phones (SMPs) which logged exposure details such as number and duration of calls. Results A total of 59 adolescents participated (39% boys, 61% girls). Overall a modest but significant rank correlation was found between self and validated number of voice calls (ρ = 0.3, P = 0.04) with a sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 66%. Agreement between SMP measured and self reported duration of calls was poorer (ρ = 0.1, P = 0.37). Participants whose parents belonged to the 4th socioeconomic stratum recalled mobile phone use better than others (ρ = 0.6, P = 0.01). Conclusion Adolescent recall of mobile telephone use was only modestly accurate. Caution is warranted in interpreting results of epidemiological studies investigating health effects of mobile phone use in this age group. PMID:19523193

  18. 21 CFR 870.2920 - Telephone electrocardiograph transmitter and receiver.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Telephone electrocardiograph transmitter and receiver. 870.2920 Section 870.2920 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices...

  19. 21 CFR 870.2920 - Telephone electrocardiograph transmitter and receiver.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Telephone electrocardiograph transmitter and receiver. 870.2920 Section 870.2920 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Monitoring Devices...

  20. Telephone Counseling to Implement Best Parenting Practices to Prevent Adolescent Problem Behaviors

    PubMed Central

    Pierce, John P.; James, Lisa E.; Messer, Karen; Myers, Mark G.; Williams, Rebecca E.; Trinidad, Dennis R.

    2008-01-01

    There is considerable suggestive evidence that parents can protect their adolescents from developing problem behaviors if they implement recommended best parenting practices. These include providing appropriate limits on adolescent free time, maintaining a close personal relationship with the adolescent, and negotiating and providing incentives for positive behavior patterns. However, retention of the study samples has limited conclusions that can be drawn from published studies. This randomized controlled trial recruited and randomized a national population sample of 1036 families to an intensive parenting intervention using telephone counseling or to a no-contact control group. At enrollment, eligible families had an eldest child between the ages of 10–13 years. The intervention included an initial training program using a self-help manual with telephone counselor support. Implementation of best parenting practices was encouraged using quarterly telephone contacts and a family management check-up questionnaire. A computer-assisted structured counseling protocol was used to aid parents who needed additional assistance to implement best practices. This, along with a centralized service, enabled implementation of quality control procedures. Assessment of problem behavior is undertaken with repeated telephone interviews of the target adolescents. The study is powered to test whether the intervention encouraging parents to maintain best parenting practices is associated with a reduction of 25% in the incidence of problem behaviors prior to age 18 years and will be tested through a maximum likelihood framework. PMID:17964223

  1. 49 CFR 234.307 - Use of third-party telephone service by dispatching and maintaining railroads.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Systems for Telephonic Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings § 234...-party telephone service to receive reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade... railroad that either maintains a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing on a seasonal or intermittent basis...

  2. 49 CFR 234.307 - Use of third-party telephone service by dispatching and maintaining railroads.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Systems for Telephonic Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings § 234...-party telephone service to receive reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade... railroad that either maintains a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing on a seasonal or intermittent basis...

  3. 49 CFR 234.307 - Use of third-party telephone service by dispatching and maintaining railroads.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Systems for Telephonic Reporting of Unsafe Conditions at Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings § 234...-party telephone service to receive reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade... railroad that either maintains a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing on a seasonal or intermittent basis...

  4. DMSP SSJ4 Data Restoration, Classification, and On-Line Data Access

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wing, Simon; Bredekamp, Joseph H. (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    Compress and clean raw data file for permanent storage We have identified various error conditions/types and developed algorithms to get rid of these errors/noises, including the more complicated noise in the newer data sets. (status = 100% complete). Internet access of compacted raw data. It is now possible to access the raw data via our web site, http://www.jhuapl.edu/Aurora/index.html. The software to read and plot the compacted raw data is also available from the same web site. The users can now download the raw data, read, plot, or manipulate the data as they wish on their own computer. The users are able to access the cleaned data sets. Internet access of the color spectrograms. This task has also been completed. It is now possible to access the spectrograms from the web site mentioned above. Improve the particle precipitation region classification. The algorithm for doing this task has been developed and implemented. As a result, the accuracies improved. Now the web site routinely distributes the results of applying the new algorithm to the cleaned data set. Mark the classification region on the spectrograms. The software to mark the classification region in the spectrograms has been completed. This is also available from our web site.

  5. 77 FR 66935 - Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-08

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 02-278; FCC 12-21] Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule; correction...: Karen Johnson, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Consumer Policy Division, at (202) 418- 7706 or...

  6. Why do patients seek primary medical care in emergency departments? An ethnographic exploration of access to general practice

    PubMed Central

    Brangan, Emer; Wye, Lesley; Checkland, Kath; Lasserson, Daniel; Morris, Richard; Tammes, Peter; Purdy, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To describe how processes of primary care access influence decisions to seek help at the emergency department (ED). Design Ethnographic case study combining non-participant observation, informal and formal interviewing. Setting Six general practitioner (GP) practices located in three commissioning organisations in England. Participants and methods Reception areas at each practice were observed over the course of a working week (73 hours in total). Practice documents were collected and clinical and non-clinical staff were interviewed (n=19). Patients with recent ED use, or a carer if aged 16 and under, were interviewed (n=29). Results Past experience of accessing GP care recursively informed patient decisions about where to seek urgent care, and difficulties with access were implicit in patient accounts of ED use. GP practices had complicated, changeable systems for appointments. This made navigating appointment booking difficult for patients and reception staff, and engendered a mistrust of the system. Increasingly, the telephone was the instrument of demand management, but there were unintended consequences for access. Some patient groups, such as those with English as an additional language, were particularly disadvantaged, and the varying patient and staff semantic of words like ‘urgent’ and ‘emergency’ was exacerbated during telephone interactions. Poor integration between in-hours and out-of-hours care and patient perceptions of the quality of care accessible at their GP practice also informed ED use. Conclusions This study provides important insight into the implicit role of primary care access on the use of ED. Discourses around ‘inappropriate’ patient demand neglect to recognise that decisions about where to seek urgent care are based on experiential knowledge. Simply speeding up access to primary care or increasing its volume is unlikely to alleviate rising ED use. Systems for accessing care need to be transparent, perceptibly fair

  7. Randomized Controlled Trial of Telephone-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Insomnia

    PubMed Central

    Arnedt, J. Todd; Cuddihy, Leisha; Swanson, Leslie M.; Pickett, Scott; Aikens, James; Chervin, Ronald D.

    2013-01-01

    Study Objectives: To compare the efficacy of telephone-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia to an information pamphlet control on sleep and daytime functioning at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 12-wk follow-up. Design: Randomized controlled parallel trial. Setting: N/A. Participants: Thirty individuals with chronic insomnia (27 women, age 39.1 ± 14.4 years, insomnia duration 8.7 ± 10.7 years). Interventions: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) delivered in up to eight weekly telephone sessions (CBTI-Phone, n = 15) versus an information pamphlet control (IPC, n = 15). Measurements and Results: Sleep/wake diary, sleep-related questionnaires (Insomnia Severity Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 16-item Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep), and daytime symptom assessments (fatigue, depression, anxiety, and quality of life) were completed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 12-wk follow-up. Linear mixed models indicated that sleep/wake diary sleep efficiency and total sleep time improved significantly at posttreatment in both groups and remained stable at 12-wk follow-up. More CBTI-Phone than IPC patients showed posttreatment improvements in unhelpful sleep-related cognitions (P < 0.001) and were classified as “in remission” from insomnia at follow-up (P < 0.05). Posttreatment effect sizes on most daytime symptoms were large (Cohen d = 0.8–2.5) for CBTI-Phone patients and small to moderate (Cohen d = -0.1–0.6) for IPC patients. All CBTI-Phone patients completed posttreatment and 12-wk follow-up assessments, but three IPC patients discontinued the study. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary support for telephone-delivered CBTI in the treatment of chronic insomnia. Future larger-scale studies with more diverse samples are warranted. Some individuals with insomnia may also benefit from pamphlet-delivered CBTI with brief telephone support. Citation: Arnedt JT; Cuddihy L; Swanson LM; Pickett S; Aikens J

  8. 47 CFR 76.309 - Customer service obligations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... representatives will be available to respond to customer telephone inquiries during normal business hours. (B) After normal business hours, the access line may be answered by a service or an automated response system, including an answering machine. Inquiries received after normal business hours must be responded...

  9. NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 14: Engineering work and information use in aerospace: Results of a telephone survey

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.; White, Terry F.

    1992-01-01

    A telephone survey of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists who were on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) mailing list was conducted between August 14-26, 1991. The survey was undertaken to obtain information on the daily work activities of aerospace engineers and scientists, to measure various practices used by aerospace engineers and scientists to obtain STI, and to ask aerospace engineers and scientists about their use of electronic networks. Co-workers were found important sources of information. Co-workers are used to obtain technical information because the information they have is relevant, not because co-workers are accessible. As technical uncertainty increases, so does the need for information internal and external to the organization. Electronic networks enjoy widespread use within the aerospace community. These networks are accessible and they are used to contact people at remote sites. About 80 percent of the respondents used electronic mail, file transfer, and information or data retrieval to commercial or in-house data bases.

  10. Further aspects on cellular and cordless telephones and brain tumours.

    PubMed

    Hardell, Lennart; Mild, Kjell Hansson; Carlberg, Michael

    2003-02-01

    We included in a case-control study on brain tumours and mobile and cordless telephones 1,617 patients aged 20-80 years of both sexes diagnosed during January 1, 1997 to June 30, 2000. They were alive at the study time and had histopathology verified brain tumour. One matched control to each case was selected from the Swedish Population Register. The study area was the Uppsala-Orebro, Stockholm, Linköping and Göteborg medical regions of Sweden. Exposure was assessed by a questionnaire that was answered by 1,429 (88%) cases and 1,470 (91%) controls. In total use of analogue cellular telephones gave an increased risk with odds ratio (OR)=1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.04-1.6, whereas digital and cordless phones did not overall increase the risk significantly. Ipsilateral use of analogue phones gave OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.2-2.3, digital phones OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.02-1.8 and cordless phones OR=1.2, 95% CI=0.9-1.6. The risk for ipsilateral use was significantly increased for astrocytoma for all studied phone types, analogue phones OR=1.8,95% CI=1.1-3.2, digital phones OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-2.8, cordless phones OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.1-2.9. Use of a telephone on the opposite side of the brain was not associated with a significantly increased risk for brain tumours. Regarding anatomical area of the tumour and exposure to microwaves, the risk was increased for tumours located in the temporal area on the same side of the brain that was used during phone calls, significantly so for analogue cellular telephones OR=2.3, 95% CI=1.2-4.1. For acoustic neurinoma OR=4.4, 95% CI=2.1-9.2 was calculated among analogue cellular telephone users. When duration of use was analysed as a continuous variable in the total material, the risk increased per year for analogue phones with OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01-1.08. For astrocytoma and ipsilateral use the trend was for analogue phones OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.02-1.19, digital phones OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.01-1.22, and cordless phones OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.01-1.19. There was

  11. Low latency memory access and synchronization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blumrich, Matthias A.; Chen, Dong; Coteus, Paul W.

    A low latency memory system access is provided in association with a weakly-ordered multiprocessor system. Each processor in the multiprocessor shares resources, and each shared resource has an associated lock within a locking device that provides support for synchronization between the multiple processors in the multiprocessor and the orderly sharing of the resources. A processor only has permission to access a resource when it owns the lock associated with that resource, and an attempt by a processor to own a lock requires only a single load operation, rather than a traditional atomic load followed by store, such that the processormore » only performs a read operation and the hardware locking device performs a subsequent write operation rather than the processor. A simple prefetching for non-contiguous data structures is also disclosed. A memory line is redefined so that in addition to the normal physical memory data, every line includes a pointer that is large enough to point to any other line in the memory, wherein the pointers to determine which memory line to prefetch rather than some other predictive algorithm. This enables hardware to effectively prefetch memory access patterns that are non-contiguous, but repetitive.« less

  12. Low latency memory access and synchronization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blumrich, Matthias A.; Chen, Dong; Coteus, Paul W.

    A low latency memory system access is provided in association with a weakly-ordered multiprocessor system. Bach processor in the multiprocessor shares resources, and each shared resource has an associated lock within a locking device that provides support for synchronization between the multiple processors in the multiprocessor and the orderly sharing of the resources. A processor only has permission to access a resource when it owns the lock associated with that resource, and an attempt by a processor to own a lock requires only a single load operation, rather than a traditional atomic load followed by store, such that the processormore » only performs a read operation and the hardware locking device performs a subsequent write operation rather than the processor. A simple prefetching for non-contiguous data structures is also disclosed. A memory line is redefined so that in addition to the normal physical memory data, every line includes a pointer that is large enough to point to any other line in the memory, wherein the pointers to determine which memory line to prefetch rather than some other predictive algorithm. This enables hardware to effectively prefetch memory access patterns that are non-contiguous, but repetitive.« less

  13. Teaching adolescents with severe disabilities to use the public telephone.

    PubMed

    Test, D W; Spooner, F; Keul, P K; Grossi, T

    1990-04-01

    Two adolescents with severe disabilities served as participants in a study conducted to train in the use of the public telephone to call home. Participants were trained to complete a 17-step task analysis using a training package which consisted of total task presentation in conjunction with a four-level prompting procedure (i.e., independent, verbal, verbal + gesture, verbal + guidance). All instruction took place in a public setting (e.g., a shopping mall) with generalization probes taken in two alternative settings (e.g., a movie theater and a convenience store). A multiple probe across individuals design demonstrated the training package was successful in teaching participants to use the telephone to call home. In addition, newly acquired skills generalized to the two untrained settings. Implications for community-based training are discussed.

  14. An inquiry into chiropractors' intention to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a telephone survey.

    PubMed

    Feise, R J

    2001-01-01

    The primary aim of this study was to (1) determine the clinical management approach of practicing chiropractors with regard to patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and (2) measure the response rate of a telephone survey. A survey instrument was developed and pretested, and a case-specific clinical vignette was generated for a hypothetical typical 12-year-old girl with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The instrument addressed 3 domains: the specific management of idiopathic scoliosis, elements guiding the general selection of treatment recommendations, and demographics of respondents. The sample frame consisted of 62,000 US chiropractors, of whom 165 were randomly selected for the survey sample. Interviews were conducted by telephone through use of the tested survey instrument. The response rate was 69% (114/165). Of the 51 nonrespondents, 15 did not have a listed business telephone number and 24 were not in active practice. The response rate of those who met the inclusion criteria (practicing chiropractor with a listed telephone number) was 90% (114/126). The gender, chiropractic college, and years in practice of respondents in this survey were similar to those of respondents in 3 other national surveys. In general, the respondents would provide 6 months of "intensive" chiropractic therapy, then follow the patient for 4 years (near skeletal maturity). Eighty-two percent of respondents named diversified technique as their primary adjustive treatment, 87% would use exercise, and 30% would use electric muscle stimulation as an adjunct to manual therapy. Most surveyed chiropractors would use similar methods (frequency and length of treatment, manipulation technique, and exercise) in the treatment of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A high response rate to a national survey can be achieved through use of telephone contact.

  15. Telephone-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Screening for Frontotemporal Changes in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

    PubMed Central

    Christodoulou, Georgia; Gennings, Chris; Hupf, Jonathan; Factor-Litvak, Pam; Murphy, Jennifer; Goetz, Raymond R.; Mitsumoto, Hiroshi

    2017-01-01

    Objective To establish a valid and reliable battery of measures to evaluate frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in patients with ALS over the phone. Methods Thirty-one subjects were administered either in-person or telephone-based screening followed by the opposite mode of testing two weeks later, using a modified version of the UCSF Cognitive Screening Battery. Results Equivalence testing was performed for in-person and telephone-based tests. The standard ALS Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS) showed statistical equivalence at the 5% significance level when compared to a revised phone-version of the ALS-CBS. In addition, the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) and Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) were also found to be equivalent at the 5% and 10% significance level respectively. Similarly, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the well-established Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) were also statistically equivalent. Equivalence could not be claimed for the ALS-Frontal Behavioral Inventory (ALS-FBI) caregiver interview and the Written Verbal Fluency Index (WVFI). Conclusions Our study suggests that telephone-based versions of the ALS-CBS, COWAT, and CNS-LS may offer clinicians valid tools to detect frontotemporal changes in the ALS population. Development of telephone-based cognitive testing for ALS could become an integral resource for population-based research in the future. PMID:27121545

  16. Cross Talk: Evaluation of a Curriculum to Teach Medical Students How to Use Telephone Interpreter Services.

    PubMed

    Omoruyi, Emma A; Dunkle, Jesse; Dendy, Colby; McHugh, Erin; Barratt, Michelle S

    2018-03-01

    Telephone interpretation and recent technology advances assist patients with more timely access to rare languages, but no one has examined the role of this technology in the medical setting and how medical students can be prepared for their use. We sought to determine if structured curriculum on interpretation would promote learners self-reported competency in these encounters and if proficiency would be demonstrated in actual patient encounters. Training on the principles of interpreter use with a focus on communication technology was added to medical student education. The students later voluntarily completed a retrospective pre/post training competency self-assessment. A cohort of students rotating at a clinical site had a blinded review of their telephone interpretation encounters scored on a modified validated scale and compared to scored encounters with preintervention learners. Nested ANOVA models were used for audio file analysis. A total of 176 students who completed the training reported a statistically significant improvement in all 4 interpretation competency domains. Eighty-three audio files were analyzed from students before and after intervention. These scored encounters showed no statistical difference between the scores of the 2 groups. However, plotting the mean scores over time from each encounter suggests that those who received the curriculum started their rotation with higher scores and maintained those scores. In an evaluation of learners' ability to use interpreters in actual patient encounters, focused education led to earlier proficiency of using interpreters compared to peers who received no training. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Towards socially inclusive research: an evaluation of telephone questionnaire administration in a multilingual population.

    PubMed

    Dormandy, Elizabeth; Brown, Katrina; Reid, Erin P; Marteau, Theresa M

    2008-01-31

    Missing data may bias the results of clinical trials and other studies. This study describes the response rate, questionnaire responses and financial costs associated with offering participants from a multilingual population the option to complete questionnaires over the telephone. Before and after study of two methods of questionnaire completion. Seven hundred and sixty five pregnant women from 25 general practices in two UK inner city Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) taking part in a cluster randomised controlled trial of offering antenatal sickle cell and thalassaemia screening in primary care. Two hundred and four participants did not speak English. Sixty one women were offered postal questionnaire completion only and 714 women were offered a choice of telephone or postal questionnaire completion. (i) Proportion of completed questionnaires, (ii) attitude and knowledge responses obtained from a questionnaire assessing informed choice. The response rate from women offered postal completion was 26% compared with 67% for women offered a choice of telephone or postal completion (41% difference 95% CI Diff 30 to 52). For non-English speakers offered a choice of completion methods the response rate was 56% compared with 71% for English speakers (95% CI Diff 7 to 23). No difference was found for knowledge by completion method, but telephone completion was associated with more positive attitude classifications than postal completion (87 vs 96%, 95% CI diff 0.006 to 15). Compared with postal administration the additional costs associated with telephone administration were pound3.90 per questionnaire for English speakers and pound71.60 per questionnaire for non English speakers. Studies requiring data to be collected by questionnaire may obtain higher response rates from both English and non-English speakers when a choice of telephone or postal administration (and where necessary, an interpreter)is offered compared to offering postal administration only. This approach will

  18. Employees’ views on home-based, after-hours telephone triage by Dutch GP cooperatives

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Dutch out-of-hours (OOH) centers find it difficult to attract sufficient triage staff. They regard home-based triage as an option that might attract employees. Specially trained nurses are supposed to conduct triage by telephone from home for after-hours medical care. The central aim of this research is to investigate the views of employees of OOH centers in The Netherlands on home-based telephone triage in after-hours care. Methods The study is a Q methodology study. Triage nurses, general practitioners (GPs) and managers of OOH centers ranked 36 opinion statements on home-based triage. We interviewed 10 participants to help develop and validate the statements for the Q sort, and 77 participants did the Q sort. Results We identified four views on home-based telephone triage. Two generally favor home-based triage, one highlights some concerns and conditions, and one opposes it out of concern for quality. The four views perceive different sources of credibility for nurse triagists working from home. Conclusion Home-based telephone triage is a controversial issue among triage nurses, GPs and managers of OOH centers. By identifying consensus and dissension among GPs, triagists, managers and regulators, this study generates four perspectives on home-based triage. In addition, it reveals the conditions considered important for home-based triage. PMID:24188407

  19. Cellular Telephones Measure Activity and Lifespace in Community-Dwelling Adults: Proof of Principle

    PubMed Central

    Schenk, Ana Katrin; Witbrodt, Bradley C.; Hoarty, Carrie A.; Carlson, Richard H.; Goulding, Evan H.; Potter, Jane F.; Bonasera, Stephen J.

    2011-01-01

    OBJECTIVES To describe a system that uses off-the-shelf sensor and telecommunication technologies to continuously measure individual lifespace and activity levels in a novel way. DESIGN Proof of concept involving three field trials of 30, 30, and 21 days. SETTING Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan and surrounding rural region. PARTICIPANTS Three participants (48-year-old man, 33-year-old woman, and 27-year-old male), none with any functional limitations. MEASUREMENTS Cellular telephones were used to detect in-home position and in-community location and to measure physical activity. Within the home, cellular telephones and Bluetooth transmitters (beacons) were used to locate participants at room-level resolution. Outside the home, the same cellular telephones and global positioning system (GPS) technology were used to locate participants at a community-level resolution. Physical activity was simultaneously measured using the cellular telephone accelerometer. RESULTS This approach had face validity to measure activity and lifespace. More importantly, this system could measure the spatial and temporal organization of these metrics. For example, an individual’s lifespace was automatically calculated across multiple time intervals. Behavioral time budgets showing how people allocate time to specific regions within the home were also automatically generated. CONCLUSION Mobile monitoring shows much promise as an easily deployed system to quantify activity and lifespace, important indicators of function, in community-dwelling adults. PMID:21288235

  20. Are On-Line Data Bases in Your Library's Future?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deacon, Jim

    1983-01-01

    THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Today there are over 900 on-line data banks available for public access. Most microcomputers can use them through the aid of a modem and communication program. Major public information utilities that offer access to these on-line data bases are growing and expanding. The Source, a data base utility…

  1. A Plan for Development of an Educational Telephone Network (ETN) to Extend Access to Educational Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Los Angeles Community Coll. District, CA. Div. of Educational Planning and Development.

    The outreach development process described in this document is designed to provide a model for planning and implementing a program to extend access to educational opportunity for members of the community served by the Los Angeles Community College District. There are four steps required to initiate such a program: (1) Identification--each college…

  2. A Paradigm for the Telephonic Assessment of Suicidal Ideation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halderman, Brent L.; Eyman, James R.; Kerner, Lisa; Schlacks, Bill

    2009-01-01

    A three-stage paradigm for telephonically assessing suicidal risk and triaging suicidal callers as practiced in an Employee Assistance Program Call Center was investigated. The first hypothesis was that the use of the procedure would increase the probability that callers would accept the clinician's recommendations, evidenced by fewer police…

  3. Improved Sepsis Alert With a Telephone Call From the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory: A Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Bunsow, Eleonora; González-Del Vecchio, Marcela; Sanchez, Carlos; Muñoz, Patricia; Burillo, Almudena; Bouza, Emilio

    2015-09-01

    Early sepsis attention is a standard of care in many institutions and the role of different specialists is well recognized. However, the impact of a telephone call from a specialist in Clinical Microbiology upon blood cultures request has not been assessed to the best of our knowledge. We performed telephone calls followed by an interview with physicians and nurses in charge of adult patients (> 18 years old) whose blood cultures had just been received in the Microbiology Laboratory in a tertiary hospital. Patients were randomly classified in 2 different groups: group A (telephone call performed) and group B (no telephone call). At the end of the telephonic intervention, recommendations on the use of microbiology and biochemical tests as well as on the management and antibiotic therapy of sepsis were made if required. We included 300 patients. Of those fulfilling standard criteria of sepsis, 30.3% of the nurses and 50% of the physicians immediately recognized it. Advice to optimize the use of biochemical and microbiological tests was provided in 36% of the cases and to improve antimicrobial therapy in 57.6%. The median number of days of antibiotic use in groups A and B were, respectively, 6 days (IQR: 2-12) vs 9 days (IQR: 4-16) P = 0.008 and the median number of prescribed daily doses of antimicrobials (6 [IQR: 3-17] vs 10 [IQR: 5-22] P = 0.016) were lower in group A. We estimate a reduction, only in the use of antibiotic, of 1.8 million Euros per year. A telephone call with management advice, immediately after the arrival of blood cultures in the Microbiology Laboratory improves the recognition of sepsis and the use of diagnostic resources and reduces antimicrobial consumption and expenses.

  4. Integrating a Narrative Medicine Telephone Interview with Online Life Review Education for Cancer Patients: Lessons Learned and Future Directions

    PubMed Central

    Wise, Meg; Marchand, Lucille; Cleary, James F.; Aeschlimann, Elizabeth; Causier, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    We describe an online narrative and life review education program for cancer patients and the results of a small implementation test to inform future directions for further program development and full-scale evaluation research. The intervention combined three types of psycho-oncology narrative interventions that have been shown to help patients address emotional and existential issues: 1) a physician-led dignity-enhancing telephone interview to elicit the life narrative and delivery of an edited life manuscript, 2) life review education, delivered via 3) a website self-directed instructional materials and expert consultation to help people revise and share their story. Eleven cancer patients tested the intervention and provided feedback in an in-depth exit interview. While everyone said telling and receiving the edited story manuscript was helpful and meaningful, only people with high death salience and prior computer experience used the web tools to enhance and share their story. Computer users prodded us to provide more sophisticated tools and older (>70 years) users needed more staff and family support. We conclude that combining a telephone expert-led interview with online life review education can extend access to integrative oncology services, are most feasible for computer-savvy patients with advanced cancer, and must use platforms that allow patients to upload files and invite their social network. PMID:19476731

  5. Future Integrated Architecture (FIA): A Proposed Space Internetworking Architecture for Future Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    WiMax “as a ‘last mile’ broadband wireless access (BWA) alternative to cable modem service, telephone company Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or T1/E1...MUOS at 56k , shows results similar to another simulation with different circuit configurations. Analysis presented in this thesis shows adequate

  6. Effects of an Introductory Letter on Response Rates to a Teen/Parent Telephone Health Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodruff, Susan I.; Mayer, Joni A.; Clapp, Elizabeth

    2006-01-01

    The authors conducted a pilot study in preparation for a larger investigation that will rely on telephone surveys to assess select health behaviors of teens and their parents, with a focus on indoor tanning. This study used a randomized design to assess the impact of a presurvey letter on response rates to a telephone survey, as well as prevalence…

  7. 20 CFR 638.516 - Laundry, mail, and telephone service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Laundry, mail, and telephone service. 638.516 Section 638.516 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JOB CORPS PROGRAM UNDER TITLE IV-B OF THE JOB TRAINING PARTNERSHIP ACT Center Operations § 638.516 Laundry, mail...

  8. Development of Disruptive Open Access Journals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Terry; McConkey, Brigette

    2009-01-01

    Open access (OA) publication has emerged, with disruptive effects, as a major outlet for scholarly publication. OA publication is usually associated with on-line distribution and provides access to scholarly publications to anyone, anywhere--regardless of their ability to pay subscription fees or their association with an educational institution.…

  9. On Ramps: Options and Issues in Accessing the Internet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bocher, Bob

    1995-01-01

    Outlines the basic options that schools and libraries have for accessing the Internet, focusing on four models: direct connection; dial access using SLIP/PPP (Serial Line Internet Protocol/Point-to-Point Protocol); dial-up using terminal emulation mode; and dial access through commercial online services. Discusses access option issues such as…

  10. Compliance with youth access regulations for indoor UV tanning.

    PubMed

    Hester, Eric J; Heilig, Lauren F; D'Ambrosia, Renee; Drake, Amanda L; Schilling, Lisa M; Dellavalle, Robert P

    2005-08-01

    To describe youth access to indoor UV tanning and youth discount pricing incentives in 4 states with different age restrictions: Colorado (no age restrictions), Texas (age 13 years), Illinois (age 14 years), and Wisconsin (age 16 years). Cross-sectional telephone survey conducted in October 2003 using a standardized script to assess the practices of randomly selected UV tanning operators. Randomly selected licensed indoor UV tanning facility operators in Colorado, Texas, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Number of facilities (1) complying with indoor UV tanning minimum age regulations for a 12-year-old potential patron and a 15-year-old potential patron and (2) offering youth discounts. For a 12-year-old potential patron, 62% of facilities in states with minimum age restrictions prohibiting 12-year-olds had an operator report that they would not permit indoor tanning (Texas, 23%; Illinois, 74%; and Wisconsin, 89%) compared with 18% in Colorado, a state without youth access regulations. For a 15-year-old patron, most facilities in Wisconsin, the only state with a minimum age restriction for 15-year-olds, prohibited access (77%). Overall, 15% of operators offered youth discounts: Texas, 23%; Illinois, 14%; Wisconsin, 11%; and Colorado, 11%. Tanning facilities in 4 states offered price incentives directed at youths. State youth access regulations were associated with decreased youth access to indoor tanning. High compliance levels in states with long-standing youth access regulations (Illinois and Wisconsin) demonstrate the potential for successful tanning industry youth access regulation.

  11. Reading Area Community College Community Needs Assessment Telephone Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reading Area Community Coll., PA.

    A telephone survey was conducted in 1981 at Reading Area Community College (RACC) to determine the educational needs of the community, particularly those of prospective students and employers. More specifically, the study sought to determine how the Berks County community perceived the quality of education provided at RACC and to ascertain the…

  12. The use of telephone in genetic counseling versus in-person counseling: a randomized study on counselees' outcome.

    PubMed

    Platten, Ulla; Rantala, Johanna; Lindblom, Annika; Brandberg, Yvonne; Lindgren, Gunilla; Arver, Brita

    2012-09-01

    Increased demand for genetic counseling services necessitates exploring alternatives to in-person counseling. Telephone counseling is a less time-consuming and more cost-effective alternative. So far there is insufficient evidence to support a pre-counseling telephone model. This randomized questionnaire study aims to evaluate the oncogenetic counseling process and to compare the impact of the initial part of the oncogenetic counseling, when conducted via telephone versus in-person. The aspects of evaluations were: patients' expectations, satisfaction and experiences of genetic counseling, worry for developing hereditary cancer and health related quality of life. A total of 215 participants representing several cancer syndromes were randomized to counseling via telephone or in-person. The questionnaires were completed before and after oncogenetic nurse counseling, and 1 year after the entire counseling process. Overall, a high satisfaction rate with the oncogenetic counseling process was found among the participants regardless of whether the oncogenetic nurse counseling was conducted by telephone or in-person. The results show that a considerable number of participants experienced difficulties with the process of creating a pedigree and dissatisfaction with information on surveillance and prevention. Affected participants reported lower levels in most SF-36 domains compared to non-affected and both groups reported lower levels as compared to a Swedish reference group. The results indicate that telephone pre-counseling works as well as in-person counseling. Emotional support during genetic counseling and information on recommended cancer prevention and surveillance should be improved.

  13. Telephone Peer Counseling of Breastfeeding Among WIC Participants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Joyce, Ted; Sibley, Kelly; Arnold, Diane; Altindag, Onur

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The US Surgeon General has recommended that peer counseling to support breastfeeding become a core service of the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). As of 2008, 50% of WIC clients received services from local WIC agencies that offered peer counseling. Little is known about the effectiveness of these peer counseling programs. Randomized controlled trials of peer counseling interventions among low-income women in the United States showed increases in breastfeeding initiation and duration, but it is doubtful that the level of support provided could be scaled up to service WIC participants nationally. We tested whether a telephone peer counseling program among WIC participants could increase breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1948 WIC clients recruited during pregnancy who intended to breastfeed or were considering breastfeeding to 3 study arms: no peer counseling, 4 telephone contacts, or 8 telephone contacts. RESULTS: We combined 2 treatment arms because there was no difference in the distribution of peer contacts. Nonexclusive breastfeeding duration was greater at 3 months postpartum for all women in the treatment group (adjusted relative risk: 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–1.34) but greater at 6 months for Spanish-speaking clients only (adjusted relative risk: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.10–1.51). The likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding cessation was less among Spanish-speaking clients (adjusted odds ratio: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.68–0.89). CONCLUSIONS: A telephone peer counseling program achieved gains in nonexclusive breastfeeding but modest improvements in exclusive breastfeeding were limited to Spanish- speaking women. PMID:25092936

  14. Impact of automated telephone messaging on zoster vaccination rates in community pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Hess, Rick

    2013-01-01

    To measure the impact of an automated outbound telephone messaging system on herpes zoster (HZ) vaccinations among older adults in the community pharmacy setting. Randomized controlled trial. 16 grocery store chain community pharmacies in Georgia and Tennessee, between December 2006 and May 2007. Adults 60 years or older who filled at least one prescription at a participating study pharmacy. A 30-second automated outbound telephone message was delivered to patient households monthly during the first week of March through May 2007. The message advertised that older adults should speak with their pharmacist about the risk for HZ and the availability of a new vaccine. HZ vaccinations based on pharmacy profile records. After 3 months, 146 and 46 vaccinations were administered to older adults among the study cohort populations, translating into HZ vaccination rates of 2.60% and 0.72% at intervention and control pharmacies, respectively (odds ratio 3.69 [95% CI 2.64-5.15], P < 0.001). Use of an automated outbound telephone messaging tool to inform older adults about their risk for HZ and the availability of a vaccine significantly improved vaccination rates in the community pharmacy setting.

  15. Estimation of the bio-accessible fraction of Cr, As, Cd and Pb in locally available bread using on-line continuous leaching method coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Lamsal, Ram P; Beauchemin, Diane

    2015-03-31

    A previously developed, efficient and simple on-line leaching method was used to assess the maximum bio-accessible fraction (assuming no synergistic effect from other food and beverage) of potentially toxic elements (Cr, As, Cd and Pb) in whole wheat brown and white bread samples. Artificial saliva, gastric juice and intestinal juice were successively pumped into a mini-column, packed with bread (maintained at 37 °C) connected on-line to the nebulizer of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument equipped with a collision-reaction interface (CRI) using hydrogen as reaction gas to minimize carbon- and chlorine-based polyatomic interferences. In contrast to the conventional batch method to which it was compared, this approach provides real-time monitoring of potentially toxic elements that are continuously released during leaching. Mass balance for both methods was verified at the 95% confidence level. Results obtained from the whole wheat brown and white bread showed that the majority of Cr, Cd and Pb was leached by gastric juice but, in contrast, the majority of As was leached by saliva. While there was higher total content for elements in whole wheat bread than in white bread, a higher percentage of elements were bio-accessible in white bread than in whole wheat bread. Both the on-line and batch methods indicate that 40-98% of toxic elements in bread samples are bio-accessible. While comparison of total analyte concentrations with provisional tolerable daily intake values may indicate some serious health concern for children, when accounting for the bio-accessibility of these elements, bread consumption is found to be safe for all ages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. How Easy Is It for Adult Educators To Use the Information Superhighway?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosen, David J.

    In November 1995, an online survey was conducted of 113 adult literacy practitioners who were actively using the Internet. Respondents reported the following difficulties encountered in learning to use the Internet: purchasing and learning to use hardware or software; getting access to a telephone line; getting an Internet account; learning…

  17. 48 CFR 204.7202-1 - CAGE codes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ....39-M, Federal Logistics Information System (FLIS) Procedures Manual, prescribe use of CAGE codes. (b..., Federal Center, 74 Washington Avenue, North, Battle Creek, MI 49017-3084. Their telephone number is: toll-free 1-888-352-9333); (B) The on-line access to the CAGE file through the Defense Logistics Information...

  18. A telephone questionnaire in order to assess functional outcome after post-traumatic limb salvage surgery: Development and preliminary validation.

    PubMed

    Wulterkens, Leonie; Aurégan, Jean-Charles; Letellier, Thomas; Mebtouche, Nasser; Levante, Stéphane; Cottin, Philippe; Bégué, Thierry

    2015-12-01

    Post-traumatic limb salvage surgery is challenging and evaluation of the results remains arduous. No questionnaire specifically assessing functional outcome after post-traumatic limb salvage surgery of the lower extremity exists. Due to regionalization of specialized care, the patients' travel time to the hospital increases. To overcome a higher patients' travel burden, patients' follow up by telephone is an option. We aimed to develop a telephone questionnaire in order to assess functional outcome after post-traumatic limb salvage surgery of the lower extremity. From a review of scores of functional assessment of the lower limb surgery, we have developed a telephone questionnaire. A prospective study was performed to validate this telephone questionnaire. Twenty patients were included. The participants were called to complete the telephone questionnaire twice with an interval of a week. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was completed during the second telephone call. The internal consistency was analyzed by the Cronbach's alpha (α). With the outcome scores of both completions, the test-retest reliability was analyzed by the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 2,k with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The outcome scores of the second telephone questionnaire and the WOMAC questionnaire were used for the construct validity analysis by the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r(s)) with a 95% CI. The internal consistency analysis revealed a α=0.62 which improved to α=0.92 after removing one question from the telephone questionnaire. The final version of the telephone questionnaire comprises 32 questions, divided in 3 subscales: function, daily life and psychology. The total score varies between 0 and 86 points. The test-retest reliability was ICC 2,k=0.93 (95% CI: 0.82-0.97) and the construct validity was r(s)=0.92 (95% CI: 0.81-0.97). We present a specific telephone questionnaire in order to assess functional

  19. NETWORK. A History of the Scottish Telephone Referral Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Vernon

    Since its beginnings in 1974 as an outgrowth of the BBC Adult Literacy project, NETWORK SCOTLAND LTD (formerly the Scottish Telephone Referral Service) has grown to play a key role in the provision of broadcast support and educational information services in the United Kingdom. The referral service was originally established to provide a mechanism…

  20. Additional follow-up telephone counselling and initial smoking relapse: a longitudinal, controlled study.

    PubMed

    Wu, Lei; He, Yao; Jiang, Bin; Zuo, Fang; Liu, Qinghui; Zhang, Li; Zhou, Changxi

    2016-04-20

    Smoking cessation services can help smokers to quit; however, many smoking relapse cases occur over time. Initial relapse prevention should play an important role in achieving the goal of long-term smoking cessation. Several studies have focused on the effect of extended telephone support in relapse prevention, but the conclusions remain conflicting. From October 2008 to August 2013, a longitudinal, controlled study was performed in a large general hospital of Beijing. The smokers who sought treatment at our smoking cessation clinic were non-randomised and divided into 2 groups: face-to-face individual counselling group (FC group), and face-to-face individual counselling plus telephone follow-up counselling group (FCF group). No pharmacotherapy was offered. The timing of initial smoking relapse was compared between FC and FCF groups. Predictors of initial relapse were investigated during the first 180 days, using the Cox proportional hazards model. Of 547 eligible male smokers who volunteered to participate, 457 participants (117 in FC group and 340 in FCF group) achieved at least 24 h abstinence. The majority of the lapse episodes occurred during the first 2 weeks after the quit date. Smokers who did not receive the follow-up telephone counselling (FC group) tended to relapse to smoking earlier than those smokers who received the additional follow-up telephone counselling (FCF group), and the log-rank test was statistically significant (p=0.003). A Cox regression model showed that, in the FCF group, being married, and having a lower Fagerström test score, normal body mass index and doctor-diagnosed tobacco-related chronic diseases, were significantly independent protective predictors of smoking relapse. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that additional follow-up telephone counselling might be an effective strategy in preventing relapse. Further research is still needed to confirm our findings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group