Efficient, quality-assured data capture in operational research through innovative use of open-access technology

PubMed Central

Naik, B.; Guddemane, D. K.; Bhat, P.; Wilson, N.; Sreenivas, A. N.; Lauritsen, J. M.; Rieder, H. L.

2013-01-01

Ensuring quality of data during electronic data capture has been one of the most neglected components of operational research. Multicentre studies are also challenged with issues about logistics of travel, training, supervision, monitoring and troubleshooting support. Allocating resources to these issues can pose a significant bottleneck for operational research in resource-limited settings. In this article, we describe an innovative and efficient way of coordinating data capture in multicentre operational research using a combination of three open access technologies—EpiData for data capture, Dropbox for sharing files and TeamViewer for providing remote support. PMID:26392997

Deterrents to Participation in Web-based Continuing Professional Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perdue, Kathy J.; Valentine, Thomas

2000-01-01

This study examined the perceptions of certified public accountants concerning deterrents to participation in Web-based continuing professional education. Results of surveys included concerns about electronically mediated communication; the quality of course offerings; access to technology-associated resources; and the availability of necessary…

Design, Development, and Initial Evaluation of a Terminology for Clinical Decision Support and Electronic Clinical Quality Measurement.

PubMed

Lin, Yanhua; Staes, Catherine J; Shields, David E; Kandula, Vijay; Welch, Brandon M; Kawamoto, Kensaku

2015-01-01

When coupled with a common information model, a common terminology for clinical decision support (CDS) and electronic clinical quality measurement (eCQM) could greatly facilitate the distributed development and sharing of CDS and eCQM knowledge resources. To enable such scalable knowledge authoring and sharing, we systematically developed an extensible and standards-based terminology for CDS and eCQM in the context of the HL7 Virtual Medical Record (vMR) information model. The development of this terminology entailed three steps: (1) systematic, physician-curated concept identification from sources such as the Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) and the SNOMED-CT CORE problem list; (2) concept de-duplication leveraging the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) MetaMap and Metathesaurus; and (3) systematic concept naming using standard terminologies and heuristic algorithms. This process generated 3,046 concepts spanning 68 domains. Evaluation against representative CDS and eCQM resources revealed approximately 50-70% concept coverage, indicating the need for continued expansion of the terminology.

Design, Development, and Initial Evaluation of a Terminology for Clinical Decision Support and Electronic Clinical Quality Measurement

PubMed Central

Lin, Yanhua; Staes, Catherine J; Shields, David E; Kandula, Vijay; Welch, Brandon M; Kawamoto, Kensaku

2015-01-01

When coupled with a common information model, a common terminology for clinical decision support (CDS) and electronic clinical quality measurement (eCQM) could greatly facilitate the distributed development and sharing of CDS and eCQM knowledge resources. To enable such scalable knowledge authoring and sharing, we systematically developed an extensible and standards-based terminology for CDS and eCQM in the context of the HL7 Virtual Medical Record (vMR) information model. The development of this terminology entailed three steps: (1) systematic, physician-curated concept identification from sources such as the Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) and the SNOMED-CT CORE problem list; (2) concept de-duplication leveraging the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) MetaMap and Metathesaurus; and (3) systematic concept naming using standard terminologies and heuristic algorithms. This process generated 3,046 concepts spanning 68 domains. Evaluation against representative CDS and eCQM resources revealed approximately 50–70% concept coverage, indicating the need for continued expansion of the terminology. PMID:26958220

Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Implementation of a Quality Improvement Intervention Using Real-Time Feedback and an Electronic Order Set for the Management of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.

PubMed

Rosa, Rossana; Zavala, Bruno; Cain, Natalie; Anjan, Shweta; Aragon, Laura; Abbo, Lilian M

2018-03-01

Antimicrobial stewardship programs can optimize the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia by integrating information technology and microbiology laboratory resources. This study describes our experience implementing an intervention consisting of real-time feedback and the use of an electronic order set for the management of S. aureus bacteremia. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:346-349.

Medical faculties educational network: multidimensional quality assessment.

PubMed

Komenda, Martin; Schwarz, Daniel; Feberová, Jitka; Stípek, Stanislav; Mihál, Vladimír; Dušek, Ladislav

2012-12-01

Today, World Wide Web technology provides many opportunities in the disclosure of electronic learning and teaching content. The MEFANET project (MEdical FAculties NETwork) has initiated international, effective and open cooperation among all Czech and Slovak medical faculties in the medical education fields. This paper introduces the original MEFANET educational web portal platform. Its main aim is to present the unique collaborative environment, which combines the sharing of electronic educational resources with the use tools for their quality evaluation. It is in fact a complex e-publishing system, which consists of ten standalone portal instances and one central gateway. The fundamental principles of the developed system and used technologies are reported here, as well as procedures of a new multidimensional quality assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Signal-to-Noise Quality Comparison between an Electronic and Conventional Stethoscope aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshburn, Thomas; Cole, Richard; Ebert, Doug; Bauer, Pete

2014-01-01

Introduction: Evaluation of heart, lung, and bowel sounds is routinely performed with the use of a stethoscope to help detect a broad range of medical conditions. Stethoscope acquired information is even more valuable in a resource limited environments such as the International Space Station (ISS) where additional testing is not available. The high ambient noise level aboard the ISS poses a specific challenge to auscultation by stethoscope. An electronic stethoscope's ambient noise-reduction, greater sound amplification, recording capabilities, and sound visualization software may be an advantage to a conventional stethoscope in this environment. Methods: A single operator rated signal-to-noise quality from a conventional stethoscope (Littman 2218BE) and an electronic stethoscope (Litmann 3200). Borborygmi, pulmonic, and cardiac sound quality was ranked with both stethoscopes. Signal-to-noise rankings were preformed on a 1 to 10 subjective scale with 1 being inaudible, 6 the expected quality in an emergency department, 8 the expected quality in a clinic, and 10 the clearest possible quality. Testing took place in the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM), Unity (Node 2), Destiny (US Lab), Tranquility (Node 3), and the Cupola of the International Space Station. All examinations were conducted at a single point in time. Results: The electronic stethoscope's performance ranked higher than the conventional stethoscope for each body sound in all modules tested. The electronic stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 7 and 10 in all modules tested. In comparison, the traditional stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 4 and 7. The signal to noise ratio of borborygmi showed the biggest difference between stethoscopes. In the modules tested, the auscultation of borborygmi was rated between 5 and 7 by the conventional stethoscope and consistently 10 by the electronic stethoscope. Discussion: This stethoscope comparison was limited to a single operator. However, we believe the results are noteworthy. The electronic stethoscope out preformed the traditional stethoscope in each direct comparison. Consideration should be made to incorporate an electronic stethoscope into current and future space vehicle medical kits.

Assessing Reading Strategies of Engineering Students: Think Aloud Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nalliveettil, George Mathew

2014-01-01

Literacy in reading and understanding printed words is significant for all undergraduate students to succeed in their academic career. Developments in digital technology improved the quality of academic texts in terms of design, format and layout. Further, availability of academic related English language resources in electronic versions gave…

Search Engines on the World Wide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walster, Dian

1997-01-01

Discusses search engines and provides methods for determining what resources are searched, the quality of the information, and the algorithms used that will improve the use of search engines on the World Wide Web, online public access catalogs, and electronic encyclopedias. Lists strategies for conducting searches and for learning about the latest…

Accelerating global access to plant diversity information.

PubMed

Lughadha, Eimear Nic; Miller, Chuck

2009-11-01

Botanic gardens play key roles in the development and dissemination of plant information resources. Drivers for change have included progress in information technology, growing public expectations of electronic access and international conservation policy. Great advances have been made in the quantity, quality and accessibility of plant information in digital form and the extent to which information from multiple providers can be accessed through a single portal. However, significant challenges remain to be addressed in making botanic gardens resources maximally accessible and impactful, not least the overwhelming volume of material which still awaits digitisation. The year 2010 represents an opportunity for botanic gardens to showcase their collaborative achievements in delivery of electronic plant information and reinforce their relevance to pressing environmental issues.

Sharing resources: opportunities for smaller primary care practices to increase their capacity for patient care. Findings from the 2009 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians.

PubMed

Fryer, Ashley-Kay; Doty, Michelle M; Audet, Anne-Marie J

2011-03-01

Most Americans get their health care in small physician practices. Yet, small practice settings are often unable to provide the same range of services or partici­pate in quality improvement initiatives as large practices because they lack the staff, infor­mation technology, and office systems. One promising strategy is to share clinical sup­port services and information systems with other practices. New findings from the 2009 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians suggest smaller practices that share resources are more likely than those without shared resources to have advanced electronic medical records and health information technology, routinely track and manage patient information, have after-hours care arrangements, and engage in quality monitoring and benchmarking. This issue brief highlights strategies that can increase resources among small- and medium-sized practices and efforts supported by states, the private sector, and the Affordable Care Act that encourage the expansion of shared-resource models.

Impact of conflict on medical education: a cross-sectional survey of students and institutions in Iraq

PubMed Central

Barnett-Vanes, Ashton; Shawki, Marwan; Ismail, Omar Abdulkadir; Fung, Chi; Kedia, Tara

2016-01-01

Objective This study surveyed all Iraqi medical schools and a cross-section of Iraqi medical students regarding their institutional and student experiences of medical education amidst ongoing conflict. The objective was to better understand the current resources and challenges facing medical schools, and the impacts of conflict on the training landscape and student experience, to provide evidence for further research and policy development. Setting Deans of all Iraqi medical schools registered in the World Directory of Medical Schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Medical students from three Iraqi medical schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Outcomes Primary: Student enrolment and graduation statistics; human resources of medical schools; dean perspectives on impact of conflict. Secondary: Medical student perspectives on quality of teaching, welfare and future career intentions. Findings Of 24 medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, 15 replied to an initial email sent to confirm their contact details, and 8 medical schools responded to our survey, giving a response rate from contactable medical schools of 53% and overall of 33%. Five (63%) medical schools reported medical student educational attainment being impaired or significantly impaired; 4 (50%) felt the quality of training medical schools could offer had been impaired or significantly impaired due to conflict. A total of 197 medical students responded, 62% of whom felt their safety had been threatened due to violent insecurity. The majority (56%) of medical students intended to leave Iraq after graduating. Conclusions Medical schools are facing challenges in staff recruitment and adequate resource provision; the majority believe quality of training has suffered as a result. Medical students are experiencing added psychological stress and lower quality of teaching; the majority intend to leave Iraq after graduation. PMID:26883241

A systematic review of portable electronic technology for health education in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

McHenry, Megan S; Fischer, Lydia J; Chun, Yeona; Vreeman, Rachel C

2017-08-01

The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature of how portable electronic technologies with offline functionality are perceived and used to provide health education in resource-limited settings. Three reviewers evaluated articles and performed a bibliography search to identify studies describing health education delivered by portable electronic device with offline functionality in low- or middle-income countries. Data extracted included: study population; study design and type of analysis; type of technology used; method of use; setting of technology use; impact on caregivers, patients, or overall health outcomes; and reported limitations. Searches yielded 5514 unique titles. Out of 75 critically reviewed full-text articles, 10 met inclusion criteria. Study locations included Botswana, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Nigeria, India, Ghana, and Tanzania. Topics addressed included: development of healthcare worker training modules, clinical decision support tools, patient education tools, perceptions and usability of portable electronic technology, and comparisons of technologies and/or mobile applications. Studies primarily looked at the assessment of developed educational modules on trainee health knowledge, perceptions and usability of technology, and comparisons of technologies. Overall, studies reported positive results for portable electronic device-based health education, frequently reporting increased provider/patient knowledge, improved patient outcomes in both quality of care and management, increased provider comfort level with technology, and an environment characterized by increased levels of technology-based, informal learning situations. Negative assessments included high investment costs, lack of technical support, and fear of device theft. While the research is limited, portable electronic educational resources present promising avenues to increase access to effective health education in resource-limited settings, contingent on the development of culturally adapted and functional materials to be used on such devices.

Cost-effectiveness of an electronic clinical decision support system for improving quality of antenatal and childbirth care in rural Tanzania: an intervention study.

PubMed

Saronga, Happiness Pius; Duysburgh, Els; Massawe, Siriel; Dalaba, Maxwell Ayindenaba; Wangwe, Peter; Sukums, Felix; Leshabari, Melkizedeck; Blank, Antje; Sauerborn, Rainer; Loukanova, Svetla

2017-08-07

QUALMAT project aimed at improving quality of maternal and newborn care in selected health care facilities in three African countries. An electronic clinical decision support system was implemented to support providers comply with established standards in antenatal and childbirth care. Given that health care resources are limited and interventions differ in their potential impact on health and costs (efficiency), this study aimed at assessing cost-effectiveness of the system in Tanzania. This was a quantitative pre- and post- intervention study involving 6 health centres in rural Tanzania. Cost information was collected from health provider's perspective. Outcome information was collected through observation of the process of maternal care. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for antenatal and childbirth care were calculated with testing of four models where the system was compared to the conventional paper-based approach to care. One-way sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine whether changes in process quality score and cost would impact on cost-effectiveness ratios. Economic cost of implementation was 167,318 USD, equivalent to 27,886 USD per health center and 43 USD per contact. The system improved antenatal process quality by 4.5% and childbirth care process quality by 23.3% however these improvements were not statistically significant. Base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of the system were 2469 USD and 338 USD per 1% change in process quality for antenatal and childbirth care respectively. Cost-effectiveness of the system was sensitive to assumptions made on costs and outcomes. Although the system managed to marginally improve individual process quality variables, it did not have significant improvement effect on the overall process quality of care in the short-term. A longer duration of usage of the electronic clinical decision support system and retention of staff are critical to the efficiency of the system and can reduce the invested resources. Realization of gains from the system requires effective implementation and an enabling healthcare system. Registered clinical trial at www.clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT01409824 ). Registered May 2009.

Evaluation of three electronic report processing systems for preparing hydrologic reports of the U.S Geological Survey, Water Resources Division

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stiltner, G.J.

1990-01-01

In 1987, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey undertook three pilot projects to evaluate electronic report processing systems as a means to improve the quality and timeliness of reports pertaining to water resources investigations. The three projects selected for study included the use of the following configuration of software and hardware: Ventura Publisher software on an IBM model AT personal computer, PageMaker software on a Macintosh computer, and FrameMaker software on a Sun Microsystems workstation. The following assessment criteria were to be addressed in the pilot studies: The combined use of text, tables, and graphics; analysis of time; ease of learning; compatibility with the existing minicomputer system; and technical limitations. It was considered essential that the camera-ready copy produced be in a format suitable for publication. Visual improvement alone was not a consideration. This report consolidates and summarizes the findings of the electronic report processing pilot projects. Text and table files originating on the existing minicomputer system were successfully transformed to the electronic report processing systems in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format. Graphics prepared using a proprietary graphics software package were transferred to all the electronic report processing software through the use of Computer Graphic Metafiles. Graphics from other sources were entered into the systems by scanning paper images. Comparative analysis of time needed to process text and tables by the electronic report processing systems and by conventional methods indicated that, although more time is invested in creating the original page composition for an electronically processed report , substantial time is saved in producing subsequent reports because the format can be stored and re-used by electronic means as a template. Because of the more compact page layouts, costs of printing the reports were 15% to 25% less than costs of printing the reports prepared by conventional methods. Because the largest report workload in the offices conducting water resources investigations is preparation of Water-Resources Investigations Reports, Open-File Reports, and annual State Data Reports, the pilot studies only involved these projects. (USGS)

Advanced medical imaging protocol workflow-a flexible electronic solution to optimize process efficiency, care quality and patient safety in the National VA Enterprise.

PubMed

Medverd, Jonathan R; Cross, Nathan M; Font, Frank; Casertano, Andrew

2013-08-01

Radiologists routinely make decisions with only limited information when assigning protocol instructions for the performance of advanced medical imaging examinations. Opportunity exists to simultaneously improve the safety, quality and efficiency of this workflow through the application of an electronic solution leveraging health system resources to provide concise, tailored information and decision support in real-time. Such a system has been developed using an open source, open standards design for use within the Veterans Health Administration. The Radiology Protocol Tool Recorder (RAPTOR) project identified key process attributes as well as inherent weaknesses of paper processes and electronic emulators of paper processes to guide the development of its optimized electronic solution. The design provides a kernel that can be expanded to create an integrated radiology environment. RAPTOR has implications relevant to the greater health care community, and serves as a case model for modernization of legacy government health information systems.

The Public Sector: A National Resource for Alcohol and Drug Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Miranda, John

Economic analysis of alcohol and drug treatment services usually focuses on understanding the private, profit-oriented, hospital-based setting. Professional publications of the alcoholism treatment field, as well as popular press and electronic media exposure, also focus heavily on the private system. Low cost, quality treatment services, however,…

Behavioural Interventions for the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Young People Aged 13-19 Years: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Picot, Joanna; Shepherd, Jonathan; Kavanagh, Josephine; Cooper, Keith; Harden, Angela; Barnett-Page, Elaine; Jones, Jeremy; Clegg, Andrew; Hartwell, Debbie; Frampton, Geoff K.

2012-01-01

We systematically reviewed school-based skills building behavioural interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. References were sought from 15 electronic resources, bibliographies of systematic reviews/included studies and experts. Two authors independently extracted data and quality-assessed studies. Fifteen randomized…

"Talkin' about a revolution": How electronic health records can facilitate the scale-up of HIV care and treatment and catalyze primary care in resource-constrained settings.

PubMed

Braitstein, Paula; Einterz, Robert M; Sidle, John E; Kimaiyo, Sylvester; Tierney, William

2009-11-01

Health care for patients with HIV infection in developing countries has increased substantially in response to major international funding. Scaling up treatment programs requires timely data on the type, quantity, and quality of care being provided. Increasingly, such programs are turning to electronic health records (EHRs) to provide these data. We describe how a medical school in the United States and another in Kenya collaborated to develop and implement an EHR in a large HIV/AIDS care program in western Kenya. These data were used to manage patients, providers, and the program itself as it grew to encompass 18 sites serving more than 90,000 patients. Lessons learned have been applicable beyond HIV/AIDS to include primary care, chronic disease management, and community-based health screening and disease prevention programs. EHRs will be key to providing the highest possible quality of care for the funds developing countries can commit to health care. Public, private, and academic partnerships can facilitate the development and implementation of EHRs in resource-constrained settings.

I've got 99 problems but a phone ain't one: Electronic and mobile health in low and middle income countries.

PubMed

Kumar, Pratap; Paton, Chris; Kirigia, Doris

2016-10-01

Mobile technology is very prevalent in Kenya-mobile phone penetration is at 88% and mobile data subscriptions form 99% of all internet subscriptions. While there is great potential for such ubiquitous technology to revolutionise access and quality of healthcare in low-resource settings, there have been few successes at scale. Implementations of electronic health (e-Health) and mobile health (m-Health) technologies in countries like Kenya are yet to tackle human resource constraints or the political, ethical and financial considerations of such technologies. We outline recent innovations that could improve access and quality while considering the costs of healthcare. One is an attempt to create a scalable clinical decision support system by engaging a global network of specialist doctors and reversing some of the damaging effects of medical brain drain. The other efficiently extracts digital information from paper-based records using low-cost and locally produced tools such as rubber stamps to improve adherence to clinical practice guidelines. By bringing down the costs of remote consultations and clinical audit, respectively, these projects offer the potential for clinics in resource-limited settings to deliver high-quality care. This paper makes a case for continued and increased investment in social enterprises that bridge academia, public and private sectors to deliver sustainable and scalable e-Health and m-Health solutions. 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/

An evaluation of immunization education resources by family medicine residency directors.

PubMed

Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Zimmerman, Richard K; Middleton, Donald B; Sherwood, Roger A; Ko, Feng-Shou; Kimmel, Sanford R; Troy, Judith A

2007-01-01

Immunization is a rapidly evolving field, and teachers of family medicine are responsible for ensuring that they and their students are knowledgeable about the latest vaccine recommendations. A survey was mailed to 456 family medicine residency directors across the United States to obtain their evaluation of immunization resources developed by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's Group on Immunization Education. Frequencies, measures of central tendency, and differences between responses from 2001 to 2005 were analyzed. Directors of 261 (57%) family medicine residencies responded, with >80% reporting satisfaction with immunization teaching resources. The popularity of bound resources decreased from 2001 to 2005, while immunization Web sites increased in importance. The journal supplement, "Vaccines Across the Lifespan, 2005" was less frequently read in 2005 than its predecessor published in 2001, but quality ratings remained high. Use of the Web site, www.ImmunizationEd.org, and the Shots software for both desktop and handheld computers has increased since their creation. Electronic immunization teaching resources are increasingly popular among family medicine residencies. As the field continues to change, the use of electronic resources is expected to continue, since they are easily updated and, in the case of www.ImmunizationEd.org and Shots software, are available free of charge.

Complex adaptive systems: a tool for interpreting responses and behaviours.

PubMed

Ellis, Beverley

2011-01-01

Quality improvement is a priority for health services worldwide. There are many barriers to implementing change at the locality level and misinterpreting responses and behaviours can effectively block change. Electronic health records will influence the means by which knowledge and information are generated and sustained among those operating quality improvement programmes. To explain how complex adaptive system (CAS) theory provides a useful tool and new insight into the responses and behaviours that relate to quality improvement programmes in primary care enabled by informatics. Case studies in two English localities who participated in the implementation and development of quality improvement programmes. The research strategy included purposefully sampled case studies, conducted within a social constructionist ontological perspective. Responses and behaviours of quality improvement programmes in the two localities include both positive and negative influences associated with a networked model of governance. Pressures of time, resources and workload are common issues, along with the need for education and training about capturing, coding, recording and sharing information held within electronic health records to support various information requirements. Primary care informatics enables information symmetry among those operating quality improvement programmes by making some aspects of care explicit, allowing consensus about quality improvement priorities and implementable solutions.

The Primary Care Electronic Library (PCEL) five years on: open source evaluation of usage.

PubMed

Robinson, Judas; de Lusignan, Simon; Kostkova, Patty

2005-01-01

The Primary Care Electronic Library (PCEL) is a collection of indexed and abstracted internet resources. PCEL contains a directory of quality-assured internet material with associated search facilities. PCEL has been indexed, using metadata and established taxonomies. Site development requires an understanding of usage; this paper reports the use of open source tools to evaluate usage. This evaluation was conducted during a six-month period of development of PCEL. To use open source to evaluate changes in usage of an electronic library. We defined data we needed for analysis; this included: page requests, visits, unique visitors, page requests per visit, geographical location of users, NHS users, chronological information about users and resources used. During the evaluation period, page requests increased from 3500 to 10,000; visits from 1250 to 2300; and unique visitors from 750 to 1500. Up to 83% of users come from the UK, 15% were NHS users. The page requests of NHS users are slowly increasing but not as fast as requests by other users in the UK. PCEL is primarily used Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday is the busiest day with use lessening through the week. NHS users had a different list of top ten resources accessed than non-NHS users, with only four resources appearing in both. Open source tools provide useful data which can be used to evaluate online resources. Improving the functionality of PCEL has been associated with increased use.

Addressing the Needs of a Developing Nation: Electronic Maps of Mathematical Learning Resources Accessible via the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fathurrohman, Maman; Porter, Anne

2012-01-01

Teaching and learning of mathematics are integral parts of societies throughout the world. The fundamental or core nature of mathematics, its compulsory acquisition, requires high quality mathematics learning experiences. Moreover it is highly desirable that the emergence of new technology positively influences learning experiences in mathematics.…

77 FR 11741 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; New Source Review Rules...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-28

... electronic copy of each of these documents will be available on the World Wide Web. Following publication, a... stay. SUMMARY: EPA is providing notice that it has responded to a petition for reconsideration and a... a petition dated April 26, 2010, for reconsideration from the Natural Resources Defense Council...

Success factors for implementing and sustaining a mature electronic medical record in a low-resource setting: a case study of iSanté in Haiti.

PubMed

deRiel, E; Puttkammer, N; Hyppolite, N; Diallo, J; Wagner, S; Honoré, J G; Balan, J G; Celestin, N; Vallès, J S; Duval, N; Thimothé, G; Boncy, J; Coq, N R L; Barnhart, S

2018-03-01

Electronic health information systems, including electronic medical records (EMRs), have the potential to improve access to information and quality of care, among other things. Success factors and challenges for novel EMR implementations in low-resource settings have increasingly been studied, although less is known about maturing systems and sustainability. One systematic review identified seven categories of implementation success factors: ethical, financial, functionality, organizational, political, technical and training. This case study applies this framework to iSanté, Haiti's national EMR in use in more than 100 sites and housing records for more than 750 000 patients. The author group, consisting of representatives of different agencies within the Haitian Ministry of Health (MSPP), funding partner the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Haiti, and implementing partner the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), identify successes and lessons learned according to the seven identified categories, and propose an additional cross-cutting category, sustainability. Factors important for long-term implementation success of complex information systems are balancing investments in hardware and software infrastructure upkeep, user capacity and data quality control; designing and building a system within the context of the greater eHealth ecosystem with a plan for interoperability and data exchange; establishing system governance and strong leadership to support local system ownership and planning for system financing to ensure sustainability. Lessons learned from 10 years of implementation of the iSanté EMR system are relevant to sustainability of a full range of increasingly interrelated information systems (e.g. for laboratory, supply chain, pharmacy and human resources) in the health sector in low-resource settings. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004-2012.

PubMed

Hamel, Donald J; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J

From 2004-2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings.

Mobile agent application and integration in electronic anamnesis system.

PubMed

Liu, Chia-Hui; Chung, Yu-Fang; Chen, Tzer-Shyong; Wang, Sheng-De

2012-06-01

Electronic anamnesis is to transform ordinary paper trails to digitally formatted health records, which include the patient's general information, health status, and follow-ups on chronic diseases. Its main purpose is to let the records could be stored for a longer period of time and could be shared easily across departments and hospitals. Which means hospital management could use less resource on maintaining ever-growing database and reduce redundancy, so less money would be spent for managing the health records. In the foreseeable future, building up a comprehensive and integrated medical information system is a must, because it is critical to hospital resource integration and quality improvement. If mobile agent technology is adopted in the electronic anamnesis system, it would help the hospitals to make the medical practices more efficiently and conveniently. Nonetheless, most of the hospitals today are still using paper-based health records to manage the medical information. The reason why the institutions continue using traditional practices to manage the records is because there is no well-trusted and reliable electronic anamnesis system existing and accepted by both institutions and patients. The threat of privacy invasion is one of the biggest concerns when the topic of electronic anamnesis is brought up, because the security threats drag us back from using such a system. So, the medical service quality is difficult to be improved substantially. In this case, we have come up a theory to remove such security threats and make electronic anamnesis more appealing for use. Our theory is to integrate the mobile agent technology with the backbone of electronic anamnesis to construct a hierarchical access control system to retrieve the corresponding information based upon the permission classes. The system would create a classification for permission among the users inside the medical institution. Under this framework, permission control center would distribute an access key to each user, so they would only allow using the key to access information correspondingly. In order to verify the reliability of the proposed system framework, we have also conducted a security analysis to list all the possible security threats that may harm the system and to prove the system is reliable and safe. If the system is adopted, the doctors would be able to quickly access the information while performing medical examinations. Hence, the efficiency and quality of healthcare service would be greatly improved.

Impact of conflict on medical education: a cross-sectional survey of students and institutions in Iraq.

PubMed

Barnett-Vanes, Ashton; Hassounah, Sondus; Shawki, Marwan; Ismail, Omar Abdulkadir; Fung, Chi; Kedia, Tara; Rawaf, Salman; Majeed, Azeem

2016-02-16

This study surveyed all Iraqi medical schools and a cross-section of Iraqi medical students regarding their institutional and student experiences of medical education amidst ongoing conflict. The objective was to better understand the current resources and challenges facing medical schools, and the impacts of conflict on the training landscape and student experience, to provide evidence for further research and policy development. Deans of all Iraqi medical schools registered in the World Directory of Medical Schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Medical students from three Iraqi medical schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Primary: Student enrolment and graduation statistics; human resources of medical schools; dean perspectives on impact of conflict. Secondary: Medical student perspectives on quality of teaching, welfare and future career intentions. Of 24 medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, 15 replied to an initial email sent to confirm their contact details, and 8 medical schools responded to our survey, giving a response rate from contactable medical schools of 53% and overall of 33%. Five (63%) medical schools reported medical student educational attainment being impaired or significantly impaired; 4 (50%) felt the quality of training medical schools could offer had been impaired or significantly impaired due to conflict. A total of 197 medical students responded, 62% of whom felt their safety had been threatened due to violent insecurity. The majority (56%) of medical students intended to leave Iraq after graduating. Medical schools are facing challenges in staff recruitment and adequate resource provision; the majority believe quality of training has suffered as a result. Medical students are experiencing added psychological stress and lower quality of teaching; the majority intend to leave Iraq after graduation. 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/

An ontology-based telemedicine tasks management system architecture.

PubMed

Nageba, Ebrahim; Fayn, Jocelyne; Rubel, Paul

2008-01-01

The recent developments in ambient intelligence and ubiquitous computing offer new opportunities for the design of advanced Telemedicine systems providing high quality services, anywhere, anytime. In this paper we present an approach for building an ontology-based task-driven telemedicine system. The architecture is composed of a task management server, a communication server and a knowledge base for enabling decision makings taking account of different telemedical concepts such as actors, resources, services and the Electronic Health Record. The final objective is to provide an intelligent management of the different types of available human, material and communication resources.

Measurement tools of resource use and quality of life in clinical trials for dementia or cognitive impairment interventions: protocol for a scoping review.

PubMed

Yang, Fan; Dawes, Piers; Leroi, Iracema; Gannon, Brenda

2017-01-26

Dementia and cognitive impairment could severely impact patients' life and bring heavy burden to patients, caregivers and societies. Some interventions are suggested for the older patients with these conditions to help them live well, but economic evaluation is needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Trial-based economic evaluation is an ideal method; however, little is known about the tools used to collect data of resource use and quality of life alongside the trials. Therefore, the aim of this review is to identify and describe the resource use and quality of life instruments in clinical trials of interventions for older patients with dementia or cognitive impairment. We will perform a search in main electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science and Scopus) using the key terms or their synonyms: older, dementia, cognitive impairment, cost, quality of life, intervention and tools. After removing duplicates, two independent reviewers will screen each entry for eligibility, initially by title and abstract, then by full-text. A hand search of the references of included articles and general search, e.g. Google Scholar, will also be conducted to identify potential relevant studies. All disagreements will be resolved by discussion or consultation with a third reviewer if necessary. Data analysis will be completed and reported in a narrative review. This review will identify the instruments used in clinical trials to collect resource use and quality of life data for dementia or cognitive impairment interventions. This will help to guide the study design of future trial-based economic evaluation of these interventions. PROSPERO CRD42016038495.

Big data and visual analytics in anaesthesia and health care.

PubMed

Simpao, A F; Ahumada, L M; Rehman, M A

2015-09-01

Advances in computer technology, patient monitoring systems, and electronic health record systems have enabled rapid accumulation of patient data in electronic form (i.e. big data). Organizations such as the Anesthesia Quality Institute and Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group have spearheaded large-scale efforts to collect anaesthesia big data for outcomes research and quality improvement. Analytics--the systematic use of data combined with quantitative and qualitative analysis to make decisions--can be applied to big data for quality and performance improvements, such as predictive risk assessment, clinical decision support, and resource management. Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces, and it can facilitate performance of cognitive activities involving big data. Ongoing integration of big data and analytics within anaesthesia and health care will increase demand for anaesthesia professionals who are well versed in both the medical and the information sciences. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Data quality assurance: an analysis of patient non-response.

PubMed

Derby, Dustin C; Haan, Andrea; Wood, Kurt

2011-01-01

Patient satisfaction is paramount to maintaining high clinical quality assurance. This study seeks to compare response rates, response bias, and the completeness of data between paper and electronic collection modes of a chiropractic patient satisfaction survey. A convenience sample of 206 patients presenting to a chiropractic college clinic were surveyed concerning satisfaction with their chiropractic care. Paper (in-clinic and postal) and electronic modes of survey administration were compared for response rates and non-response bias. The online data collection mode resulted in fewer non-responses and a higher response rate, and did not evince response bias when compared to paper modes. The postal paper mode predicted non-response rates over the in-clinic paper and online modalities and exhibited a gender bias. This current study was a single clinic study; future studies should consider multi-clinic data collections. Busy clinic operations and available staff resources restricted the ability to conduct a random sampling of patients or to invite all eligible patients, therefore limiting the generalizability of collected survey data. Results of this study will provide data to aid development of survey protocols that efficiently, account for available human resources, and are convenient for patients while allowing for the most complete and accurate data collection possible in an educational clinic setting. Understanding patient responses across survey modes is critical for the cultivation of quality business intelligence within college teaching clinic settings. This study bridges measurement evidence from three popular data collection modalities and offers support for higher levels of quality for web-based data collection.

Implementation of electronic medical records requires more than new software: Lessons on integrating and managing health technologies from Mbarara, Uganda.

PubMed

Madore, Amy; Rosenberg, Julie; Muyindike, Winnie R; Bangsberg, David R; Bwana, Mwebesa B; Martin, Jeffrey N; Kanyesigye, Michael; Weintraub, Rebecca

2015-12-01

Implementation lessons: • Technology alone does not necessarily lead to improvement in health service delivery, in contrast to the common assumption that advanced technology goes hand in hand with progress. • Implementation of electronic medical record (EMR) systems is a complex, resource-intensive process that, in addition to software, hardware, and human resource investments, requires careful planning, change management skills, adaptability, and continuous engagement of stakeholders. • Research requirements and goals must be balanced with service delivery needs when determining how much information is essential to collect and who should be interfacing with the EMR system. • EMR systems require ongoing monitoring and regular updates to ensure they are responsive to evolving clinical use cases and research questions. • High-quality data and analyses are essential for EMRs to deliver value to providers, researchers, and patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The digital divide in public e-health: barriers to accessibility and privacy in state health department websites.

PubMed

West, Darrell M; Miller, Edward Alan

2006-08-01

State health departments have placed a tremendous amount of information, data, and services online in recent years. With the significant increase in online resources at official health sites, though, have come questions concerning equity of access and the confidentiality of electronic medical materials. This paper reports on an examination of public health department websites maintained by the 50 state governments. Using a content analysis of health department sites undertaken each year from 2000 to 2005, we investigate several dimensions of accessibility and privacy: readability levels, disability access, non-English accessibility, and the presence of privacy and security statements. We argue that although progress has been made at improving the accessibility and confidentiality of health department electronic resources, there remains much work to be done to ensure quality access for all Americans in the area of public e-health.

Foreign Outsourcing of the U.S. Electronics Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

There is also great concern over the success of Japan and the "Asian Tigers" (Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia , Singapore, and Taiwan) in capturing market share...Quality Management), JIT (Just In Time) inventory, MRP (Manufacturing Resources Planning), BPR (Business Process Reengineering), and EI ( Employee ...planning, business process re-engineering, employee empowering, just to name a few. All these techniques look to address the requirement to remain

Accreditation of Individualized Quality Control Plans by the College of American Pathologists.

PubMed

Hoeltge, Gerald A

2017-03-01

The Laboratory Accreditation Program of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) began in 2015 to allow accredited laboratories to devise their own strategies for quality control of laboratory testing. Participants now have the option to implement individualized quality control plans (IQCPs). Only nonwaived testing that features an internal control (built-in, electronic, or procedural) is eligible for IQCP accreditation. The accreditation checklists that detail the requirements have been peer-reviewed by content experts on CAP's scientific resource committees and by a panel of accreditation participants. Training and communication have been key to the successful introduction of the new IQCP requirements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004–2012

PubMed Central

Hamel, Donald J.; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D.; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T.; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J.

2015-01-01

Introduction From 2004–2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Methods Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Results Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Conclusions Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings. PMID:26900573

Open-source mobile digital platform for clinical trial data collection in low-resource settings.

PubMed

van Dam, Joris; Omondi Onyango, Kevin; Midamba, Brian; Groosman, Nele; Hooper, Norman; Spector, Jonathan; Pillai, Goonaseelan Colin; Ogutu, Bernhards

2017-02-01

Governments, universities and pan-African research networks are building durable infrastructure and capabilities for biomedical research in Africa. This offers the opportunity to adopt from the outset innovative approaches and technologies that would be challenging to retrofit into fully established research infrastructures such as those regularly found in high-income countries. In this context we piloted the use of a novel mobile digital health platform, designed specifically for low-resource environments, to support high-quality data collection in a clinical research study. Our primary aim was to assess the feasibility of a using a mobile digital platform for clinical trial data collection in a low-resource setting. Secondarily, we sought to explore the potential benefits of such an approach. The investigative site was a research institute in Nairobi, Kenya. We integrated an open-source platform for mobile data collection commonly used in the developing world with an open-source, standard platform for electronic data capture in clinical trials. The integration was developed using common data standards (Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) Operational Data Model), maximising the potential to extend the approach to other platforms. The system was deployed in a pharmacokinetic study involving healthy human volunteers. The electronic data collection platform successfully supported conduct of the study. Multidisciplinary users reported high levels of satisfaction with the mobile application and highlighted substantial advantages when compared with traditional paper record systems. The new system also demonstrated a potential for expediting data quality review. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of using a mobile digital platform for clinical research data collection in low-resource settings. Sustainable scientific capabilities and infrastructure are essential to attract and support clinical research studies. Since many research structures in Africa are being developed anew, stakeholders should consider implementing innovative technologies and approaches.

Development of a Prototype Continuity of Care Record with Context-Specific Links to Meet the Information Needs of Case Managers for Persons Living with HIV

PubMed Central

Cimino, James J.; Bakken, Suzanne

2012-01-01

Objectives (1) To develop a prototype Continuity of Care Record (CCR) with context-specific links to electronic HIV information resources; and (2) to assess case managers’ perceptions regarding the usability of the prototype. Methods We integrated context-specific links to HIV case management information resources into a prototype CCR using the Infobutton Manager and Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE). Case managers (N=9) completed a think-aloud protocol and the Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ) to evaluate the usability of the prototype. Verbalizations from the think-aloud protocol were summarized using thematic analysis. CSUQ data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results Although participants expressed positive comments regarding the usability of the prototype, the think-aloud protocol also identified the need for improvement in resource labels and for additional resources. On a scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree), the average CSUQ overall satisfaction was 2.25 indicating that users (n=9) were generally satisfied with the system. Mean CSUQ factor scores were: System Usefulness (M=2.13), Information Quality (M=2.46), and Interface Quality (M=2.26). Conclusion Our novel application of the Infobutton Manager and LITE in the context of case management for persons living with HIV in community-based settings resulted in a prototype CCR with infobuttons that met the majority of case managers’ information needs and received relatively positive usability ratings. Findings from this study inform future integration of context-specific links into CCRs and electronic health records and support their use for meeting end-users information needs. PMID:22632821

Open-Source Electronic Health Record Systems for Low-Resource Settings: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Zolfo, Maria; Diro, Ermias

2017-01-01

Background Despite the great impact of information and communication technologies on clinical practice and on the quality of health services, this trend has been almost exclusive to developed countries, whereas countries with poor resources suffer from many economic and social issues that have hindered the real benefits of electronic health (eHealth) tools. As a component of eHealth systems, electronic health records (EHRs) play a fundamental role in patient management and effective medical care services. Thus, the adoption of EHRs in regions with a lack of infrastructure, untrained staff, and ill-equipped health care providers is an important task. However, the main barrier to adopting EHR software in low- and middle-income countries is the cost of its purchase and maintenance, which highlights the open-source approach as a good solution for these underserved areas. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of open-source EHR systems based on the requirements and limitations of low-resource settings. Methods First, we reviewed existing literature on the comparison of available open-source solutions. In close collaboration with the University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia, we identified common limitations in poor resource environments and also the main requirements that EHRs should support. Then, we extensively evaluated the current open-source EHR solutions, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and their appropriateness to fulfill a predefined set of features relevant for low-resource settings. Results The evaluation methodology allowed assessment of several key aspects of available solutions that are as follows: (1) integrated applications, (2) configurable reports, (3) custom reports, (4) custom forms, (5) interoperability, (6) coding systems, (7) authentication methods, (8) patient portal, (9) access control model, (10) cryptographic features, (11) flexible data model, (12) offline support, (13) native client, (14) Web client,(15) other clients, (16) code-based language, (17) development activity, (18) modularity, (19) user interface, (20) community support, and (21) customization. The quality of each feature is discussed for each of the evaluated solutions and a final comparison is presented. Conclusions There is a clear demand for open-source, reliable, and flexible EHR systems in low-resource settings. In this study, we have evaluated and compared five open-source EHR systems following a multidimensional methodology that can provide informed recommendations to other implementers, developers, and health care professionals. We hope that the results of this comparison can guide decision making when needing to adopt, install, and maintain an open-source EHR solution in low-resource settings. PMID:29133283

Enhancing the routine health information system in rural southern Tanzania: successes, challenges and lessons learned.

PubMed

Maokola, W; Willey, B A; Shirima, K; Chemba, M; Armstrong Schellenberg, J R M; Mshinda, H; Alonso, P; Tanner, M; Schellenberg, D

2011-06-01

To describe and evaluate the use of handheld computers for the management of Health Management Information System data. Electronic data capture took place in 11 sentinel health centres in rural southern Tanzania. Information from children attending the outpatient department (OPD) and the Expanded Program on Immunization vaccination clinic was captured by trained local school-leavers, supported by monthly supervision visits. Clinical data included malaria blood slides and haemoglobin colour scale results. Quality of captured data was assessed using double data entry. Malaria blood slide results from health centre laboratories were compared to those from the study's quality control laboratory. The system took 5 months to implement, and few staffings or logistical problems were encountered. Over the following 12 months (April 2006-March 2007), 7056 attendances were recorded in 9880 infants aged 2-11 months, 50% with clinical malaria. Monthly supervision visits highlighted incomplete recording of information between OPD and laboratory records, where on average 40% of laboratory visits were missing the record of their corresponding OPD visit. Quality of microscopy from health facility laboratories was lower overall than that from the quality assurance laboratory. Electronic capture of HMIS data was rapidly and successfully implemented in this resource-poor setting. Electronic capture alone did not resolve issues of data completeness, accuracy and reliability, which are essential for management, monitoring and evaluation; suggestions to monitor and improve data quality are made. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Internet and electronic resources for inflammatory bowel disease: a primer for providers and patients.

PubMed

Fortinsky, Kyle J; Fournier, Marc R; Benchimol, Eric I

2012-06-01

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly turning to the Internet to research their condition and engage in discourse on their experiences. This has resulted in new dynamics in the relationship between providers and their patients, with misinformation and advertising potentially presenting barriers to the cooperative patient-provider partnership. This article addresses important issues of online IBD-related health information and social media activity, such as quality, reliability, objectivity, and privacy. We reviewed the medical literature on the quality of online information provided to IBD patients, and summarized the most commonly accessed Websites related to IBD. We also assessed the activity on popular social media sites (such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), and evaluated currently available applications for use by IBD patients and providers on mobile phones and tablets. Through our review of the literature and currently available resources, we developed a list of recommended online resources to strengthen patient participation in their care by providing reliable, comprehensive educational material. Copyright © 2011 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.

An investigation of perceptions of programme quality support of adult basic education programmes.

PubMed

Udouj, Gary; Grover, Kenda; Belcher, Greg; Kacirek, Kit

2017-04-01

This study was designed to identify the degree to which the directors of adult basic education programs perceive they have program quality support, as evidenced by a well-defined mission and role in the community, a management system, human resources management, and a suitable learning environment. NSCALL's Evidence-based program self-assessment (2006) was modified and administered electronically to administrators of adult education programs in a mid-southern state. Findings indicated that most directors perceive they are implementing the indicators of program quality support in all of the areas surveyed. A research-based annual self-study that considers the quality indicators is recommended, leaving a need for an update to the NCSALL assessment for use as a program assessment instrument. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Library and information services: impact on patient care quality.

PubMed

Marshall, Joanne Gard; Morgan, Jennifer Craft; Thompson, Cheryl A; Wells, Amber L

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore library and information service impact on patient care quality. A large-scale critical incident survey of physicians and residents at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals in the USA and Canada. Respondents were asked to base their answers on a recent incident in which they had used library resources to search for information related to a specific clinical case. Of 4,520 respondents, 75 percent said that they definitely or probably handled patient care differently using information obtained through the library. In a multivariate analysis, three summary clinical outcome measures were used as value and impact indicators: first, time saved; second, patient care changes; and third, adverse events avoided. The outcomes were examined in relation to four information access methods: first, asking librarian for assistance; second, performing search in a physical library; third, searching library's web site; or fourth, searching library resources on an institutional intranet. All library access methods had consistently positive relationships with the clinical outcomes, providing evidence that library services have a positive impact on patient care quality. Electronic collections and services provided by the library and the librarian contribute to patient care quality.

Effects of Electronic Information Resources Skills Training for Lecturers on Pedagogical Practices and Research Productivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhukuvhani, Crispen; Chiparausha, Blessing; Zuvalinyenga, Dorcas

2012-01-01

Lecturers use various electronic resources at different frequencies. The university library's information literacy skills workshops and seminars are the main sources of knowledge of accessing electronic resources. The use of electronic resources can be said to have positively affected lecturers' pedagogical practices and their work in general. The…

From Tedious to Timely: Screencasting to Troubleshoot Electronic Resource Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartnett, Eric; Thompson, Carole

2010-01-01

The shift from traditional print materials to electronic resources, in conjunction with the rise in the number of distance education programs, has left many electronic resource librarians scrambling to keep up with the resulting inundation of electronic resource problems. When it comes to diagnosing these problems, words do not always convey all…

Electronic Resources and Mission Creep: Reorganizing the Library for the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stachokas, George

2009-01-01

The position of electronic resources librarian was created to serve as a specialist in the negotiation of license agreements for electronic resources, but mission creep has added more functions to the routine work of electronic resources such as cataloging, gathering information for collection development, and technical support. As electronic…

How to use concept mapping to identify barriers and facilitators of an electronic quality improvement intervention.

PubMed

van Engen-Verheul, Mariëtte; Peek, Niels; Vromen, Tom; Jaspers, Monique; de Keizer, Nicolette

2015-01-01

Systematic quality improvement (QI) interventions are increasingly used to change complex health care systems. Results of randomized clinical trials can provide quantitative evidence whether QI interventions were effective but they do not teach us why and how QI was (not) achieved. Qualitative research methods can answer these questions but typically involve only a small group of respondents against high resources. Concept mapping methodology overcomes these drawbacks by integrating results from qualitative group sessions with multivariate statistical analysis to represent ideas of diverse stakeholders visually on maps in an efficient way. This paper aims to describe how to use concept mapping to qualitatively gain insight into barriers and facilitators of an electronic QI intervention and presents experiences with the method from an ongoing case study to evaluate a QI system in the field of cardiac rehabilitation in the Netherlands.

Electronic Resources Evaluation Central: Using Off-the-Shelf Software, Web 2.0 Tools, and LibGuides to Manage an Electronic Resources Evaluation Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

England, Lenore; Fu, Li

2011-01-01

A critical part of electronic resources management, the electronic resources evaluation process is multi-faceted and includes a seemingly endless range of resources and tools involving numerous library staff. A solution is to build a Web site to bring all of the components together that can be implemented quickly and result in an organizational…

CEBS: a comprehensive annotated database of toxicological data

PubMed Central

Lea, Isabel A.; Gong, Hui; Paleja, Anand; Rashid, Asif; Fostel, Jennifer

2017-01-01

The Chemical Effects in Biological Systems database (CEBS) is a comprehensive and unique toxicology resource that compiles individual and summary animal data from the National Toxicology Program (NTP) testing program and other depositors into a single electronic repository. CEBS has undergone significant updates in recent years and currently contains over 11 000 test articles (exposure agents) and over 8000 studies including all available NTP carcinogenicity, short-term toxicity and genetic toxicity studies. Study data provided to CEBS are manually curated, accessioned and subject to quality assurance review prior to release to ensure high quality. The CEBS database has two main components: data collection and data delivery. To accommodate the breadth of data produced by NTP, the CEBS data collection component is an integrated relational design that allows the flexibility to capture any type of electronic data (to date). The data delivery component of the database comprises a series of dedicated user interface tables containing pre-processed data that support each component of the user interface. The user interface has been updated to include a series of nine Guided Search tools that allow access to NTP summary and conclusion data and larger non-NTP datasets. The CEBS database can be accessed online at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/databases/cebs/. PMID:27899660

Evaluation of a patient centered e-nursing and caring system.

PubMed

Tsai, Lai-Yin; Shan, Huang; Mei-Bei, Lin

2006-01-01

This study aims to develop an electronic nursing and caring system to manage patients' information and provide patients with safe and efficient services. By transmitting data among wireless cards, optical network, and mainframe computer, nursing care will be delivered more systematically and patients' safety centered caring will be delivered more efficiently and effectively. With this system, manual record keeping time was cut down, and relevant nursing and caring information was linked up. With the development of an electronic nursing system, nurses were able to make the best use of the Internet resources, integrate information management systematically and improve quality of nursing and caring service.

Automated quality checks on repeat prescribing.

PubMed Central

Rogers, Jeremy E; Wroe, Christopher J; Roberts, Angus; Swallow, Angela; Stables, David; Cantrill, Judith A; Rector, Alan L

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: Good clinical practice in primary care includes periodic review of repeat prescriptions. Markers of prescriptions that may need review have been described, but manually checking all repeat prescriptions against the markers would be impractical. AIM: To investigate the feasibility of computerising the application of repeat prescribing quality checks to electronic patient records in United Kingdom (UK) primary care. DESIGN OF STUDY: Software performance test against benchmark manual analysis of cross-sectional convenience sample of prescribing documentation. SETTING: Three general practices in Greater Manchester, in the north west of England, during a 4-month period in 2001. METHOD: A machine-readable drug information resource, based on the British National Formulary (BNF) as the 'gold standard' for valid drug indications, was installed in three practices. Software raised alerts for each repeat prescribed item where the electronic patient record contained no valid indication for the medication. Alerts raised by the software in two practices were analysed manually. Clinical reaction to the software was assessed by semi-structured interviews in three practices. RESULTS: There was no valid indication in the electronic medical records for 14.8% of repeat prescribed items. Sixty-two per cent of all alerts generated were incorrect. Forty-three per cent of all incorrect alerts were as a result of errors in the drug information resource, 44% to locally idiosyncratic clinical coding, 8% to the use of the BNF without adaptation as a gold standard, and 5% to the inability of the system to infer diagnoses that, although unrecorded, would be 'obvious' to a clinical reading the record. The interviewed clinicians supported the goals of the software. CONCLUSION: Using electronic records for secondary decision support purposes will benefit from (and may require) both more consistent electronic clinical data collection across multiple sites, and reconciling clinicians' willingness to infer unstated but 'obvious' diagnoses with the machine's inability to do the same. PMID:14702902

User preference as quality markers of paediatric web sites.

PubMed

Hernández-Borges, Angel A; Macías-Cervi, Pablo; Gaspar-Guardado, Asunción; Torres-Alvarez De Arcaya, María Luisa; Ruíz-Rabaza, Ana; Jiménez-Sosa, Alejandro

2003-09-01

Little is known about the ability of internet users to distinguish the best medical resources online, and how their preferences, measured by usage and popularity indexes, correlate with established quality criteria. Our objective was to analyse whether the number of inbound links and/or daily visits to a sample of paediatric web pages are reliable quality markers of the pages. Two-year follow-up study of 363 web pages with paediatric information. The number of inbound links and the average number of daily visits to the pages were calculated on a yearly basis. In addition, their rates of compliance with the codes of conduct, guidelines and/or principles of three international organizations were evaluated. The quality code most widely met by the sample web pages was the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (overall rate, 60.2%). Sample pages showed a low degree of compliance with principles related to privacy, confidentiality and electronic commerce (overall rate less than 45%). Most importantly, we observed a moderate, significant correlation between compliance with quality criteria and the number of inbound links (p < 0.001). However, no correlation was found between the number of daily visits to a page and its degree of compliance with the principles. Some indexes derived from the analysis of webmasters' hyperlinks could be reliable quality markers of medical web resources.

Asan medical information system for healthcare quality improvement.

PubMed

Ryu, Hyeon Jeong; Kim, Woo Sung; Lee, Jae Ho; Min, Sung Woo; Kim, Sun Ja; Lee, Yong Su; Lee, Young Ha; Nam, Sang Woo; Eo, Gi Seung; Seo, Sook Gyoung; Nam, Mi Hyun

2010-09-01

This purpose of this paper is to introduce the status of the Asan Medical Center (AMC) medical information system with respect to healthcare quality improvement. Asan Medical Information System (AMIS) is projected to become a completely electronic and digital information hospital. AMIS has played a role in improving the health care quality based on the following measures: safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, privacy, and security. AMIS CONSISTED OF SEVERAL DISTINCTIVE SYSTEMS: order communication system, electronic medical record, picture archiving communication system, clinical research information system, data warehouse, enterprise resource planning, IT service management system, and disaster recovery system. The most distinctive features of AMIS were the high alert-medication recognition & management system, the integrated and severity stratified alert system, the integrated patient monitoring system, the perioperative diabetic care monitoring and support system, and the clinical indicator management system. AMIS provides IT services for AMC, 7 affiliated hospitals and over 5,000 partners clinics, and was developed to improve healthcare services. The current challenge of AMIS is standard and interoperability. A global health IT strategy is needed to get through the current challenges and to provide new services as needed.

The network of Shanghai Stroke Service System (4S): A public health-care web-based database using automatic extraction of electronic medical records.

PubMed

Dong, Yi; Fang, Kun; Wang, Xin; Chen, Shengdi; Liu, Xueyuan; Zhao, Yuwu; Guan, Yangtai; Cai, Dingfang; Li, Gang; Liu, Jianmin; Liu, Jianren; Zhuang, Jianhua; Wang, Panshi; Chen, Xin; Shen, Haipeng; Wang, David Z; Xian, Ying; Feng, Wuwei; Campbell, Bruce Cv; Parsons, Mark; Dong, Qiang

2018-07-01

Background Several stroke outcome and quality control projects have demonstrated the success in stroke care quality improvement through structured process. However, Chinese health-care systems are challenged with its overwhelming numbers of patients, limited resources, and large regional disparities. Aim To improve quality of stroke care to address regional disparities through process improvement. Method and design The Shanghai Stroke Service System (4S) is established as a regional network for stroke care quality improvement in the Shanghai metropolitan area. The 4S registry uses a web-based database that automatically extracts data from structured electronic medical records. Site-specific education and training program will be designed and administrated according to their baseline characteristics. Both acute reperfusion therapies including thrombectomy and thrombolysis in the acute phase and subsequent care were measured and monitored with feedback. Primary outcome is to evaluate the differences in quality metrics between baseline characteristics (including rate of thrombolysis in acute stroke and key performance indicators in secondary prevention) and post-intervention. Conclusions The 4S system is a regional stroke network that monitors the ongoing stroke care quality in Shanghai. This project will provide the opportunity to evaluate the spectrum of acute stroke care and design quality improvement processes for better stroke care. A regional stroke network model for quality improvement will be explored and might be expanded to other large cities in China. Clinical Trial Registration-URL http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02735226.

Crossing the "digital divide:" implementing an electronic medical record system in a rural Kenyan health center to support clinical care and research.

PubMed

Tierney, William M; Rotich, Joseph K; Smith, Faye E; Bii, John; Einterz, Robert M; Hannan, Terry J

2002-01-01

To improve care, one must measure it. In the US, electronic medical record systems have been installed in many institutions to support health care management, quality improvement, and research. Developing countries lack such systems and thus have difficulties managing scarce resources and investigating means of improving health care delivery and outcomes. We describe the implementation and use of the first documented electronic medical record system in ambulatory care in sub-Saharan Africa. After one year, it has captured data for more than 13,000 patients making more than 26,000 visits. We present lessons learned and modifications made to this system to improve its capture of data and ability to support a comprehensive clinical care and research agenda.

EDM forum supplement overview.

PubMed

Calonge, Ned

2012-07-01

The Agency for Health Research and Quality funded the Electronic Data Methods Forum (EDM Forum) to share the experiences and learnings from 11 research teams funded through three different grant programs, each of which involve the use of electronic clinical data in Comparative Effectiveness Research and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research. This overview is meant to describe the context in which the EDM forum was created and to introduce the set of papers in this supplement to Medical Care that describe the challenges and approaches to the use of electronic clinical data in the three key areas of analytic methods, clinical informatics and data governance. The participants in the EDM Forum are providing innovative approaches to generate information that can support the building of a "learning health care system." The compilation of papers presented in this supplement should serve as a resource to others working to develop the infrastructure for collecting, validating and using electronic data for research.

Agent-Based Framework for Personalized Service Provisioning in Converged IP Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podobnik, Vedran; Matijasevic, Maja; Lovrek, Ignac; Skorin-Kapov, Lea; Desic, Sasa

In a global multi-service and multi-provider market, the Internet Service Providers will increasingly need to differentiate in the service quality they offer and base their operation on new, consumer-centric business models. In this paper, we propose an agent-based framework for the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) electronic market, comprising the Consumer Agents, Broker Agents and Content Agents, which enable Internet consumers to select a content provider in an automated manner. We also discuss how to dynamically allocate network resources to provide end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) for a given consumer and content provider.

Assessing Ongoing Electronic Resource Purchases: Linking Tools to Synchronize Staff Workflows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Jeffrey D.; Major, Colleen; O'Neal, Nada; Tofanelli, John

2012-01-01

Ongoing electronic resource purchases represent a substantial proportion of collections budgets. Recognizing the necessity of systematic ongoing assessment with full selector engagement, Columbia University Libraries appointed an Electronic Resources Assessment Working Group to promote the inclusion of such resources within our current culture of…

Open-Source Electronic Health Record Systems for Low-Resource Settings: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Syzdykova, Assel; Malta, André; Zolfo, Maria; Diro, Ermias; Oliveira, José Luis

2017-11-13

Despite the great impact of information and communication technologies on clinical practice and on the quality of health services, this trend has been almost exclusive to developed countries, whereas countries with poor resources suffer from many economic and social issues that have hindered the real benefits of electronic health (eHealth) tools. As a component of eHealth systems, electronic health records (EHRs) play a fundamental role in patient management and effective medical care services. Thus, the adoption of EHRs in regions with a lack of infrastructure, untrained staff, and ill-equipped health care providers is an important task. However, the main barrier to adopting EHR software in low- and middle-income countries is the cost of its purchase and maintenance, which highlights the open-source approach as a good solution for these underserved areas. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of open-source EHR systems based on the requirements and limitations of low-resource settings. First, we reviewed existing literature on the comparison of available open-source solutions. In close collaboration with the University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia, we identified common limitations in poor resource environments and also the main requirements that EHRs should support. Then, we extensively evaluated the current open-source EHR solutions, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and their appropriateness to fulfill a predefined set of features relevant for low-resource settings. The evaluation methodology allowed assessment of several key aspects of available solutions that are as follows: (1) integrated applications, (2) configurable reports, (3) custom reports, (4) custom forms, (5) interoperability, (6) coding systems, (7) authentication methods, (8) patient portal, (9) access control model, (10) cryptographic features, (11) flexible data model, (12) offline support, (13) native client, (14) Web client,(15) other clients, (16) code-based language, (17) development activity, (18) modularity, (19) user interface, (20) community support, and (21) customization. The quality of each feature is discussed for each of the evaluated solutions and a final comparison is presented. There is a clear demand for open-source, reliable, and flexible EHR systems in low-resource settings. In this study, we have evaluated and compared five open-source EHR systems following a multidimensional methodology that can provide informed recommendations to other implementers, developers, and health care professionals. We hope that the results of this comparison can guide decision making when needing to adopt, install, and maintain an open-source EHR solution in low-resource settings. ©Assel Syzdykova, André Malta, Maria Zolfo, Ermias Diro, José Luis Oliveira. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 13.11.2017.

Comparisons of time explicit hybrid kinetic-fluid code Architect for Plasma Wakefield Acceleration with a full PIC code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Massimo, F., E-mail: francesco.massimo@ensta-paristech.fr; Dipartimento SBAI, Università di Roma “La Sapienza“, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma; Atzeni, S.

Architect, a time explicit hybrid code designed to perform quick simulations for electron driven plasma wakefield acceleration, is described. In order to obtain beam quality acceptable for applications, control of the beam-plasma-dynamics is necessary. Particle in Cell (PIC) codes represent the state-of-the-art technique to investigate the underlying physics and possible experimental scenarios; however PIC codes demand the necessity of heavy computational resources. Architect code substantially reduces the need for computational resources by using a hybrid approach: relativistic electron bunches are treated kinetically as in a PIC code and the background plasma as a fluid. Cylindrical symmetry is assumed for themore » solution of the electromagnetic fields and fluid equations. In this paper both the underlying algorithms as well as a comparison with a fully three dimensional particle in cell code are reported. The comparison highlights the good agreement between the two models up to the weakly non-linear regimes. In highly non-linear regimes the two models only disagree in a localized region, where the plasma electrons expelled by the bunch close up at the end of the first plasma oscillation.« less

Clinical Practice Guideline Implementation Strategy Patterns in Veterans Affairs Primary Care Clinics

PubMed Central

Hysong, Sylvia J; Best, Richard G; Pugh, Jacqueline A

2007-01-01

Background The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mandated the system-wide implementation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in the mid-1990s, arming all facilities with basic resources to facilitate implementation; despite this resource allocation, significant variability still exists across VA facilities in implementation success. Objective This study compares CPG implementation strategy patterns used by high and low performing primary care clinics in the VA. Research Design Descriptive, cross-sectional study of a purposeful sample of six Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) with high and low performance on six CPGs. Subjects One hundred and two employees (management, quality improvement, clinic personnel) involved with guideline implementation at each VAMC primary care clinic. Measures Participants reported specific strategies used by their facility to implement guidelines in 1-hour semi-structured interviews. Facilities were classified as high or low performers based on their guideline adherence scores calculated through independently conducted chart reviews. Findings High performing facilities (HPFs) (a) invested significantly in the implementation of the electronic medical record and locally adapting it to provider needs, (b) invested dedicated resources to guideline-related initiatives, and (c) exhibited a clear direction in their strategy choices. Low performing facilities exhibited (a) earlier stages of development for their electronic medical record, (b) reliance on preexisting resources for guideline implementation, with little local adaptation, and (c) no clear direction in their strategy choices. Conclusion A multifaceted, yet targeted, strategic approach to guideline implementation emphasizing dedicated resources and local adaptation may result in more successful implementation and higher guideline adherence than relying on standardized resources and taxing preexisting channels. PMID:17355583

Browsing the Real World using Organic Electronics, Si-Chips, and a Human Touch.

PubMed

Berggren, Magnus; Simon, Daniel T; Nilsson, David; Dyreklev, Peter; Norberg, Petronella; Nordlinder, Staffan; Ersman, Peter Andersson; Gustafsson, Göran; Wikner, J Jacob; Hederén, Jan; Hentzell, Hans

2016-03-09

Organic electronics have been developed according to an orthodox doctrine advocating "all-printed'', "all-organic'' and "ultra-low-cost'' primarily targeting various e-paper applications. In order to harvest from the great opportunities afforded with organic electronics potentially operating as communication and sensor outposts within existing and future complex communication infrastructures, high-quality computing and communication protocols must be integrated with the organic electronics. Here, we debate and scrutinize the twinning of the signal-processing capability of traditional integrated silicon chips with organic electronics and sensors, and to use our body as a natural local network with our bare hand as the browser of the physical world. The resulting platform provides a body network, i.e., a personalized web, composed of e-label sensors, bioelectronics, and mobile devices that together make it possible to monitor and record both our ambience and health-status parameters, supported by the ubiquitous mobile network and the resources of the "cloud". © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving rates of cotrimoxazole prophylaxis in resource-limited settings: implementation of a quality improvement approach.

PubMed

Bardfield, J; Agins, B; Palumbo, M; Wei, A L; Morris, J; Marston, B

2014-12-01

To demonstrate the effectiveness of quality improvement methods to monitor and improve administration of cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis to improve health outcomes among adults living with HIV/AIDS in low resource countries. Program evaluation. HIV/AIDS health care facilities in Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia and Haiti. Performance measures based on national guidelines are developed in each country. These may include CD4 monitoring, ART adherence and uptake of CTX prophylaxis. CTX prophylaxis is routinely selected, because it has been shown to reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality. Patient records are sampled using a standard statistical table to achieve a minimum confidence interval of 90% with a spread of ±8% in participating clinics. If an electronic medical record is available, all patients are reviewed. Routine review of performance measures, usually every 6 months, is conducted to identify gaps in care. Improvement interventions are developed and implemented at health facilities, informed by performance results, and local/national public health priorities. Median clinic rates of CTX prophylaxis. Median performance rates of CTX prophylaxis generally improved for adult HIV+ patients between 2006 and 2013 across countries, with median clinic rates higher than baseline at follow-up in 16 of 18 groups of clinics implementing CTX -focused improvement projects. Quality management offers a data-driven method to improve the quality of HIV care in low resource countries. Application of improvement principles has been shown to be effective to increase the rates of CTX prophylaxis in national HIV programs in multiple countries. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Electronic Resource Management and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrams, Kimberly R.

2015-01-01

We have now reached a tipping point at which electronic resources comprise more than half of academic library budgets. Because of the increasing work associated with the ever-increasing number of e-resources, there is a trend to distribute work throughout the library even in the presence of an electronic resources department. In 2013, the author…

Site Remediation Technology InfoBase: A Guide to Federal Programs, Information Resources, and Publications on Contaminated Site Cleanup Technologies. First Edition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Table of Contents: Federal Cleanup Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Assistance Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Electronic Data Bases; Federal Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Selected Bibliography: Federal Publication on Alternative and Innovative Site Remediation; and Appendix: Technology Program Contacts.

A content analysis of the consumer-facing online information about My Health Record: Implications for increasing knowledge and awareness to facilitate uptake and use.

PubMed

Walsh, Louisa; Hill, Sophie; Allan, Meredith; Balandin, Susan; Georgiou, Andrew; Higgins, Isabel; Kraal, Ben; McCarthy, Shaun; Hemsley, Bronwyn

2017-01-01

Low health literacy, low levels of positive belief and privacy and security concerns have been identified as a significant barrier to personal electronic health record uptake and use. An important tool for overcoming these barriers is the consumer-facing information which accompanies the system. My Health Record (MyHR) is the Australian national e-health record system, for which a large suite of online resources exists to facilitate consumer registration and use. This study uses a number of different measures of health resource quality to assess the MyHR online consumer-facing information and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. To analyse the quality and content of the online consumer-facing resources which support the uptake and use of MyHR. Australian information resources aimed at healthcare consumers about the MyHR were included in this study. A comprehensive search using Internet search engines was conducted to locate all online consumer-facing resources about MyHR from both government and non-government sources. Readability (measured by Flesch-Kincaid grade level), year of publication/review, publishing organisation type, presentation style, linked websites, target audience, and themes were identified as important measures of health information quality, and these were recorded and reported on for each resource. Eighty resources met the inclusion criteria. The mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level was 11.8. Most resources were created by Australian government sources ( n = 55), and the most common target audience was the general public ( n = 65). Registration ( n = 51), privacy/security ( n = 49), and benefits of use ( n = 46) were the most common resource themes. The authors identified a number of gaps and areas for improvement in the provision of consumer-facing information about MyHR. Readability is too high for the general Australian population, and there are few translated resources, which means that the information provided does not cater to people with low literacy levels, communication disability, and/or difficulties in understanding written English. The target audiences for resources do not reflect priority groups that were identified during the MyHR development processes. There are also gaps in information provision about how consumers can use MyHR as a tool to meaningfully engage with health professionals and services to support their own person-centred care.

The Danish Schizophrenia Registry

PubMed Central

Baandrup, Lone; Cerqueira, Charlotte; Haller, Lea; Korshøj, Lene; Voldsgaard, Inge; Nordentoft, Merete

2016-01-01

Aim of database To systematically monitor and improve the quality of treatment and care of patients with schizophrenia in Denmark. In addition, the database is accessible as a resource for research. Study population Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and receiving mental health care in psychiatric hospitals or outpatient clinics. During the first year after the diagnosis, patients are classified as incident patients, and after this period as prevalent patients. Main variables The registry currently contains 21 clinical quality measures in relation to the following domains: diagnostic evaluation, antipsychotic treatment including adverse reactions, cardiovascular risk factors including laboratory values, family intervention, psychoeducation, postdischarge mental health care, assessment of suicide risk in relation to discharge, and assessment of global functioning. Descriptive data The recorded data are available electronically for the reporting clinicians and responsible administrative personnel, and they are updated monthly. The registry publishes the national and regional results of all included quality measures in the annual audit reports. External researchers may obtain access to the data for use in specific research projects by applying to the steering committee. Conclusion The Danish Schizophrenia Registry represents a valuable source of informative data to monitor and improve the quality of care of patients with schizophrenia in Denmark. However, continuous resources and time devoted is necessary to maintain the integrity of the registry and the validity of the data. PMID:27843348

The Danish Schizophrenia Registry.

PubMed

Baandrup, Lone; Cerqueira, Charlotte; Haller, Lea; Korshøj, Lene; Voldsgaard, Inge; Nordentoft, Merete

2016-01-01

To systematically monitor and improve the quality of treatment and care of patients with schizophrenia in Denmark. In addition, the database is accessible as a resource for research. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and receiving mental health care in psychiatric hospitals or outpatient clinics. During the first year after the diagnosis, patients are classified as incident patients, and after this period as prevalent patients. The registry currently contains 21 clinical quality measures in relation to the following domains: diagnostic evaluation, antipsychotic treatment including adverse reactions, cardiovascular risk factors including laboratory values, family intervention, psychoeducation, postdischarge mental health care, assessment of suicide risk in relation to discharge, and assessment of global functioning. The recorded data are available electronically for the reporting clinicians and responsible administrative personnel, and they are updated monthly. The registry publishes the national and regional results of all included quality measures in the annual audit reports. External researchers may obtain access to the data for use in specific research projects by applying to the steering committee. The Danish Schizophrenia Registry represents a valuable source of informative data to monitor and improve the quality of care of patients with schizophrenia in Denmark. However, continuous resources and time devoted is necessary to maintain the integrity of the registry and the validity of the data.

Mediated learning in the workplace: student perspectives on knowledge resources.

PubMed

Shanahan, Madeleine

2015-01-01

In contemporary clinical practice, student radiographers can use many types of knowledge resources to support their learning. These include workplace experts, digital and nondigital information sources (eg, journals, textbooks, and the Internet), and electronic communication tools such as e-mail and social media. Despite the range of knowledge tools available, there is little available data about radiography students' use of these resources during clinical placement. A 68-item questionnaire was distributed to 62 students enrolled in an Australian university undergraduate radiography program after they completed a clinical placement. Researchers used descriptive statistics to analyze student access to workplace experts and their use of digital and nondigital information sources and electronic communication tools. A 5-point Likert scale (1 = very important; 5 = not important) was used to assess the present importance and perceived future value of knowledge tools for workplace learning. Of the 53 students who completed and returned the questionnaire anonymously, most rely on the knowledge of practicing technologists and on print and electronic information sources to support their learning; some students also use electronic communication tools. Students perceive that these knowledge resources also will be important tools for their future learning as qualified health professionals. The findings from this study present baseline data regarding the value students attribute to multiple knowledge tools and regarding student access to and use of these tools during clinical placement. In addition, most students have access to multiple knowledge tools in the workplace and incorporate these tools simultaneously into their overall learning practice during clinical placement. Although a range of knowledge tools is used in the workplace to support learning among student radiographers, the quality of each tool should be critically analyzed before it is adopted in practice. Integrating practice-based learning with learning mediated by information sources provides a more complete paradigm of learning during clinical placement.

Making sense of the electronic resource marketplace: trends in health-related electronic resources.

PubMed Central

Blansit, B D; Connor, E

1999-01-01

Changes in the practice of medicine and technological developments offer librarians unprecedented opportunities to select and organize electronic resources, use the Web to deliver content throughout the organization, and improve knowledge at the point of need. The confusing array of available products, access routes, and pricing plans makes it difficult to anticipate the needs of users, identify the top resources, budget effectively, make sound collection management decisions, and organize the resources effectively and seamlessly. The electronic resource marketplace requires much vigilance, considerable patience, and continuous evaluation. There are several strategies that librarians can employ to stay ahead of the electronic resource curve, including taking advantage of free trials from publishers; marketing free trials and involving users in evaluating new products; watching and testing products marketed to the clientele; agreeing to beta test new products and services; working with aggregators or republishers; joining vendor advisory boards; benchmarking institutional resources against five to eight competitors; and forming or joining a consortium for group negotiating and purchasing. This article provides a brief snapshot of leading biomedical resources; showcases several libraries that have excelled in identifying, acquiring, and organizing electronic resources; and discusses strategies and trends of potential interest to biomedical librarians, especially those working in hospital settings. PMID:10427421

Making sense of the electronic resource marketplace: trends in health-related electronic resources.

PubMed

Blansit, B D; Connor, E

1999-07-01

Changes in the practice of medicine and technological developments offer librarians unprecedented opportunities to select and organize electronic resources, use the Web to deliver content throughout the organization, and improve knowledge at the point of need. The confusing array of available products, access routes, and pricing plans makes it difficult to anticipate the needs of users, identify the top resources, budget effectively, make sound collection management decisions, and organize the resources effectively and seamlessly. The electronic resource marketplace requires much vigilance, considerable patience, and continuous evaluation. There are several strategies that librarians can employ to stay ahead of the electronic resource curve, including taking advantage of free trials from publishers; marketing free trials and involving users in evaluating new products; watching and testing products marketed to the clientele; agreeing to beta test new products and services; working with aggregators or republishers; joining vendor advisory boards; benchmarking institutional resources against five to eight competitors; and forming or joining a consortium for group negotiating and purchasing. This article provides a brief snapshot of leading biomedical resources; showcases several libraries that have excelled in identifying, acquiring, and organizing electronic resources; and discusses strategies and trends of potential interest to biomedical librarians, especially those working in hospital settings.

Scaling-up health information systems to improve HIV treatment: An assessment of initial patient monitoring systems in Mozambique.

PubMed

Hochgesang, Mindy; Zamudio-Haas, Sophia; Moran, Lissa; Nhampossa, Leopoldo; Packel, Laura; Leslie, Hannah; Richards, Janise; Shade, Starley B

2017-01-01

The rapid scale-up of HIV care and treatment in resource-limited countries requires concurrent, rapid development of health information systems to support quality service delivery. Mozambique, a country with an 11.5% prevalence of HIV, has developed nation-wide patient monitoring systems (PMS) with standardized reporting tools, utilized by all HIV treatment providers in paper or electronic form. Evaluation of the initial implementation of PMS can inform and strengthen future development as the country moves towards a harmonized, sustainable health information system. This assessment was conducted in order to 1) characterize data collection and reporting processes and PMS resources available and 2) provide evidence-based recommendations for harmonization and sustainability of PMS. This baseline assessment of PMS was conducted with eight non-governmental organizations that supported the Ministry of Health to provide 90% of HIV care and treatment in Mozambique. The study team conducted structured and semi-structured surveys at 18 health facilities located in all 11 provinces. Seventy-nine staff were interviewed. Deductive a priori analytic categories guided analysis. Health facilities have implemented paper and electronic monitoring systems with varying success. Where in use, robust electronic PMS facilitate facility-level reporting of required indicators; improve ability to identify patients lost to follow-up; and support facility and patient management. Challenges to implementation of monitoring systems include a lack of national guidelines and norms for patient level HIS, variable system implementation and functionality, and limited human and infrastructure resources to maximize system functionality and information use. This initial assessment supports the need for national guidelines to harmonize, expand, and strengthen HIV-related health information systems. Recommendations may benefit other countries with similar epidemiologic and resource-constrained environments seeking to improve PMS implementation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality control and assurance in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation data registries in Japan and other countries.

PubMed

Kuwatsuka, Yachiyo

2016-01-01

Observational studies from national and international registries with large volumes of patients are commonly performed to identify superior strategies for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Major international and national stem cell transplant registries collect outcome data using electronic data capture systems, and a systematic study support process has been developed. Statistical support for studies is available from some major international registries, and international and national registries also mutually collaborate to promote stem cell transplant outcome studies and transplant-related activities. Transplant registries additionally take measures to improve data quality to further improve the quality of outcome studies by utilizing data capture systems and manual data management. Data auditing can potentially even further improve data quality; however, human and budgetary resources can be limiting factors in system construction and audits of the Japanese transplant registry are not currently performed.

Analysis of Human Resources Management Strategy in China Electronic Commerce Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Fang

The paper discussed electronic-commerce's influence on enterprise human resources management, proposed and proved the human resources management strategy which electronic commerce enterprise should adopt from recruitment strategy to training strategy, keeping talent strategy and other ways.

Implementing CORAL: An Electronic Resource Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitfield, Sharon

2011-01-01

A 2010 electronic resource management survey conducted by Maria Collins of North Carolina State University and Jill E. Grogg of University of Alabama Libraries found that the top six electronic resources management priorities included workflow management, communications management, license management, statistics management, administrative…

Emergent Imaging and Geospatial Technologies for Soil Investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeGloria, Stephen D.; Beaudette, Dylan E.; Irons, James R.; Libohova, Zamir; O'Neill, Peggy E.; Owens, Phillip R.; Schoeneberger, Philip J.; West, Larry T.; Wysocki, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

Soil survey investigations and inventories form the scientific basis for a wide spectrum of agronomic and environmental management programs. Soil data and information help formulate resource conservation policies of federal, state, and local governments that seek to sustain our agricultural production system while enhancing environmental quality on both public and private lands. The dual challenges of increasing agricultural production and ensuring environmental integrity require electronically available soil inventory data with both spatial and attribute quality. Meeting this societal need in part depends on development and evaluation of new methods for updating and maintaining soil inventories for sophisticated applications, and implementing an effective framework to conceptualize and communicate tacit knowledge from soil scientists to numerous stakeholders.

Reviewing the application of the balanced scorecard with implications for low-income health settings.

PubMed

Rabbani, Fauziah; Jafri, S M Wasin; Abbas, Farhat; Pappas, Gregory; Brommels, Mats; Tomson, Goran

2007-01-01

High-income countries (HICs) are increasingly making use of the balanced scorecard (BSC) in healthcare. Evidence about BSC usage in low-income countries (LICs) is deficient. This study assessed feasibility of BSC use in LICs. Systematic review of electronic databases shows that the BSC improved patient, staff, clinical, and financial outcomes in HICs. To translate the experience of BSC use in HICs to their use in LICs, the applicability parameters of the National Committee for Quality Assurance were applied. Despite contextual challenges, pilot testing of BSC use can be undertaken in selected LICs. Committed leadership, cultural readiness, quality information systems, viable strategic plans, and optimum resources are required.

Electronic Library: A TERI Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kar, Debal C.; Deb, Subrata; Kumar, Satish

2003-01-01

Discusses the development of Electronic Library at TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi). Highlights include: hardware and software used; the digital library/Virtual Electronic Library; directory of Internet journals; virtual reference resources; electronic collection/Physical Electronic Library; downloaded online full-length…

[Pediatric surgery 2.0].

PubMed

Mesa-Gutiérrez, J C; Bardají, C; Brun, N; Núñez, B; Sánchez, B; Sanvicente, B; Obiols, P; Rigol, S

2012-04-01

New tools from the web are a complete breakthrough in management of information. The aim of this paper is to present different resources in a friendly way, with apps and examples in the different phases of the knowledge management for the paediatric surgeon: search, filter, reception, classification, sharing, collaborative work and publication. We are assisting to a real revolution on how to manage knowledge and information. The main charateristics are: immediateness, social component, growing interaction, and easiness. Every physician has clinical questions and the Internet gives us more and more resources to make searchs easier. Along with them we need electronic resources to filter information of quality and to make easier transfer of knowledge to clinical practice. Cloud computing is on continuous development and makes possible sharing information with differents users and computers. The main feature of the apps from the Intenet is the social component, that makes possible interaction, sharing and collaborative work.

Environmental scan and evaluation of best practices for online systematic review resources.

PubMed

Parker, Robin M N; Boulos, Leah M; Visintini, Sarah; Ritchie, Krista; Hayden, Jill

2018-04-01

Online training for systematic review methodology is an attractive option due to flexibility and limited availability of in-person instruction. Librarians often direct new reviewers to these online resources, so they should be knowledgeable about the variety of available resources. The objective for this project was to conduct an environmental scan of online systematic review training resources and evaluate those identified resources. The authors systematically searched for electronic learning resources pertaining to systematic review methods. After screening for inclusion, we collected data about characteristics of training resources and assigned scores in the domains of (1) content, (2) design, (3) interactivity, and (4) usability by applying a previously published evaluation rubric for online instruction modules. We described the characteristics and scores for each training resource and compared performance across the domains. Twenty training resources were evaluated. Average overall score of online instructional resources was 61%. Online courses (n=7) averaged 73%, web modules (n=5) 64%, and videos (n=8) 48%. The top 5 highest scoring resources were in course or web module format, featured high interactivity, and required a longer (>5hrs) time commitment from users. This study revealed that resources include appropriate content but are less likely to adhere to principles of online training design and interactivity. Awareness of these resources will allow librarians to make informed recommendations for training based on patrons' needs. Future online systematic review training resources should use established best practices for e-learning to provide high-quality resources, regardless of format or user time commitment.

40 CFR 52.13 - Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Air quality surveillance; resources... § 52.13 Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation. Disapproved portions of the plan related to the air quality surveillance system, resources, and intergovernmental cooperation are...

40 CFR 52.13 - Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Air quality surveillance; resources... § 52.13 Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation. Disapproved portions of the plan related to the air quality surveillance system, resources, and intergovernmental cooperation are...

40 CFR 52.13 - Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Air quality surveillance; resources... § 52.13 Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation. Disapproved portions of the plan related to the air quality surveillance system, resources, and intergovernmental cooperation are...

40 CFR 52.13 - Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Air quality surveillance; resources... § 52.13 Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation. Disapproved portions of the plan related to the air quality surveillance system, resources, and intergovernmental cooperation are...

40 CFR 52.13 - Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Air quality surveillance; resources... § 52.13 Air quality surveillance; resources; intergovernmental cooperation. Disapproved portions of the plan related to the air quality surveillance system, resources, and intergovernmental cooperation are...

Development of Electronic Resources across Networks in Thailand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratchatavorn, Phandao

2002-01-01

Discusses the development of electronic resources across library networks in Thailand to meet user needs, particularly electronic journals. Topics include concerns about journal access; limited budgets for library acquisitions of journals; and sharing resources through a centralized database system that allows Web access to journals via Internet…

Electronic Resource Management 2.0: Using Web 2.0 Technologies as Cost-Effective Alternatives to an Electronic Resource Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Adam

2008-01-01

Designed to assist with the management of e-resources, electronic resource management (ERM) systems are time- and fund-consuming to purchase and maintain. Questions of system compatibility, data population, and workflow design/redesign can be difficult to answer; sometimes those answers are not what we'd prefer to hear. The two primary functions…

Overcoming challenges: life with an ostomy.

PubMed

Popek, Sarah; Grant, Marcia; Gemmill, Robin; Wendel, Christopher S; Mohler, M Jane; Rawl, Susan M; Baldwin, Carol M; Ko, Clifford Y; Schmidt, C Max; Krouse, Robert S

2010-11-01

Studies have demonstrated decreased health-related quality of life in patients with stomas. Using US Department of Veterans Affairs electronic medical records, veterans with stomas were surveyed using the City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy questionnaire. Focus groups were conducted segregated by type of stoma (ileostomy vs colostomy) and quality-of-life score (high vs low). Qualitative analysis was performed on the basis of the City of Hope Quality of Life for Ostomates format of health-related quality of life (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual). The findings of the colostomy focus groups are reported. Two new domains emerged: colostomy specific and health care specific. The most common domains discussed were colostomy specific, psychological, and social. The most frequently discussed colostomy-specific theme was effective and ineffective solutions to colostomy care. Family and spousal relationships were the main theme from the psychological category. The predominant social issue was sexual relationships. Awareness of patients' social, psychological, and medical status allows surgeons to identify those likely to have problems and devote resources to those veterans. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Shaping the Electronic Library--The UW-Madison Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Charles W., Ed.; Frazier, Ken; Pope, Nolan F.; Gorman, Peter C.; Dentinger, Sue; Boston, Jeanne; Phillips, Hugh; Daggett, Steven C.; Lundquist, Mitch; McClung, Mark; Riley, Curran; Allan, Craig; Waugh, David

1998-01-01

This special theme section describes the University of Wisconsin-Madison's experience building its Electronic Library. Highlights include integrating resources and services; the administrative framework; the public electronic library, including electronic publishing capability and access to World Wide Web-based and other electronic resources;…

Building and Managing Electronic Resources in Digital Era in India with Special Reference to IUCAA and NIV, Pune: A Comparative Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, H. K.; Singh, S. N.

2015-04-01

This paper discusses and presents a comparative case study of two libraries in Pune, India, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and Information Centre and Library of National Institute of Virology (Indian Council of Medical Research). It compares how both libraries have managed their e-resource collections, including acquisitions, subscriptions, and consortia arrangements, while also developing a collection of their own resources, including pre-prints and publications, video lectures, and other materials in an institutional repository. This study illustrates how difficult it is to manage electronic resources in a developing country like India, even though electronic resources are used more than print resources. Electronic resource management can be daunting, but with a systematic approach, various problems can be solved, and use of the materials will be enhanced.

Veterinary students' usage and perception of video teaching resources.

PubMed

Roshier, Amanda L; Foster, Neil; Jones, Michael A

2011-01-10

The purpose of our study was to use a student-centred approach to develop an online video learning resource (called 'Moo Tube') at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, UK and also to provide guidance for other academics in the School wishing to develop a similar resource in the future. A focus group in the format of the nominal group technique was used to garner the opinions of 12 undergraduate students (3 from year-1, 4 from year-2 and 5 from year-3). Students generated lists of items in response to key questions, these responses were thematically analysed to generate key themes which were compared between the different year groups. The number of visits to 'Moo Tube' before and after an objective structured practical examination (OSPE) was also analysed to provide data on video usage. Students highlighted a number of strengths of video resources which can be grouped into four overarching themes: (1) teaching enhancement, (2) accessibility, (3) technical quality and (4) video content. Of these themes, students rated teaching enhancement and accessibility most highly. Video usage was seen to significantly increase (P < 0.05) prior to an examination and significantly decrease (P < 0.05) following the examination. The students had a positive perception of video usage in higher education. Video usage increases prior to practical examinations. Image quality was a greater concern with year-3 students than with either year-1 or 2 students but all groups highlighted the following as important issues: i) good sound quality, ii) accessibility, including location of videos within electronic libraries, and iii) video content. Based on the findings from this study, guidelines are suggested for those developing undergraduate veterinary videos. We believe that many aspects of our list will have resonance in other areas of medicine education and higher education.

Restrictions impeding web-based courses: a survey of publishers' variation in authorising access to high quality on-line literature.

PubMed

Langlois, Michele; Heller, Richard F; Edwards, Richard; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Sandars, John

2004-04-07

Web-based delivery of educational programmes is becoming increasingly popular and is expected to expand, especially in medicine. The successful implementation of these programmes is reliant on their ability to provide access to web based materials, including high quality published work. Publishers' responses to requests to access health literature in the context of developing an electronic Master's degree course are described. Two different permission requests were submitted to publishers. The first was to store an electronic version of a journal article, to which we subscribe, on a secure password protected server. The second was to reproduce extracts of published material on password protected web pages and CD Rom. Eight of 16 publishers were willing to grant permission to store electronic versions of articles without levying charges additional to the subscription. Twenty of 35 publishers gave permission to reproduce extracts of published work at no fee. Publishers' responses were highly variable to the requests for access to published material. This may be influenced by vague terminology within the 'fair dealing' provision in the copyright legislation, which seems to leave it open to individual interpretation. Considerable resource costs were incurred by the exercise. Time expended included those incurred by us: research to identify informed representatives within the publishing organisation, request 'chase-ups' and alternative examples being sought if publishers were uncooperative; and the publisher when dealing with numerous permission requests. Financial costs were also incurred by both parties through additional staffing and paperwork generated by the permission process, the latter including those purely borne by educators due to the necessary provision of photocopy 'course packs' when no suitably alternative material could be found if publishers were uncooperative. Finally we discuss the resultant bias in material towards readily available electronic resources as a result of publisher's uncooperative stance and encourage initiatives that aim to improve open electronic access. The permission request process has been expensive and has resulted in reduced access for students to the relevant literature. Variations in the responses from publishers suggest that for educational purposes common policies could be agreed and unnecessary restrictions removed in the future.

Observation of vacuum-enhanced electron spin resonance of optically levitated nanodiamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tongcang; Hoang, Thai; Ahn, Jonghoon; Bang, Jaehoon

Electron spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are important quantum resources for nanoscale sensing and quantum information. Combining such NV spin systems with levitated optomechanical resonators will provide a hybrid quantum system for many novel applications. Here we optically levitate a nanodiamond and demonstrate electron spin control of its built-in NV centers in low vacuum. We observe that the strength of electron spin resonance (ESR) is enhanced when the air pressure is reduced. To better understand this novel system, we also investigate the effects of trap power and measure the absolute internal temperature of levitated nanodiamonds with ESR after calibration of the strain effect. Our results show that optical levitation of nanodiamonds in vacuum not only can improve the mechanical quality of its oscillation, but also enhance the ESR contrast, which pave the way towards a novel levitated spin-optomechanical system for studying macroscopic quantum mechanics. The results also indicate potential applications of NV centers in gas sensing.

Do surveys with paper and electronic devices differ in quality and cost? Experience from the Rufiji Health and demographic surveillance system in Tanzania.

PubMed

Mukasa, Oscar; Mushi, Hildegalda P; Maire, Nicolas; Ross, Amanda; de Savigny, Don

2017-01-01

Data entry at the point of collection using mobile electronic devices may make data-handling processes more efficient and cost-effective, but there is little literature to document and quantify gains, especially for longitudinal surveillance systems. To examine the potential of mobile electronic devices compared with paper-based tools in health data collection. Using data from 961 households from the Rufiji Household and Demographic Survey in Tanzania, the quality and costs of data collected on paper forms and electronic devices were compared. We also documented, using qualitative approaches, field workers, whom we called 'enumerators', and households' members on the use of both methods. Existing administrative records were combined with logistics expenditure measured directly from comparison households to approximate annual costs per 1,000 households surveyed. Errors were detected in 17% (166) of households for the paper records and 2% (15) for the electronic records (p < 0.001). There were differences in the types of errors (p = 0.03). Of the errors occurring, a higher proportion were due to accuracy in paper surveys (79%, 95% CI: 72%, 86%) compared with electronic surveys (58%, 95% CI: 29%, 87%). Errors in electronic surveys were more likely to be related to completeness (32%, 95% CI 12%, 56%) than in paper surveys (11%, 95% CI: 7%, 17%).The median duration of the interviews ('enumeration'), per household was 9.4 minutes (90% central range 6.4, 12.2) for paper and 8.3 (6.1, 12.0) for electronic surveys (p = 0.001). Surveys using electronic tools, compared with paper-based tools, were less costly by 28% for recurrent and 19% for total costs. Although there were technical problems with electronic devices, there was good acceptance of both methods by enumerators and members of the community. Our findings support the use of mobile electronic devices for large-scale longitudinal surveys in resource-limited settings.

Normalization and standardization of electronic health records for high-throughput phenotyping: the SHARPn consortium

PubMed Central

Pathak, Jyotishman; Bailey, Kent R; Beebe, Calvin E; Bethard, Steven; Carrell, David S; Chen, Pei J; Dligach, Dmitriy; Endle, Cory M; Hart, Lacey A; Haug, Peter J; Huff, Stanley M; Kaggal, Vinod C; Li, Dingcheng; Liu, Hongfang; Marchant, Kyle; Masanz, James; Miller, Timothy; Oniki, Thomas A; Palmer, Martha; Peterson, Kevin J; Rea, Susan; Savova, Guergana K; Stancl, Craig R; Sohn, Sunghwan; Solbrig, Harold R; Suesse, Dale B; Tao, Cui; Taylor, David P; Westberg, Les; Wu, Stephen; Zhuo, Ning; Chute, Christopher G

2013-01-01

Research objective To develop scalable informatics infrastructure for normalization of both structured and unstructured electronic health record (EHR) data into a unified, concept-based model for high-throughput phenotype extraction. Materials and methods Software tools and applications were developed to extract information from EHRs. Representative and convenience samples of both structured and unstructured data from two EHR systems—Mayo Clinic and Intermountain Healthcare—were used for development and validation. Extracted information was standardized and normalized to meaningful use (MU) conformant terminology and value set standards using Clinical Element Models (CEMs). These resources were used to demonstrate semi-automatic execution of MU clinical-quality measures modeled using the Quality Data Model (QDM) and an open-source rules engine. Results Using CEMs and open-source natural language processing and terminology services engines—namely, Apache clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System (cTAKES) and Common Terminology Services (CTS2)—we developed a data-normalization platform that ensures data security, end-to-end connectivity, and reliable data flow within and across institutions. We demonstrated the applicability of this platform by executing a QDM-based MU quality measure that determines the percentage of patients between 18 and 75 years with diabetes whose most recent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol test result during the measurement year was <100 mg/dL on a randomly selected cohort of 273 Mayo Clinic patients. The platform identified 21 and 18 patients for the denominator and numerator of the quality measure, respectively. Validation results indicate that all identified patients meet the QDM-based criteria. Conclusions End-to-end automated systems for extracting clinical information from diverse EHR systems require extensive use of standardized vocabularies and terminologies, as well as robust information models for storing, discovering, and processing that information. This study demonstrates the application of modular and open-source resources for enabling secondary use of EHR data through normalization into standards-based, comparable, and consistent format for high-throughput phenotyping to identify patient cohorts. PMID:24190931

Embedding systematic quality assessments in supportive supervision at primary healthcare level: application of an electronic Tool to Improve Quality of Healthcare in Tanzania.

PubMed

Mboya, Dominick; Mshana, Christopher; Kessy, Flora; Alba, Sandra; Lengeler, Christian; Renggli, Sabine; Vander Plaetse, Bart; Mohamed, Mohamed A; Schulze, Alexander

2016-10-13

Assessing quality of health services, for example through supportive supervision, is essential for strengthening healthcare delivery. Most systematic health facility assessment mechanisms, however, are not suitable for routine supervision. The objective of this study is to describe a quality assessment methodology using an electronic format that can be embedded in supervision activities and conducted by council health staff. An electronic Tool to Improve Quality of Healthcare (e-TIQH) was developed to assess the quality of primary healthcare provision. The e-TIQH contains six sub-tools, each covering one quality dimension: infrastructure and equipment of the facility, its management and administration, job expectations, clinical skills of the staff, staff motivation and client satisfaction. As part of supportive supervision, council health staff conduct quality assessments in all primary healthcare facilities in a given council, including observation of clinical consultations and exit interviews with clients. Using a hand-held device, assessors enter data and view results in real time through automated data analysis, permitting immediate feedback to health workers. Based on the results, quality gaps and potential measures to address them are jointly discussed and actions plans developed. For illustrative purposes, preliminary findings from e-TIQH application are presented from eight councils of Tanzania for the period 2011-2013, with a quality score <75 % classed as 'unsatisfactory'. Staff motivation (<50 % in all councils) and job expectations (≤50 %) scored lowest of all quality dimensions at baseline. Clinical practice was unsatisfactory in six councils, with more mixed results for availability of infrastructure and equipment, and for administration and management. In contrast, client satisfaction scored surprisingly high. Over time, each council showed a significant overall increase of 3-7 % in mean score, with the most pronounced improvements in staff motivation and job expectations. Given its comprehensiveness, convenient handling and automated statistical reports, e-TIQH enables council health staff to conduct systematic quality assessments. Therefore e-TIQH may not only contribute to objectively identifying quality gaps, but also to more evidence-based supervision. E-TIQH also provides important information for resource planning. Institutional and financial challenges for implementing e-TIQH on a broader scale need to be addressed.

Developing Humanities Collections in the Digital Age: Exploring Humanities Faculty Engagement with Electronic and Print Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kachaluba, Sarah Buck; Brady, Jessica Evans; Critten, Jessica

2014-01-01

This article is based on quantitative and qualitative research examining humanities scholars' understandings of the advantages and disadvantages of print versus electronic information resources. It explores how humanities' faculty members at Florida State University (FSU) use print and electronic resources, as well as how they perceive these…

Using a Decision Grid Process to Build Consensus in Electronic Resources Cancellation Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foudy, Gerri; McManus, Alesia

2005-01-01

Many libraries are expending an increasing part of their collections budgets on electronic resources. At the same time many libraries, especially those which are state funded, face diminishing budgets and high rates of inflation for serials subscriptions in all formats, including electronic resources. Therefore, many libraries need to develop ways…

WHY IS THE CENTER OF EVIDENCE-BASED DERMATOLOGY RELEVANT TO INDIAN DERMATOLOGY?

PubMed Central

Williams, Hywel

2009-01-01

Evidence-based dermatology is the application of high-quality evidence to the care of individual patients with skin diseases. The Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology in the UK promotes activities in this field through its three interlinking cogs, composed of the international Cochrane Skin Group, the UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UKDCTN), and the UK national electronic library for skin disorders. The Cochrane Skin Group summarises what is already known about health care interventions by supporting systematic reviews of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The UKDCTN then addresses the key research gaps identified in systematic reviews by coordinating and carrying out well-designed RCTs. The Skin Disorders specialist library then plays a key role in disseminating new knowledge from systematic reviews and RCTs to a community of clinical users. The electronic resources at the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology are all freely available to Indian Dermatologists who can use the resources in a way that could benefit their patients. Such new knoweldge only has value if it is shared and used. PMID:20101305

Quality and Cultural Sensitivity of Linguistically Appropriate Cardiovascular Disease Information for Chinese Immigrants: A Review of Online Resources From Heart Foundations.

PubMed

Li, Jialin; Lowres, Nicole; Jin, Kai; Zhang, Ling; Neubeck, Lis; Gallagher, Robyn

Chinese immigrants are at an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) compared with Chinese nationals partly because of lifestyle changes and knowledge deficits. Translated patient resources are available on the Internet and are often provided by health professionals; however, the quality and cultural sensitivity of these resources have not been reported. The aim of this study was to assess the availability, quality, and cultural sensitivity of Chinese-language information available from national "Heart Foundations" (cardiac research bodies, nongovernmental organisations) of the 5 most popular destinations of Chinese immigration. This study is a descriptive research in which national "Heart Foundation" websites were systematically searched for Chinese-language CVD patient education resources. Quality (content, identification, structure) was assessed using the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients instrument. Cultural sensitivity was evaluated using the Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool. From 107 identified resources, 33 were CVD specific: coronary heart disease (n = 20), arrhythmias (n = 7), and heart failure (n = 6). Quality of resources was adequate (mean Ensuring Quality Information for Patients score, 69%), but scores varied significantly (min, 60%; max, 85%). Although all resources were classified as culturally sensitive (Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool score ≥ 2.5), 2 resources scored low (≤2.5) for visual impact, and across all resources, written and visual domains were assessed as least culturally sensitive. Most resources lacked culturally specific references. Chinese-language CVD resources were inconsistent in the supply of key information. Quality and level of cultural sensitivity were adequate, but most resources lacked culturally specific references. Comprehensive, high-quality CVD resources powered by Editorial Manager and ProduXion Manager from Aries Systems Corporation tailored for Chinese immigrants are urgently needed for healthcare providers to support CVD education and care of patients belonging to this population.

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 30, 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

The Environmental Quality Instructional Resources Center acquires, reviews, indexes, and announces both print (books, modules, units, etc.) and non-print (films, slides, video tapes, etc.) materials related to water quality and water resources education and instruction. This publication contains abstracts and indexes to selected materials related…

A web-based laboratory information system to improve quality of care of tuberculosis patients in Peru: functional requirements, implementation and usage statistics.

PubMed

Blaya, Joaquin A; Shin, Sonya S; Yagui, Martin J A; Yale, Gloria; Suarez, Carmen Z; Asencios, Luis L; Cegielski, J Peter; Fraser, Hamish S F

2007-10-28

Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients in resource-poor settings experience large delays in starting appropriate treatment and may not be monitored appropriately due to an overburdened laboratory system, delays in communication of results, and missing or error-prone laboratory data. The objective of this paper is to describe an electronic laboratory information system implemented to alleviate these problems and its expanding use by the Peruvian public sector, as well as examine the broader issues of implementing such systems in resource-poor settings. A web-based laboratory information system "e-Chasqui" has been designed and implemented in Peru to improve the timeliness and quality of laboratory data. It was deployed in the national TB laboratory, two regional laboratories and twelve pilot health centres. Using needs assessment and workflow analysis tools, e-Chasqui was designed to provide for improved patient care, increased quality control, and more efficient laboratory monitoring and reporting. Since its full implementation in March 2006, 29,944 smear microscopy, 31,797 culture and 7,675 drug susceptibility test results have been entered. Over 99% of these results have been viewed online by the health centres. High user satisfaction and heavy use have led to the expansion of e-Chasqui to additional institutions. In total, e-Chasqui will serve a network of institutions providing medical care for over 3.1 million people. The cost to maintain this system is approximately US$0.53 per sample or 1% of the National Peruvian TB program's 2006 budget. Electronic laboratory information systems have a large potential to improve patient care and public health monitoring in resource-poor settings. Some of the challenges faced in these settings, such as lack of trained personnel, limited transportation, and large coverage areas, are obstacles that a well-designed system can overcome. e-Chasqui has the potential to provide a national TB laboratory network in Peru. Furthermore, the core functionality of e-Chasqui as been implemented in the open source medical record system OpenMRS http://www.openmrs.org for other countries to use.

A web-based laboratory information system to improve quality of care of tuberculosis patients in Peru: functional requirements, implementation and usage statistics

PubMed Central

Blaya, Joaquin A; Shin, Sonya S; Yagui, Martin JA; Yale, Gloria; Suarez, Carmen Z; Asencios, Luis L; Cegielski, J Peter; Fraser, Hamish SF

2007-01-01

Background Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients in resource-poor settings experience large delays in starting appropriate treatment and may not be monitored appropriately due to an overburdened laboratory system, delays in communication of results, and missing or error-prone laboratory data. The objective of this paper is to describe an electronic laboratory information system implemented to alleviate these problems and its expanding use by the Peruvian public sector, as well as examine the broader issues of implementing such systems in resource-poor settings. Methods A web-based laboratory information system "e-Chasqui" has been designed and implemented in Peru to improve the timeliness and quality of laboratory data. It was deployed in the national TB laboratory, two regional laboratories and twelve pilot health centres. Using needs assessment and workflow analysis tools, e-Chasqui was designed to provide for improved patient care, increased quality control, and more efficient laboratory monitoring and reporting. Results Since its full implementation in March 2006, 29,944 smear microscopy, 31,797 culture and 7,675 drug susceptibility test results have been entered. Over 99% of these results have been viewed online by the health centres. High user satisfaction and heavy use have led to the expansion of e-Chasqui to additional institutions. In total, e-Chasqui will serve a network of institutions providing medical care for over 3.1 million people. The cost to maintain this system is approximately US$0.53 per sample or 1% of the National Peruvian TB program's 2006 budget. Conclusion Electronic laboratory information systems have a large potential to improve patient care and public health monitoring in resource-poor settings. Some of the challenges faced in these settings, such as lack of trained personnel, limited transportation, and large coverage areas, are obstacles that a well-designed system can overcome. e-Chasqui has the potential to provide a national TB laboratory network in Peru. Furthermore, the core functionality of e-Chasqui as been implemented in the open source medical record system OpenMRS for other countries to use. PMID:17963522

Checklist Manifesto for Electronic Resources: Getting Ready for the Fiscal Year and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

England, Lenore; Fu, Li; Miller, Stephen

2011-01-01

Organization of electronic resources workflow is critical in the increasingly complicated and complex world of library management. A simple organizational tool that can be readily applied to electronic resources management (ERM) is the use of checklists. Based on the principles discussed in The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, the…

Environmental scan and evaluation of best practices for online systematic review resources

PubMed Central

Parker, Robin M. N.; Boulos, Leah M.; Visintini, Sarah; Ritchie, Krista; Hayden, Jill

2018-01-01

Objective Online training for systematic review methodology is an attractive option due to flexibility and limited availability of in-person instruction. Librarians often direct new reviewers to these online resources, so they should be knowledgeable about the variety of available resources. The objective for this project was to conduct an environmental scan of online systematic review training resources and evaluate those identified resources. Methods The authors systematically searched for electronic learning resources pertaining to systematic review methods. After screening for inclusion, we collected data about characteristics of training resources and assigned scores in the domains of (1) content, (2) design, (3) interactivity, and (4) usability by applying a previously published evaluation rubric for online instruction modules. We described the characteristics and scores for each training resource and compared performance across the domains. Results Twenty training resources were evaluated. Average overall score of online instructional resources was 61%. Online courses (n=7) averaged 73%, web modules (n=5) 64%, and videos (n=8) 48%. The top 5 highest scoring resources were in course or web module format, featured high interactivity, and required a longer (>5hrs) time commitment from users. Conclusion This study revealed that resources include appropriate content but are less likely to adhere to principles of online training design and interactivity. Awareness of these resources will allow librarians to make informed recommendations for training based on patrons’ needs. Future online systematic review training resources should use established best practices for e-learning to provide high-quality resources, regardless of format or user time commitment. PMID:29632443

E-waste management and resources recovery in France.

PubMed

Vadoudi, Kiyan; Kim, Junbeum; Laratte, Bertrand; Lee, Seung-Jin; Troussier, Nadège

2015-10-01

There are various issues of concern regarding electronic waste management, such as the toxicity of hazardous materials and the collection, recycling and recovery of useful resources. To understand the fate of electronic waste after collection and recycling, a products and materials flow analysis should be performed. This is a critical need, as material resources are becoming increasingly scarce and recycling may be able to provide secondary sources for new materials in the future. In this study, we investigate electronic waste systems, specifically the resource recovery or recycling aspects, as well as mapping electronic waste flows based on collection data in France. Approximately 1,588,453 t of new electrical and electronic equipment were sold in the French market in 2010. Of this amount, 430,000 t of electronic waste were collected, with the remaining 1,128,444 t remaining in stock. Furthermore, the total recycled amounts were 354,106 t and 11,396 t, respectively. The main electronic waste materials were ferrous metals (37%), plastic (22%), aluminium (12%), copper (11%) and glass (7%). This study will contribute to developing sustainable electronic waste and resource recycling systems in France. © The Author(s) 2015.

Will Allis Prize Talk: Electron Collisions - Experiment, Theory and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartschat, Klaus

2016-05-01

Electron collisions with atoms, ions, and molecules represent one of the very early topics of quantum mechanics. In spite of the field's maturity, a number of recent developments in detector technology (e.g., the ``reaction microscope'' or the ``magnetic-angle changer'') and the rapid increase in computational resources have resulted in significant progress in the measurement, understanding, and theoretical/computational description of few-body Coulomb problems. Close collaborations between experimentalists and theorists worldwide continue to produce high-quality benchmark data, which allow for thoroughly testing and further developing a variety of theoretical approaches. As a result, it has now become possible to reliably calculate the vast amount of atomic data needed for detailed modelling of the physics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres, the interpretation of astrophysical data, optimizing the energy transport in reactive plasmas, and many other topics - including light-driven processes, in which electrons are produced by continuous or short-pulse ultra-intense electromagnetic radiation. In this talk, I will highlight some of the recent developments that have had a major impact on the field. This will be followed by showcasing examples, in which accurate electron collision data enabled applications in fields beyond traditional AMO physics. Finally, open problems and challenges for the future will be outlined. I am very grateful for fruitful scientific collaborations with many colleagues, and the long-term financial support by the NSF through the Theoretical AMO and Computational Physics programs, as well as supercomputer resources through TeraGrid and XSEDE.

Will Allis Prize for the Study of Ionized Gases: Electron Collisions - Experiment, Theory, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartschat, Klaus

2016-09-01

Electron collisions with atoms, ions, and molecules represent one of the very early topics of quantum mechanics. In spite of the field's maturity, a number of recent developments in detector technology (e.g., the ``reaction microscope'' or the ``magnetic-angle changer'') and the rapid increase in computational resources have resulted in significant progress in the measurement, understanding, and theoretical/computational description of few-body Coulomb problems. Close collaborations between experimentalists and theorists worldwide continue to produce high-quality benchmark data, which allow for thoroughly testing and further developing a variety of theoretical approaches. As a result, it has now become possible to reliably calculate the vast amount of atomic data needed for detailed modelling of the physics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres, the interpretation of astrophysical data, optimizing the energy transport in reactive plasmas, and many other topics - including light-driven processes, in which electrons are produced by continuous or short-pulse ultra-intense electromagnetic radiation. I will highlight some of the recent developments that have had a major impact on the field. This will be followed by showcasing examples, in which accurate electron collision data enabled applications in fields beyond traditional AMO physics. Finally, open problems and challenges for the future will be outlined. I am very grateful for fruitful scientific collaborations with many colleagues, and the long-term financial support by the NSF through the Theoretical AMO and Computational Physics programs, as well as supercomputer resources through TeraGrid and XSEDE.

18 CFR 390.1 - Electronic registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Electronic registration. 390.1 Section 390.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROCEDURAL RULES ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION § 390.1 Electronic registration. Any person who...

18 CFR 390.1 - Electronic registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Electronic registration. 390.1 Section 390.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROCEDURAL RULES ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION § 390.1 Electronic registration. Any person who...

18 CFR 390.1 - Electronic registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Electronic registration. 390.1 Section 390.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROCEDURAL RULES ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION § 390.1 Electronic registration. Any person who...

18 CFR 390.1 - Electronic registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Electronic registration. 390.1 Section 390.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROCEDURAL RULES ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION § 390.1 Electronic registration. Any person who...

18 CFR 390.1 - Electronic registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Electronic registration. 390.1 Section 390.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROCEDURAL RULES ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION § 390.1 Electronic registration. Any person who...

Determining the level of awareness of the physicians in using the variety of electronic information resources and the effecting factors.

PubMed

Papi, Ahmad; Ghazavi, Roghayeh; Moradi, Salimeh

2015-01-01

Understanding of the medical society's from the types of information resources for quick and easy access to information is an imperative task in medical researches and management of the treatment. The present study was aimed to determine the level of awareness of the physicians in using various electronic information resources and the factors affecting it. This study was a descriptive survey. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The study population included all the physicians and specialty physicians of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and numbered 350. The sample size based on Morgan's formula was set at 180. The content validity of the tool was confirmed by the library and information professionals and the reliability was 95%. Descriptive statistics were used including the SPSS software version 19. On reviewing the need of the physicians to obtain the information on several occasions, the need for information in conducting the researches was reported by the maximum number of physicians (91.9%) and the usage of information resources, especially the electronic resources, formed 65.4% as the highest rate with regard to meeting the information needs of the physicians. Among the electronic information databases, the maximum awareness was related to Medline with 86.5%. Among the various electronic information resources, the highest awareness (43.3%) was related to the E-journals. The highest usage (36%) was also from the same source. The studied physicians considered the most effective deterrent in the use of electronic information resources as being too busy and lack of time. Despite the importance of electronic information resources for the physician's community, there was no comprehensive knowledge of these resources. This can lead to less usage of these resources. Therefore, careful planning is necessary in the hospital libraries in order to introduce the facilities and full capabilities of the mentioned resources and methods of information retrieval.

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources materials. Supplement 31, 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

The Environmental Quality Instructional Resources Center in Columbus, Ohio, acquires, reviews, indexes, and announces both print (books, modules, units, etc.) and non-print (films, slides, video tapes, etc.) materials related to water quality and water resources education and instruction. This publication contains abstracts and indexes to selected…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement 33, 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

The Environmental Quality Instructional Resources Center in Columbus, Ohio, acquires, reviews, indexes, and announces both print (books, modules, units, etc.) and non-print (films, slides, video tapes, etc.) materials related to water quality and water resources education and instruction. In addition some materials related to hazardous materials,…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement 32, 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

The Environmental Quality Instructional Resources Center in Columbus, Ohio, acquires, reviews, indexes, and announces both print (books, modules, units, etc.) and non-print (films, slides, video tapes, etc.) materials related to water quality and water resources education and instruction. In addition some materials related to pesticides, hazardous…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement 34, 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

The Environmental Quality Instructional Resources Center in Columbus, Ohio, acquires, reviews, indexes, and announces both print (books, modules, units, etc.) and non-print (films, slides, video tapes, etc.) materials related to water quality and water resources education and instruction. In addition some materials related to pesticides, hazardous…

Electronic prescribing in ambulatory practice: promises, pitfalls, and potential solutions.

PubMed

Papshev, D; Peterson, A M

2001-07-01

To examine advantages of and obstacles to electronic prescribing in the ambulatory care environment. MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstract searches were conducted for the period from January 1980 to September 2000. Key words were electronic prescribing, computerized physician order entry, prior authorization, drug utilization review, and consumer satisfaction. In September 2000, a public search engine (www.google.com) was used to find additional technical information. In addition, pertinent articles were cross-referenced to identify other resources. Articles, symposia proceedings, and organizational position statements published in the United States on electronic prescribing and automation in healthcare are cited. Electronic prescribing can eliminate the time gap between point of care and point of service, reduce medication errors, improve quality of care, and increase patient satisfaction. Considerable funding requirements, segmentation of healthcare markets, lack of technology standardization, providers' resistance to change, and regulatory indecisiveness create boundaries to the widespread use of automated prescribing. The potential solutions include establishing a standardizing warehouse or a router and gaining stakeholder support in implementation of the technology. Electronic prescribing can provide immense benefits to healthcare providers, patients, and managed care. Resolution of several obstacles that limit feasibility of this technology will determine its future.

Use of Electronic Documentation for Quality Improvement in Hospice

PubMed Central

Cagle, John G.; Rokoske, Franziska S.; Durham, Danielle; Schenck, Anna P.; Spence, Carol; Hanson, Laura C.

2015-01-01

Little evidence exists on the use of electronic documentation in hospice and its relationship to quality improvement practices. The purposes of this study were to: (1) estimate the prevalence of electronic documentation use in hospice; (2) identify organizational characteristics associated with use of electronic documentation; and (3) determine whether quality measurement practices differed based on documentation format (electronic vs. nonelectronic). Surveys concerning the use of electronic documentation for quality improvement practices and the monitoring of quality-related care and outcomes were collected from 653 hospices. Users of electronic documentation were able to monitor a wider range of quality-related data than users of nonelectronic documentation. Quality components such as advanced care planning, cultural needs, experience during care of the actively dying, and the number/types of care being delivered were more likely to be documented by users of electronic documentation. Use of electronic documentation may help hospices to monitor quality and compliance. PMID:22267819

The Relevancy of Graduate Curriculum to Human Resource Professionals' Electronic Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoell, Robert C.; Henry, Gordon O.

2003-01-01

Electronic communications of human resource professionals and the content of 23 university human resource management courses were categorized using the Human Resource Certification Institute's body of knowledge. Differences between proportion of topics discussed and topics covered in curricula suggest some topics are over- or undertaught.…

Effect of Total Quality Management on the Quality and Productivity of Human Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, I.; Nasution, A. A.; Sari, R. M.

2017-03-01

Human resources is the main factor in improving company performance not only in industrial products but also services. Therefore, all of the organization performers involved must work together to achieve product quality services expected by consumers. Educational institutions are the service industries which are educators and instructor involved in it. Quality of product and services produced depends on the education organization performers. This study did a survey of instructors in public and private universities in North Sumatra to obtain the factors that affect quality of human resources and productivity of human resources. Human resources quality is viewed by the elements of TQM. TQM elements that are discussed in this study are leadership, communication, training and education, support structure, measurement and reward and recognition. The results of this study showed a correlation numbers across the exogenous variables on endogenous variables relationships tend to be strong and be positive. In addition, elements of TQM are discussed except the support structure which has a direct influence on the quality of human resources. Variable leadership, reward and recognition and quality of human resources have a significant effect on productivity.

Assessment and mitigation of power quality problems for PUSPATI TRIGA Reactor (RTP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Mohd Fazli; Ramachandaramurthy, Vigna K.

2017-01-01

An electrical power systems are exposed to different types of power quality disturbances. Investigation and monitoring of power quality are necessary to maintain accurate operation of sensitive equipment especially for nuclear installations. This paper will discuss the power quality problems observed at the electrical sources of PUSPATI TRIGA Reactor (RTP). Assessment of power quality requires the identification of any anomalous behavior on a power system, which adversely affects the normal operation of electrical or electronic equipment. A power quality assessment involves gathering data resources; analyzing the data (with reference to power quality standards) then, if problems exist, recommendation of mitigation techniques must be considered. Field power quality data is collected by power quality recorder and analyzed with reference to power quality standards. Normally the electrical power is supplied to the RTP via two sources in order to keep a good reliability where each of them is designed to carry the full load. The assessment of power quality during reactor operation was performed for both electrical sources. There were several disturbances such as voltage harmonics and flicker that exceeded the thresholds. To reduce these disturbances, mitigation techniques have been proposed, such as to install passive harmonic filters to reduce harmonic distortion, dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) to reduce voltage disturbances and isolate all sensitive and critical loads.

Availability, Level of Use and Constraints to Use of Electronic Resources by Law Lecturers in Public Universities in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amusa, Oyintola Isiaka; Atinmo, Morayo

2016-01-01

(Purpose) This study surveyed the level of availability, use and constraints to use of electronic resources among law lecturers in Nigeria. (Methodology) Five hundred and fifty-two law lecturers were surveyed and four hundred and forty-two responded. (Results) Data analysis revealed that the level of availability of electronic resources for the…

Effective Knowledge Development in Secondary Schools Educational Level in Contemporary Information Age: Assessment of Availability of Electronic Information Resources in Nigerian School Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bello, Stephen Adeyemi; Ojo, Funmilayo Roseline; Ocheje, Charles Bala

2015-01-01

Relevant electronic information resources in contemporary information age are necessity to buttress teaching and learning for effective knowledge development in educational institutions. The purpose of the study is to know the state of availability of electronic information resources in government owned secondary school libraries in Ijumu Local…

Exploring Local Public Health Workflow in the Context of Automated Translation Technologies

PubMed Central

Mandel, Hannah; Turner, Anne M.

2013-01-01

Despite the growing limited English proficiency (LEP) population in the US, and federal regulations requiring multilingual health information be available for LEP individuals, there is a lack of available high quality multilingual health promotion materials. The costs and personnel time associated with creating high quality translations serve as barriers to their creation, especially in resource limited public health settings. To explore the potential adoption of novel machine translation and document dissemination technologies for improving the creation and sharing of translated public health materials, we interviewed key health department personnel in Washington State. We analyzed translation workflow, elucidated key themes regarding public health translation work, and assessed attitudes towards electronic document exchange and machine translation. Public health personnel expressed the need for human quality assurance and oversight, but appreciated the potential of novel information technologies to assist in the production and dissemination of translated materials for public health practice. PMID:24551385

Resource quality or competition: why increase resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics?

PubMed Central

Nufio, César R.; Papaj, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

Some animal species increase resource acceptance rates in the presence of conspecifics. Such responses may be adaptive if the presence of conspecifics is a reliable indicator of resource quality. Similarly, these responses could represent an adaptive reduction in choosiness under high levels of scramble competition. Although high resource quality and high levels of scramble competition should both favor increased resource acceptance, the contexts in which the increase occurs should differ. In this paper, we tested the effect of social environment on egg-laying and aggressive behavior in the walnut fly, Rhagoletis juglandis, in multiple contexts to determine whether increased resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics was better viewed as a response to increased host quality or increased competition. We found that grouped females oviposit more readily than isolated females when provided small (low-quality) artificial hosts but not when provided large (high-quality) artificial hosts, indicating that conspecific presence reduces choosiness. Increased resource acceptance was observed even when exposure to conspecifics was temporally or spatially separate from exposure to the resource. Finally, we found that individuals showed reduced aggression after being housed in groups, as expected under high levels of scramble competition. These results indicate that the pattern of resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics may be better viewed as a response to increased scramble competition rather than as a response to public information about resource quality. PMID:22479135

Resource quality or competition: why increase resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics?

PubMed

Davis, Jeremy M; Nufio, César R; Papaj, Daniel R

2011-07-01

Some animal species increase resource acceptance rates in the presence of conspecifics. Such responses may be adaptive if the presence of conspecifics is a reliable indicator of resource quality. Similarly, these responses could represent an adaptive reduction in choosiness under high levels of scramble competition. Although high resource quality and high levels of scramble competition should both favor increased resource acceptance, the contexts in which the increase occurs should differ. In this paper, we tested the effect of social environment on egg-laying and aggressive behavior in the walnut fly, Rhagoletis juglandis, in multiple contexts to determine whether increased resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics was better viewed as a response to increased host quality or increased competition. We found that grouped females oviposit more readily than isolated females when provided small (low-quality) artificial hosts but not when provided large (high-quality) artificial hosts, indicating that conspecific presence reduces choosiness. Increased resource acceptance was observed even when exposure to conspecifics was temporally or spatially separate from exposure to the resource. Finally, we found that individuals showed reduced aggression after being housed in groups, as expected under high levels of scramble competition. These results indicate that the pattern of resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics may be better viewed as a response to increased scramble competition rather than as a response to public information about resource quality.

A partnership model for implementing electronic health records in resource-limited primary care settings: experiences from two nurse-managed health centers

PubMed Central

Dennehy, Patricia; White, Mary P; Hamilton, Andrew; Pohl, Joanne M; Tanner, Clare; Onifade, Tiffiani J

2011-01-01

Objective To present a partnership-based and community-oriented approach designed to ease provider anxiety and facilitate the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) in resource-limited primary care settings. Materials and Methods The approach, referred to as partnership model, was developed and iteratively refined through the research team's previous work on implementing health information technology (HIT) in over 30 safety net practices. This paper uses two case studies to illustrate how the model was applied to help two nurse-managed health centers (NMHC), a particularly vulnerable primary care setting, implement EHR and get prepared to meet the meaningful use criteria. Results The strong focus of the model on continuous quality improvement led to eventual implementation success at both sites, despite difficulties encountered during the initial stages of the project. Discussion There has been a lack of research, particularly in resource-limited primary care settings, on strategies for abating provider anxiety and preparing them to manage complex changes associated with EHR uptake. The partnership model described in this paper may provide useful insights into the work shepherded by HIT regional extension centers dedicated to supporting resource-limited communities disproportionally affected by EHR adoption barriers. Conclusion NMHC, similar to other primary care settings, are often poorly resourced, understaffed, and lack the necessary expertise to deploy EHR and integrate its use into their day-to-day practice. This study demonstrates that implementation of EHR, a prerequisite to meaningful use, can be successfully achieved in this setting, and partnership efforts extending far beyond the initial software deployment stage may be the key. PMID:21828225

Use of traditional versus electronic medical-information resources by residents and interns.

PubMed

Phua, Jason; Lim, T K

2007-05-01

Little is known about the information-seeking behaviour of junior doctors, with regard to their use of traditional versus electronic sources of information. To evaluate the amount of time junior doctors spent using various medical-information resources and how useful they perceived these resources to be. A questionnaire study of all residents and interns in a tertiary teaching hospital in July and August 2004. In total, 134 doctors returned the completed questionnaires (response rate 79.8%). They spent the most time using traditional resources like teaching sessions and print textbooks, rating them as most useful. However, electronic resources like MEDLINE, UpToDate, and online review articles also ranked highly. Original research articles were less popular. Residents and interns prefer traditional sources of medical information. Meanwhile, though some electronic resources are rated highly, more work is required to remove the barriers to evidence-based medicine.

Healthcare Resource Availability, Quality of Care, and Acute Ischemic Stroke Outcomes.

PubMed

O'Brien, Emily C; Wu, Jingjing; Zhao, Xin; Schulte, Phillip J; Fonarow, Gregg C; Hernandez, Adrian F; Schwamm, Lee H; Peterson, Eric D; Bhatt, Deepak L; Smith, Eric E

2017-02-03

Healthcare resources vary geographically, but associations between hospital-based resources and acute stroke quality and outcomes remain unclear. Using Get With The Guidelines-Stroke and Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care data, we examined associations between healthcare resource availability, stroke care, and outcomes. We categorized hospital referral regions with high-, medium-, or low-resource levels based on the 2006 national per-capita availability median of 6 relevant acute stroke care resources. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined healthcare resource level and in-hospital quality and outcomes. Of 1 480 308 admitted ischemic stroke patients (2006-2013), 28.8% were hospitalized in low-, 44.4% in medium-, and 26.9% in high-resource hospital referral regions. Quality-of-care/timeliness metrics, adjusted length of stay, and in-hospital mortality were similar across all resource levels. Significant variation exists in regional availability of healthcare resources for acute ischemic stroke treatment, yet among Get With the Guidelines-Stroke hospitals, quality of care and in-hospital outcomes did not differ by regional resource availability. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Applications of Business Analytics in Healthcare.

PubMed

Ward, Michael J; Marsolo, Keith A; Froehle, Craig M

2014-09-01

The American healthcare system is at a crossroads, and analytics, as an organizational skill, figures to play a pivotal role in its future. As more healthcare systems capture information electronically and as they begin to collect more novel forms of data, such as human DNA, how will we leverage these resources and use them to improve human health at a manageable cost? In this article, we argue that analytics will play a fundamental role in the transformation of the American healthcare system. However, there are numerous challenges to the application and use of analytics, namely the lack of data standards, barriers to the collection of high-quality data, and a shortage of qualified personnel to conduct such analyses. There are also multiple managerial issues, such as how to get end users of electronic data to employ it consistently for improving healthcare delivery, and how to manage the public reporting and sharing of data. In this article, we explore applications of analytics in healthcare, barriers and facilitators to its widespread adoption, and how analytics can help us achieve the goals of the modern healthcare system: high-quality, responsive, affordable, and efficient care.

Web-based provision of information on infectious diseases: a systems study.

PubMed

Roy, Anjana; Kostkova, Patty; Catchpole, Michael; Carson, Ewart

2006-12-01

The National electronic Library for Health (NeLH) is an Internet medical information resources portal, principally for healthcare professionals, within which the National electronic Library of Infection (NeLI) is one of NeLH Specialist Libraries providing evidence on infectious diseases. In this article, we describe a systems-based evaluation of NeLI based on a soft systems methodology. User feedback and other data for the analysis were obtained using online questionnaires. This evaluation, which is a pilot study aimed at demonstrating proof of concept, provided evidence for improving three systems that are crucial to effective NeLI provision. These are navigation of the site, quality and tagging of information provided by NeLI, and information regarding users and their usage of the system. On the basis of a soft systems analysis, an action plan was formulated identifying areas where improvement is needed. Actions for consideration included simplifying terminologies to improve the navigation, enhancing the provision of research assessments, quality tagging NeLI documents, provided by experts in the field, and attracting a broader cross-section of healthcare professional user.

Applications of Business Analytics in Healthcare

PubMed Central

Ward, Michael J.; Marsolo, Keith A.

2014-01-01

The American healthcare system is at a crossroads, and analytics, as an organizational skill, figures to play a pivotal role in its future. As more healthcare systems capture information electronically and as they begin to collect more novel forms of data, such as human DNA, how will we leverage these resources and use them to improve human health at a manageable cost? In this article, we argue that analytics will play a fundamental role in the transformation of the American healthcare system. However, there are numerous challenges to the application and use of analytics, namely the lack of data standards, barriers to the collection of high-quality data, and a shortage of qualified personnel to conduct such analyses. There are also multiple managerial issues, such as how to get end users of electronic data to employ it consistently for improving healthcare delivery, and how to manage the public reporting and sharing of data. In this article, we explore applications of analytics in healthcare, barriers and facilitators to its widespread adoption, and how analytics can help us achieve the goals of the modern healthcare system: high-quality, responsive, affordable, and efficient care. PMID:25429161

You Have "How Many" Spreadsheets? Rethinking Electronic Resource Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rux, Erika; Borchert, Theresa

2010-01-01

As libraries face a veritable explosion of electronic resources and as the interconnectedness of print and online resources becomes increasingly complicated, many librarians are challenged to find efficient and cost-friendly ways to manage these resources. In this article, the authors describe how a team of people from various library departments…

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), Epidemiology, and Epistemology: Reflections on EMRs and Future Pediatric Clinical Research

PubMed Central

Wasserman, Richard C.

2011-01-01

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are increasingly common in pediatric patient care. EMR data represent a relatively novel and rich resource for clinical research. The fact, however, that pediatric EMR data are collected for the purposes of clinical documentation and billing rather than research creates obstacles to their use in scientific investigation. Particular issues include accuracy, completeness, comparability between settings, ease of extraction, and context of recording. Although these problems can be addressed through standard strategies for dealing with partially accurate and incomplete data, a longer term solution will involve work with pediatric clinicians to improve data quality. As research becomes one of the explicit purposes for which pediatricians collect EMR data, the pediatric clinician will play a central role in future pediatric clinical research. PMID:21622040

Website creation and resource management: developing collaborative strategies for asynchronous interaction with library users.

PubMed

Hopkins, Mark E; Summers-Ables, Joy E; Clifton, Shari C; Coffman, Michael A

2011-06-01

To make electronic resources available to library users while effectively harnessing intellectual capital within the library, ultimately fostering the library's use of technology to interact asynchronously with its patrons (users). The methods used in the project included: (1) developing a new library website to facilitate the creation, management, accessibility, maintenance and dissemination of library resources; and (2) establishing ownership by those who participated in the project, while creating effective work allocation strategies through the implementation of a content management system that allowed the library to manage cost, complexity and interoperability. Preliminary results indicate that contributors to the system benefit from an increased understanding of the library's resources and add content valuable to library patrons. These strategies have helped promote the manageable creation and maintenance of electronic content in accomplishing the library's goal of interacting with its patrons. Establishment of a contributive system for adding to the library's electronic resources and electronic content has been successful. Further work will look at improving asynchronous interaction, particularly highlighting accessibility of electronic content and resources. © 2010 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2010 Health Libraries Group.

Resource recovery from landfill leachate using bioelectrochemical systems: Opportunities, challenges, and perspectives.

PubMed

Iskander, Syeed Md; Brazil, Brian; Novak, John T; He, Zhen

2016-02-01

Landfill leachate has recently been investigated as a substrate for bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for electricity generation. While BES treatment of leachate is effective, the unique feature of bioelectricity generation in BES creates opportunities for resource recovery from leachate. The organic compounds in leachate can be directly converted to electrical energy through microbial interaction with solid electron acceptors/donors. Nutrient such as ammonia can be recovered via ammonium migration driven by electricity generation and ammonium conversion to ammonia in a high-pH condition that is a result of cathode reduction reaction. Metals in leachate may also be recovered, but the recovery is affected by their concentrations and values. Through integrating membrane process, especially forward osmosis, BES can recover high-quality water from leachate for applications in landscaping, agricultural irrigation or direct discharge. This review paper discusses the opportunities, challenges, and perspectives of resource recovery from landfill leachate by using BES. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introducing modern technology to promote transparency in health services.

PubMed

Islam, Mohammad Shafiqul

2015-01-01

Quantitative indicators show that Bangladeshi maternal and child healthcare is progressing satisfactorily. However, healthcare quality is still inadequate. It is hypothesised that modern technology enhances healthcare quality. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how modern technology such as electronic record keeping and the internet can contribute to enhancing Bangladeshi healthcare quality. This study also explores how socio-economic and political factors affect the healthcare quality. This paper is based on a qualitative case study involving 68 in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals, elected representatives, local informants and five focus group discussions with healthcare service users to understand technology's effect on health service quality. The study has been conducted in one rural and one urban service organisations to understand how various factors contribute differently to healthcare quality. The findings show that modern technology, such as the internet and electronic devices for record keeping, contribute significantly to enhancing health service transparency, which in turn leads to quality health and family planning services. The findings also show that information and communication technology (ICT) is an effective mechanism for reducing corruption and promoting transparency. However, resource constraints impact adversely on the introduction of technology, which leads to less transparent healthcare. Progress in education and general socio-economic conditions makes it suitable to enhance ICT usage, which could lead to healthcare transparency, but political and bureaucratic factors pose a major challenge to ensure transparency. This paper can be a useful guide for promoting governance and healthcare quality in developing countries including Bangladesh. It analyses the ICT challenges that healthcare staff face when promoting transparent healthcare. This paper provides a deeper understanding of transparency and healthcare quality in an ICT context using empirical data, which has not been explored in Bangladesh. This critical thinking is useful for policy makers and healthcare practitioners for promoting health service quality.

The Michigan Electronic Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidsen, Susanna L.

1997-01-01

Describes the Michigan Electronic Library (MEL), the largest evaluated and organized Web-based library of Internet resources, that was designed to provide a library of electronic information resources selected by librarians. MEL's partnership is explained, the collection is described, and future developments are considered. (LRW)

American Burn Association

MedlinePlus

... Quality Care Resources Prevention Prevention Resources Burn Prevention Poster Contest Burn Awareness Week Advocacy Education Annual Meeting ... Quality Care Resources Prevention Prevention Resources Burn Prevention Poster Contest Burn Awareness Week Advocacy Education Annual Meeting ...

Additive effect of calcium depletion and low resource quality on Gammarus fossarum (Crustacea, Amphipoda) life history traits.

PubMed

Rollin, Marc; Coulaud, Romain; Danger, Michael; Sohm, Bénédicte; Flayac, Justine; Bec, Alexandre; Chaumot, Arnaud; Geffard, Olivier; Felten, Vincent

2018-04-01

Gammarus fossarum is an often-abundant crustacean detritivore that contributes importantly to leaf litter breakdown in oligotrophic, mainly heterotrophic, headwater streams. This species requires large amounts of Ca to moult, thus allowing growth and reproduction. Because resource quality is tightly coupled to the organism's growth and physiological status, we hypothesised that low Ca concentration [Ca] and low food resource quality (low phosphorus [P] and/or reduced highly unsaturated fatty acid [HUFA] contents) would interactively impair molecular responses (gene expression) and reproduction of G. fossarum. To investigate the effects of food resources quality, we experimentally manipulated the P content of sycamore leaves and also used diatoms because they contain high amounts of HUFAs. Three resource quality treatments were tested: low quality (LQ, unmanipulated leaves: low P content), high quality 1 (HQ1; P-manipulated leaves: high P content), and high quality 2 (unmanipulated leaves supplemented with a pellet containing diatoms: high P and HUFA content). Naturally, demineralised stream water was supplemented with CaSO 4 to obtain three Ca concentrations (2, 3.5, and 10.5 mg Ca L -1 ). For 21 days, pairs of G. fossarum were individually exposed to one of the nine treatments (3 [Ca] × 3 resource qualities). At the individual level, strong and significant delays in moult stage were observed in gammarids exposed to lower [Ca] and to lower resource quality, with additive effects lengthening the duration of the reproductive cycle. Effects at the molecular level were investigated by measuring expression of 12 genes involved in energy production, translation, or Ca or P homeostasis. Expression of ATP synthase beta (higher in HQ2), calcified cuticle protein (higher in HQ1 and HQ2), and tropomyosin (higher in HQ2 compared to HQ1) was significantly affected by resource quality, and significant additive effects on Ca transporting ATPase expression were induced by [Ca] and resource quality (higher for low [Ca] and higher resource quality). These results highlight the potential drastic deleterious effects of water [Ca] depletion on G. fossarum physiology, populations, and ecosystem functioning, especially in oligotrophic environments.

The impact of learned resourcefulness on quality of life in type II diabetic patients: a cross-sectional correlational study.

PubMed

Huang, Chiung-Yu; Perng, Shoa-Jen; Chen, Hisu-Fung; Lai, Chien-Yu

2008-12-01

It is well recognized that patients with diabetes encounter a host of daily self-care issues, including controlling blood sugar and preventing and managing complications, which impact significantly upon quality of life. Studies have indicated that learned resourcefulness has a potentially positive effect in dealing with psychosocial and health problems. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between learned resourcefulness and quality of life in type II diabetic patients. The mediating and moderating effects of learned resourcefulness on the relationship between metabolic control and quality of life of diabetic patients was also examined. This cross-sectional and correlational study included a convenience sample of 131 type II diabetic patients recruited from three hospitals in southern Taiwan. Data were collected through questionnaires, which included the Rosenbaum's Self Control Schedule and World Health Organization's Quality of Life (Short Version). Multiple regression techniques were used to analyze outcome predictors. Study findings include identification of a mediating effect of learned resourcefulness between metabolic control and quality of life. While most DM patients were not satisfied with their health, we found that those with greater learned resourcefulness enjoyed a better quality of life. Learned resourcefulness, gender, and HbA1C explained 35.2% of variance in DM patient quality of life. Male diabetic patients enjoyed a better quality of life than females, even though levels of learned resourcefulness between the two groups were not significantly different. Results indicate that poor metabolic control of diabetic patients has a detrimental effect on quality of life, and when diabetic patients use more self-control skills, they may achieve better quality of life. Results suggest that nurses who use cognitive behavior coping strategies (resourcefulness) may help diabetic patients achieve better metabolic control and promote better quality of life.

Medical physics staffing for radiation oncology: a decade of experience in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Battista, Jerry J.; Patterson, Michael S.; Beaulieu, Luc; Sharpe, Michael B.; Schreiner, L. John; MacPherson, Miller S.; Van Dyk, Jacob

2012-01-01

The January 2010 articles in The New York Times generated intense focus on patient safety in radiation treatment, with physics staffing identified frequently as a critical factor for consistent quality assurance. The purpose of this work is to review our experience with medical physics staffing, and to propose a transparent and flexible staffing algorithm for general use. Guided by documented times required per routine procedure, we have developed a robust algorithm to estimate physics staffing needs according to center‐specific workload for medical physicists and associated support staff, in a manner we believe is adaptable to an evolving radiotherapy practice. We calculate requirements for each staffing type based on caseload, equipment inventory, quality assurance, educational programs, and administration. Average per‐case staffing ratios were also determined for larger‐scale human resource planning and used to model staffing needs for Ontario, Canada over the next 10 years. The workload specific algorithm was tested through a survey of Canadian cancer centers. For center‐specific human resource planning, we propose a grid of coefficients addressing specific workload factors for each staff group. For larger scale forecasting of human resource requirements, values of 260, 700, 300, 600, 1200, and 2000 treated cases per full‐time equivalent (FTE) were determined for medical physicists, physics assistants, dosimetrists, electronics technologists, mechanical technologists, and information technology specialists, respectively. PACS numbers: 87.55.N‐, 87.55.Qr PMID:22231223

Medical physics staffing for radiation oncology: a decade of experience in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Battista, Jerry J; Clark, Brenda G; Patterson, Michael S; Beaulieu, Luc; Sharpe, Michael B; Schreiner, L John; MacPherson, Miller S; Van Dyk, Jacob

2012-01-05

The January 2010 articles in The New York Times generated intense focus on patient safety in radiation treatment, with physics staffing identified frequently as a critical factor for consistent quality assurance. The purpose of this work is to review our experience with medical physics staffing, and to propose a transparent and flexible staffing algorithm for general use. Guided by documented times required per routine procedure, we have developed a robust algorithm to estimate physics staffing needs according to center-specific workload for medical physicists and associated support staff, in a manner we believe is adaptable to an evolving radiotherapy practice. We calculate requirements for each staffing type based on caseload, equipment inventory, quality assurance, educational programs, and administration. Average per-case staffing ratios were also determined for larger-scale human resource planning and used to model staffing needs for Ontario, Canada over the next 10 years. The workload specific algorithm was tested through a survey of Canadian cancer centers. For center-specific human resource planning, we propose a grid of coefficients addressing specific workload factors for each staff group. For larger scale forecasting of human resource requirements, values of 260, 700, 300, 600, 1200, and 2000 treated cases per full-time equivalent (FTE) were determined for medical physicists, physics assistants, dosimetrists, electronics technologists, mechanical technologists, and information technology specialists, respectively.

Complex adaptive systems (CAS): an overview of key elements, characteristics and application to management theory.

PubMed

Ellis, Beverley; Herbert, Stuart Ian

2011-01-01

To identify key elements and characteristics of complex adaptive systems (CAS) relevant to implementing clinical governance, drawing on lessons from quality improvement programmes and the use of informatics in primary care. The research strategy includes a literature review to develop theoretical models of clinical governance of quality improvement in primary care organisations (PCOs) and a survey of PCOs. Complex adaptive system theories are a valuable tool to help make sense of natural phenomena, which include human responses to problem solving within the sampled PCOs. The research commenced with a survey; 76% (n16) of respondents preferred to support the implementation of clinical governance initiatives guided by outputs from general practice electronic health records. There was considerable variation in the way in which consultation data was captured, recorded and organised. Incentivised information sharing led to consensus on coding policies and models of data recording ahead of national contractual requirements. Informatics was acknowledged as a mechanism to link electronic health record outputs, quality improvement and resources. Investment in informatics was identified as a development priority in order to embed clinical governance principles in practice. Complex adaptive system theory usefully describes evolutionary change processes, providing insight into how the origins of quality assurance were predicated on rational reductionism and linearity. New forms of governance do not neutralise previous models, but add further dimensions to them. Clinical governance models have moved from deterministic and 'objective' factors to incorporate cultural aspects with feedback about quality enabled by informatics. The socio-technical lessons highlighted should inform healthcare management.

Strategic Planning for Electronic Resources Management: A Case Study at Gustavus Adolphus College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulseberg, Anna; Monson, Sarah

2009-01-01

Electronic resources, the tools we use to manage them, and the needs and expectations of our users are constantly evolving; at the same time, the roles, responsibilities, and workflow of the library staff who manage e-resources are also in flux. Recognizing a need to be more intentional and proactive about how we manage e-resources, the…

ERM Ideas and Innovations: Digital Repository Management as ERM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinkas, María M.; Lin, Na

2014-01-01

This article describes the application of electronic resources management (ERM) to digital repository management at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The authors discuss electronic resources management techniques, through the application of "Techniques for Electronic Management,"…

Using Arden Syntax to Identify Registry-Eligible Very Low Birth Weight Neonates from the Electronic Health Record

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Indra Neil; Chen, Elizabeth S.; Rosenau, Paul T.; Storer, Matthew B.; Anderson, Beth; Horbar, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Condition-specific registries are essential resources for supporting epidemiological, quality improvement, and clinical trial studies. The identification of potentially eligible patients for a given registry often involves a manual process or use of ad hoc software tools. With the increased availability of electronic health data, such as within Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, there is potential to develop healthcare standards based approaches for interacting with these data. Arden Syntax, which has traditionally been used to represent medical knowledge for clinical decision support, is one such standard that may be adapted for the purpose of registry eligibility determination. In this feasibility study, Arden Syntax was explored for its ability to represent eligibility criteria for a registry of very low birth weight neonates. The promising performance (100% recall; 97% precision) of the Arden Syntax approach at a single institution suggests that a standards-based methodology could be used to robustly identify registry-eligible patients from EHRs. PMID:25954412

Managing Tradeoffs in the Electronic Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, A. Ben

2003-01-01

Provides an overview of the development of electronic resources over the past three decades, discussing key features, disadvantages, and benefits of traditional online databases and CD-ROM and Web-based resources. Considers the decision to shift collections and resources toward purely digital formats, ownership of content, licensing, and user…

The impact of resource quality on the evolution of virulence in spatially heterogeneous environments.

PubMed

Su, Min; Boots, Mike

2017-03-07

Understanding the drivers of parasite evolution and in particular disease virulence remains a major focus of evolutionary theory. Here, we examine the role of resource quality and in particular spatial environmental heterogeneity in the distribution of these resources on the evolution of virulence. There may be direct effects of resources on host susceptibility and pathogenicity alongside effects on reproduction that indirectly impact host-parasite population dynamics. Therefore, we assume that high resource quality may lead to both increased host reproduction and/or increased disease resistance. In completely mixed populations there is no effect of resource quality on the outcome of disease evolution. However, when there are local interactions higher resource quality generally selects for higher virulence/transmission for both linear and saturating transmission-virulence trade-off assumptions. The exception is that in castrators (i.e., infected hosts have no reproduction), higher virulence is selected for both low and high resource qualities at mixed local and global infection. Heterogeneity in the distribution of environment resources only has an effect on the outcome in castrators where random distributions generally select for higher virulence. Overall, our results further underline the importance of considering spatial structure in order to understand evolutionary processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maximizing the Impact of Systematic Reviews in Health Care Decision Making: A Systematic Scoping Review of Knowledge-Translation Resources

PubMed Central

Chambers, Duncan; Wilson, Paul M; Thompson, Carl A; Hanbury, Andria; Farley, Katherine; Light, Kate

2011-01-01

Context: Barriers to the use of systematic reviews by policymakers may be overcome by resources that adapt and present the findings in formats more directly tailored to their needs. We performed a systematic scoping review to identify such knowledge-translation resources and evaluations of them. Methods: Resources were eligible for inclusion in this study if they were based exclusively or primarily on systematic reviews and were aimed at health care policymakers at the national or local level. Resources were identified by screening the websites of health technology assessment agencies and systematic review producers, supplemented by an email survey. Electronic databases and proceedings of the Cochrane Colloquium and HTA International were searched as well for published and unpublished evaluations of knowledge-translation resources. Resources were classified as summaries, overviews, or policy briefs using a previously published classification. Findings: Twenty knowledge-translation resources were identified, of which eleven were classified as summaries, six as overviews, and three as policy briefs. Resources added value to systematic reviews by, for example, evaluating their methodological quality or assessing the reliability of their conclusions or their generalizability to particular settings. The literature search found four published evaluation studies of knowledge-translation resources, and the screening of abstracts and contact with authors found three more unpublished studies. The majority of studies reported on the perceived usefulness of the service, although there were some examples of review-based resources being used to assist actual decision making. Conclusions: Systematic review producers provide a variety of resources to help policymakers, of which focused summaries are the most common. More evaluations of these resources are required to ensure users’ needs are being met, to demonstrate their impact, and to justify their funding. PMID:21418315

The Internet School of Medicine: use of electronic resources by medical trainees and the reliability of those resources.

PubMed

Egle, Jonathan P; Smeenge, David M; Kassem, Kamal M; Mittal, Vijay K

2015-01-01

Electronic sources of medical information are plentiful, and numerous studies have demonstrated the use of the Internet by patients and the variable reliability of these sources. Studies have investigated neither the use of web-based resources by residents, nor the reliability of the information available on these websites. A web-based survey was distributed to surgical residents in Michigan and third- and fourth-year medical students at an American allopathic and osteopathic medical school and a Caribbean allopathic school regarding their preferred sources of medical information in various situations. A set of 254 queries simulating those faced by medical trainees on rounds, on a written examination, or during patient care was developed. The top 5 electronic resources cited by the trainees were evaluated for their ability to answer these questions accurately, using standard textbooks as the point of reference. The respondents reported a wide variety of overall preferred resources. Most of the 73 responding medical trainees favored textbooks or board review books for prolonged studying, but electronic resources are frequently used for quick studying, clinical decision-making questions, and medication queries. The most commonly used electronic resources were UpToDate, Google, Medscape, Wikipedia, and Epocrates. UpToDate and Epocrates had the highest percentage of correct answers (47%) and Wikipedia had the lowest (26%). Epocrates also had the highest percentage of wrong answers (30%), whereas Google had the lowest percentage (18%). All resources had a significant number of questions that they were unable to answer. Though hardcopy books have not been completely replaced by electronic resources, more than half of medical students and nearly half of residents prefer web-based sources of information. For quick questions and studying, both groups prefer Internet sources. However, the most commonly used electronic resources fail to answer clinical queries more than half of the time and have an alarmingly high rate of inaccurate information. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

JSC earth resources data analysis capabilities available to EOD revision B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A list and summary description of all Johnson Space Center electronic laboratory and photographic laboratory capabilities available to earth resources division personnel for processing earth resources data are provided. The electronic capabilities pertain to those facilities and systems that use electronic and/or photographic products as output. The photographic capabilities pertain to equipment that uses photographic images as input and electronic and/or table summarizes processing steps. A general hardware description is presented for each of the data processing systems, and the titles of computer programs are used to identify the capabilities and data flow.

Veterinary students' usage and perception of video teaching resources

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The purpose of our study was to use a student-centred approach to develop an online video learning resource (called 'Moo Tube') at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, UK and also to provide guidance for other academics in the School wishing to develop a similar resource in the future. Methods A focus group in the format of the nominal group technique was used to garner the opinions of 12 undergraduate students (3 from year-1, 4 from year-2 and 5 from year-3). Students generated lists of items in response to key questions, these responses were thematically analysed to generate key themes which were compared between the different year groups. The number of visits to 'Moo Tube' before and after an objective structured practical examination (OSPE) was also analysed to provide data on video usage. Results Students highlighted a number of strengths of video resources which can be grouped into four overarching themes: (1) teaching enhancement, (2) accessibility, (3) technical quality and (4) video content. Of these themes, students rated teaching enhancement and accessibility most highly. Video usage was seen to significantly increase (P < 0.05) prior to an examination and significantly decrease (P < 0.05) following the examination. Conclusions The students had a positive perception of video usage in higher education. Video usage increases prior to practical examinations. Image quality was a greater concern with year-3 students than with either year-1 or 2 students but all groups highlighted the following as important issues: i) good sound quality, ii) accessibility, including location of videos within electronic libraries, and iii) video content. Based on the findings from this study, guidelines are suggested for those developing undergraduate veterinary videos. We believe that many aspects of our list will have resonance in other areas of medicine education and higher education. PMID:21219639

Electronic Information Standards to Support Obesity Prevention and Bridge Services Across Systems, 2010-2015.

PubMed

Wiltz, Jennifer L; Blanck, Heidi M; Lee, Brian; Kocot, S Lawrence; Seeff, Laura; McGuire, Lisa C; Collins, Janet

2017-10-26

Electronic information technology standards facilitate high-quality, uniform collection of data for improved delivery and measurement of health care services. Electronic information standards also aid information exchange between secure systems that link health care and public health for better coordination of patient care and better-informed population health improvement activities. We developed international data standards for healthy weight that provide common definitions for electronic information technology. The standards capture healthy weight data on the "ABCDs" of a visit to a health care provider that addresses initial obesity prevention and care: assessment, behaviors, continuity, identify resources, and set goals. The process of creating healthy weight standards consisted of identifying needs and priorities, developing and harmonizing standards, testing the exchange of data messages, and demonstrating use-cases. Healthy weight products include 2 message standards, 5 use-cases, 31 LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) question codes, 7 healthy weight value sets, 15 public-private engagements with health information technology implementers, and 2 technical guides. A logic model and action steps outline activities toward better data capture, interoperable systems, and information use. Sharing experiences and leveraging this work in the context of broader priorities can inform the development of electronic information standards for similar core conditions and guide strategic activities in electronic systems.

Electronic Information Standards to Support Obesity Prevention and Bridge Services Across Systems, 2010–2015

PubMed Central

Blanck, Heidi M.; Lee, Brian; Kocot, S. Lawrence; Seeff, Laura; McGuire, Lisa C.; Collins, Janet

2017-01-01

Electronic information technology standards facilitate high-quality, uniform collection of data for improved delivery and measurement of health care services. Electronic information standards also aid information exchange between secure systems that link health care and public health for better coordination of patient care and better-informed population health improvement activities. We developed international data standards for healthy weight that provide common definitions for electronic information technology. The standards capture healthy weight data on the “ABCDs” of a visit to a health care provider that addresses initial obesity prevention and care: assessment, behaviors, continuity, identify resources, and set goals. The process of creating healthy weight standards consisted of identifying needs and priorities, developing and harmonizing standards, testing the exchange of data messages, and demonstrating use-cases. Healthy weight products include 2 message standards, 5 use-cases, 31 LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) question codes, 7 healthy weight value sets, 15 public–private engagements with health information technology implementers, and 2 technical guides. A logic model and action steps outline activities toward better data capture, interoperable systems, and information use. Sharing experiences and leveraging this work in the context of broader priorities can inform the development of electronic information standards for similar core conditions and guide strategic activities in electronic systems. PMID:29072985

30 CFR 1210.54 - Must I submit this royalty report electronically?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Must I submit this royalty report electronically? 1210.54 Section 1210.54 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Natural Resources Revenue FORMS AND REPORTS Royalty Reports-Oil, Gas, and...

Model for Presenting Resources in Scholar's Portal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feeney, Mary; Newby, Jill

2005-01-01

Presenting electronic resources to users through a federated search engine introduces unique opportunities and challenges to libraries. This article reports on the decision-making tools and processes used for selecting collections of electronic resources by a project team at the University of Arizona (UA) Libraries for the Association of Research…

Housing Quality and Access to Material and Learning Resources within the Home Environment in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Bradley, Robert H.; Putnick, Diane L.

2011-01-01

This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and informal learning materials) and their relations with the Human Development Index (HDI) in 28 developing countries. Home environment conditions in these countries varied widely. The quality of housing and availability of material resources at home were consistently tied to HDI; the availability of formal and informal learning materials little less so. Gross domestic product (GDP) tended to show a stronger independent relation with housing quality and material resources than life expectancy and education. Formal learning resources were independently related to the GDP and education indices, and informal learning resources were not independently related to any constituent indices of the overall HDI. PMID:22277008

Electronic Reference Works and Library Budgeting Dilemma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawal, Ibironke O.

2007-01-01

The number of electronic resources has climbed up steadily in recent times. Some of these e-resources are reference sources, mostly in Science, Technology and Medicine (STM), which publishers convert to electronic for obvious reasons. The library budgets for materials usually have two main lines, budget for one time purchase (monographs) and…

Real-time database drawn from an electronic health record for a thoracic surgery unit: high-quality clinical data saving time and human resources.

PubMed

Salati, Michele; Pompili, Cecilia; Refai, Majed; Xiumè, Francesco; Sabbatini, Armando; Brunelli, Alessandro

2014-06-01

The aim of the present study was to verify whether the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) in our thoracic surgery unit allows creation of a high-quality clinical database saving time and costs. Before August 2011, multiple individuals compiled the on-paper documents/records and a single data manager inputted selected data into the database (traditional database, tDB). Since the adoption of an EHR in August 2011, multiple individuals have been responsible for compiling the EHR, which automatically generates a real-time database (EHR-based database, eDB), without the need for a data manager. During the initial period of implementation of the EHR, periodic meetings were held with all physicians involved in the use of the EHR in order to monitor and standardize the data registration process. Data quality of the first 100 anatomical lung resections recorded in the eDB was assessed by measuring the total number of missing values (MVs: existing non-reported value) and inaccurate values (wrong data) occurring in 95 core variables. The average MV of the eDB was compared with the one occurring in the same variables of the last 100 records registered in the tDB. A learning curve was constructed by plotting the number of MVs in the electronic database and tDB with the patients arranged by the date of registration. The tDB and eDB had similar MVs (0.74 vs 1, P = 0.13). The learning curve showed an initial phase including about 35 records, where MV in the eDB was higher than that in the tDB (1.9 vs 0.74, P = 0.03), and a subsequent phase, where the MV was similar in the two databases (0.7 vs 0.74, P = 0.6). The inaccuracy rate of these two phases in the eDB was stable (0.5 vs 0.3, P = 0.3). Using EHR saved an average of 9 min per patient, totalling 15 h saved for obtaining a dataset of 100 patients with respect to the tDB. The implementation of EHR allowed streamlining the process of clinical data recording. It saved time and human resource costs, without compromising the quality of data. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Opening a Can of wERMS: Texas A&M University's Experiences in Implementing Two Electronic Resource Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartnett, Eric; Price, Apryl; Smith, Jane; Barrett, Michael

2010-01-01

Over the past few years, Texas A&M University (TAMU) has searched for a way to administer its electronic subscriptions as well as the electronic subscriptions shared among the TAMU System. In this article, we address our attempts to implement an effective electronic resource management system (ERMS), both for subscriptions on the main campus…

Crossing the quality chasm in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

Maru, Duncan Smith-Rohrberg; Andrews, Jason; Schwarz, Dan; Schwarz, Ryan; Acharya, Bibhav; Ramaiya, Astha; Karelas, Gregory; Rajbhandari, Ruma; Mate, Kedar; Shilpakar, Sona

2012-11-30

Over the last decade, extensive scientific and policy innovations have begun to reduce the "quality chasm"--the gulf between best practices and actual implementation that exists in resource-rich medical settings. While limited data exist, this chasm is likely to be equally acute and deadly in resource-limited areas. While health systems have begun to be scaled up in impoverished areas, scale-up is just the foundation necessary to deliver effective healthcare to the poor. This perspective piece describes a vision for a global quality improvement movement in resource-limited areas. The following action items are a first step toward achieving this vision: 1) revise global health investment mechanisms to value quality; 2) enhance human resources for improving health systems quality; 3) scale up data capacity; 4) deepen community accountability and engagement initiatives; 5) implement evidence-based quality improvement programs; 6) develop an implementation science research agenda.

Job crafting among health care professionals: The role of work engagement.

PubMed

Bakker, Arnold B

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of job crafting on the quality of the work environment of health care professionals. Job crafting refers to proactive behavior aimed at optimizing the fit between person and job. Using job demands-resources theory, we hypothesized that job crafting would be positively related to job resources and person-organisation fit, and negatively to hindrance demands. Furthermore, we hypothesized that these relationships would be qualified by work engagement. A total of 5,272 health care professionals from one of 35 different organisations filled out an electronic questionnaire (response is 55%). Regression analyses were used to test hypotheses. Consistent with hypotheses, job crafting in the form of increasing job resources was positively related to opportunities for development, performance feedback and P-O fit; and negatively related to hindrance job demands - particularly when work engagement was high. The combination of job crafting and work engagement is important for the realization of a resourceful work environment and fit between person and organisation. Interventions aimed at fostering job crafting should be tailored to the motivation of health care professionals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modeling antecedents of electronic medical record system implementation success in low-resource setting hospitals.

PubMed

Tilahun, Binyam; Fritz, Fleur

2015-08-01

With the increasing implementation of Electronic Medical Record Systems (EMR) in developing countries, there is a growing need to identify antecedents of EMR success to measure and predict the level of adoption before costly implementation. However, less evidence is available about EMR success in the context of low-resource setting implementations. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by examining the constructs and relationships of the widely used DeLone and MacLean (D&M) information system success model to determine whether it can be applied to measure EMR success in those settings. A quantitative cross sectional study design using self-administered questionnaires was used to collect data from 384 health professionals working in five governmental hospitals in Ethiopia. The hospitals use a comprehensive EMR system since three years. Descriptive and structural equation modeling methods were applied to describe and validate the extent of relationship of constructs and mediating effects. The findings of the structural equation modeling shows that system quality has significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.32, P < 0.05) and user satisfaction (β = 0.53, P < 0.01); information quality has significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.44, P < 0.05) and user satisfaction (β = 0.48, P < 0.01) and service quality has strong significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.36, P < 0.05) and user satisfaction (β = 0.56, P < 0.01). User satisfaction has significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.41, P < 0.05) but the effect of EMR use on user satisfaction was not significant. Both EMR use and user satisfaction have significant influence on perceived net-benefit (β = 0.31, P < 0.01; β = 0.60, P < 0.01), respectively. Additionally, computer literacy was found to be a mediating factor in the relationship between service quality and EMR use (P < 0.05) as well as user satisfaction (P < 0.01). Among all the constructs, user satisfaction showed the strongest effect on perceived net-benefit of health professionals. EMR implementers and managers in developing countries are in urgent need of implementation models to design proper implementation strategies. In this study, the constructs and relationships depicted in the updated D&M model were found to be applicable to assess the success of EMR in low resource settings. Additionally, computer literacy was found to be a mediating factor in EMR use and user satisfaction of health professionals. Hence, EMR implementers and managers in those settings should give priority in improving service quality of the hospitals like technical support and infrastructure; providing continuous basic computer trainings to health professionals; and give attention to the system and information quality of the systems they want to implement.

An Evaluation of Electronic Product Design Education Using Hypermedia-Resourced Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Tom; Thorsteinsson, Gisli

2006-01-01

The work outlined here provides a comprehensive report and formative observations of the development and implementation of hypermedia resources for learning and teaching used in conjunction with a managed learning environment (MLE). These resources are used to enhance teaching and learning of an electronics module in product design at final year…

Impact of Knowledge Resources Linked to an Electronic Health Record on Frequency of Unnecessary Tests and Treatments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Kenneth; Grad, Roland; Pluye, Pierre; Nowacki, Amy; Hickner, John

2012-01-01

Introduction: Electronic knowledge resources have the potential to rapidly provide answers to clinicians' questions. We sought to determine clinicians' reasons for searching these resources, the rate of finding relevant information, and the perceived clinical impact of the information they retrieved. Methods: We asked general internists, family…

Environmental Assessment for Airborne Laser Debris Management Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

hazardous waste management, water resources, air quality, and biological resources. Based on the analysis of the Proposed Action and No-Action...aesthetics, hazardous materials management, soils and geology, noise, cultural resources, and environmental justice. The resources analyzed in more detail...include: health and safety, hazardous waste management, water resources, air quality, and biological resources. Environmental Effects Under the

The impact of social services interventions in developing countries: a review of the evidence of impact on clinical outcomes in people living with HIV.

PubMed

Bateganya, Moses H; Dong, Maxia; Oguntomilade, John; Suraratdecha, Chutima

2015-04-15

Social service interventions have been implemented in many countries to help people living with HIV (PLHIV) and household members cope with economic burden as a result of reduced earning or increased spending on health care. However, the evidence for specific interventions-economic strengthening and legal services-on key health outcomes has not been appraised. We searched electronic databases from January 1995 to May 2014 and reviewed relevant literature from resource-limited settings on the impact of social service interventions on mortality, morbidity, retention in HIV care, quality of life, and ongoing HIV transmission and their cost-effectiveness. Of 1685 citations, 8 articles reported the health impact of economic strengthening interventions among PLHIV in resource-limited settings. None reported on legal services. Six of the 8 studies were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa: 1 reported on all 5 outcomes and 2 reported on 4 and 2 outcomes, respectively. The remaining 5 reported on 1 outcome each. Seven studies reported on quality of life. Although all studies reported some association between economic strengthening interventions and HIV care outcomes, the quality of evidence was rated fair or poor because studies were of low research rigor (observational or qualitative), had small sample size, or had other limitations. The expected impact of economic strengthening interventions was rated as high for quality of life but uncertain for all the other outcomes. Implementation of economic strengthening interventions is expected to have a high impact on the quality of life for PLHIV but uncertain impact on mortality, morbidity, retention in care, and HIV transmission. More rigorous research is needed to explore the impact of more targeted intervention components on health outcomes.

LISTENing to healthcare students: the impact of new library facilities on the quality of services.

PubMed

Haldane, Graham C

2003-06-01

Following a low assessment of 'Learning resources' provision by the Quality Assurance Agency, the librarian of Homerton College, School of Health Studies commenced the LISTEN Project, a long-term study to monitor the effects of planned interventions on the quality of library provision. Surveys of entry-to-register student nurses & midwives were conducted in 1999 and 2001 by extensive questionnaires, inviting Likert-scaled and free text responses. Following a college relocation, students made greater than expected use of a new health studies library in Cambridge, and significantly less use of the local teaching hospital library. Using both a satisfaction index and a non-parametric test of mean scores, student evaluation of library services in Cambridge significantly improved following relocation. The physical accommodation and location of library services remain important to healthcare students. Identifiable improvements to the quality of services, however, will overcome initial resistance to change. Education providers must ensure the best mix of physical and electronic services for students who spend much of their time on clinical placement.

Resources for Ensuring Quality School-to-Work Opportunities for Young Women. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wider Opportunities for Women, Inc., Washington, DC.

This annotated bibliography lists 49 resources for ensuring high quality school-to-work opportunities for young women. These resources are grouped into 10 categories: print material for middle and high school girls; videos for middle and high school girls; administrator/school guides; curriculum guides/resources for teachers; resources for…

A review of Computer Science resources for learning and teaching with K-12 computing curricula: an Australian case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkner, Katrina; Vivian, Rebecca

2015-10-01

To support teachers to implement Computer Science curricula into classrooms from the very first year of school, teachers, schools and organisations seek quality curriculum resources to support implementation and teacher professional development. Until now, many Computer Science resources and outreach initiatives have targeted K-12 school-age children, with the intention to engage children and increase interest, rather than to formally teach concepts and skills. What is the educational quality of existing Computer Science resources and to what extent are they suitable for classroom learning and teaching? In this paper, an assessment framework is presented to evaluate the quality of online Computer Science resources. Further, a semi-systematic review of available online Computer Science resources was conducted to evaluate resources available for classroom learning and teaching and to identify gaps in resource availability, using the Australian curriculum as a case study analysis. The findings reveal a predominance of quality resources, however, a number of critical gaps were identified. This paper provides recommendations and guidance for the development of new and supplementary resources and future research.

Some Equalities Are More Equal Than Others: Quality Equality Emerges Later Than Numerical Equality.

PubMed

Sheskin, Mark; Nadal, Amber; Croom, Adam; Mayer, Tanya; Nissel, Jenny; Bloom, Paul

2016-09-01

By age 6, children typically share an equal number of resources between themselves and others. However, fairness involves not merely that each person receive an equal number of resources ("numerical equality") but also that each person receive equal quality resources ("quality equality"). In Study 1, children (N = 87, 3-10 years) typically split four resources "two each" by age 6, but typically monopolized the better two resources until age 10. In Study 2, a new group of 6- to 8-year-olds (N = 32) allocated resources to third parties according to quality equality, indicating that children in this age group understand that fairness requires both types of equality. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

NASA Parts Selection List (NPSL) WWW Site http://nepp.nasa.gov/npsl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brusse, Jay

2000-01-01

The NASA Parts Selection List (NPSL) is an on-line resource for electronic parts selection tailored for use by spaceflight projects. The NPSL provides a list of commonly used electronic parts that have a history of satisfactory use in spaceflight applications. The objective of this www site is to provide NASA projects, contractors, university experimenters, et al with an easy to use resource that provides a baseline of electronic parts from which designers are encouraged to select. The NPSL is an ongoing resource produced by Code 562 in support of the NASA HQ funded NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. The NPSL is produced as an electronic format deliverable made available via the referenced www site administered by Code 562. The NPSL does not provide information pertaining to patented or proprietary information. All of the information contained in the NPSL is available through various other public domain resources such as US Military procurement specifications for electronic parts, NASA GSFC's Preferred Parts List (PPL-21), and NASA's Standard Parts List (MIL-STD975).

Outcome, Use of Resources and Their Relationship in the Treatment of AMI, Stroke and Hip Fracture at European Hospitals.

PubMed

Häkkinen, Unto; Rosenqvist, Gunnar; Iversen, Tor; Rehnberg, Clas; Seppälä, Timo T

2015-12-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the quality (survival), use of resources and their relationship in the treatment of three major conditions (acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke and hip fracture), in hospitals in five European countries (Finland, Hungary, Italy, Norway and Sweden). The comparison of quality and use of resources was based on hospital-level random effects models estimated from patient-level data. After examining quality and use of resources separately, we analysed whether a cost-quality trade-off existed between the hospitals. Our results showed notable differences between hospitals and countries in both survival and use of resources. Some evidence would support increasing the horizontal integration: higher degrees of concentration of regional AMI care were associated with lower use of resources. A positive relation between cost and quality in the care of AMI patients existed in Hungary and Finland. In the care of stroke and hip fracture, we found no evidence of a cost-quality trade-off. Thus, the cost-quality association was inconsistent and prevailed for certain treatments or patient groups, but not in all countries. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improve processes on healthcare: current issues and future trends.

PubMed

Chen, Jason C H; Dolan, Matt; Lin, Binshan

2004-01-01

Information Technology (IT) is a critical resource for improving today's business competitiveness. However, many healthcare providers do not proactively manage or improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services with IT. Survival in a competitive business environment demands continuous improvements in quality and service, while rigorously maintaining core values. Electronic commerce continues its development, gaining ground as the preferred means of business transactions. Embracing e-healthcare and treating IT as a strategic tool to improve patient safety and the quality of care enables healthcare professionals to benefit from technology formerly used only for management purposes. Numerous improvement initiatives, introduced by both the federal government and the private sector, seek to better the status quo in IT. This paper examines the current IT climate using an enhanced "Built to Last" model, and comments on future IT strategies within the healthcare industry.

eLearning resources to supplement postgraduate neurosurgery training.

PubMed

Stienen, Martin N; Schaller, Karl; Cock, Hannah; Lisnic, Vitalie; Regli, Luca; Thomson, Simon

2017-02-01

In an increasingly complex and competitive professional environment, improving methods to educate neurosurgical residents is key to ensure high-quality patient care. Electronic (e)Learning resources promise interactive knowledge acquisition. We set out to give a comprehensive overview on available eLearning resources that aim to improve postgraduate neurosurgical training and review the available literature. A MEDLINE query was performed, using the search term "electronic AND learning AND neurosurgery". Only peer-reviewed English-language articles on the use of any means of eLearning to improve theoretical knowledge in postgraduate neurosurgical training were included. Reference lists were crosschecked for further relevant articles. Captured parameters were the year, country of origin, method of eLearning reported, and type of article, as well as its conclusion. eLearning resources were additionally searched for using Google. Of n = 301 identified articles by the MEDLINE search, n = 43 articles were analysed in detail. Applying defined criteria, n = 28 articles were excluded and n = 15 included. Most articles were generated within this decade, with groups from the USA, the UK and India having a leadership role. The majority of articles reviewed existing eLearning resources, others reported on the concept, development and use of generated eLearning resources. There was no article that scientifically assessed the effectiveness of eLearning resources (against traditional learning methods) in terms of efficacy or costs. Only one article reported on satisfaction rates with an eLearning tool. All authors of articles dealing with eLearning and the use of new media in neurosurgery uniformly agreed on its great potential and increasing future use, but most also highlighted some weaknesses and possible dangers. This review found only a few articles dealing with the modern aspects of eLearning as an adjunct to postgraduate neurosurgery training. Comprehensive eLearning platforms offering didactic modules with clear learning objectives are rare. Two decades after the rise of eLearning in neurosurgery, some promising solutions are readily available, but the potential of eLearning has not yet been sufficiently exploited.

Mediagraphy: Print and Nonprint Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Media and Technology Yearbook, 1998

1998-01-01

Lists educational media-related journals, books, ERIC documents, journal articles, and nonprint resources classified by Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Electronic Performance Support Systems; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Distance Education; Educational Research; Educational Technology; Electronic Publishing; Information Science and…

Final Environmental Assessment. Physical Fitness Center Los Angeles Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-10-13

Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). 1996. Final 1997 Air Qaulity Management Plan. November. South Coast Air Quality Management District...resources including land use, geology and soils, water resources, biological resources, air quality, noise, traffic and transportation, waste management ...3-8 3.8 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management and Disposal

Assessing the Ethical and Content Quality of Online Parenting Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suárez-Perdomo, Arminda; Byrne, Sonia; Rodrigo, Maria-José

2018-01-01

The quality of the online resources for parents offering access to open knowledge has hardly received attention despite their increasing number. This paper provides a framework to examine the ethical and content quality of parenting resources. The ethical criteria were based on "the Health on the Net" (HON) framework whereas the content…

Family Resources and Parenting Quality: Links to Children's Cognitive Development across the First 3 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lugo-Gil, Julieta; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S.

2008-01-01

Reciprocal associations among measures of family resources, parenting quality, and child cognitive performance were investigated in an ethnically diverse, low-income sample of 2,089 children and families. Family resources and parenting quality uniquely contributed to children's cognitive performance at 14, 24, and 36 months, and parenting quality…

Relational Resources of a University as a Source of Education Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagdasaryan, Irina; Vasilyeva, Zoya; Almabekova, Olga

2015-01-01

This paper considers high quality educational services provided by a university being the highest priority and assumes relational resources as valuable sources that can facilitate and enhance quality assurance. Each university with a unique resource base is connected with a variety of entities--other universities, non-profit and for-profit…

An Electronic Worker Service System of the Pig House Based on ATmega16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Liu-An; Jin, Tian-Ming; Yu, Ya-Ping; Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Hong, Tao

Pork is very important for people in daily life. Quality of livestock environment is closely related to the growth of animals. To improve environmental quality, the paper designed an electronic worker service system of the pig house based on ATmega16, which consisted of 6 detection modules, wireless data collecting, GSM, time circuit, display, anti-th alarm and music player, etc. A small LAN was constructed by wireless transceiver module to test and collect data of temperature, humidity and harmful gas concentration in the pig house. If one detection point exists that harmful pollutant gases concentration exceeds the standard value, GSM module took a message for livestock farmers, so that farmers can promptly arrive at the pig house to ventilate or deal with manure in the pig house, which can effectively prevent from bad things. Time of pyroelectric detector deployment can be freely set, and intrusion information was timely sent to the users. The anti-th alarm function was achieved by the auxiliary light. The music playing module is open by timer module in order to soothing pigs' life state. All are suitable for small farms and can save human resources.

Addressing the business of discharge: building a case for an electronic discharge summary.

PubMed

Mourad, Michelle; Cucina, Russell; Ramanathan, Rajiv; Vidyarthi, Arpana R

2011-01-01

Hospitalists are increasingly involved in implementing quality improvement initiatives around patient safety, clinical informatics, and transitions of care, but may lack expertise in promoting these important interventions. Developing a sound business case is essential to garnering support and resources for any quality improvement initiative. We present a framework for developing a business case using a structured approach to exploring qualitative and quantitative costs and benefits and describe its application in the experience of developing an electronic discharge summary at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). At our institution, we found that the primary financial benefits are the cost reductions in eliminating transcription needs and decreasing billing delays, as well as reducing the cost of tracking completion of and dissemination of discharge summaries. Costs incurred from a new information technology (IT) infrastructure, programmer time, maintenance and training must also be accounted for. While benefits may be apparent to front line providers (improved communication, efficiency of data transfer, and increased referring physician satisfaction), implementing and sustaining such an innovation depends on articulating a sound business case with a detailed cost-benefit analysis to institutional decision making. Copyright © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

18 CFR 801.7 - Water quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... water quality management and control. However, protection of the water resources of the basin from... quality program in the comprehensive plan. (c) The Commission's role in water quality management and... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Water quality. 801.7...

Should we Google it? Resource use by internal medicine residents for point-of-care clinical decision making.

PubMed

Duran-Nelson, Alisa; Gladding, Sophia; Beattie, Jim; Nixon, L James

2013-06-01

To determine which resources residents use at the point-of-care (POC) for decision making, the drivers for selection of these resources, and how residents use Google/Google Scholar to answer clinical questions at the POC. In January 2012, 299 residents from three internal medicine residencies were sent an electronic survey regarding resources used for POC decision making. Resource use frequency and factors influencing choice were determined using descriptive statistics. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine relationships between the independent variables. A total of 167 residents (56%) responded; similar numbers responded at each level of training. Residents most frequently reported using UpToDate and Google at the POC at least daily (85% and 63%, respectively), with speed and trust in the quality of information being the primary drivers of selection. Google, used by 68% of residents, was used primarily to locate Web sites and general information about diseases, whereas Google Scholar, used by 30% of residents, tended to be used for treatment and management decisions or locating a journal article. The findings suggest that internal medicine residents use UpToDate most frequently, followed by consultation with faculty and the search engines Google and Google Scholar; speed, trust, and portability are the biggest drivers for resource selection; and time and information overload appear to be the biggest barriers to resources such as Ovid MEDLINE. Residents frequently used Google and may benefit from further training in information management skills.

Data compilation and assessment for water resources in Pennsylvania state forest and park lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galeone, Daniel G.

2011-01-01

As a result of a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PaDCNR), available electronic data were compiled for Pennsylvania state lands (state forests and parks) to allow PaDCNR to initially determine if data exist to make an objective evaluation of water resources for specific basins. The data compiled included water-quantity and water-quality data and sample locations for benthic macroinvertebrates within state-owned lands (including a 100-meter buffer around each land parcel) in Pennsylvania. In addition, internet links or contacts for geographic information system coverages pertinent to water-resources studies also were compiled. Water-quantity and water-quality data primarily available through January 2007 were compiled and summarized for site types that included streams, lakes, ground-water wells, springs, and precipitation. Data were categorized relative to 35 watershed boundaries defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for resource-management purposes. The primary sources of continuous water-quantity data for Pennsylvania state lands were the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Weather Service (NWS). The USGS has streamflow data for 93 surface-water sites located in state lands; 38 of these sites have continuous-recording data available. As of January 2007, 22 of these 38 streamflow-gaging stations were active; the majority of active gaging stations have over 40 years of continuous record. The USGS database also contains continuous ground-water elevation data for 32 wells in Pennsylvania state lands, 18 of which were active as of January 2007. Sixty-eight active precipitation stations (primarily from the NWS network) are located in state lands. The four sources of available water-quality data for Pennsylvania state lands were the USGS, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP), and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. The water-quality data, which were primarily collected after 1970, were summarized by categorizing the analytical data for each site into major groups (for example, trace metals, pesticides, major ions, etc.) for each type (streams, lakes, ground-water wells, and springs) of data compiled. The number of samples and number of detections for each analyte within each group also were summarized. A total of 410 stream sites and 205 ground-water wells in state lands had water-quality data from the available data sets, and these sites were well-distributed across the state. A total of 107 lakes and 47 springs in state lands had water-quality data from the available data sets, but these data types were not well-distributed across the state; the majority of water-quality data for lakes was in the western or eastern sections of the state and water-quality data for springs was primarily located in the central part of the Lower Susquehanna River Valley. The most common types of water-quality data collected were major ions, trace elements, and nutrients. Physical parameters, such as water temperature, stream discharge, or water level, typically were collected for most water-quality samples. Given the large database available from PaDEP for benthic macroinvertebrates, along with some data from other agencies, there is very good distribution of benthic-macroinvertebrate data for state lands. Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected at 1,077 locations in state lands from 1973 to 2006. Most (980 samples) of the benthic-macroinvertebrate samples were collected by PaDEP as part of the state assessment of stream conditions required by the Clean Water Act. Data compiled in this report can be used for various water-resource issues, such as basin-wide water-budget analysis, studies of ecological or instream flow, or water-quality assessments. The determination of an annual water budget in selected basins is best supported by the availab

Heterogeneity prevails: the state of clinical trial data management in Europe - results of a survey of ECRIN centres

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The use of Clinical Data Management Systems (CDMS) has become essential in clinical trials to handle the increasing amount of data that must be collected and analyzed. With a CDMS trial data are captured at investigator sites with "electronic Case Report Forms". Although more and more of these electronic data management systems are used in academic research centres an overview of CDMS products and of available data management and quality management resources for academic clinical trials in Europe is missing. Methods The ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network) data management working group conducted a two-part standardized survey on data management, software tools, and quality management for clinical trials. The questionnaires were answered by nearly 80 centres/units (with an overall response rate of 47% and 43%) from 12 European countries and EORTC. Results Our survey shows that about 90% of centres have a CDMS in routine use. Of these CDMS nearly 50% are commercial systems; Open Source solutions don't play a major role. In general, solutions used for clinical data management are very heterogeneous: 20 different commercial CDMS products (7 Open Source solutions) in addition to 17/18 proprietary systems are in use. The most widely employed CDMS products are MACRO™ and Capture System™, followed by solutions that are used in at least 3 centres: eResearch Network™, CleanWeb™, GCP Base™ and SAS™. Although quality management systems for data management are in place in most centres/units, there exist some deficits in the area of system validation. Conclusions Because the considerable heterogeneity of data management software solutions may be a hindrance to cooperation based on trial data exchange, standards like CDISC (Clinical Data Interchange Standard Consortium) should be implemented more widely. In a heterogeneous environment the use of data standards can simplify data exchange, increase the quality of data and prepare centres for new developments (e.g. the use of EHR for clinical research). Because data management and the use of electronic data capture systems in clinical trials are characterized by the impact of regulations and guidelines, ethical concerns are discussed. In this context quality management becomes an important part of compliant data management. To address these issues ECRIN will establish certified data centres to support electronic data management and associated compliance needs of clinical trial centres in Europe. PMID:20663165

Video Killed the Radio Star: Language Students' Use of Electronic Resources-Reading or Viewing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiliçkaya, Ferit

2016-01-01

The current study aimed to investigate language students' use of print and electronic resources for their research papers required in research techniques class, focusing on which reading strategies they used while reading these resources. The participants of the study were 90 sophomore students enrolled in the research techniques class offered at…

Managing Selection for Electronic Resources: Kent State University Develops a New System to Automate Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Kay

2012-01-01

Kent State University has developed a centralized system that manages the communication and work related to the review and selection of commercially available electronic resources. It is an automated system that tracks the review process, provides selectors with price and trial information, and compiles reviewers' feedback about the resource. It…

Housing quality and access to material and learning resources within the home environment in developing countries.

PubMed

Bradley, Robert H; Putnick, Diane L

2012-01-01

This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and informal learning materials) and their relations with the Human Development Index (HDI) in 28 developing countries. Home environment conditions in these countries varied widely. The quality of housing and availability of material resources at home were consistently tied to HDI; the availability of formal and informal learning materials a little less so. Gross domestic product (GDP) tended to show a stronger independent relation with housing quality and material resources than life expectancy and education. Formal learning resources were independently related to the GDP and education indices, and informal learning resources were not independently related to any constituent indices of the overall HDI. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Connecting Print and Electronic Titles: An Integrated Approach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Judith; Konecky, Joan Latta; Boden, Dana W. R.

2011-01-01

Libraries make heavy investments in electronic resources, with many of these resources reflecting title changes, bundled subsets, or content changes of formerly print material. These changes can distance the electronic format from its print origins, creating discovery and access issues. A task force was formed to explore the enhancement of catalog…

Library Instruction in the Electronic Library: The University of Arizona's Electronic Library Education Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glogoff, Stuart

1995-01-01

Discusses two Electronic Library Education Centers (ELECs) created at the University of Arizona to improve library instruction in the use of online resources. Examines costs of developing ELECs; technical changes experienced; and benefits to users and librarians. A sidebar by Abbie J. Basile identifies Internet resources for planning and/or…

Quality Service in the International Hotel Sector: A Catalyst for Strategic Human Resource Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Gill; Watson, Sandra; Quail, Samantha

2004-01-01

This paper analyses the nature of, and relationship between, a quality service initiative and the concept of strategic human resource development. Hilton International is the case study used for this analysis. The principal finding is that the quality initiative is acting as a catalyst for a strategic approach to human resource development to…

Opportunities for Wind Power In Low- and Mid-Quality Resource Regions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lantz, Eric; Mai, Trieu; Heimiller, Donna

2016-05-25

In this presentation for American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2016 conference, the authors discuss wind power today in low and mid-quality resource regions, the anticipated role of wind power in the future electric sector, market potential in low and mid-quality resource regions, and anticipated innovations to capture that market potential.

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Water Program Operations (EPA), Cincinnati, OH. National Training and Operational Technology Center.

Presented is a compilation of over 3,000 abstracts on print and non-print materials related to water quality and water resources education. Entries are included from all levels of governmental sources, private concerns, and educational institutions. Each entry includes: title, author, cross references, descriptors, and availability. (CLS)

Housing Quality and Access to Material and Learning Resources within the Home Environment in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Robert H.; Putnick, Diane L.

2012-01-01

This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and informal learning materials) and their relations with the Human Development Index (HDI) in 28 developing countries. Home environment conditions in these countries varied widely. The quality of housing and availability of material resources at home were…

Library use and information-seeking behavior of veterinary medical students revisited in the electronic environment.

PubMed

Pelzer, N L; Wiese, W H; Leysen, J M

1998-07-01

Veterinary medical students at Iowa State University were surveyed in January of 1997 to determine their general use of the Veterinary Medical Library and how they sought information in an electronic environment. Comparisons were made between this study and one conducted a decade ago to determine the effect of the growth in electronic resources on student library use and information-seeking behavior. The basic patterns of student activities in the library, resources used to find current information, and resources anticipated for future education needs remained unchanged. The 1997 students used the library most frequently for photocopying, office supplies, and studying coursework; they preferred textbooks and handouts as sources of current information. However, when these students went beyond textbooks and handouts to seek current information, a major shift was seen from the use of print indexes and abstracts in 1987 towards the use of computerized indexes and other electronic resources in 1997. Almost 60% of the students reported using the Internet for locating current information. Overall use of electronic materials was highest among a group of students receiving the problem-based learning method of instruction. Most of the students surveyed in 1997 indicated that electronic resources would have some degree of importance to them for future education needs. The electronic environment has provided new opportunities for information professionals to help prepare future veterinarians, some of whom will be practicing in remote geographical locations, to access the wealth of information and services available on the Internet and Web.

Employing the FITT framework to explore HIV case managers' perceptions of two electronic clinical data (ECD) summary systems.

PubMed

Schnall, Rebecca; Smith, Ann B; Sikka, Manik; Gordon, Peter; Camhi, Eli; Kanter, Timothy; Bakken, Suzanne

2012-10-01

Case managers facilitate continuity of care for persons living with HIV (PLWH) by coordination of resources and referrals to social services and medical care. The complexity of HIV care and associated comorbidities drives the need for medical and psychosocial care coordination, which may be achieved through health information exchange (HIE) systems. However, the use of HIE has not been well studied in the context of HIV services. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study is to explore factors influencing case managers' adoption of electronic clinical data (ECD) summaries as an HIE strategy in HIV care through application of the "fit between individuals, task and technology" (FITT) framework. Focus group methodology was used to gather perceptions from 48 participants who provided direct case management services for PLWH in New York City. Questions addressed current quality and efficiency challenges to HIE utilization in the context of case management of PLWH as well as barriers and enablers to use of an ECD summary. Analysis of the data was guided by the FITT framework. Major themes by interaction type were: (1) task-technology fit - resources, time and workflow; (2) individual-task fit - training and technical support; and 3) individual-technology fit - ECD summary functionality, technical difficulties and the need of a computer for each end-user. Our findings provide evidence for the applicability of the FITT framework to explore case managers' perceptions of factors influencing the adoption of ECD summary systems for HIV care prior to actual implementation. Assessment of fit among individual, task, and technology and addressing the concerns identified prior to implementation is critical to successful adoption of health information technology as a strategy to improve quality and efficiency in health care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT (NAWQA) PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is designed to describe the status and trends in the quality of the Nations ground- and surface-water resources and to provide a sound understanding of the natural and human factors that affect the quality of these resources. ...

30 CFR 1206.154 - Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties. 1206.154 Section 1206.154 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Gas § 1206.154 Determination...

30 CFR 1206.154 - Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties. 1206.154 Section 1206.154 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Gas § 1206.154 Determination...

30 CFR 1206.154 - Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Determination of quantities and qualities for computing royalties. 1206.154 Section 1206.154 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Gas § 1206.154 Determination...

7 CFR 1469.4 - Significant resource concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Significant resource concerns. 1469.4 Section 1469.4... Provisions § 1469.4 Significant resource concerns. (a) Soil quality and water quality are nationally significant resource concerns for all land uses. (b) For each sign-up, the Chief may determine additional...

Health-Related Resource-Use Measurement Instruments for Intersectoral Costs and Benefits in the Education and Criminal Justice Sectors.

PubMed

Mayer, Susanne; Paulus, Aggie T G; Łaszewska, Agata; Simon, Judit; Drost, Ruben M W A; Ruwaard, Dirk; Evers, Silvia M A A

2017-09-01

Intersectoral costs and benefits (ICBs), i.e. costs and benefits of healthcare interventions outside the healthcare sector, can be a crucial component in economic evaluations from the societal perspective. Pivotal to their estimation is the existence of sound resource-use measurement (RUM) instruments; however, RUM instruments for ICBs in the education or criminal justice sectors have not yet been systematically collated or their psychometric quality assessed. This review aims to fill this gap. To identify relevant instruments, the Database of Instruments for Resource Use Measurement (DIRUM) was searched. Additionally, a systematic literature review was conducted in seven electronic databases to detect instruments containing ICB items used in economic evaluations. Finally, studies evaluating the psychometric quality of these instruments were searched. Twenty-six unique instruments were included. Most frequently, ICB items measured school absenteeism, tutoring, classroom assistance or contacts with legal representatives, police custody/prison detainment and court appearances, with the highest number of items listed in the Client Service Receipt Inventory/Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory/Client Service Receipt Inventory-Children's Version (CSRI/CSSRI/CSRI-C), Studying the Scope of Parental Expenditures (SCOPE) and Self-Harm Intervention, Family Therapy (SHIFT) instruments. ICBs in the education sector were especially relevant for age-related developmental disorders and chronic diseases, while criminal justice resource use seems more important in mental health, including alcohol-related disorders or substance abuse. Evidence on the validity or reliability of ICB items was published for two instruments only. With a heterogeneous variety of ICBs found to be relevant for several disease areas but many ICB instruments applied in one study only (21/26 instruments), setting-up an international task force to, for example, develop an internationally adaptable instrument is recommended.

Indigenous knowledge on the nutritional quality of urban and peri-urban livestock feed resources in Kampala, Uganda.

PubMed

Lumu, Richard; Katongole, Constantine Bakyusa; Nambi-Kasozi, Justine; Bareeba, Felix; Presto, Magdalena; Ivarsson, Emma; Lindberg, Jan Erik

2013-10-01

This study identified the indigenous criteria used by livestock farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Kampala to assess the nutritional quality of available feed resources. Focus group discussions and questionnaire interviews (with a total of 120 livestock farming households) were conducted. The findings showed that banana peels, leftover food and own-mixed feeds were the most commonly used feed resources for cattle, pigs and chickens, respectively. Farmers use several indigenous criteria to judge the nutritional quality of the available feed resources. These included perceived effects on disease resistance, feed intake, growth/body condition, hair coat appearance, faecal output, faecal texture and level of production, among others. According to farmers, animals offered with a feed resource of good nutritional quality are more resistant to diseases, ingest much of the feed, gain weight with well-filled bodies, have smooth hair coats, produce large quantities of faeces that are not too firm or watery and exhibit good performance (lactating cows produce more milk, sows produce piglets of good body size, hens lay more eggs of normal size, etc.). Although this indigenous knowledge exists, farmers put more importance on availability and cost as opposed to nutritional quality when choosing feed resources. This explains why banana peels were among the feed resources perceived to be of low nutritional quality but, at the same time, were found to be the most commonly used. Hence, there is a need to sensitise farmers on the importance of nutritional quality in ensuring better and efficient utilisation of the available feed resources.

Realizing what's essential: a case study on integrating electronic journal management into a print-centric technical services department.

PubMed

Dollar, Daniel M; Gallagher, John; Glover, Janis; Marone, Regina Kenny; Crooker, Cynthia

2007-04-01

To support migration from print to electronic resources, the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University reorganized its Technical Services Department to focus on managing electronic resources. The library hired consultants to help plan the changes and to present recommendations for integrating electronic resource management into every position. The library task force decided to focus initial efforts on the periodical collection. To free staff time to devote to electronic journals, most of the print subscriptions were switched to online only and new workflows were developed for e-journals. Staff learned new responsibilities such as activating e-journals, maintaining accurate holdings information in the online public access catalog and e-journals database ("electronic shelf reading"), updating the link resolver knowledgebase, and troubleshooting. All of the serials team members now spend significant amounts of time managing e-journals. The serials staff now spends its time managing the materials most important to the library's clientele (e-journals and databases). The team's proactive approach to maintenance work and rapid response to reported problems should improve patrons' experiences using e-journals. The library is taking advantage of new technologies such as an electronic resource management system, and library workflows and procedures will continue to evolve as technology changes.

Realizing what's essential: a case study on integrating electronic journal management into a print-centric technicalservices department

PubMed Central

Dollar, Daniel M.; Gallagher, John; Glover, Janis; Marone, Regina Kenny; Crooker, Cynthia

2007-01-01

Objective: To support migration from print to electronic resources, the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University reorganized its Technical Services Department to focus on managing electronic resources. Methods: The library hired consultants to help plan the changes and to present recommendations for integrating electronic resource management into every position. The library task force decided to focus initial efforts on the periodical collection. To free staff time to devote to electronic journals, most of the print subscriptions were switched to online only and new workflows were developed for e-journals. Results: Staff learned new responsibilities such as activating e-journals, maintaining accurate holdings information in the online public access catalog and e-journals database (“electronic shelf reading”), updating the link resolver knowledgebase, and troubleshooting. All of the serials team members now spend significant amounts of time managing e-journals. Conclusions: The serials staff now spends its time managing the materials most important to the library's clientele (e-journals and databases). The team's proactive approach to maintenance work and rapid response to reported problems should improve patrons' experiences using e-journals. The library is taking advantage of new technologies such as an electronic resource management system, and library workflows and procedures will continue to evolve as technology changes. PMID:17443247

Appropriate Importation and Effective Utilization of Top Quality Foreign Higher Education Resources for Sino-Foreign Cooperation in Running Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jinhui, Lin; Zhiping, Liu

2009-01-01

The appropriate importation and effective utilization of superior-quality foreign higher education resources are crucial to enhance the level and quality of school administration cooperation with foreign partners because it can not only make up for the shortage in domestic education resources and push forward China's higher education reform but…

Selection of Electronic Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weathers, Barbara

1998-01-01

Discusses the impact of electronic resources on collection development; selection of CD-ROMs, (platform, speed, video and sound, networking capability, installation and maintenance); selection of laser disks; and Internet evaluation (accuracy of content, authority, objectivity, currency, technical characteristics). Lists Web sites for evaluating…

30 CFR 1206.119 - How are royalty quantity and quality determined?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How are royalty quantity and quality determined? 1206.119 Section 1206.119 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Oil § 1206.119 How are royalty quantity and...

30 CFR 1206.119 - How are royalty quantity and quality determined?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How are royalty quantity and quality determined? 1206.119 Section 1206.119 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Oil § 1206.119 How are royalty quantity and...

30 CFR 1206.119 - How are royalty quantity and quality determined?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How are royalty quantity and quality determined? 1206.119 Section 1206.119 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Federal Oil § 1206.119 How are royalty quantity and...

Fish and other aquatic resource trends in the United States

Treesearch

Andrew J. Loftus; Curtis H. Flather

2000-01-01

This report documents the general trends in fisheries and aquatic resources for the nation as required by the Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974. The report highlights major trends in water quality, specific fish populations, resource utilization, and imperiled aquatic fauna. Relationships between land use, water quality, and aquatic species conditions are...

Mold and Indoor Air Quality in Schools

MedlinePlus

... Centers Mold Contact Us Share Mold and Indoor Air Quality in Schools Mold and Moisture in Schools Webinar ... premier resource on this issue is the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools kit. Our schools-related resources ...

Expeditionary Readiness Training (ExpeRT) Course Expansion Final Environmental Assessment Creech Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

potential environmental consequences of the proposed action and no-action alternative and are addressed for: air quality, soils and water resources...evaluated in detail to identify potential environmental consequences: air quality; soils and water resources; biological resources; and cultural resources...significance. Therefore, this proposed action would not constitute a significant impact and would conform to regional standards. Soils and Water Resources

Perceptions of primary care staff on a regional data quality intervention in Australian general practice: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Ghosh, Abhijeet; McCarthy, Sandra; Halcomb, Elizabeth

2016-04-26

Technological advances in clinical data capturing and storage systems have led to recent attempts at disease surveillance and region specific population health planning through regularly collected primary care administrative clinical data. However the accuracy and comprehensiveness of primary care health records remain questionable. We aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of general practice staff in maintaining accurate patient health data within clinical software used in primary care settings of regional NSW. Focus groups were conducted with general practitioners, practice nurses and practice administrative staff from 17 practices in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia that had participated in the Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (SPDS) project - a general practice based chronic disease surveillance and data quality improvement study. A total of 25 respondents that included 12 general practitioners (GPs) and 13 practice staff participated in the 6 focus groups. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. Five key themes emerged from the data. Firstly, the theme of resourcing data management raised issues of time constraints, the lack of a dedicated data management role and the importance of multidisciplinary involvement, including a data champion. The need for incentives was identified as being important to motivate ongoing commitment to maintaining data quality. However, quality of software packages, including coding issues and software limitations and information technology skills were seen as key barriers. The final theme provided insight into the lessons learnt from the project and the increased awareness of the importance of data quality amongst practice staff. The move towards electronic methods of maintaining general practice patient records offers significant potential benefits in terms of both patient care and monitoring of health status and health needs within the community. However, this study has reinforced the importance of human factors in the maintenance of such datasets. To achieve optimal benefits of electronic health and medical records for patient care and for population health planning purposes, it is extremely essential to address the barriers that clinicians and other staff face in maintaining complete and correct primary care patient electronic health and medical information.

Enhancing Leadership Quality. TQ Source Tips & Tools: Emerging Strategies to Enhance Educator Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2008

2008-01-01

Teaching Quality (TQ) Source Tips & Tools: Emerging Strategies to Enhance Educator Quality is an online resource developed by the TQ Center. It is designed to help education practitioners tap into strategies and resources they can use to enhance educator quality. This publication is based on the TQ Source Tips & Tools topic area "Enhancing…

Methods for recovering precious metals from industrial waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canda, L.; Heput, T.; Ardelean, E.

2016-02-01

The accelerated rate of industrialization increases the demand for precious metals, while high quality natural resources are diminished quantitatively, with significant operating costs. Precious metals recovery can be successfully made from waste, considered to be secondary sources of raw material. In recent years, concerns and interest of researchers for more increasing efficient methods to recover these metals, taking into account the more severe environmental protection legislation. Precious metals are used in a wide range of applications, both in electronic and communications equipment, spacecraft and jet aircraft engines and for mobile phones or catalytic converters. The most commonly recovered precious metals are: gold from jewellery and electronics, silver from X- ray films and photographic emulsions, industrial applications (catalysts, batteries, glass/mirrors), jewellery; platinum group metals from catalytic converters, catalysts for the refining of crude oil, industrial catalysts, nitric acid manufacturing plant, the carbon-based catalyst, e-waste. An important aspect is the economic viability of recycling processes related to complex waste flows. Hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical routes are the most important ways of processing electrical and electronic equipment waste. The necessity of recovering precious metals has opened new opportunities for future research.

Piloting an information literacy program for staff nurses: lessons learned.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Peri; Salazar-Riera, Noraliza; Vieira, Dorice

2002-01-01

Intrinsic to all models of evidence-based practice is the need for information literacy and the critical assessment of information. As part of a house-wide evidence-based practice initiative, the objective of this pilot project was to develop the information literacy skills of staff nurses to increase their ability to find and assess available electronic resources for clinical decision making. An intensive care unit was chosen to pilot a unit-based approach to educate staff nurses to perform patient care-related electronic literature searches. An additional goal was to determine the effectiveness of unit-based training sessions on the frequency and quality of electronic literature searches by participating nurses. In addition to the unit-based instruction, nursing and library staff collaborated to develop a Web-based tutorial to supplement and reinforce the content of the training sessions. A pretest-post-test design was used to evaluate the initiative and to assess the effect of the educational intervention over time. Among the lessons learned from this pilot study was that unit-based instruction presents significant obstacles for effective learning of new technological skills for staff nurses.

Quality tools and resources to support organisational improvement integral to high-quality primary care: a systematic review of published and grey literature.

PubMed

Janamian, Tina; Upham, Susan J; Crossland, Lisa; Jackson, Claire L

2016-04-18

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to identify existing online primary care quality improvement tools and resources to support organisational improvement related to the seven elements in the Primary Care Practice Improvement Tool (PC-PIT), with the identified tools and resources to progress to a Delphi study for further assessment of relevance and utility. Systematic review of the international published and grey literature. CINAHL, Embase and PubMed databases were searched in March 2014 for articles published between January 2004 and December 2013. GreyNet International and other relevant websites and repositories were also searched in March-April 2014 for documents dated between 1992 and 2012. All citations were imported into a bibliographic database. Published and unpublished tools and resources were included in the review if they were in English, related to primary care quality improvement and addressed any of the seven PC-PIT elements of a high-performing practice. Tools and resources that met the eligibility criteria were then evaluated for their accessibility, relevance, utility and comprehensiveness using a four-criteria appraisal framework. We used a data extraction template to systematically extract information from eligible tools and resources. A content analysis approach was used to explore the tools and resources and collate relevant information: name of the tool or resource, year and country of development, author, name of the organisation that provided access and its URL, accessibility information or problems, overview of each tool or resource and the quality improvement element(s) it addresses. If available, a copy of the tool or resource was downloaded into the bibliographic database, along with supporting evidence (published or unpublished) on its use in primary care. This systematic review identified 53 tools and resources that can potentially be provided as part of a suite of tools and resources to support primary care practices in improving the quality of their practice, to achieve improved health outcomes.

A Study on Developing Evaluation Criteria for Electronic Resources in Evaluation Indicators of Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noh, Younghee

2010-01-01

This study aimed to improve the current state of electronic resource evaluation in libraries. While the use of Web DB, e-book, e-journal, and other e-resources such as CD-ROM, DVD, and micro materials is increasing in libraries, their use is not comprehensively factored into the general evaluation of libraries and may diminish the reliability of…

Testing a computer-based ostomy care training resource for staff nurses.

PubMed

Bales, Isabel

2010-05-01

Fragmented teaching and ostomy care provided by nonspecialized clinicians unfamiliar with state-of-the-art care and products have been identified as problems in teaching ostomy care to the new ostomate. After conducting a literature review of theories and concepts related to the impact of nurse behaviors and confidence on ostomy care, the author developed a computer-based learning resource and assessed its effect on staff nurse confidence. Of 189 staff nurses with a minimum of 1 year acute-care experience employed in the acute care, emergency, and rehabilitation departments of an acute care facility in the Midwestern US, 103 agreed to participate and returned completed pre- and post-tests, each comprising the same eight statements about providing ostomy care. F and P values were computed for differences between pre- and post test scores. Based on a scale where 1 = totally disagree and 5 = totally agree with the statement, baseline confidence and perceived mean knowledge scores averaged 3.8 and after viewing the resource program post-test mean scores averaged 4.51, a statistically significant improvement (P = 0.000). The largest difference between pre- and post test scores involved feeling confident in having the resources to learn ostomy skills independently. The availability of an electronic ostomy care resource was rated highly in both pre- and post testing. Studies to assess the effects of increased confidence and knowledge on the quality and provision of care are warranted.

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers. An Industry--University Partnership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulledge, Thomas R.; Sommer, Rainer; Tarimcilar, M. Murat

1999-01-01

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers focus on transferring emerging technologies to small businesses through university/industry partnerships. Successful implementation hinges on a strategic operating plan, creation of measurable value for customers, investment in customer-targeted training, and measurement of performance outputs. (SK)

Bridging the gap: leveraging business intelligence tools in support of patient safety and financial effectiveness.

PubMed

Ferranti, Jeffrey M; Langman, Matthew K; Tanaka, David; McCall, Jonathan; Ahmad, Asif

2010-01-01

Healthcare is increasingly dependent upon information technology (IT), but the accumulation of data has outpaced our capacity to use it to improve operating efficiency, clinical quality, and financial effectiveness. Moreover, hospitals have lagged in adopting thoughtful analytic approaches that would allow operational leaders and providers to capitalize upon existing data stores. In this manuscript, we propose a fundamental re-evaluation of strategic IT investments in healthcare, with the goal of increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving outcomes through the targeted application of health analytics. We also present three case studies that illustrate the use of health analytics to leverage pre-existing data resources to support improvements in patient safety and quality of care, to increase the accuracy of billing and collection, and support emerging health issues. We believe that such active investment in health analytics will prove essential to realizing the full promise of investments in electronic clinical systems.

Achieving QoS for TCP Traffic in Satellite Networks with Differentiated Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durresi, Arjan; Kota, Sastri; Goyal, Mukul; Jain, Raj; Bharani, Venkata

2001-01-01

Satellite networks play an indispensable role in providing global Internet access and electronic connectivity. To achieve such a global communications, provisioning of quality of service (QoS) within the advanced satellite systems is the main requirement. One of the key mechanisms of implementing the quality of service is traffic management. Traffic management becomes a crucial factor in the case of satellite network because of the limited availability of their resources. Currently, Internet Protocol (IP) only has minimal traffic management capabilities and provides best effort services. In this paper, we presented a broadband satellite network QoS model and simulated performance results. In particular, we discussed the TCP flow aggregates performance for their good behavior in the presence of competing UDP flow aggregates in the same assured forwarding. We identified several factors that affect the performance in the mixed environments and quantified their effects using a full factorial design of experiment methodology.

Bridging the gap: leveraging business intelligence tools in support of patient safety and financial effectiveness

PubMed Central

Langman, Matthew K; Tanaka, David; McCall, Jonathan; Ahmad, Asif

2010-01-01

Healthcare is increasingly dependent upon information technology (IT), but the accumulation of data has outpaced our capacity to use it to improve operating efficiency, clinical quality, and financial effectiveness. Moreover, hospitals have lagged in adopting thoughtful analytic approaches that would allow operational leaders and providers to capitalize upon existing data stores. In this manuscript, we propose a fundamental re-evaluation of strategic IT investments in healthcare, with the goal of increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving outcomes through the targeted application of health analytics. We also present three case studies that illustrate the use of health analytics to leverage pre-existing data resources to support improvements in patient safety and quality of care, to increase the accuracy of billing and collection, and support emerging health issues. We believe that such active investment in health analytics will prove essential to realizing the full promise of investments in electronic clinical systems. PMID:20190055

[Validation of the structure and resources of nosocomial infection control team in hospitals ascribed to VINCat program in Catalonia, Spain].

PubMed

Limón, Enrique; Pujol, Miquel; Gudiol, Francesc

2014-07-01

The main objective of this study was to validate the structure of the infection control team (ICT) in the hospitals adhered to VINCat program and secondary objective was to establish the consistency of resources of each center with the requirements established by the program. Qualitative research consisting of an ethnographic study using participant observation during the years 2008-2010. The centers were stratified in three groups by complexity and beds. The instrument was a semistructured interview to members of the ICT. The transcription of the interview was sent to informants for validation. In November 2010 a questionnaire regarding human resources and number hours dedicated to the ICT was sent. During 2008-2010, 65 centers had been adhered to VINCat program. In 2010, the ICT of Group I hospitals had a mean of two physician, one in full-time and one nurse for every 230 beds. In Group II, one physician part-time and one nurse per 180 beds and in Group III a physician and a nurse for every 98 beds, both part-time. In 2010, all hospitals had a structured ICT, an operative infection committee, and a hospital member representing the center at the program as well as enough electronic resources. The hospitals participating in the program have now VINCat an adequate surveillance structure and meet the minimum technical and human resources required to provide high-quality data. However human resources are not guaranteed. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Espana.

Conspecific and Heterospecific Cues Override Resource Quality to Influence Offspring Production

PubMed Central

Miller, Christine W.; Fletcher, Robert J.; Gillespie, Stephanie R.

2013-01-01

Animals live in an uncertain world. To reduce uncertainty, animals use cues that can encode diverse information regarding habitat quality, including both non-social and social cues. While it is increasingly appreciated that the sources of potential information are vast, our understanding of how individuals integrate different types of cues to guide decision-making remains limited. We experimentally manipulated both resource quality (presence/absence of cactus fruit) and social cues (conspecific juveniles, heterospecific juveniles, no juveniles) for a cactus-feeding insect, Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae), to ask how individuals responded to resource quality in the presence or absence of social cues. Cactus with fruit is a high-quality environment for juvenile development, and indeed we found that females laid 56% more eggs when cactus fruit was present versus when it was absent. However, when conspecific or heterospecific juveniles were present, the effects of resource quality on egg numbers vanished. Overall, N . femorata laid approximately twice as many eggs in the presence of heterospecifics than alone or in the presence of conspecifics. Our results suggest that the presence of both conspecific and heterospecific social cues can disrupt responses of individuals to environmental gradients in resource quality. PMID:23861984

Impact of e-alert for detection of acute kidney injury on processes of care and outcomes: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lachance, Philippe; Villeneuve, Pierre-Marc; Wilson, Francis P; Selby, Nicholas M; Featherstone, Robin; Rewa, Oleksa; Bagshaw, Sean M

2016-05-05

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in hospitalised patients. It imposes significant risk for major morbidity and mortality. Moreover, patients suffering an episode of AKI consume considerable health resources. Recently, a number of studies have evaluated the implementation of automated electronic alerts (e-alerts) configured from electronic medical records (EMR) and clinical information systems (CIS) to warn healthcare providers of early or impending AKI in hospitalised patients. The impact of e-alerts on care processes, patient outcomes and health resource use, however, remains uncertain. We will perform a systematic review to describe and appraise e-alerts for AKI, and evaluate their impact on processes of care, clinical outcomes and health services use. In consultation with a research librarian, a search strategy will be developed and electronic databases (ie, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Inspec via Engineering Village) searched. Selected grey literature sources will also be searched. Search themes will focus on e-alerts and AKI. Citation screening, selection, quality assessment and data abstraction will be performed in duplicate. The primary analysis will be narrative; however, where feasible, pooled analysis will be performed. Each e-alert will be described according to trigger, type of alert, target recipient and degree of intrusiveness. Pooled effect estimates will be described, where applicable. Our systematic review will synthesise the literature on the value of e-alerts to detect AKI, and their impact on processes, patient-centred outcomes and resource use, and also identify key knowledge gaps and barriers to implementation. This is a fundamental step in a broader research programme aimed to understand the ideal structure of e-alerts, target population and methods for implementation, to derive benefit. Research ethics approval is not required for this review. CRD42016033033. 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/

Quality Online Resources and Supports for Educators Teaching the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Kirk; Smith, Toni; Leinwand, Steve; Ford, Jennifer; Scheopner Torres, Aubrey

2015-01-01

This study was designed in response to a request from rural educators in the Northeast for support in identifying high-quality online resources to implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). The process for identifying online resources included selecting resources that had an easily navigable CCSSM organizational structure…

30 CFR 1206.60 - What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement? 1206.60 Section 1206.60 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Indian Oil § 1206.60 What are the...

30 CFR 1206.60 - What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement? 1206.60 Section 1206.60 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Indian Oil § 1206.60 What are the...

30 CFR 1206.60 - What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What are the quantity and quality bases for royalty settlement? 1206.60 Section 1206.60 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE PRODUCT VALUATION Indian Oil § 1206.60 What are the...

76 FR 20368 - Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/Fish Screen Facility Protection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-12

... biological resources, cultural resources, land use, air quality, water quality, water resources, and other... Riparian Sanctuary Unit by the Department of Water Resources in 1985 and 1986. The rock was placed in order... activities would not impact the Goose Lake overflow structure that diverts flood water into the Butte Basin...

Quality of Teaching and Learning in Resource Quandary: The Case of a University in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chidindi, Joseph

2012-01-01

Zimbabwe faced severe economic challenges that impacted on resource accumulation leading to a decline of quality of teaching and learning in a selected university in Zimbabwe yet the Resource Dependence Theory advocates that organizations are dependent on the environment for resources for survival and achievement of their set objectives. The study…

Leading toward value: the role of strategic human resource management in health system adaptability.

PubMed

Garman, Andrew N; Polavarapu, Nandakishor; Grady, Jane C; Canar, W Jeffrey

2013-01-01

Personnel costs typically account for 60% or more of total operating expenses in health systems, and as such become a necessary focus in most if not all substantive health reform adaptations. This study sought to assess whether strategic alignment of the human resource (HR) and learning functions was associated with greater adaptive capacity in U.S. health systems. Data were gathered using a survey that was distributed electronically to chief human resource officers from two U.S.-based associations. The survey included questions about organizational structure, strategic human resource management, strategic learning, and organizational response to health reform. Significant correlations were found between strategic alignment of HR and HR's involvement in responses related to cost control (r = 0.46, p < 0.01); quality improvement (r = 0.45, p < 0.01), and patient access (r = 0.39, p < 0.01). However, no significant relationships were found between strategic alignment of organizational learning and HR involvement with these responses. Results suggest that HR structure may affect an organization's capacity for adaptive response. Top-management teams in health systems should consider positioning HR as part of the core leadership team, with a reporting relationship that allows HR to maximally participate in formulating and implementing organizational adaptation.

User-Oriented Quality for OER: Understanding Teachers' Views on Re-Use, Quality, and Trust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, K. I.; Pawlowski, J. M.

2012-01-01

We analysed how teachers as users of open educational resources (OER) repositories act in the re-use process and how they perceive quality. Based on a quantitative empirical study, we also surveyed which quality requirements users have and how they would contribute to the quality process. Trust in resources, organizations, and technologies seem to…

Process and implementation of participatory ergonomic interventions: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Eerd, Dwayne; Cole, Donald; Irvin, Emma; Mahood, Quenby; Keown, Kiera; Theberge, Nancy; Village, Judy; St Vincent, Marie; Cullen, Kim

2010-10-01

Participatory ergonomic (PE) interventions may vary in implementation. A systematic review was done to determine the evidence regarding context, barriers and facilitators to the implementation of participatory ergonomic interventions in workplaces. In total, 17 electronic databases were searched. Data on PE process and implementation were extracted from documents meeting content and quality criteria and synthesised. The search yielded 2151 references. Of these, 190 documents were relevant and 52 met content and quality criteria. Different ergonomic teams were described in the documents as were the type, duration and content of ergonomic training. PE interventions tended to focus on physical and work process changes and report positive impacts. Resources, programme support, ergonomic training, organisational training and communication were the most often noted facilitators or barriers. Successful PE interventions require the right people to be involved, appropriate ergonomic training and clear responsibilities. Addressing key facilitators and barriers such as programme support, resources, and communication is paramount. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: A recent systematic review has suggested that PE has some effect on reducing symptoms, lost days of work and claims. Systematic reviews of effectiveness provide practitioners with the desire to implement but do not provide clear information about how. This article reviews the literature on process and implementation of PE.

Determinants of food resource assimilation by stream insects along a tropical elevation gradient.

PubMed

Atkinson, Carla L; Encalada, Andrea C; Rugenski, Amanda T; Thomas, Steve A; Landeira-Dabarca, Andrea; Poff, N LeRoy; Flecker, Alexander S

2018-04-26

Food resource availability varies along gradients of elevation where riparian vegetative cover exerts control on the relative availability of allochthonous and autochthonous resources in streams. Still, little is known about how elevation gradients can alter the availability and quality of resources and how stream food webs respond. We sampled habitat characteristics, stable isotope signatures (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 2 Η) and the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus composition of basal food resources and insects in 11 streams of similar size along an elevation gradient from 1260 to 4045 m on the northeastern slope of the Ecuadorian Andean-Amazon region. Algal-based (autochthonous) food resources primarily supported insects occurring at higher elevations, but at low elevations there was a shift to greater allochthony, corresponding with lower light availability and reduced epilithon resource abundance. Additionally, percent phosphorus (%P) of both autochthonous and allochthonous food resources and of body tissue for some abundant insect taxa (stonefly Anacroneuria and mayfly Andesiops) declined with increasing elevation, despite the greater autochthony at high elevation. Allochthonous food resources were always a lower quality food resource, as indicated by higher C:N, N:P, and lower %P, across elevation in comparison to autochthonous resources, but autochthonous resources had higher %P than allochthonous resources across all elevations and comprised a greater portion of high-elevation insect resource assimilation. Aquatic insects may be able to compensate for the lower quality of both resource types at high elevations through altered body stoichiometry, even though higher quality autochthonous-based foods are in high abundance at high elevations.

Corporate use of information regarding natural resources and environmental quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Train, R.E.

1984-01-01

This report presents findings and recommendations from a one-year study of the corporate use of information regarding natural resources and environmental quality. Personal interviews were conducted with 229 information users at 45 of America's largest corporations, trade associations, and private information companies. In addition, 110 information users participated in a written survey. Our principal findings are: (1) US corporations urgently need more international data; (2) US corporations feel that the government's natural resource forecasts are not credible; (3) US corporations need upgraded and expanded data on environmental quality; (4) US corporations believe that government information is not timely; (5) informationmore » on natural resources and environmental quality is vital to the success of US corporations; (6) US corporations depend on a large body of this information in making decisions regarding capacity, siting, marketing, production, and strategic planning among others; and (7) the US government is the principal source of information on natural resources and environmental quality.« less

Internet health resources: from quality to trust.

PubMed

Lampe, K; Doupi, P; van den Hoven, M Jeroen

2003-01-01

Quality of online health resources remains a much debated topic, despite considerable international efforts. The lack of a systematic and comprehensive conceptual analysis is hindering further progress. Therefore we aim at clarifying the origins, nature and interrelations of pertinent concepts. Further, we claim that quality is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for Internet health resources to produce an effect offline. As users' trust is also required, we examine the relation of quality aspects to trust building online. We reviewed and analyzed the key documentation and deliverables of quality initiatives, as well as relevant scientific publications. Using the insights of philosophy, we identified the elementary dimensions which underlie the key concepts and theories presented so far in the context of online health information quality. We examined the interrelations of various perspectives and explored how trust as a phenomenon relates to these dimensions of quality. Various aspects associated with the quality of online health resources originate from four conceptual dimensions: epistemic, ethical, economic and technological. We propose a conceptual framework that incorporates all these perspectives. We argue that total quality exists only if all four dimensions have been addressed adequately and that high total quality is conducive to warranted trust. Quality and trust are intertwined, but distinct concepts, and their relation is not always straightforward. Ideally, trust should track quality. Apprehending the composition of these concepts will help to understand and guide the behavior of both users and providers of online information, as well as to foster warranted trust in online resources. The framework we propose provides a conceptual starting point for further deliberations and empirical work.

Water Resources Data for California, 1969; Part 2: Water Quality Records

USGS Publications Warehouse

1970-01-01

Water-resources investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey include the collection of water-quality data on the chemical and physical characteristics of surface and ground-water supplies of the Nation. Theses data for the 1969 water year for the quality of surface water in California are presented in this report. Data for a few water-quality stations in bordering States are also included. The data were collected by the Water Resources Division of the Geological Survey under the direction of R. Stanley Lord, district chief, Menlo Park, Calif.

7 CFR 1466.4 - National priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... statutory resource concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related resource concerns..., nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; (4) Reduction in soil erosion and...

7 CFR 1466.4 - National priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... statutory resource concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related resource concerns..., nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; (4) Reduction in soil erosion and...

7 CFR 1466.4 - National priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... statutory resource concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related resource concerns..., nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; (4) Reduction in soil erosion and...

7 CFR 1466.4 - National priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... statutory resource concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related resource concerns..., nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; (4) Reduction in soil erosion and...

7 CFR 1466.4 - National priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... statutory resource concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related resource concerns..., nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards; (4) Reduction in soil erosion and...

Quality of physical resources of health facilities in Indonesia: a panel study 1993-2007.

PubMed

Diana, Aly; Hollingworth, Samantha A; Marks, Geoffrey C

2013-10-01

The merits of mixed public and private health systems are debated. Although private providers have become increasingly important in the Indonesian health system, there is no comprehensive assessment of the quality of private facilities. This study examined the quality of physical resources of public and private facilities in Indonesia from 1993 to 2007. Data from the Indonesian Family Life Surveys in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007 were used to evaluate trends in the quality of physical resources for public and private facilities, stratified by urban/rural areas and Java-Bali/outer Java-Bali regions. The quality of six categories of resources was measured using an adapted MEASURE Evaluation framework. Overall quality was moderate, but higher in public than in private health facilities in all years regardless of the region. The higher proportion of nurses and midwives in private practice was a determinant of scope of services and facilities available. There was little improvement in quality of physical resources following decentralization. Despite significant increases in public investment in health between 2000 and 2006 and the potential benefits of decentralization (2001), the quality of both public and private health facilities in Indonesia did not improve significantly between 1993 and 2007. As consumers commonly believe the quality is better in private facilities and are increasingly using them, it is essential to improve quality in both private and public facilities. Implementation of minimum standards and effective partnerships with private practice are considered important.

Revolution or Revelation? Acquisitions for the Digital Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Kathleen; Larson, Betsy

2006-01-01

Libraries are responding to customer preferences for electronic research materials through the acquisition and management of these products. Electronic resources have significantly different characteristics than print resources when it comes to technical services management. This paper addresses aspects of a corporate research library's evaluation…

A systematic review and quality appraisal of international guidelines for early breast cancer systemic therapy: Are recommendations sensitive to different global resources?

PubMed

Gandhi, S; Verma, S; Ethier, J-L; Simmons, C; Burnett, H; Alibhai, S M H

2015-08-01

The breast cancer incidence in low and middle income countries (LMCs) is increasing globally, and patient outcomes are generally worse in these nations compared to high income countries (HICs). This is partly due to resource constraints associated with implementing recommended breast cancer therapies. Clinical practice guideline (CPG) adherence can improve breast cancer outcomes, however, many CPGs are created in HICs, and include costly recommendations that may not be feasible in LMCs. In addition, the quality of CPGs can be variable. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of CPGs on early breast cancer systemic therapy with potential international impact, to evaluate their content, quality, and resource sensitivity. A MEDLINE and gray literature search was completed for English language CPGs published between 2005 and 2010, and then updated to July 2014. Extracted guidelines were evaluated using the AGREE 2 instrument. Guidelines were specifically analyzed for resource sensitivity. Most of the extracted CPGs had similar recommendations with regards to systemic therapy. However, only one, the Breast Health Global Initiative, made recommendations with consideration of different global resources. Overall, the CPGs were of variable quality, and most scored poorly in the quality domain evaluating implementation barriers such as resources. Published CPGs for early breast cancer are created in HICs, have similar recommendations, and are generally resource-insensitive. Given the visibility and influence of these CPGs on LMCs, efforts to create higher quality, resource-sensitive guidelines with less redundancy are needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resource, quality and safety management.

PubMed

Hovenga, Evelyn J S

2010-01-01

This chapter gives an educational overview of: * Resource management relative to sustainability and the use casemix systems * Types of resources and their information system needs to support their optimal management * Quality, performance measurement options and associated information needs * Casemix systems' characteristics, usage and need for enterprise systems.

Improving the Quality of Electronic Documentation in Critical Care Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Brent

2017-01-01

Electronic nursing documentation systems can facilitate complete, accurate, timely documentation practices, but without effective policies and procedures in place, a gap in practice exists and quality of care may be impacted. This systematic review of literature examined current evidence regarding electronic nursing documentation quality. General…

The quality of metabolic pathway resources depends on initial enzymatic function assignments: a case for maize

DOE PAGES

Walsh, Jesse R.; Schaeffer, Mary L.; Zhang, Peifen; ...

2016-11-29

As metabolic pathway resources become more commonly available, researchers have unprecedented access to information about their organism of interest. Despite efforts to ensure consistency between various resources, information content and quality can vary widely. Two maize metabolic pathway resources for the B73 inbred line, CornCyc 4.0 and MaizeCyc 2.2, are based on the same gene model set and were developed using Pathway Tools software. These resources differ in their initial enzymatic function assignments and in the extent of manual curation. Here, we present an in-depth comparison between CornCyc and MaizeCyc to demonstrate the effect of initial computational enzymatic function assignmentsmore » on the quality and content of metabolic pathway resources.« less

The quality of metabolic pathway resources depends on initial enzymatic function assignments: a case for maize

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walsh, Jesse R.; Schaeffer, Mary L.; Zhang, Peifen

As metabolic pathway resources become more commonly available, researchers have unprecedented access to information about their organism of interest. Despite efforts to ensure consistency between various resources, information content and quality can vary widely. Two maize metabolic pathway resources for the B73 inbred line, CornCyc 4.0 and MaizeCyc 2.2, are based on the same gene model set and were developed using Pathway Tools software. These resources differ in their initial enzymatic function assignments and in the extent of manual curation. Here, we present an in-depth comparison between CornCyc and MaizeCyc to demonstrate the effect of initial computational enzymatic function assignmentsmore » on the quality and content of metabolic pathway resources.« less

Electronic monitoring of patient adherence to oral antihypertensive medical treatment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Christensen, Arne; Osterberg, Lars G; Hansen, Ebba Holme

2009-08-01

Poor patient adherence is often the reason for suboptimal blood pressure control. Electronic monitoring is one method of assessing adherence. The aim was to systematically review the literature on electronic monitoring of patient adherence to self-administered oral antihypertensive medications. We searched the Pubmed, Embase, Cinahl and Psychinfo databases and websites of suppliers of electronic monitoring devices. The quality of the studies was assessed according to the quality criteria proposed by Haynes et al. Sixty-two articles were included; three met the criteria proposed by Haynes et al. and nine reported the use of electronic adherence monitoring for feedback interventions. Adherence rates were generally high, whereas average study quality was low with a recent tendency towards improved quality. One study detected investigator fraud based on electronic monitoring data. Use of electronic monitoring of patient adherence according to the quality criteria proposed by Haynes et al. has been rather limited during the past two decades. Electronic monitoring has mainly been used as a measurement tool, but it seems to have the potential to significantly improve blood pressure control as well and should be used more widely.

Electronic Cigarettes and Indoor Air Quality: A Simple Approach to Modeling Potential Bystander Exposures to Nicotine

PubMed Central

Colard, Stéphane; O’Connell, Grant; Verron, Thomas; Cahours, Xavier; Pritchard, John D.

2014-01-01

There has been rapid growth in the use of electronic cigarettes (“vaping”) in Europe, North America and elsewhere. With such increased prevalence, there is currently a debate on whether the aerosol exhaled following the use of e-cigarettes has implications for the quality of air breathed by bystanders. Conducting chemical analysis of the indoor environment can be costly and resource intensive, limiting the number of studies which can be conducted. However, this can be modelled reasonably accurately based on empirical emissions data and using some basic assumptions. Here, we present a simplified model, based on physical principles, which considers aerosol propagation, dilution and extraction to determine the potential contribution of a single puff from an e-cigarette to indoor air. From this, it was then possible to simulate the cumulative effect of vaping over time. The model was applied to a virtual, but plausible, scenario considering an e-cigarette user and a non-user working in the same office space. The model was also used to reproduce published experimental studies and showed good agreement with the published values of indoor air nicotine concentration. With some additional refinements, such an approach may be a cost-effective and rapid way of assessing the potential exposure of bystanders to exhaled e-cigarette aerosol constituents. PMID:25547398

Electronic Resources: Selection and Bibliographic Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattie, Ling-yuh W., Ed.; Cox, Bonnie Jean, Ed.

This book is a baseline guide for professionals and library school students on issues that concern the selection and bibliographic control of electronic resources, from both conceptual and pragmatic standpoints. The book includes the following articles: (1) "Foreward" (Lois Mai Chan); (2) "Introduction" (Ling-yuh W. (Miko)…

Licensing and Negotiations for Electronic Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Amy R.

2008-01-01

This article provides an overview of the basic characteristics of database, or eContent, license agreements, defines general licensing terms, maps the anatomy of an electronic resources subscription agreement, and discusses negotiating skills and techniques for library staff. (Contains a list of additional resources and a sample agreement.)

Consumer-Resource Dynamics: Quantity, Quality, and Allocation

PubMed Central

Getz, Wayne M.; Owen-Smith, Norman

2011-01-01

Background The dominant paradigm for modeling the complexities of interacting populations and food webs is a system of coupled ordinary differential equations in which the state of each species, population, or functional trophic group is represented by an aggregated numbers-density or biomass-density variable. Here, using the metaphysiological approach to model consumer-resource interactions, we formulate a two-state paradigm that represents each population or group in a food web in terms of both its quantity and quality. Methodology and Principal Findings The formulation includes an allocation function controlling the relative proportion of extracted resources to increasing quantity versus elevating quality. Since lower quality individuals senesce more rapidly than higher quality individuals, an optimal allocation proportion exists and we derive an expression for how this proportion depends on population parameters that determine the senescence rate, the per-capita mortality rate, and the effects of these rates on the dynamics of the quality variable. We demonstrate that oscillations do not arise in our model from quantity-quality interactions alone, but require consumer-resource interactions across trophic levels that can be stabilized through judicious resource allocation strategies. Analysis and simulations provide compelling arguments for the necessity of populations to evolve quality-related dynamics in the form of maternal effects, storage or other appropriate structures. They also indicate that resource allocation switching between investments in abundance versus quality provide a powerful mechanism for promoting the stability of consumer-resource interactions in seasonally forcing environments. Conclusions/Significance Our simulations show that physiological inefficiencies associated with this switching can be favored by selection due to the diminished exposure of inefficient consumers to strong oscillations associated with the well-known paradox of enrichment. Also our results demonstrate how allocation switching can explain observed growth patterns in experimental microbial cultures and discuss how our formulation can address questions that cannot be answered using the quantity-only paradigms that currently predominate. PMID:21283752

Evaluating the Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Resources Pertaining to Hallux Valgus.

PubMed

Tartaglione, Jason P; Rosenbaum, Andrew J; Abousayed, Mostafa; Hushmendy, Shazaan F; DiPreta, John A

2016-02-01

The Internet is one of the most widely utilized resources for health-related information. Evaluation of the medical literature suggests that the quality and accuracy of these resources are poor and written at inappropriately high reading levels. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of online resources pertaining to hallux valgus. Two search terms ("hallux valgus" and "bunion") were entered into Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With the use of scoring criteria specific to hallux valgus, the quality and accuracy of online information related to hallux valgus was evaluated by 3 reviewers. The Flesch-Kincaid score was used to determine readability. Statistical analysis was performed with t tests and significance was determined by P values <.05. Sixty-two unique websites were evaluated. Quality was significantly higher with use of the search term "bunion" as compared to "hallux valgus" (P = .045). Quality and accuracy were significantly higher in resources authored by physicians as compared to nonphysicians (quality, P = .04; accuracy, P < .001) and websites without commercial bias (quality, P = .038; accuracy, P = .011). However, the reading level was significantly more advanced for websites authored by physicians (P = .035). Websites written above an eighth-grade reading level were significantly more accurate than those written at or below an eighth-grade reading level (P = .032). The overall quality of online information related to hallux valgus is poor and written at inappropriate reading levels. Furthermore, the search term used, authorship, and presence of commercial bias influence the value of these materials. It is important for orthopaedic surgeons to become familiar with patient education materials, so that appropriate recommendations can be made regarding valuable resources. Level IV. © 2015 The Author(s).

Spatial, Temporal, and Density-Dependent Components of Habitat Quality for a Desert Owl

PubMed Central

Flesch, Aaron D.; Hutto, Richard L.; van Leeuwen, Willem J. D.; Hartfield, Kyle; Jacobs, Sky

2015-01-01

Spatial variation in resources is a fundamental driver of habitat quality but the realized value of resources at any point in space may depend on the effects of conspecifics and stochastic factors, such as weather, which vary through time. We evaluated the relative and combined effects of habitat resources, weather, and conspecifics on habitat quality for ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico by monitoring reproductive output and conspecific abundance over 10 years in and around 107 territory patches. Variation in reproductive output was much greater across space than time, and although habitat resources explained a much greater proportion of that variation (0.70) than weather (0.17) or conspecifics (0.13), evidence for interactions among each of these components of the environment was strong. Relative to habitat that was persistently low in quality, high-quality habitat buffered the negative effects of conspecifics and amplified the benefits of favorable weather, but did not buffer the disadvantages of harsh weather. Moreover, the positive effects of favorable weather at low conspecific densities were offset by intraspecific competition at high densities. Although realized habitat quality declined with increasing conspecific density suggesting interference mechanisms associated with an Ideal Free Distribution, broad spatial heterogeneity in habitat quality persisted. Factors linked to food resources had positive effects on reproductive output but only where nest cavities were sufficiently abundant to mitigate the negative effects of heterospecific enemies. Annual precipitation and brooding-season temperature had strong multiplicative effects on reproductive output, which declined at increasing rates as drought and temperature increased, reflecting conditions predicted to become more frequent with climate change. Because the collective environment influences habitat quality in complex ways, integrated approaches that consider habitat resources, stochastic factors, and conspecifics are necessary to accurately assess habitat quality. PMID:25786257

Spatial, temporal, and density-dependent components of habitat quality for a desert owl.

PubMed

Flesch, Aaron D; Hutto, Richard L; van Leeuwen, Willem J D; Hartfield, Kyle; Jacobs, Sky

2015-01-01

Spatial variation in resources is a fundamental driver of habitat quality but the realized value of resources at any point in space may depend on the effects of conspecifics and stochastic factors, such as weather, which vary through time. We evaluated the relative and combined effects of habitat resources, weather, and conspecifics on habitat quality for ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico by monitoring reproductive output and conspecific abundance over 10 years in and around 107 territory patches. Variation in reproductive output was much greater across space than time, and although habitat resources explained a much greater proportion of that variation (0.70) than weather (0.17) or conspecifics (0.13), evidence for interactions among each of these components of the environment was strong. Relative to habitat that was persistently low in quality, high-quality habitat buffered the negative effects of conspecifics and amplified the benefits of favorable weather, but did not buffer the disadvantages of harsh weather. Moreover, the positive effects of favorable weather at low conspecific densities were offset by intraspecific competition at high densities. Although realized habitat quality declined with increasing conspecific density suggesting interference mechanisms associated with an Ideal Free Distribution, broad spatial heterogeneity in habitat quality persisted. Factors linked to food resources had positive effects on reproductive output but only where nest cavities were sufficiently abundant to mitigate the negative effects of heterospecific enemies. Annual precipitation and brooding-season temperature had strong multiplicative effects on reproductive output, which declined at increasing rates as drought and temperature increased, reflecting conditions predicted to become more frequent with climate change. Because the collective environment influences habitat quality in complex ways, integrated approaches that consider habitat resources, stochastic factors, and conspecifics are necessary to accurately assess habitat quality.

[Do parental resources mediate between social inequality and health-related quality of life of children?].

PubMed

Arnhold-Kerri, S; Sperlich, S

2010-02-01

The present study examines the influence of socioeconomic position and the family's living conditions on children's self-reported quality of life. The aim is to analyse to what extent these relationships are mediated by maternal parenting resources (coping strategies, psychological health and maternal self-efficacy). We used data from 691 children (aged 8 - 12 years) and their mothers, collected in mother-child rehabilitation centres in Germany. The children's quality of life was measured by the KID-KINDL (self-report). Maternal parenting resources were measured by the SVF-60 (coping strategies), the SCL-K-9 (psychological health) and the FKE-K (maternal self-efficacy). Analyses of variance were used for estimating the effects of social factors on children's self-reported quality of life and on parenting resources. The relationship between children's quality of life and maternal parenting resources was assessed by computing correlation measures. The mediating effects of parenting resources on relationships between social factors and children's quality of life were estimated by means of multiple regression. Overall girls and boys showed high quality of life levels. A social gradient was only found for girls. The most significant influence was shown by receiving social welfare (t-test, p=0.000), flat size (VA, p=0.011) and single motherhood (t-test, p=0.011). The influence depends on the type of indicator for family living conditions as well as on specific dimensions of quality of life. Overall the influence of living conditions on the quality of life was small. Probably this is due to the sample being drawn from a clinical population. A social gradient was also found for maternal parenting resources: Psychological health as well as maternal self-efficacy were significantly different depending on whether families received social welfare or not (t-test, p=0.000; p=0.001). Single mothers showed more negative coping strategies and lower psychological health and maternal self-efficacy (t-test, each with p=0.002). Maternal parenting resources were substantially correlated with quality of life (boys: r (Max)=0.28**; girls: r (Max)=0.24**). They had mediating effects on the relationship between social factors and quality of life of girls. This may be explained by a direct effect of socioeconomic conditions and by an indirect effect of maternal parenting resources. Our findings emphasise the importance of gender-specific analyses dealing with health inequality in childhood. Socialisation was found to be relevant for the transmission of health inequality between generations. The results emphasise the need for programmes directed towards promoting parental resources for deprived mothers. Copyright Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

Integrating resource, social, and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision-making

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newman, P.; Marion, J.; Cahill, K.

2001-01-01

In park and wilderness management, integrating social and resource indicators is essential to meet park mandates that require the protection of both experiential and resource conditions. This paper will address the challenges we face in integrating social and resource data and outline a study in progress in Yosemite National Park. This study will develop and apply a management model that integrates resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decisionmaking.

Compilation of climate data from heterogeneous networks across the Hawaiian Islands

PubMed Central

Longman, Ryan J.; Giambelluca, Thomas W.; Nullet, Michael A.; Frazier, Abby G.; Kodama, Kevin; Crausbay, Shelley D.; Krushelnycky, Paul D.; Cordell, Susan; Clark, Martyn P.; Newman, Andy J.; Arnold, Jeffrey R.

2018-01-01

Long-term, accurate observations of atmospheric phenomena are essential for a myriad of applications, including historic and future climate assessments, resource management, and infrastructure planning. In Hawai‘i, climate data are available from individual researchers, local, State, and Federal agencies, and from large electronic repositories such as the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Researchers attempting to make use of available data are faced with a series of challenges that include: (1) identifying potential data sources; (2) acquiring data; (3) establishing data quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols; and (4) implementing robust gap filling techniques. This paper addresses these challenges by providing: (1) a summary of the available climate data in Hawai‘i including a detailed description of the various meteorological observation networks and data accessibility, and (2) a quality controlled meteorological dataset across the Hawaiian Islands for the 25-year period 1990-2014. The dataset draws on observations from 471 climate stations and includes rainfall, maximum and minimum surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, downward shortwave and longwave radiation data. PMID:29437162

Drying of restructured chips made from the old stalks of Asparagus officinalis: impact of different drying methods.

PubMed

Liu, Zhenbin; Zhang, Min; Wang, Yuchuan

2016-06-01

Old stalks of Asparagus officinalis, which account for one third of the total length of each spear, are always discarded as waste. To make full use of the resource, a kind of restructured Asparagus officinalis chip was made. The effects of pulse-spouted microwave-assisted vacuum drying (PSMVD), microwave-assisted vacuum drying (MVD) and vacuum drying (VD) on texture, color and other quality parameters of restructured chips were then studied to obtain high-quality dried chips. Results indicated that the drying time was significantly affected by drying methods, and PSMVD had much better drying uniformity than MVD. The expansion ratio and crispness of chips increased with increasing microwave power and vacuum degree. The browning reaction of samples in VD was more serious, which was confirmed by the results of color test and electronic nose. The PSMVD drying method showed much better drying uniformity than MVD. The dried chips obtained by PSMVD showed optimal quality and were more readily accepted by consumers. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Compilation of climate data from heterogeneous networks across the Hawaiian Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longman, Ryan J.; Giambelluca, Thomas W.; Nullet, Michael A.; Frazier, Abby G.; Kodama, Kevin; Crausbay, Shelley D.; Krushelnycky, Paul D.; Cordell, Susan; Clark, Martyn P.; Newman, Andy J.; Arnold, Jeffrey R.

2018-02-01

Long-term, accurate observations of atmospheric phenomena are essential for a myriad of applications, including historic and future climate assessments, resource management, and infrastructure planning. In Hawai'i, climate data are available from individual researchers, local, State, and Federal agencies, and from large electronic repositories such as the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Researchers attempting to make use of available data are faced with a series of challenges that include: (1) identifying potential data sources; (2) acquiring data; (3) establishing data quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols; and (4) implementing robust gap filling techniques. This paper addresses these challenges by providing: (1) a summary of the available climate data in Hawai'i including a detailed description of the various meteorological observation networks and data accessibility, and (2) a quality controlled meteorological dataset across the Hawaiian Islands for the 25-year period 1990-2014. The dataset draws on observations from 471 climate stations and includes rainfall, maximum and minimum surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, downward shortwave and longwave radiation data.

Home telemonitoring of vital signs--technical challenges and future directions.

PubMed

Celler, Branko G; Sparks, Ross S

2015-01-01

The telemonitoring of vital signs from the home is an essential element of telehealth services for the management of patients with chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, or poorly controlled hypertension. Telehealth is now being deployed widely in both rural and urban settings, and in this paper, we discuss the contribution made by biomedical instrumentation, user interfaces, and automated risk stratification algorithms in developing a clinical diagnostic quality longitudinal health record at home. We identify technical challenges in the acquisition of high-quality biometric signals from unsupervised patients at home, identify new technical solutions and user interfaces, and propose new measurement modalities and signal processing techniques for increasing the quality and value of vital signs monitoring at home. We also discuss use of vital signs data for the automated risk stratification of patients, so that clinical resources can be targeted to those most at risk of unscheduled admission to hospital. New research is also proposed to integrate primary care, hospital, personal genomic, and telehealth electronic health records, and apply predictive analytics and data mining for enhancing clinical decision support.

[German physicians' access to professional knowledge. Acceptance, quality and availability of professional information with special reference to electronic information media].

PubMed

Reng, Carl-Michael; Friedrich, Hans-Jürgen; Timmer, Antje; Schölmerich, Jürgen

2003-11-15

The growing relevance of continuous medical education is evident. Also information retrieval helping to solve clinical problems yet at the patient's bedside becomes more and more important. This study challenges common and coming methods of information retrieval applied by German physicians. It helps answering the question which advantage or disadvantage due to the chosen method of information acquisition may arise. It also shows which practical relevance and which grade of quality the information seeking doctor may anticipate. A questionnaire was sent out to all registered clinicians in hospital and practice in Germany. Not only traditional means of information retrieval were analyzed. Also, a lot of the questions posed focused on the acceptance and use of new media in the professional context. About 16,000 colleagues answered by filling in the complete form therewith allowing a deep insight into their informational needs and habits. While traditional media like books and scientific papers enjoy wide public confidence, the acceptance and estimated reliability of virtual sources of information today still remain restrained. The lack of transparency of the virtual sources and ways of information within the web according to often imprecise rules for quality assurance lead to major complaint. Information offered directly by the industry has a very low rate of acceptance. To gain higher confidence in electronic media presenting professional knowledge and advanced medical training, the development of technological advantages today seems to be less relevant. Work on the transparency of the informational structures including clear definition of resources and clear indication of possible conflicts of interest are just as important as a comprehensible quality of forthcoming medical content.

Environmental quality assessment of groundwater resources in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Kalbani, Mohammed Saif; Price, Martin F.; Ahmed, Mushtaque; Abahussain, Asma; O'Higgins, Timothy

2017-11-01

The research was conducted to assess the quality of groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman. 11 drinking water sources were sampled during summer and winter seasons during 2012-2013 to evaluate their physico-chemical quality indicators; and assess their suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes. Sample collection, handling and processing followed the standard methods recommended by APHA and analyzed in quality assured laboratories using appropriate analytical methods and instrumental techniques. The results show that the quality parameters in all drinking water resources are within the permissible limits set by Omani and WHO standards; and the drinking water quality index is good or medium in quality based on NFS-WQI classification criteria, indicating their suitability for human consumption. There is an indication of the presence of high nitrate concentrations in some groundwater wells, which require more investigations and monitoring program to be conducted on regular basis to ensure good quality water supply for the residents in the mountain. The trilinear Piper diagram shows that most of the drinking water resources of the study area fall in the field of calcium and bicarbonate type with some magnesium bicarbonate type indicating that most of the major ions are natural in origin due to the geology of the region. This study is a first step towards providing indicators on groundwater quality of this fragile mountain ecosystem, which will be the basis for future planning decisions on corrective demand management measures to protect groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

Introduction of home electronics for the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimoto, Hideyuki; Shirai, Iwao

Development of electronics has accelerated the automation and labor saving at factories and offices. Home electronics is also expected to be needed more and more in Japan towards the 21st century, as the advanced information society and the elderly society will be accelerated, and women's participation in social affairs will be increased. Resources Council, which is the advisory organ of the Minister of State for Science and Technology, forecast to what extent home electronics will be popularized by the year of 2010. The Council expected to promote home electronics, because resource and energy saving should be accelerated and people should enjoy much more their individual lives at home.

The Acquisition and Management of Electronic Resources: Can Use Justify Cost?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehn, Shona L.; Hawamdeh, Suliman

2010-01-01

As library collections increasingly become digital, libraries are faced with many challenges regarding the acquisition and management of electronic resources. Some of these challenges include copyright and fair use, the first-sale doctrine, licensing versus ownership, digital preservation, long-term archiving, and, most important, the issue of…

18 CFR 35.7 - Electronic filing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Electronic filing requirements. 35.7 Section 35.7 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT FILING OF RATE SCHEDULES AND TARIFFS Application...

77 FR 52051 - Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment: Electronic Stakeholder Survey-Office for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... and resources by working across public, private, and civil sectors to further HUD's mission. IPI works... alignment of cross-sector resources and ideas. Members of affected public: Individuals. Estimation of the... Collection for Public Comment: Electronic Stakeholder Survey--Office for International and Philanthropic...

Somewhere over the Verde Rainbow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekart, Donna F.

2008-01-01

When the electronic resource management system (ERM) at Kansas State University Libraries suffered a horrible data loss, the "contract db" presented a challenge for the librarians responsible for electronic resources. It was a decent data repository, but it had no ability to manage the tangled process of licensing, acquiring, activating,…

Using the diffusion of innovations theory to assess socio-technical factors in planning the implementation of an electronic health record alert across multiple primary care clinics.

PubMed

Lin, Ching-Pin; Guirguis-Blake, Janelle; Keppel, Gina A; Dobie, Sharon; Osborn, Justin; Cole, Allison M; Baldwin, Laura-Mae

2016-04-15

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a leading cause of death in the United States. Patients with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at particular risk because many medications are cleared by the kidneys. Alerts in the electronic health record (EHR) about drug appropriateness and dosing at the time of prescription have been shown to reduce ADEs for patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD in inpatient settings, but more research is needed about the implementation and effectiveness of such alerts in outpatient settings.  To explore factors that might inform the implementation of an electronic drug-disease alert for patients with CKD in primary care clinics, using Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory as an analytic framework. Interviews were conducted with key informants in four diverse clinics using various EHR systems. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. results Although all clinics had a current method for calculating glomerular filtration rate (GFR), clinics were heterogeneous with regard to current electronic decision support practices, quality improvement resources, and organizational culture and structure. Understanding variation in organizational culture and infrastructure across primary care clinics is important in planning implementation of an intervention to reduce ADEs among patients with CKD.

Real-Time Electronic Dashboard Technology and Its Use to Improve Pediatric Radiology Workflow.

PubMed

Shailam, Randheer; Botwin, Ariel; Stout, Markus; Gee, Michael S

The purpose of our study was to create a real-time electronic dashboard in the pediatric radiology reading room providing a visual display of updated information regarding scheduled and in-progress radiology examinations that could help radiologists to improve clinical workflow and efficiency. To accomplish this, a script was set up to automatically send real-time HL7 messages from the radiology information system (Epic Systems, Verona, WI) to an Iguana Interface engine, with relevant data regarding examinations stored in an SQL Server database for visual display on the dashboard. Implementation of an electronic dashboard in the reading room of a pediatric radiology academic practice has led to several improvements in clinical workflow, including decreasing the time interval for radiologist protocol entry for computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging examinations as well as fewer telephone calls related to unprotocoled examinations. Other advantages include enhanced ability of radiologists to anticipate and attend to examinations requiring radiologist monitoring or scanning, as well as to work with technologists and operations managers to optimize scheduling in radiology resources. We foresee increased utilization of electronic dashboard technology in the future as a method to improve radiology workflow and quality of patient care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Kaiser Permanente implant registries: effect on patient safety, quality improvement, cost effectiveness, and research opportunities.

PubMed

Paxton, Elizabeth W; Inacio, Maria Cs; Kiley, Mary-Lou

2012-01-01

Considering the high cost, volume, and patient safety issues associated with medical devices, monitoring of medical device performance is critical to ensure patient safety and quality of care. The purpose of this article is to describe the Kaiser Permanente (KP) implant registries and to highlight the benefits of these implant registries on patient safety, quality, cost effectiveness, and research. Eight KP implant registries leverage the integrated health care system's administrative databases and electronic health records system. Registry data collected undergo quality control and validation as well as statistical analysis. Patient safety has been enhanced through identification of affected patients during major recalls, identification of risk factors associated with outcomes of interest, development of risk calculators, and surveillance programs for infections and adverse events. Effective quality improvement activities included medical center- and surgeon-specific profiles for use in benchmarking reports, and changes in practice related to registry information output. Among the cost-effectiveness strategies employed were collaborations with sourcing and contracting groups, and assistance in adherence to formulary device guidelines. Research studies using registry data included postoperative complications, resource utilization, infection risk factors, thromboembolic prophylaxis, effects of surgical delay on concurrent injuries, and sports injury patterns. The unique KP implant registries provide important information and affect several areas of our organization, including patient safety, quality improvement, cost-effectiveness, and research.

Creating a medical dictionary using word alignment: the influence of sources and resources.

PubMed

Nyström, Mikael; Merkel, Magnus; Petersson, Håkan; Ahlfeldt, Hans

2007-11-23

Automatic word alignment of parallel texts with the same content in different languages is among other things used to generate dictionaries for new translations. The quality of the generated word alignment depends on the quality of the input resources. In this paper we report on automatic word alignment of the English and Swedish versions of the medical terminology systems ICD-10, ICF, NCSP, KSH97-P and parts of MeSH and how the terminology systems and type of resources influence the quality. We automatically word aligned the terminology systems using static resources, like dictionaries, statistical resources, like statistically derived dictionaries, and training resources, which were generated from manual word alignment. We varied which part of the terminology systems that we used to generate the resources, which parts that we word aligned and which types of resources we used in the alignment process to explore the influence the different terminology systems and resources have on the recall and precision. After the analysis, we used the best configuration of the automatic word alignment for generation of candidate term pairs. We then manually verified the candidate term pairs and included the correct pairs in an English-Swedish dictionary. The results indicate that more resources and resource types give better results but the size of the parts used to generate the resources only partly affects the quality. The most generally useful resources were generated from ICD-10 and resources generated from MeSH were not as general as other resources. Systematic inter-language differences in the structure of the terminology system rubrics make the rubrics harder to align. Manually created training resources give nearly as good results as a union of static resources, statistical resources and training resources and noticeably better results than a union of static resources and statistical resources. The verified English-Swedish dictionary contains 24,000 term pairs in base forms. More resources give better results in the automatic word alignment, but some resources only give small improvements. The most important type of resource is training and the most general resources were generated from ICD-10.

Creating a medical dictionary using word alignment: The influence of sources and resources

PubMed Central

Nyström, Mikael; Merkel, Magnus; Petersson, Håkan; Åhlfeldt, Hans

2007-01-01

Background Automatic word alignment of parallel texts with the same content in different languages is among other things used to generate dictionaries for new translations. The quality of the generated word alignment depends on the quality of the input resources. In this paper we report on automatic word alignment of the English and Swedish versions of the medical terminology systems ICD-10, ICF, NCSP, KSH97-P and parts of MeSH and how the terminology systems and type of resources influence the quality. Methods We automatically word aligned the terminology systems using static resources, like dictionaries, statistical resources, like statistically derived dictionaries, and training resources, which were generated from manual word alignment. We varied which part of the terminology systems that we used to generate the resources, which parts that we word aligned and which types of resources we used in the alignment process to explore the influence the different terminology systems and resources have on the recall and precision. After the analysis, we used the best configuration of the automatic word alignment for generation of candidate term pairs. We then manually verified the candidate term pairs and included the correct pairs in an English-Swedish dictionary. Results The results indicate that more resources and resource types give better results but the size of the parts used to generate the resources only partly affects the quality. The most generally useful resources were generated from ICD-10 and resources generated from MeSH were not as general as other resources. Systematic inter-language differences in the structure of the terminology system rubrics make the rubrics harder to align. Manually created training resources give nearly as good results as a union of static resources, statistical resources and training resources and noticeably better results than a union of static resources and statistical resources. The verified English-Swedish dictionary contains 24,000 term pairs in base forms. Conclusion More resources give better results in the automatic word alignment, but some resources only give small improvements. The most important type of resource is training and the most general resources were generated from ICD-10. PMID:18036221

Interactional Resources for Quality Improvement: Learning From Participants Through a Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Brooks, Joanna Veazey; Gorbenko, Ksenia; Bosk, Charles

Implementing quality improvement in hospitals requires a multifaceted commitment from leaders, including financial, material, and personnel resources. However, little is known about the interactional resources needed for project implementation. The aim of this analysis was to identify the types of interactional support hospital teams sought in a surgical quality improvement project. Hospital site visits were conducted using a combination of observations, interviews, and focus groups to explore the implementation of a surgical quality improvement project. Twenty-six site visits were conducted between October 2012 and August 2014 at a total of 16 hospitals that agreed to participate. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes using inductive analysis. We interviewed 321 respondents and conducted an additional 28 focus groups. Respondents reported needing the following types of interactional support during implementation of quality improvement interventions: (1) a critical outside perspective on their implementation progress; (2) opportunities to learn from peers, especially around clinical innovations; and (3) external validation to help establish visibility for and commitment to the project. Quality improvement in hospitals is both a clinical endeavor and a social endeavor. Our findings show that teams often desire interactional resources as they implement quality improvement initiatives. In-person site visits can provide these resources while also activating emotional energy for teams, which builds momentum and sustainability for quality improvement work. Policymakers and quality improvement leaders will benefit from developing strategies to maximize interactional learning and feedback for quality improvement teams. Further research should investigate the most effective methods for meeting these needs.

Interactional Resources for Quality Improvement: Learning from Participants through a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Brooks, Joanna Veazey; Gorbenko, Ksenia; Bosk, Charles

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Implementing quality improvement in hospitals requires a multi-faceted commitment from leaders, including financial, material, and personnel resources. However, little is known about the interactional resources needed for project implementation. The aim of this analysis was to identify the types of interactional support hospital teams sought in a surgical quality improvement project. METHODS Hospital site visits were conducted using a combination of observations, interviews, and focus groups to explore the implementation of a surgical quality improvement project. Twenty-six site visits were conducted between October 2012 and August 2014 at a total of 16 hospitals that agreed to participate. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes using inductive analysis. RESULTS We interviewed 321 respondents and conducted an additional 28 focus groups. Respondents reported needing the following types of interactional support during implementation of quality improvement interventions: 1) a critical outside perspective on their implementation progress; 2) opportunities to learn from peers, especially around clinical innovations; and 3) external validation to help establish visibility for and commitment to the project. CONCLUSIONS Quality improvement in hospitals is both a clinical and a social endeavor. Our findings show that teams often desire interactional resources as they implement quality improvement initiatives. In-person site visits can provide these resources while also activating emotional energy for teams, which builds momentum and sustainability for quality improvement work. IMPLICATIONS Policymakers and quality improvement leaders will benefit from developing strategies to maximize interactional learning and feedback for quality improvement teams. Further research should investigate the most effective methods for meeting these needs. PMID:28375951

The quality of websites addressing fibromyalgia: an assessment of quality and readability using standardised tools

PubMed Central

MacDermid, Joy C; Wilkins, Seanne; Gibson, Jane; Shaw, Lynn

2011-01-01

Background Patients living with fibromyalgia strongly prefer to access health information on the web. However, the majority of subjects in previous studies strongly expressed their concerns about the quality of online information resources. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing online fibromyalgia information resources for content, quality and readability by using standardised quality and readability tools. Methods The first 25 websites were identified using Google and the search keyword ‘fibromyalgia’. Pairs of raters independently evaluated website quality using two structured tools (DISCERN and a quality checklist). Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score maps. Results Ranking of the websites' quality varied by the tool used, although there was general agreement about the top three websites (Fibromyalgia Information, Fibromyalgia Information Foundation and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases). Content analysis indicated that 72% of websites provided information on treatment options, 68% on symptoms, 60% on diagnosis and 40% on coping and resources. DISCERN ratings classified 32% websites as ‘very good’, 32% as ‘good and 36% as ‘marginal’. The mean overall DISCERN score was 36.88 (good). Only 16% of websites met the recommended literacy level grade of 6–8 (range 7–15). Conclusion Higher quality websites tended to be less readable. Online fibromyalgia information resources do not provide comprehensive information about fibromyalgia, and have low quality and poor readability. While information is very important for those living with fibromyalgia, current resources are unlikely to provide necessary or accurate information, and may not be usable for most people. PMID:22021777

The quality of websites addressing fibromyalgia: an assessment of quality and readability using standardised tools.

PubMed

Daraz, Lubna; Macdermid, Joy C; Wilkins, Seanne; Gibson, Jane; Shaw, Lynn

2011-07-31

Background Patients living with fibromyalgia strongly prefer to access health information on the web. However, the majority of subjects in previous studies strongly expressed their concerns about the quality of online information resources. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing online fibromyalgia information resources for content, quality and readability by using standardised quality and readability tools. Methods The first 25 websites were identified using Google and the search keyword 'fibromyalgia'. Pairs of raters independently evaluated website quality using two structured tools (DISCERN and a quality checklist). Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score maps. Results Ranking of the websites' quality varied by the tool used, although there was general agreement about the top three websites (Fibromyalgia Information, Fibromyalgia Information Foundation and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases). Content analysis indicated that 72% of websites provided information on treatment options, 68% on symptoms, 60% on diagnosis and 40% on coping and resources. DISCERN ratings classified 32% websites as 'very good', 32% as 'good and 36% as 'marginal'. The mean overall DISCERN score was 36.88 (good). Only 16% of websites met the recommended literacy level grade of 6-8 (range 7-15). Conclusion Higher quality websites tended to be less readable. Online fibromyalgia information resources do not provide comprehensive information about fibromyalgia, and have low quality and poor readability. While information is very important for those living with fibromyalgia, current resources are unlikely to provide necessary or accurate information, and may not be usable for most people.

Measuring and improving the quality of mental health care: a global perspective

PubMed Central

Kilbourne, Amy M.; Beck, Kathryn; Spaeth‐Rublee, Brigitta; Ramanuj, Parashar; O'Brien, Robert W.; Tomoyasu, Naomi; Pincus, Harold Alan

2018-01-01

Mental disorders are common worldwide, yet the quality of care for these disorders has not increased to the same extent as that for physical conditions. In this paper, we present a framework for promoting quality measurement as a tool for improving quality of mental health care. We identify key barriers to this effort, including lack of standardized information technology‐based data sources, limited scientific evidence for mental health quality measures, lack of provider training and support, and cultural barriers to integrating mental health care within general health environments. We describe several innovations that are underway worldwide which can mitigate these barriers. Based on these experiences, we offer several recommendations for improving quality of mental health care. Health care payers and providers will need a portfolio of validated measures of patient‐centered outcomes across a spectrum of conditions. Common data elements will have to be developed and embedded within existing electronic health records and other information technology tools. Mental health outcomes will need to be assessed more routinely, and measurement‐based care should become part of the overall culture of the mental health care system. Health care systems will need a valid way to stratify quality measures, in order to address potential gaps among subpopulations and identify groups in most need of quality improvement. Much more attention should be devoted to workforce training in and capacity for quality improvement. The field of mental health quality improvement is a team sport, requiring coordination across different providers, involvement of consumer advocates, and leveraging of resources and incentives from health care payers and systems. PMID:29352529

From Field Notes to Data Portal - A Scalable Data QA/QC Framework for Tower Networks: Progress and Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturtevant, C.; Hackley, S.; Lee, R.; Holling, G.; Bonarrigo, S.

2017-12-01

Quality assurance and control (QA/QC) is one of the most important yet challenging aspects of producing research-quality data. Data quality issues are multi-faceted, including sensor malfunctions, unmet theoretical assumptions, and measurement interference from humans or the natural environment. Tower networks such as Ameriflux, ICOS, and NEON continue to grow in size and sophistication, yet tools for robust, efficient, scalable QA/QC have lagged. Quality control remains a largely manual process heavily relying on visual inspection of data. In addition, notes of measurement interference are often recorded on paper without an explicit pathway to data flagging. As such, an increase in network size requires a near-proportional increase in personnel devoted to QA/QC, quickly stressing the human resources available. We present a scalable QA/QC framework in development for NEON that combines the efficiency and standardization of automated checks with the power and flexibility of human review. This framework includes fast-response monitoring of sensor health, a mobile application for electronically recording maintenance activities, traditional point-based automated quality flagging, and continuous monitoring of quality outcomes and longer-term holistic evaluations. This framework maintains the traceability of quality information along the entirety of the data generation pipeline, and explicitly links field reports of measurement interference to quality flagging. Preliminary results show that data quality can be effectively monitored and managed for a multitude of sites with a small group of QA/QC staff. Several components of this framework are open-source, including a R-Shiny application for efficiently monitoring, synthesizing, and investigating data quality issues.

76 FR 52932 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-24

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on...

30 CFR 7.7 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 7.7 Section 7.7 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY General § 7.7 Quality assurance. Applicants granted...

7 CFR 2.61 - Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... water quality, and several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to assure: (i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use; (ii) Quality in... otherwise delegated to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service in § 2.65(a)(80) and the...

7 CFR 2.61 - Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... water quality, and several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to assure: (i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use; (ii) Quality in... otherwise delegated to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service in § 2.65(a)(80) and the...

SAGES: A Suite of Freely-Available Software Tools for Electronic Disease Surveillance in Resource-Limited Settings

PubMed Central

Lewis, Sheri L.; Feighner, Brian H.; Loschen, Wayne A.; Wojcik, Richard A.; Skora, Joseph F.; Coberly, Jacqueline S.; Blazes, David L.

2011-01-01

Public health surveillance is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in the field of information technology. Many countries have experienced vast improvements in the collection, ingestion, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of public health data. Resource-limited countries have lagged behind due to challenges in information technology infrastructure, public health resources, and the costs of proprietary software. The Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance (SAGES) is a collection of modular, flexible, freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings. One or more SAGES tools may be used in concert with existing surveillance applications or the SAGES tools may be used en masse for an end-to-end biosurveillance capability. This flexibility allows for the development of an inexpensive, customized, and sustainable disease surveillance system. The ability to rapidly assess anomalous disease activity may lead to more efficient use of limited resources and better compliance with World Health Organization International Health Regulations. PMID:21572957

The Electron Microscopy Outreach Program: A Web-based resource for research and education.

PubMed

Sosinsky, G E; Baker, T S; Hand, G; Ellisman, M H

1999-01-01

We have developed a centralized World Wide Web (WWW)-based environment that serves as a resource of software tools and expertise for biological electron microscopy. A major focus is molecular electron microscopy, but the site also includes information and links on structural biology at all levels of resolution. This site serves to help integrate or link structural biology techniques in accordance with user needs. The WWW site, called the Electron Microscopy (EM) Outreach Program (URL: http://emoutreach.sdsc.edu), provides scientists with computational and educational tools for their research and edification. In particular, we have set up a centralized resource containing course notes, references, and links to image analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction software for investigators wanting to learn about EM techniques either within or outside of their fields of expertise. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Performance Evaluation of Resource Management in Cloud Computing Environments.

PubMed

Batista, Bruno Guazzelli; Estrella, Julio Cezar; Ferreira, Carlos Henrique Gomes; Filho, Dionisio Machado Leite; Nakamura, Luis Hideo Vasconcelos; Reiff-Marganiec, Stephan; Santana, Marcos José; Santana, Regina Helena Carlucci

2015-01-01

Cloud computing is a computational model in which resource providers can offer on-demand services to clients in a transparent way. However, to be able to guarantee quality of service without limiting the number of accepted requests, providers must be able to dynamically manage the available resources so that they can be optimized. This dynamic resource management is not a trivial task, since it involves meeting several challenges related to workload modeling, virtualization, performance modeling, deployment and monitoring of applications on virtualized resources. This paper carries out a performance evaluation of a module for resource management in a cloud environment that includes handling available resources during execution time and ensuring the quality of service defined in the service level agreement. An analysis was conducted of different resource configurations to define which dimension of resource scaling has a real influence on client requests. The results were used to model and implement a simulated cloud system, in which the allocated resource can be changed on-the-fly, with a corresponding change in price. In this way, the proposed module seeks to satisfy both the client by ensuring quality of service, and the provider by ensuring the best use of resources at a fair price.

Performance Evaluation of Resource Management in Cloud Computing Environments

PubMed Central

Batista, Bruno Guazzelli; Estrella, Julio Cezar; Ferreira, Carlos Henrique Gomes; Filho, Dionisio Machado Leite; Nakamura, Luis Hideo Vasconcelos; Reiff-Marganiec, Stephan; Santana, Marcos José; Santana, Regina Helena Carlucci

2015-01-01

Cloud computing is a computational model in which resource providers can offer on-demand services to clients in a transparent way. However, to be able to guarantee quality of service without limiting the number of accepted requests, providers must be able to dynamically manage the available resources so that they can be optimized. This dynamic resource management is not a trivial task, since it involves meeting several challenges related to workload modeling, virtualization, performance modeling, deployment and monitoring of applications on virtualized resources. This paper carries out a performance evaluation of a module for resource management in a cloud environment that includes handling available resources during execution time and ensuring the quality of service defined in the service level agreement. An analysis was conducted of different resource configurations to define which dimension of resource scaling has a real influence on client requests. The results were used to model and implement a simulated cloud system, in which the allocated resource can be changed on-the-fly, with a corresponding change in price. In this way, the proposed module seeks to satisfy both the client by ensuring quality of service, and the provider by ensuring the best use of resources at a fair price. PMID:26555730

Complexity as a Factor of Quality and Cost in Large Scale Software Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

allocating testing resources." [69 69I V. THE ROLE OF COMPLEXITY IN RESOURCE ESTIMATION AND ALLOCATION A. GENERAL It can be argued that blame for the...and allocation of testing resource by - identifying independent substructures and - identifying heavily used logic paths. 2. Setting a Design Threshold... RESOURCE ESTIMATION -------- 70 1. New Dynamic Field ------------------------- 70 2. Quality and Testing ----------------------- 71 3. Programming Units of

18 CFR 801.7 - Water quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Water quality. 801.7 Section 801.7 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION GENERAL POLICIES § 801.7 Water quality. (a) The signatory States have the primary responsibility in the basin for...

Coping with Quality Assurance Challenges Faced by Secondary Schools' Headteachers in Gucha District, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mobegi, Florence Osiri; Ondigi, Benjamin A.

2011-01-01

Since independence, the Kenyan government has demonstrated its commitment to the provision of quality secondary school education through allocation of financial resources, provision of trained teachers and establishment of quality assurance department. However, despite the substantial allocation of resources, secondary schools still face major…

30 CFR 14.8 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 14.8 Section 14.8 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF... Quality assurance. Applicants granted an approval or an extension of approval under this Part must: (a) In...

30 CFR 15.8 - Quality assurance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Quality assurance. 15.8 Section 15.8 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF... § 15.8 Quality assurance. (a) Applicants granted an approval or an extension of approval under this...

Resources, Number 42. Some Highlights of 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resources for the Future, Inc., Washington, DC.

Reported are some significant events of 1972 related to the use and management of natural resources. Topics summarized include federal legislation for environmental quality; specific legislation for water quality; the development of state plans for achieving standards and controls related to air quality; population growth; land use and land…

30 CFR 816.42 - Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations. 816.42 Section 816.42 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND... STANDARDS-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.42 Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent...

30 CFR 817.42 - Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations. 817.42 Section 817.42 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.42 Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent...

30 CFR 817.42 - Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations. 817.42 Section 817.42 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.42 Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent...

30 CFR 816.42 - Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent limitations. 816.42 Section 816.42 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND... STANDARDS-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.42 Hydrologic balance: Water quality standards and effluent...

18 CFR 801.7 - Water quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Water quality. 801.7 Section 801.7 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION GENERAL POLICIES § 801.7 Water quality. (a) The signatory States have the primary responsibility in the basin for...

18 CFR 801.7 - Water quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Water quality. 801.7 Section 801.7 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION GENERAL POLICIES § 801.7 Water quality. (a) The signatory States have the primary responsibility in the basin for...

18 CFR 801.7 - Water quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Water quality. 801.7 Section 801.7 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION GENERAL POLICIES § 801.7 Water quality. (a) The signatory States have the primary responsibility in the basin for...

7 CFR 2.61 - Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... water quality, and several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to assure: (i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use; (ii) Quality in... otherwise delegated to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service in § 2.65(a)(80) and the Director...

7 CFR 2.61 - Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... water quality, and several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to assure: (i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use; (ii) Quality in... otherwise delegated to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service in § 2.65(a)(80) and the Director...

7 CFR 2.61 - Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... water quality, and several surveying and monitoring activities related to environmental improvement. All are designed to assure: (i) Quality in the natural resource base for sustained use; (ii) Quality in... otherwise delegated to the Administrator, Agricultural Research Service in § 2.65(a)(80) and the Director...

Quality Parameterization of Educational Resources from the Perspective of a Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karolcík, Štefan; Cipková, Elena; Veselský, Milan; Hrubišková, Helena; Matulcíková, Mária

2017-01-01

Objective assessment of the quality of available educational resources presupposes the existence of specific quality standards and specific evaluation tools which consider the specificities of digital products with educational ambitions. The study presents the results of research conducted on a representative sample of teachers who commented on…

Development of mobile platform integrated with existing electronic medical records.

PubMed

Kim, YoungAh; Kim, Sung Soo; Kang, Simon; Kim, Kyungduk; Kim, Jun

2014-07-01

This paper describes a mobile Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform designed to manage and utilize the existing EMR and mobile application with optimized resources. We structured the mEMR to reuse services of retrieval and storage in mobile app environments that have already proven to have no problem working with EMRs. A new mobile architecture-based mobile solution was developed in four steps: the construction of a server and its architecture; screen layout and storyboard making; screen user interface design and development; and a pilot test and step-by-step deployment. This mobile architecture consists of two parts, the server-side area and the client-side area. In the server-side area, it performs the roles of service management for EMR and documents and for information exchange. Furthermore, it performs menu allocation depending on user permission and automatic clinical document architecture document conversion. Currently, Severance Hospital operates an iOS-compatible mobile solution based on this mobile architecture and provides stable service without additional resources, dealing with dynamic changes of EMR templates. The proposed mobile solution should go hand in hand with the existing EMR system, and it can be a cost-effective solution if a quality EMR system is operated steadily with this solution. Thus, we expect this example to be shared with hospitals that currently plan to deploy mobile solutions.

Development of Mobile Platform Integrated with Existing Electronic Medical Records

PubMed Central

Kim, YoungAh; Kang, Simon; Kim, Kyungduk; Kim, Jun

2014-01-01

Objectives This paper describes a mobile Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform designed to manage and utilize the existing EMR and mobile application with optimized resources. Methods We structured the mEMR to reuse services of retrieval and storage in mobile app environments that have already proven to have no problem working with EMRs. A new mobile architecture-based mobile solution was developed in four steps: the construction of a server and its architecture; screen layout and storyboard making; screen user interface design and development; and a pilot test and step-by-step deployment. This mobile architecture consists of two parts, the server-side area and the client-side area. In the server-side area, it performs the roles of service management for EMR and documents and for information exchange. Furthermore, it performs menu allocation depending on user permission and automatic clinical document architecture document conversion. Results Currently, Severance Hospital operates an iOS-compatible mobile solution based on this mobile architecture and provides stable service without additional resources, dealing with dynamic changes of EMR templates. Conclusions The proposed mobile solution should go hand in hand with the existing EMR system, and it can be a cost-effective solution if a quality EMR system is operated steadily with this solution. Thus, we expect this example to be shared with hospitals that currently plan to deploy mobile solutions. PMID:25152837

Total quality management: managing the human dimension in natural resource agencies

Treesearch

Denzil Verardo

1995-01-01

Stewardship in an era of dwindling human resources requires new approaches to the way business is conducted in the public sector, and Total Quality Management (TQM) can be the avenue for this transformation. Resource agencies are no exception to this requirement, although modifications to "traditional" private enterprise versions of TQM implementation...

Opinion: High-Quality Mathematics Resources as Public Goods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, James

2017-01-01

James Russo begins a discussion of the difficulty and time-consuming activity of Googling to find lesson plans and resources to keep his lessons more interesting and engaging, since such resources seem particularly scarce for math teachers. Russo writes that joining professional associations has given him ready access to higher quality resources…

78 FR 44932 - Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Pearl River Section...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-25

...: Notice of Intent. SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 211 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996, the... Water Resources Development Act of 1996, to investigate measures to alleviate flooding in the study area... commercial fisheries, wildlife resources, water quality, air quality, threatened or endangered species...

Evaluating Online Bilingual Dictionaries: The Case of Popular Free English-Polish Dictionaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lew, Robert; Szarowska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Language learners today exhibit a strong preference for free online resources. One problem with such resources is that their quality can vary dramatically. Building on related work on monolingual resources for English, we propose an evaluation framework for online bilingual dictionaries, designed to assess lexicographic quality in four major…

78 FR 18241 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Minnesota; Flint Hills Resources...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R05-OAR-2011-0328; FRL-9792-8] Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Minnesota; Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend AGENCY... rule approving a revision to the the Minnesota sulfur dioxide SIP for Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend...

Core Items for a Standardized Resource Use Measure: Expert Delphi Consensus Survey.

PubMed

Thorn, Joanna C; Brookes, Sara T; Ridyard, Colin; Riley, Ruth; Hughes, Dyfrig A; Wordsworth, Sarah; Noble, Sian M; Thornton, Gail; Hollingworth, William

2018-06-01

Resource use measurement by patient recall is characterized by inconsistent methods and a lack of validation. A validated standardized resource use measure could increase data quality, improve comparability between studies, and reduce research burden. To identify a minimum set of core resource use items that should be included in a standardized adult instrument for UK health economic evaluation from a provider perspective. Health economists with experience of UK-based economic evaluations were recruited to participate in an electronic Delphi survey. Respondents were asked to rate 60 resource use items (e.g., medication names) on a scale of 1 to 9 according to the importance of the item in a generic context. Items considered less important according to predefined consensus criteria were dropped and a second survey was developed. In the second round, respondents received the median score and their own score from round 1 for each item alongside summarized comments and were asked to rerate items. A final project team meeting was held to determine the recommended core set. Forty-five participants completed round 1. Twenty-six items were considered less important and were dropped, 34 items were retained for the second round, and no new items were added. Forty-two respondents (93.3%) completed round 2, and greater consensus was observed. After the final meeting, 10 core items were selected, with further items identified as suitable for "bolt-on" questionnaire modules. The consensus on 10 items considered important in a generic context suggests that a standardized instrument for core resource use items is feasible. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Water resources management strategies and its implications on hydrodynamic and hydrochemical changes of costal groundwater: Case of Grombalia shallow aquifer, NE Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lachaal, Fethi; Chekirbane, Anis; Chargui, Sameh; Sellami, Haykel; Tsujimura, Maki; Hezzi, Hmida; Faycel, Jelassi; Mlayah, Ammar

2016-12-01

Information on groundwater quantity as well as quality is required by water managers and decision-makers for defining a sustainable management strategy. This requires a comprehensive assessment of the surface water and groundwater resources. This paper provides an assessment of water resources management strategy in the Grombalia region (Northeast Tunisia) and its impact on quantity and quality evolution of groundwater resources based on an approach that combines (i) hydro-climatic data, (ii) field monitoring, (iii) historic piezometric records, and (iv) geochemical and stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) analyses. We apply this approach to identify the origin of the various water resources and outline how the actual water management impact the quantity and quality of the groundwater in the region. As consequence of poor water resources management, the shallow groundwater levels have been disrupted: a groundwater rise is observed in the centre and a piezometric drawdown is observed in the upstream regions. Groundwater quality degradation was registered especially in the centre and downstream zones.

Information literacy during entry to practice: information-seeking behaviors in student nurses and recent nurse graduates.

PubMed

Wahoush, Olive; Banfield, Laura

2014-02-01

The ability to locate information pertinent to guide clinical practice is important for quality nursing care and patient safety. To date, little is known about the transfer of information literacy skills as student nurses transition to clinical practice as new graduates. This study begins to address this gap from the perspective of student nurses, recent nurse graduates (RNs), nurse leaders and library staff. To describe the information-seeking behaviors of student nurses and RNs within their clinical settings. This is a descriptive study that included both cross-sectional surveys and key informant interviews. Participants were senior-level undergraduate students and recently graduated RNs (graduated since 2008), and nurse leaders and library staff employed in one of the clinical sites accepting undergraduate students from the McMaster Mohawk and Conestoga BScN program. The study was completed in two large hospital corporations in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Student nurses and RNs were invited to complete online surveys to assess their access to and use of information sources and resources within clinical practice. Students completed a survey comprised of five open-ended questions, while RNs completed a survey comprised of 13 fixed choice and open-ended questions. Nurse leaders and library staff participated in qualitative interviews to verify the extent and availability of information resources. Eighteen RNs and 62 students completed their respective surveys. Three categories of information sources and resources were identified: electronic, print and interpersonal. Electronic sources of information were the most used resource by both students and RNs. More RNs reported using interpersonal sources, while students reported using more print sources of information. Recent RN graduates meet the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing performance indicators related to information access for the entry to practice Nursing Informatics competencies. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive health and family planning needs among HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Sarnquist, Clea C; Rahangdale, Lisa; Maldonado, Yvonne

2013-03-01

Review key topics and recent literature regarding reproductive health and family planning needs for HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Electronic searches performed in PubMed, JSTOR, and Web of Science; identified articles reviewed for inclusion. Most HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa bear children, and access to antiretroviral therapy may increase childbearing desires and/or fertility, resulting in greater need for contraception. Most contraceptive options can be safely and effectively used by HIV-infected women. Unmet need for contraception is high in this population, with 66- 92% of women reporting not wanting another child (now or ever), but only 20-43% using contraception. During pregnancy and delivery, HIV-infected women need access to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services, a skilled birth attendant, and quality post-partum care to prevent HIV infection in the infant and maximize maternal health. Providers may lack resources as well as appropriate training and support to provide such services to women with HIV. Innovations in biomedical and behavioral interventions may improve reproductive healthcare for HIV-infected women, but in Sub-Saharan Africa, models of integrating HIV and PMTCT services with family planning and reproductive health services will be important to improve reproductive outcomes. HIV-infected women in Sub-Saharan Africa have myriad needs related to reproductive health, including access to high-quality family planning information and options, high-quality pregnancy care, and trained providers. Integrated services that help prevent unintended pregnancy and optimize maternal and infant health before, during and after pregnancy will both maximize limited resources as well as provide improved reproductive outcomes.

Quality indicators for blogs and podcasts used in medical education: modified Delphi consensus recommendations by an international cohort of health professions educators.

PubMed

Lin, Michelle; Thoma, Brent; Trueger, N Seth; Ankel, Felix; Sherbino, Jonathan; Chan, Teresa

2015-10-01

Quality assurance concerns about social media platforms used for education have arisen within the medical education community. As more trainees and clinicians use resources such as blogs and podcasts for learning, we aimed to identify quality indicators for these resources. A previous study identified 151 potentially relevant quality indicators for these social media resources. To identify quality markers for blogs and podcasts using an international cohort of health professions educators. A self-selected group of 44 health professions educators at the 2014 International Conference on Residency Education participated in a Social Media Summit during which a modified Delphi consensus study was conducted to determine which of the 151 quality indicators met the a priori ≥90% inclusion threshold. Thirteen quality indicators classified into the domains of credibility (n=8), content (n=4) and design (n=1) met the inclusion threshold. The quality indicators that were identified may serve as a foundation for further research on quality indicators of social media-based medical education resources and prompt discussion of their legitimacy as a form of educational scholarship. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Northern California Perinatal Research Unit: A Hybrid Model Bridging Research, Quality Improvement and Clinical Practice

PubMed Central

Garrido, Terhilda; Barbeau, Rosemarie

2010-01-01

Kaiser Permanente (KP) has a long-standing commitment to conduct research and report publicly. Simultaneously, it faces a different imperative: harnessing information systems to leverage internal improvements in outcomes, efficiency, and costs. Now that KP HealthConnect, the KP electronic health record, is fully implemented, research challenges at KP are moving away from issues of data access and toward the mechanisms through which raw data create meaningful clinical knowledge that is based on rigorous research. In this report we describe a model for research—the Northern California Division of Research Perinatal Research Unit—that leverages internal and external resources to fulfill these twin missions. PMID:20844705

Using Electronic Information Resources Centers by Faculty Members at University Education: Competencies, Needs and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abouelenein, Yousri

2017-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the factual situation of electronic information resources centers to faculty members at university education. Competencies that faculty members should possess regarding this issue were determined. Also their needs for (scientific research skills and teaching) were assessed. In addition, problems that hinder their…

18 CFR 154.4 - Electronic filing of tariffs and related materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Electronic filing of tariffs and related materials. 154.4 Section 154.4 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL... the contents are true to the best knowledge and belief of the signer, and that the signer possesses...

Measures for Electronic Resources (E-Metrics). Complete Set.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC.

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) E-Metrics study was designed as an 18-month project in three phases: an inventory of what libraries were already doing about data collection for electronic resources and an identification of any libraries that could provide best practice; identifying and testing data elements that could be collected and…

Redesign of Library Workflows: Experimental Models for Electronic Resource Description.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calhoun, Karen

This paper explores the potential for and progress of a gradual transition from a highly centralized model for cataloging to an iterative, collaborative, and broadly distributed model for electronic resource description. The purpose is to alert library managers to some experiments underway and to help them conceptualize new methods for defining,…

Technical Communicator: A New Model for the Electronic Resources Librarian?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulseberg, Anna

2016-01-01

This article explores whether technical communicator is a useful model for electronic resources (ER) librarians. The fields of ER librarianship and technical communication (TC) originated and continue to develop in relation to evolving technologies. A review of the literature reveals four common themes for ER librarianship and TC. While the…

Managing Electronic Resources: A Survey of Current Practices in Academic Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Beth Hansen

This document reports results of an online survey that examined practices and procedures in the management of electronic resources in 65 academic library reference departments. Responses are related to: (1) student population; (2) library use by community people; (3) number of public access workstations, workstations with World Wide Web access,…

Telecommunications Handbook: Connecting to NEWTON. Version 1.4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Christopher; And Others

This handbook was written for use with the Argonne National Laboratory's electronic bulletin board system (BBS) called NEWTON, which is designed to create an electronic network that will link scientists, teachers, and students with the many diversified resources of the Argonne National Laboratory. The link to Argonne will include such resources as…

Selection and Presentation of Commercially Available Electronic Resources: Issues and Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, Timothy D.

This report focuses on practices related to the selection and presentation of commercially available electronic resources. As part of the Digital Library Federation's Collection Practices Initiative, the report also shares the goal of identifying and propagating practices that support the growth of sustainable and scalable collections. It looks in…

Usage Data for Electronic Resources: A Comparison between Locally Collected and Vendor-Provided Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duy, Joanna; Vaughan, Liwen

2003-01-01

Vendor-provided electronic resource usage statistics are not currently standardized across vendors. This study investigates the feasibility of using locally collected data to check the reliability of vendor-provided data. Vendor-provided data were compared with local data collected from North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries' Web…

Work engagement in professional nursing practice: A systematic review.

PubMed

Keyko, Kacey; Cummings, Greta G; Yonge, Olive; Wong, Carol A

2016-09-01

Work engagement in professional nursing practice is critically important to consider when addressing key challenges of health systems, including the global nursing shortage, pressures to reduce health care spending, and increasing demands for quality care and positive outcomes for patients. However, research on work engagement in professional nursing practice has not yet been synthesized and therefore, does not provide a sufficient foundation of knowledge to guide practice and further research. The overall aim of this systematic review is to determine what is currently known about the antecedents and outcomes of work engagement in professional nursing practice. Systematic review. The search strategy included eight electronic databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PROQUEST, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Business Source Complete. The search was conducted in October 2013. Quantitative and qualitative research that examined relationships between work engagement and antecedent or outcome factors was included. Quality assessment, data extractions, and analysis were completed on all included studies. Data extracted from included studies were synthesized through descriptive and narrative synthesis. Content analysis was used to categorize factors into themes and categories. 3621 titles and abstracts were screened and yielded 113 manuscripts for full text review. Full text review resulted in 18 included studies. All factors examined were grouped into either influences or outcomes of work engagement. A total of 77 influencing factors were categorized into 6 themes: organizational climate, job resources, professional resources, personal resources, job demands, and demographic variables. A total of 17 outcomes of work engagement were categorized into 3 themes: performance and care outcomes, professional outcomes, and personal outcomes. Based on the results, we adapted the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and developed the Nursing Job Demands-Resources (NJD-R) model for work engagement in professional nursing practice, which reflects key adaptations related to organizational climate and professional resources. Our findings indicate that a wide range of antecedents, at multiple levels, are related to registered nurses' work engagement. Positive outcomes of work engagement are valuable to both performance and the individual nurse. The NJD-R model offers nursing science a valuable beginning framework to understand the current evidence, further direct nursing research, and begin to guide practice and policy. The results offer opportunities for nurse leaders to promote work engagement in professional nurses through action on organizational level resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electronic immunization data collection systems: application of an evaluation framework.

PubMed

Heidebrecht, Christine L; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Finkelstein, Michael; Quan, Sherman D; Pereira, Jennifer A; Quach, Susan; Deeks, Shelley L

2014-01-14

Evaluating the features and performance of health information systems can serve to strengthen the systems themselves as well as to guide other organizations in the process of designing and implementing surveillance tools. We adapted an evaluation framework in order to assess electronic immunization data collection systems, and applied it in two Ontario public health units. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems are broad in nature and serve as an organizational tool to guide the development of comprehensive evaluation materials. Based on these Guidelines, and informed by other evaluation resources and input from stakeholders in the public health community, we applied an evaluation framework to two examples of immunization data collection and examined several system attributes: simplicity, flexibility, data quality, timeliness, and acceptability. Data collection approaches included key informant interviews, logic and completeness assessments, client surveys, and on-site observations. Both evaluated systems allow high-quality immunization data to be collected, analyzed, and applied in a rapid fashion. However, neither system is currently able to link to other providers' immunization data or provincial data sources, limiting the comprehensiveness of coverage assessments. We recommended that both organizations explore possibilities for external data linkage and collaborate with other jurisdictions to promote a provincial immunization repository or data sharing platform. Electronic systems such as the ones described in this paper allow immunization data to be collected, analyzed, and applied in a rapid fashion, and represent the infostructure required to establish a population-based immunization registry, critical for comprehensively assessing vaccine coverage.

WaterQualityWatch and water-quality information bookmark

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilde, Franceska D.

2014-01-01

WaterQualityWatch is an online resource of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that provides access to continuous real-time measurements of water temperature, specific electrical conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and nitrate at selected data-collection stations throughout the Nation. Additional online resources of the USGS that pertain to various types of water-quality information are shown on the reverse side of this bookmark.

Managing water quality under drought conditions in the Llobregat River Basin.

PubMed

Momblanch, Andrea; Paredes-Arquiola, Javier; Munné, Antoni; Manzano, Andreu; Arnau, Javier; Andreu, Joaquín

2015-01-15

The primary effects of droughts on river basins include both depleted quantity and quality of the available water resources, which can render water resources useless for human needs and simultaneously damage the environment. Isolated water quality analyses limit the action measures that can be proposed. Thus, an integrated evaluation of water management and quality is warranted. In this study, a methodology consisting of two coordinated models is used to combine aspects of water resource allocation and water quality assessment. Water management addresses water allocation issues by considering the storage, transport and consumption elements. Moreover, the water quality model generates time series of concentrations for several pollutants according to the water quality of the runoff and the demand discharges. These two modules are part of the AQUATOOL decision support system shell for water resource management. This tool facilitates the analysis of the effects of water management and quality alternatives and scenarios on the relevant variables in a river basin. This paper illustrates the development of an integrated model for the Llobregat River Basin. The analysis examines the drought from 2004 to 2008, which is an example of a period when the water system was quantitative and qualitatively stressed. The performed simulations encompass a wide variety of water management and water quality measures; the results provide data for making informed decisions. Moreover, the results demonstrated the importance of combining these measures depending on the evolution of a drought event and the state of the water resources system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An overview of suite for automated global electronic biosurveillance (SAGES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Sheri L.; Feighner, Brian H.; Loschen, Wayne A.; Wojcik, Richard A.; Skora, Joseph F.; Coberly, Jacqueline S.; Blazes, David L.

2012-06-01

Public health surveillance is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in the field of information technology. Many countries have experienced vast improvements in the collection, ingestion, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of public health data. Resource-limited countries have lagged behind due to challenges in information technology infrastructure, public health resources, and the costs of proprietary software. The Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance (SAGES) is a collection of modular, flexible, freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings. One or more SAGES tools may be used in concert with existing surveillance applications or the SAGES tools may be used en masse for an end-to-end biosurveillance capability. This flexibility allows for the development of an inexpensive, customized, and sustainable disease surveillance system. The ability to rapidly assess anomalous disease activity may lead to more efficient use of limited resources and better compliance with World Health Organization International Health Regulations.

Methodological quality and descriptive characteristics of prosthodontic-related systematic reviews.

PubMed

Aziz, T; Compton, S; Nassar, U; Matthews, D; Ansari, K; Flores-Mir, C

2013-04-01

Ideally, healthcare systematic reviews (SRs) should be beneficial to practicing professionals in making evidence-based clinical decisions. However, the conclusions drawn from SRs are directly related to the quality of the SR and of the included studies. The aim was to investigate the methodological quality and key descriptive characteristics of SRs published in prosthodontics. Methodological quality was analysed using the Assessment of Multiple Reviews (AMSTAR) tool. Several electronic resources (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and American Dental Association's Evidence-based Dentistry website) were searched. In total 106 SRs were located. Key descriptive characteristics and methodological quality features were gathered and assessed, and descriptive and inferential statistical testing performed. Most SRs in this sample originated from the European continent followed by North America. Two to five authors conducted most SRs; the majority was affiliated with academic institutions and had prior experience publishing SRs. The majority of SRs were published in specialty dentistry journals, with implant or implant-related topics, the primary topics of interest for most. According to AMSTAR, most quality aspects were adequately fulfilled by less than half of the reviews. Publication bias and grey literature searches were the most poorly adhered components. Overall, the methodological quality of the prosthodontic-related systematic was deemed limited. Future recommendations would include authors to have prior training in conducting SRs and for journals to include a universal checklist that should be adhered to address all key characteristics of an unbiased SR process. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Do electronic mail discussion lists act as virtual colleagues?

PubMed Central

Worth, E. R.; Patrick, T. B.

1997-01-01

Anesthesiology Discussion Group (ADG), an electronic mail (email) discussion list, has previously been shown to be a clinically oriented, cost-effective form of telemedicine. ADG is composed of an international collection of anesthesia providers. Discussions with colleagues are generally informal in nature and are examples of types of information-seeking behavior which frequently occur in hallways or lounges of a hospital or clinic. Information-seeking occurs when a health care provider searches for information which will be used to solve or satisfy a patient's problem or need. We surveyed practitioners who had previously submitted non-rhetorical, clinical questions to the group. After analysis of the questionnaire results, we conclude that ADG is a valuable resource used for information-seeking and is a clinically effective form of telemedicine. Many of the respondents indicated that they used ADG to obtain second opinions from the collective expertise of group members. Respondents also indicated that they were generally satisfied with the quality of responses and would not hesitate to use ADG for future clinical questions. PMID:9357641

[Challenges of Digital Medicine].

PubMed

Blaser, Jürg

2018-06-01

Challenges of Digital Medicine Abstract. Digitization is increasingly covering more and more sectors, including medicine. To ensure medical operation 365 × 24 hours, progressively more human and financial resources are necessary. The transformation of patient histories from paper into electronic patient records focused initially on documentation. Today, hospital information systems are increasingly used as a platform for the communication of all professionals involved in the patient process - in Switzerland, however, so far without providing patients direct access to their data. Digititizing processes intend to increase efficiency, but also to enhance clinical and administrative decision support and quality assurance. The introduction of the electronic patient record in Switzerland in 2020 is expected to provide cross-company, more complete documentation of patient care. Multimorbid patients, often treated in different institutions and by different specialists, should benefit from this in particular. Advances in artificial intelligence offer new opportunities in medicine. Challenges include ensuring reliable data protection, and better interoperability of the systems involved. Semantically structured, machine-readable data exchange is a necessity for both networked services and internationally competitive research.

Global application of disorders of sex development-related electronic resources: e-learning, e-consultation and e-information sharing.

PubMed

Muscarella, Miriam; Kranenburg-van Koppen, Laura; Grijpink-van den Biggelaar, Kalinka; Drop, Stenvert L S

2014-01-01

The past 20 years have seen proliferation of electronic (e) resources that promote improved understanding of disorders of sex development (DSD): e-learning for physicians and trainees, e-consultation between clinicians, and e-information for families and affected individuals. Recent e-learning advances have emerged from the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology's online learning portal for current physicians and trainees. Developed with attention to developing clinical competencies incorporating learning theory, and presenting material that represents international best practice, this e-learning portal offers advances in training, making information more accessible for clinicians and trainees. Multiple levels of instruction, authentic case examples, collaborative forums for physicians and trainees, individualized feedback and user-friendly tools represent advances in trainee and physician learning that can take place in any location. e-consultation is an emerging tool that aims to connect physicians with specialists experienced in DSD care. Although it faces logistical challenges, e-consultation carries the potential to improve DSD care, especially in remote areas with limited access to DSD specialists. e-information for families and patients of all ages is widely accessible online, often with focus on DSD biology, medical care, and psychological and social support. e-information tools aid self-management and support of those affected by DSD. Efforts to improve these resources should aim to map information to individual users, incorporate optimally clear nomenclature, and continue as a 'shared enterprise' of clinicians, affected individuals, families and researchers. Improving the quality of DSD-related e-learning and e-information and developing e-consultation carries the potential to transform DSD care and support for patients, families and physicians worldwide. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Implementation and results of an integrated data quality assurance protocol in a randomized controlled trial in Uttar Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Gass, Jonathon D; Misra, Anamika; Yadav, Mahendra Nath Singh; Sana, Fatima; Singh, Chetna; Mankar, Anup; Neal, Brandon J; Fisher-Bowman, Jennifer; Maisonneuve, Jenny; Delaney, Megan Marx; Kumar, Krishan; Singh, Vinay Pratap; Sharma, Narender; Gawande, Atul; Semrau, Katherine; Hirschhorn, Lisa R

2017-09-07

There are few published standards or methodological guidelines for integrating Data Quality Assurance (DQA) protocols into large-scale health systems research trials, especially in resource-limited settings. The BetterBirth Trial is a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the BetterBirth Program, which seeks to improve quality of facility-based deliveries and reduce 7-day maternal and neonatal mortality and maternal morbidity in Uttar Pradesh, India. In the trial, over 6300 deliveries were observed and over 153,000 mother-baby pairs across 120 study sites were followed to assess health outcomes. We designed and implemented a robust and integrated DQA system to sustain high-quality data throughout the trial. We designed the Data Quality Monitoring and Improvement System (DQMIS) to reinforce six dimensions of data quality: accuracy, reliability, timeliness, completeness, precision, and integrity. The DQMIS was comprised of five functional components: 1) a monitoring and evaluation team to support the system; 2) a DQA protocol, including data collection audits and targets, rapid data feedback, and supportive supervision; 3) training; 4) standard operating procedures for data collection; and 5) an electronic data collection and reporting system. Routine audits by supervisors included double data entry, simultaneous delivery observations, and review of recorded calls to patients. Data feedback reports identified errors automatically, facilitating supportive supervision through a continuous quality improvement model. The five functional components of the DQMIS successfully reinforced data reliability, timeliness, completeness, precision, and integrity. The DQMIS also resulted in 98.33% accuracy across all data collection activities in the trial. All data collection activities demonstrated improvement in accuracy throughout implementation. Data collectors demonstrated a statistically significant (p = 0.0004) increase in accuracy throughout consecutive audits. The DQMIS was successful, despite an increase from 20 to 130 data collectors. In the absence of widely disseminated data quality methods and standards for large RCT interventions in limited-resource settings, we developed an integrated DQA system, combining auditing, rapid data feedback, and supportive supervision, which ensured high-quality data and could serve as a model for future health systems research trials. Future efforts should focus on standardization of DQA processes for health systems research. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02148952 . Registered on 13 February 2014.

The impact of library instruction: do first-year medical students use library resources specifically highlighted during instructional sessions?*

PubMed Central

Rafferty, Ryan S.

2013-01-01

Objectives: The research sought to determine if first-year medical students consulted and cited resources specifically highlighted during library instructional sessions. Methods: Students attended a library resources instructional session. Resources that pertained to the students' assignment were demonstrated and discussed. The students created a report including citations from relevant literature. The citations were analyzed and categorized as: a resource discussed at the instructional session, a resource found on the course LibGuide, a library resource, course material, or some other resource. All citations were subcategorized as print or electronic. Results: Three years (2008–2011) of data analyzing 2,983 citations showed that 49.55% of all citations were from resources discussed during library instructional sessions; 21.86% came from resources with links on the course LibGuide; 77.51% were from library resources; and 90.68% came from electronic resources. Conclusion: Students cited resources specifically highlighted during library instructional sessions for their assignments. The percentage of all citations coming from resources highlighted during the instructional sessions or found on the course LibGuide indicates that library instruction had an impact on the students' work. PMID:23930092

Resource Quantity and Quality Determine the Inter-Specific Associations between Ecosystem Engineers and Resource Users in a Cavity-Nest Web

PubMed Central

Robles, Hugo; Martin, Kathy

2013-01-01

While ecosystem engineering is a widespread structural force of ecological communities, the mechanisms underlying the inter-specific associations between ecosystem engineers and resource users are poorly understood. A proper knowledge of these mechanisms is, however, essential to understand how communities are structured. Previous studies suggest that increasing the quantity of resources provided by ecosystem engineers enhances populations of resource users. In a long-term study (1995-2011), we show that the quality of the resources (i.e. tree cavities) provided by ecosystem engineers is also a key feature that explains the inter-specific associations in a tree cavity-nest web. Red-naped sapsuckers ( Sphyrapicus nuchalis ) provided the most abundant cavities (52% of cavities, 0.49 cavities/ha). These cavities were less likely to be used than other cavity types by mountain bluebirds ( Sialia currucoides ), but provided numerous nest-sites (41% of nesting cavities) to tree swallows ( Tachycineta bicolour ). Swallows experienced low reproductive outputs in northern flicker ( Colaptes auratus ) cavities compared to those in sapsucker cavities (1.1 vs. 2.1 fledglings/nest), but the highly abundant flickers (33% of cavities, 0.25 cavities/ha) provided numerous suitable nest-sites for bluebirds (58%). The relative shortage of cavities supplied by hairy woodpeckers ( Picoides villosus ) and fungal/insect decay (<10% of cavities each, <0.09 cavities/ha) provided fewer breeding opportunities (<15% of nests), but represented high quality nest-sites for both bluebirds and swallows. Because both the quantity and quality of resources supplied by different ecosystem engineers may explain the amount of resources used by each resource user, conservation strategies may require different management actions to be implemented for the key ecosystem engineer of each resource user. We, therefore, urge the incorporation of both resource quantity and quality into models that assess community dynamics to improve conservation actions and our understanding of ecological communities based on ecosystem engineering. PMID:24040324

Resource quantity and quality determine the inter-specific associations between ecosystem engineers and resource users in a cavity-nest web.

PubMed

Robles, Hugo; Martin, Kathy

2013-01-01

While ecosystem engineering is a widespread structural force of ecological communities, the mechanisms underlying the inter-specific associations between ecosystem engineers and resource users are poorly understood. A proper knowledge of these mechanisms is, however, essential to understand how communities are structured. Previous studies suggest that increasing the quantity of resources provided by ecosystem engineers enhances populations of resource users. In a long-term study (1995-2011), we show that the quality of the resources (i.e. tree cavities) provided by ecosystem engineers is also a key feature that explains the inter-specific associations in a tree cavity-nest web. Red-naped sapsuckers (Sphyrapicusnuchalis) provided the most abundant cavities (52% of cavities, 0.49 cavities/ha). These cavities were less likely to be used than other cavity types by mountain bluebirds (Sialiacurrucoides), but provided numerous nest-sites (41% of nesting cavities) to tree swallows (Tachycinetabicolour). Swallows experienced low reproductive outputs in northern flicker (Colaptesauratus) cavities compared to those in sapsucker cavities (1.1 vs. 2.1 fledglings/nest), but the highly abundant flickers (33% of cavities, 0.25 cavities/ha) provided numerous suitable nest-sites for bluebirds (58%). The relative shortage of cavities supplied by hairy woodpeckers (Picoidesvillosus) and fungal/insect decay (<10% of cavities each, <0.09 cavities/ha) provided fewer breeding opportunities (<15% of nests), but represented high quality nest-sites for both bluebirds and swallows. Because both the quantity and quality of resources supplied by different ecosystem engineers may explain the amount of resources used by each resource user, conservation strategies may require different management actions to be implemented for the key ecosystem engineer of each resource user. We, therefore, urge the incorporation of both resource quantity and quality into models that assess community dynamics to improve conservation actions and our understanding of ecological communities based on ecosystem engineering.

Hospital competition, resource allocation and quality of care

PubMed Central

Mukamel, Dana B; Zwanziger, Jack; Bamezai, Anil

2002-01-01

Background A variety of approaches have been used to contain escalating hospital costs. One approach is intensifying price competition. The increase in price based competition, which changes the incentives hospitals face, coupled with the fact that consumers can more easily evaluate the quality of hotel services compared with the quality of clinical care, may lead hospitals to allocate more resources into hotel rather than clinical services. Methods To test this hypothesis we studied hospitals in California in 1982 and 1989, comparing resource allocations prior to and following selective contracting, a period during which the focus of competition changed from quality to price. We estimated the relationship between clinical outcomes, measured as risk-adjusted-mortality rates, and resources. Results In 1989, higher competition was associated with lower clinical expenditures levels compared with 1982. The trend was stronger for non-profit hospitals. Lower clinical resource use was associated with worse risk adjusted mortality outcomes. Conclusions This study raises concerns that cost reductions may be associated with increased mortality. PMID:12052258

Primary Care Practices' Abilities And Challenges In Using Electronic Health Record Data For Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Cohen, Deborah J; Dorr, David A; Knierim, Kyle; DuBard, C Annette; Hemler, Jennifer R; Hall, Jennifer D; Marino, Miguel; Solberg, Leif I; McConnell, K John; Nichols, Len M; Nease, Donald E; Edwards, Samuel T; Wu, Winfred Y; Pham-Singer, Hang; Kho, Abel N; Phillips, Robert L; Rasmussen, Luke V; Duffy, F Daniel; Balasubramanian, Bijal A

2018-04-01

Federal value-based payment programs require primary care practices to conduct quality improvement activities, informed by the electronic reports on clinical quality measures that their electronic health records (EHRs) generate. To determine whether EHRs produce reports adequate to the task, we examined survey responses from 1,492 practices across twelve states, supplemented with qualitative data. Meaningful-use participation, which requires the use of a federally certified EHR, was associated with the ability to generate reports-but the reports did not necessarily support quality improvement initiatives. Practices reported numerous challenges in generating adequate reports, such as difficulty manipulating and aligning measurement time frames with quality improvement needs, lack of functionality for generating reports on electronic clinical quality measures at different levels, discordance between clinical guidelines and measures available in reports, questionable data quality, and vendors that were unreceptive to changing EHR configuration beyond federal requirements. The current state of EHR measurement functionality may be insufficient to support federal initiatives that tie payment to clinical quality measures.

Primary Care Practices’ Abilities And Challenges In Using Electronic Health Record Data For Quality Improvement

PubMed Central

Cohen, Deborah J.; Dorr, David A.; Knierim, Kyle; DuBard, C. Annette; Hemler, Jennifer R.; Hall, Jennifer D.; Marino, Miguel; Solberg, Leif I.; McConnell, K. John; Nichols, Len M.; Nease, Donald E.; Edwards, Samuel T.; Wu, Winfred Y.; Pham-Singer, Hang; Kho, Abel N.; Phillips, Robert L.; Rasmussen, Luke V.; Duffy, F. Daniel; Balasubramanian, Bijal A.

2018-01-01

Federal value-based payment programs require primary care practices to conduct quality improvement activities, informed by the electronic reports on clinical quality measures that their electronic health records (EHRs) generate. To determine whether EHRs produce reports adequate to the task, we examined survey responses from 1,492 practices across twelve states, supplemented with qualitative data. Meaningful-use participation, which requires the use of a federally certified EHR, was associated with the ability to generate reports—but the reports did not necessarily support quality improvement initiatives. Practices reported numerous challenges in generating adequate reports, such as difficulty manipulating and aligning measurement time frames with quality improvement needs, lack of functionality for generating reports on electronic clinical quality measures at different levels, discordance between clinical guidelines and measures available in reports, questionable data quality, and vendors that were unreceptive to changing EHR configuration beyond federal requirements. The current state of EHR measurement functionality may be insufficient to support federal initiatives that tie payment to clinical quality measures. PMID:29608365

An improved global wind resource estimate for integrated assessment models

DOE PAGES

Eurek, Kelly; Sullivan, Patrick; Gleason, Michael; ...

2017-11-25

This study summarizes initial steps to improving the robustness and accuracy of global renewable resource and techno-economic assessments for use in integrated assessment models. We outline a method to construct country-level wind resource supply curves, delineated by resource quality and other parameters. Using mesoscale reanalysis data, we generate estimates for wind quality, both terrestrial and offshore, across the globe. Because not all land or water area is suitable for development, appropriate database layers provide exclusions to reduce the total resource to its technical potential. We expand upon estimates from related studies by: using a globally consistent data source of uniquelymore » detailed wind speed characterizations; assuming a non-constant coefficient of performance for adjusting power curves for altitude; categorizing the distance from resource sites to the electric power grid; and characterizing offshore exclusions on the basis of sea ice concentrations. The product, then, is technical potential by country, classified by resource quality as determined by net capacity factor. Additional classifications dimensions are available, including distance to transmission networks for terrestrial wind and distance to shore and water depth for offshore. We estimate the total global wind generation potential of 560 PWh for terrestrial wind with 90% of resource classified as low-to-mid quality, and 315 PWh for offshore wind with 67% classified as mid-to-high quality. These estimates are based on 3.5 MW composite wind turbines with 90 m hub heights, 0.95 availability, 90% array efficiency, and 5 MW/km 2 deployment density in non-excluded areas. We compare the underlying technical assumption and results with other global assessments.« less

An improved global wind resource estimate for integrated assessment models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eurek, Kelly; Sullivan, Patrick; Gleason, Michael

This study summarizes initial steps to improving the robustness and accuracy of global renewable resource and techno-economic assessments for use in integrated assessment models. We outline a method to construct country-level wind resource supply curves, delineated by resource quality and other parameters. Using mesoscale reanalysis data, we generate estimates for wind quality, both terrestrial and offshore, across the globe. Because not all land or water area is suitable for development, appropriate database layers provide exclusions to reduce the total resource to its technical potential. We expand upon estimates from related studies by: using a globally consistent data source of uniquelymore » detailed wind speed characterizations; assuming a non-constant coefficient of performance for adjusting power curves for altitude; categorizing the distance from resource sites to the electric power grid; and characterizing offshore exclusions on the basis of sea ice concentrations. The product, then, is technical potential by country, classified by resource quality as determined by net capacity factor. Additional classifications dimensions are available, including distance to transmission networks for terrestrial wind and distance to shore and water depth for offshore. We estimate the total global wind generation potential of 560 PWh for terrestrial wind with 90% of resource classified as low-to-mid quality, and 315 PWh for offshore wind with 67% classified as mid-to-high quality. These estimates are based on 3.5 MW composite wind turbines with 90 m hub heights, 0.95 availability, 90% array efficiency, and 5 MW/km 2 deployment density in non-excluded areas. We compare the underlying technical assumption and results with other global assessments.« less

Resources and Capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Timely and Accessible Care to Veterans

PubMed Central

Hussey, Peter S.; Ringel, Jeanne S.; Ahluwalia, Sangeeta; Price, Rebecca Anhang; Buttorff, Christine; Concannon, Thomas W.; Lovejoy, Susan L.; Martsolf, Grant R.; Rudin, Robert S.; Schultz, Dana; Sloss, Elizabeth M.; Watkins, Katherine E.; Waxman, Daniel; Bauman, Melissa; Briscombe, Brian; Broyles, James R.; Burns, Rachel M.; Chen, Emily K.; DeSantis, Amy Soo Jin; Ecola, Liisa; Fischer, Shira H.; Friedberg, Mark W.; Gidengil, Courtney A.; Ginsburg, Paul B.; Gulden, Timothy; Gutierrez, Carlos Ignacio; Hirshman, Samuel; Huang, Christina Y.; Kandrack, Ryan; Kress, Amii; Leuschner, Kristin J.; MacCarthy, Sarah; Maksabedian, Ervant J.; Mann, Sean; Matthews, Luke Joseph; May, Linnea Warren; Mishra, Nishtha; Miyashiro, Lisa; Muchow, Ashley N.; Nelson, Jason; Naranjo, Diana; O'Hanlon, Claire E.; Pillemer, Francesca; Predmore, Zachary; Ross, Rachel; Ruder, Teague; Rutter, Carolyn M.; Uscher-Pines, Lori; Vaiana, Mary E.; Vesely, Joseph V.; Hosek, Susan D.; Farmer, Carrie M.

2016-01-01

Abstract The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 addressed the need for access to timely, high-quality health care for veterans. Section 201 of the legislation called for an independent assessment of various aspects of veterans' health care. The RAND Corporation was tasked with an assessment of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) current and projected health care capabilities and resources. An examination of data from a variety of sources, along with a survey of VA medical facility leaders, revealed the breadth and depth of VA resources and capabilities: fiscal resources, workforce and human resources, physical infrastructure, interorganizational relationships, and information resources. The assessment identified barriers to the effective use of these resources and capabilities. Analysis of data on access to VA care and the quality of that care showed that almost all veterans live within 40 miles of a VA health facility, but fewer have access to VA specialty care. Veterans usually receive care within 14 days of their desired appointment date, but wait times vary considerably across VA facilities. VA has long played a national leadership role in measuring the quality of health care. The assessment showed that VA health care quality was as good or better on most measures compared with other health systems, but quality performance lagged at some VA facilities. VA will require more resources and capabilities to meet a projected increase in veterans' demand for VA care over the next five years. Options for increasing capacity include accelerated hiring, full nurse practice authority, and expanded use of telehealth. PMID:28083424

Portable electronic vision enhancement systems in comparison with optical magnifiers for near vision activities: an economic evaluation alongside a randomized crossover trial.

PubMed

Bray, Nathan; Brand, Andrew; Taylor, John; Hoare, Zoe; Dickinson, Christine; Edwards, Rhiannon T

2017-08-01

To determine the incremental cost-effectiveness of portable electronic vision enhancement system (p-EVES) devices compared with optical low vision aids (LVAs), for improving near vision visual function, quality of life and well-being of people with a visual impairment. An AB/BA randomized crossover trial design was used. Eighty-two participants completed the study. Participants were current users of optical LVAs who had not tried a p-EVES device before and had a stable visual impairment. The trial intervention was the addition of a p-EVES device to the participant's existing optical LVA(s) for 2 months, and the control intervention was optical LVA use only, for 2 months. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were conducted from a societal perspective. The mean cost of the p-EVES intervention was £448. Carer costs were £30 (4.46 hr) less for the p-EVES intervention compared with the LVA only control. The mean difference in total costs was £417. Bootstrapping gave an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £736 (95% CI £481 to £1525) for a 7% improvement in near vision visual function. Cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) ranged from £56 991 (lower 95% CI = £19 801) to £66 490 (lower 95% CI = £23 055). Sensitivity analysis varying the commercial price of the p-EVES device reduced ICERs by up to 75%, with cost per QALYs falling below £30 000. Portable electronic vision enhancement system (p-EVES) devices are likely to be a cost-effective use of healthcare resources for improving near vision visual function, but this does not translate into cost-effective improvements in quality of life, capability or well-being. © 2016 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation and European Association for Vision & Eye Research.

U.S. Geological Survey water resources Internet tools

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shaffer, Kimberly H.

2013-11-07

The U.S. Geological Fact Sheet (USGS) provides a wealth of information on hydrologic data, maps, graphs, and other resources for your State.Sources of water resources information are listed below.WaterWatchWaterQualityWatchGroundwater WatchWaterNowWaterAlertUSGS Flood Inundation MapperNational Water Information System (NWIS)StreamStatsNational Water Quality Assessment (NAWOA)

Forage resource evaluation system for habitat—deer: an interactive deer habitat model

Treesearch

Thomas A. Hanley; Donald E. Spalinger; Kenrick J. Mock; Oran L. Weaver; Grant M. Harris

2012-01-01

We describe a food-based system for quantitatively evaluating habitat quality for deer called the Forage Resource Evaluation System for Habitat and provide its rationale and suggestions for use. The system was developed as a tool for wildlife biologists and other natural resource managers and planners interested in evaluating habitat quality and, especially, comparing...

Going for the Gold: Identifying Academic-Quality Internet Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axford, Mary; Renfro, Crystal

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review some of the key directories of Internet resources, with a special focus on those that announce new academic-quality resources. Significant facets of the directories that will be incorporated in the discussion include scope of coverage, update frequency, identification of any e-mail alerts or RSS feeds…

Stakeholders' Perceptions of Quality and Potential Improvements in the Learning Resources Centers at Omani Basic Education Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Musawi, Ali; Amer, Talal

2017-01-01

This study attempts to investigate the stakeholders' perceptions of quality and prospective improvements in the learning resources centres (LRC) at Omani basic education schools. It focuses on different aspects of the LRCs: organisation, human resources, technological, and educational aspects along with the difficulties faced by these LRCs and…

The Perceptions and Experiences of School Management Teams and Teachers of the Management of Physical Resources in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mestry, Raj; Bodalina, Kishan

2015-01-01

The effective management of physical resources significantly impacts on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The procurement, utilization and maintenance of physical resources through organized structures, well-designed policies and rigid processes are critical for quality education. According to the South African Schools Act 1996, a…

77 FR 26569 - Llano Seco Riparian Sanctuary Unit Restoration and Pumping Plant/Fish Screen Facility Protection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

..., cultural resources, land use, air quality, water quality, water resources, and other environmental... Riparian Sanctuary Unit by the Department of Water Resources in 1985 and 1986. The rock was placed in order... activities would not impact the Goose Lake overflow structure that diverts flood water into the Butte Basin...

Diet quality and body mass index are associated with healthcare resource use in older adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Health care resource consumption is a growing concern. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between diet quality and body mass index with health care resource use (HRU) in a cohort of advanced age. Participants in the Geisinger Rural Aging Study (n=5,993) were mailed demographic and...

18 CFR 35.7 - Electronic filing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Electronic filing... § 35.7 Electronic filing requirements. (a) General rule. All filings made in proceedings initiated... declarations or statements and electronic signatures. (c) Format requirements for electronic filing. The...

18 CFR 35.7 - Electronic filing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Electronic filing... § 35.7 Electronic filing requirements. (a) General rule. All filings made in proceedings initiated... declarations or statements and electronic signatures. (c) Format requirements for electronic filing. The...

18 CFR 35.7 - Electronic filing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Electronic filing... § 35.7 Electronic filing requirements. (a) General rule. All filings made in proceedings initiated... declarations or statements and electronic signatures. (c) Format requirements for electronic filing. The...

18 CFR 35.7 - Electronic filing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Electronic filing... § 35.7 Electronic filing requirements. (a) General rule. All filings made in proceedings initiated... declarations or statements and electronic signatures. (c) Format requirements for electronic filing. The...

Design and implementation of an affordable, public sector electronic medical record in rural Nepal.

PubMed

Raut, Anant; Yarbrough, Chase; Singh, Vivek; Gauchan, Bikash; Citrin, David; Verma, Varun; Hawley, Jessica; Schwarz, Dan; Harsha Bangura, Alex; Shrestha, Biplav; Schwarz, Ryan; Adhikari, Mukesh; Maru, Duncan

2017-06-23

Globally, electronic medical records are central to the infrastructure of modern healthcare systems. Yet the vast majority of electronic medical records have been designed for resource-rich environments and are not feasible in settings of poverty. Here we describe the design and implementation of an electronic medical record at a public sector district hospital in rural Nepal, and its subsequent expansion to an additional public sector facility.DevelopmentThe electronic medical record was designed to solve for the following elements of public sector healthcare delivery: 1) integration of the systems across inpatient, surgical, outpatient, emergency, laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy sites of care; 2) effective data extraction for impact evaluation and government regulation; 3) optimization for longitudinal care provision and patient tracking; and 4) effectiveness for quality improvement initiatives. For these purposes, we adapted Bahmni, a product built with open-source components for patient tracking, clinical protocols, pharmacy, laboratory, imaging, financial management, and supply logistics. In close partnership with government officials, we deployed the system in February of 2015, added on additional functionality, and iteratively improved the system over the following year. This experience enabled us then to deploy the system at an additional district-level hospital in a different part of the country in under four weeks. We discuss the implementation challenges and the strategies we pursued to build an electronic medical record for the public sector in rural Nepal.DiscussionOver the course of 18 months, we were able to develop, deploy and iterate upon the electronic medical record, and then deploy the refined product at an additional facility within only four weeks. Our experience suggests the feasibility of an integrated electronic medical record for public sector care delivery even in settings of rural poverty.

Design and implementation of an affordable, public sector electronic medical record in rural Nepal

PubMed Central

Raut, Anant; Yarbrough, Chase; Singh, Vivek; Gauchan, Bikash; Citrin, David; Verma, Varun; Hawley, Jessica; Schwarz, Dan; Harsha, Alex; Shrestha, Biplav; Schwarz, Ryan; Adhikari, Mukesh; Maru, Duncan

2018-01-01

Introduction Globally, electronic medical records are central to the infrastructure of modern healthcare systems. Yet the vast majority of electronic medical records have been designed for resource-rich environments and are not feasible in settings of poverty. Here we describe the design and implementation of an electronic medical record at a public sector district hospital in rural Nepal, and its subsequent expansion to an additional public sector facility. Development The electronic medical record was designed to solve for the following elements of public sector healthcare delivery: 1) integration of the systems across inpatient, surgical, outpatient, emergency, laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy sites of care; 2) effective data extraction for impact evaluation and government regulation; 3) optimization for longitudinal care provision and patient tracking; and 4) effectiveness for quality improvement initiatives. Application For these purposes, we adapted Bahmni, a product built with open-source components for patient tracking, clinical protocols, pharmacy, laboratory, imaging, financial management, and supply logistics. In close partnership with government officials, we deployed the system in February of 2015, added on additional functionality, and iteratively improved the system over the following year. This experience enabled us then to deploy the system at an additional district-level hospital in a different part of the country in under four weeks. We discuss the implementation challenges and the strategies we pursued to build an electronic medical record for the public sector in rural Nepal. Discussion Over the course of 18 months, we were able to develop, deploy and iterate upon the electronic medical record, and then deploy the refined product at an additional facility within only four weeks. Our experience suggests the feasibility of an integrated electronic medical record for public sector care delivery even in settings of rural poverty. PMID:28749321

Assessment of the Physicochemical Quality of Drinking Water Resources in the Central Part of Iran.

PubMed

Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Shahryari, Ali; Hajiannejad, Mehdi; Saffari, Hossein; Kachuei, Zahra Moosavian; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2016-01-01

The aim of the study described in this article was to assess the physicochemical quality of water resources in Isfahan province, located in the central part of Iran, from June to November 2012. Comparison of the results with the acceptable limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water showed that nitrate, chloride, iron, and fluoride concentrations exceeded the maximum acceptable level in 12.3%, 9.2%, 6.8%, and 1.5% of samples, respectively. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and turbidity values also exceeded the maximum acceptable level in 9.2% and 3.1% of samples, respectively. In general, the quality of drinking water resources in the central part of Iran at present is mostly acceptable and satisfactory. It may be deteriorated in the future, however, because water quantity and quality in arid and semiarid areas are highly variable over time. Therefore, continued monitoring of the water resources quality is extremely important to environmental safety.

Taguchi Approach to Design Optimization for Quality and Cost: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unal, Resit; Dean, Edwin B.

1990-01-01

Calibrations to existing cost of doing business in space indicate that to establish human presence on the Moon and Mars with the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) will require resources, felt by many, to be more than the national budget can afford. In order for SEI to succeed, we must actually design and build space systems at lower cost this time, even with tremendous increases in quality and performance requirements, such as extremely high reliability. This implies that both government and industry must change the way they do business. Therefore, new philosophy and technology must be employed to design and produce reliable, high quality space systems at low cost. In recognizing the need to reduce cost and improve quality and productivity, Department of Defense (DoD) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have initiated Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM is a revolutionary management strategy in quality assurance and cost reduction. TQM requires complete management commitment, employee involvement, and use of statistical tools. The quality engineering methods of Dr. Taguchi, employing design of experiments (DOE), is one of the most important statistical tools of TQM for designing high quality systems at reduced cost. Taguchi methods provide an efficient and systematic way to optimize designs for performance, quality, and cost. Taguchi methods have been used successfully in Japan and the United States in designing reliable, high quality products at low cost in such areas as automobiles and consumer electronics. However, these methods are just beginning to see application in the aerospace industry. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the Taguchi methods for improving quality and reducing cost, describe the current state of applications and its role in identifying cost sensitive design parameters.

Critical appraisal of volumetric-modulated arc therapy compared with electrons for the radiotherapy of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma of lower extremities with bone sparing.

PubMed

Nicolini, G; Abraham, S; Fogliata, A; Jordaan, A; Clivio, A; Vanetti, E; Cozzi, L

2013-03-01

To evaluate the use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT, RapidArc® (RA); Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA] for the treatment of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of lower extremities with adequate target coverage and high bone sparing, and to compare VMAT with electron beam therapy. 10 patients were planned with either RA or electron beams. The dose was prescribed to 30 Gy, 10 fractions, to mean the planning target volume (PTV), and significant maximum dose to bone was limited to 30 Gy. Plans were designed for 6-MV photon beams for RA and 6 MeV for electrons. Dose distributions were computed with AcurosXB® (Varian Medical Systems) for photons and with a Monte Carlo algorithm for electrons. V(90%) was 97.3±1.2 for RA plans and 78.2±2.6 for electrons; similarly, V(107%) was 2.5±2.2 and 37.7±3.4, respectively. RA met coverage criteria. Concerning bone sparing, D(2%) was 29.6±1.1 for RA and 31.0±2.4 for electrons. Although acceptable for bone involvement, pronounced target coverage violations were obtained for electron plans. Monitor units were similar for electrons and RA, although for the latter they increased when superior bone sparing was imposed. Delivery times were 12.1±4.0 min for electrons and 4.8±1.3 min for the most modulated RA plans. High plan quality was shown for KS in the lower extremities using VMAT, and this might simplify their management in comparison with the more conventional usage of electrons, particularly in institutes with limited staff resources and heavy workloads. VMAT is also dosimetrically extremely advantageous in a typology of treatments where electron beam therapy is mainly considered to be effective owing to the limited penetration of the beams.

Nurse managers' experiences in continuous quality improvement in resource-poor healthcare settings.

PubMed

Kakyo, Tracy Alexis; Xiao, Lily Dongxia

2017-06-01

Ensuring safe and quality care for patients in hospitals is an important part of a nurse manager's role. Continuous quality improvement has been identified as one approach that leads to the delivery of quality care services to patients and is widely used by nurse managers to improve patient care. Nurse managers' experiences in initiating continuous quality improvement activities in resource-poor healthcare settings remain largely unknown. Research evidence is highly demanded in these settings to address disease burden and evidence-based practice. This interpretive qualitative study was conducted to gain an understanding of nurse managers' Continuous Quality Improvement experiences in rural hospitals in Uganda. Nurse managers in rural healthcare settings used their role to prioritize quality improvement activities, monitor the Continuous Quality Improvement process, and utilize in-service education to support continuous quality improvement. The nurse managers in our sample encountered a number of barriers during the implementation of Continuous Quality Improvement, including: limited patient participation, lack of materials, and limited human resources. Efforts to address the challenges faced through good governance and leadership development require more attention. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The BRIGHTEN Program: Implementation and Evaluation of a Program to Bridge Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Erin E.; Lapidos, Stan; Eisenstein, Amy R.; Ivan, Iulia I.; Golden, Robyn L.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of the BRIGHTEN Program (Bridging Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking), an interdisciplinary team intervention for assessing and treating older adults for depression in outpatient primary and specialty medical clinics. The BRIGHTEN team collaborates "virtually"…

A Survey of the Use of Electronic Resources at Seven Universities in Wuhan, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Liyi; Ye, Pinghao; Liu, Qihua

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on users' information behaviour in China, a topic which has not been researched extensively. The aim is to help producers and providers collect and develop more electronic resources. Design/methodology/approach: The study investigates users' information behaviour at seven "211 Project"…

18 CFR 341.1 - Electronic filing of tariffs and related materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... contents are true to the best knowledge and belief of the signer, and that the signer possesses full power... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Electronic filing of tariffs and related materials. 341.1 Section 341.1 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL...

Analysis of forming of students’ professional communication elements on the base of transporting and civil - engineering university according to the requests of potential employers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solnyshkova, Olga; Makarikhina, Inna

2017-10-01

Prerequisites for students’ professional communication elements forming on the base of civil engineering universities are investigated in the article. Students’ professional communication elements must be used in their future professional activities. The workshop creative experience of interactive electronic educational resources development during the study possesses of geodetic disciplines on the basis of University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Siberia) is described. The stages of students’ processional communication formation in the process of interactive electronic educational resources creation by students and teachers are proposed. The offers to increase the efficiency of professional communication elements formation for students in the development of interactive electronic educational resources within the student creative workshop were made.

75 FR 74740 - Measure M2 Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan/Master Streambed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-01

... significant direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts on biological resources, land use, air quality, water quality, water resources, socioeconomics, and other environmental issues that could occur with the...

National Wildlife's Eleventh Annual Environmental Quality Index 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Wildlife, 1980

1980-01-01

Presented is the Eleventh Annual Environmental Quality Index, a subjective analysis of the state of the nation's natural resources. Resource trends are detailed for wildlife, minerals, air, water, soil living space, and forests. (BT)

Quality of nursing documentation: Paper-based health records versus electronic-based health records.

PubMed

Akhu-Zaheya, Laila; Al-Maaitah, Rowaida; Bany Hani, Salam

2018-02-01

To assess and compare the quality of paper-based and electronic-based health records. The comparison examined three criteria: content, documentation process and structure. Nursing documentation is a significant indicator of the quality of patient care delivery. It can be either paper-based or organised within the system known as the electronic health records. Nursing documentation must be completed at the highest standards, to ensure the safety and quality of healthcare services. However, the evidence is not clear on which one of the two forms of documentation (paper-based versus electronic health records is more qualified. A retrospective, descriptive, comparative design was used to address the study's purposes. A convenient number of patients' records, from two public hospitals, were audited using the Cat-ch-Ing audit instrument. The sample size consisted of 434 records for both paper-based health records and electronic health records from medical and surgical wards. Electronic health records were better than paper-based health records in terms of process and structure. In terms of quantity and quality content, paper-based records were better than electronic health records. The study affirmed the poor quality of nursing documentation and lack of nurses' knowledge and skills in the nursing process and its application in both paper-based and electronic-based systems. Both forms of documentation revealed drawbacks in terms of content, process and structure. This study provided important information, which can guide policymakers and administrators in identifying effective strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of nursing documentation. Policies and actions to ensure quality nursing documentation at the national level should focus on improving nursing knowledge, competencies, practice in nursing process, enhancing the work environment and nursing workload, as well as strengthening the capacity building of nursing practice to improve the quality of nursing care and patients' outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical knowledge governance: the international perspective.

PubMed

Garde, Sebastian

2013-01-01

As a basis for semantic interoperability, ideally, a Clinical Knowledge Resource for a clinical concept should be defined formally and defined once in a way that all clinical professions and all countries can agree on. Clinical Knowledge Governance is required to create high-quality, reusable Clinical Knowledge Resources and achieve this aim. Traditionally, this is a time-consuming and cumbersome process, relying heavily on face-to-face meetings and being able to get sufficient input from clinicians. However, in a national or even international space, it is required to streamline the processes involved in creating Clinical Knowledge Resources. For this, a Web 2.0 tool that supports online collaboration of clinicians during their creation and publishing of Clinical Knowledge Resources has been developed. This tool is named the Clinical Knowledge Manager (CKM) and supports the development, review and publication of Clinical Knowledge Resources. Also, post-publication activities such as adding terminology bindings, translating the Clinical Knowledge Resource into another language and republishing it are supported. The acceptance of Clinical Knowledge Resources depends on their quality and being able to determine their quality, for example it is important to know that a broad umber of reviewers from various clinical disciplines have been involved in the development of the Clinical Knowledge Resource. We are still far from realizing the vision of a global repository of a great number of reusable, high-quality Clinical Knowledge Resources, which can provide the basis for broad semantic interoperability between systems. However progress towards this aim is being made around the world.

Agriculture — A river runs through it — The connections between agriculture and water quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Capel, Paul D.; McCarthy, Kathleen A.; Coupe, Richard H.; Grey, Katia M.; Amenumey, Sheila E.; Baker, Nancy T.; Johnson, Richard L.

2018-06-06

Sustaining the quality of the Nation’s water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and longterm economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of the almost 400 million people projected to live in the United States by 2050.In 1991, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) to address where, when, why, and how the Nation’s water quality has changed, or is likely to change in the future, in response to human activities and natural factors. Since then, NAWQA has been a leading source of scientific data and knowledge used by national, regional, state, and local agencies to develop science-based policies and management strategies to improve and protect water resources used for drinking water, recreation, irrigation, energy development, and ecosystem needs. Plans for the third decade of NAWQA (2013–23) address priority water-quality issues and science needs identified by NAWQA stakeholders, such as the Advisory Committee on Water Information and the National Research Council, and are designed to meet increasing challenges related to population growth, increasing needs for clean water, and changing land-use and weather patterns.This report is one of a series of publications, The Quality of Our Nation’s Waters, which describes major findings of the NAWQA Project on water-quality issues of regional and national concern and provides science-based information for assessing and managing the quality of our groundwater resources. Other reports in this series focus on occurrence and distribution of nutrients, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds in streams and groundwater, the effects of contaminants and stream-flow alteration on the condition of aquatic communities in streams, and on the quality of groundwater from private domestic and public supply wells. Each reports builds toward a more comprehensive understanding of the quality of regional and national water resources. All NAWQA reports are available online (https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/bib/).We hope this publication will provide you with insights and information to meet your water-resource needs and will foster increased citizen awareness and involvement in the protection and restoration of our Nation’s waters. The information in this report is intended primarily for those interested or involved in resource management and protection, conservation, regulation, and policymaking at the regional and national levels.

RTDS-Based Design and Simulation of Distributed P-Q Power Resources in Smart Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Zachariah David

In this Thesis, we propose to utilize a battery system together with its power electronics interfaces and bidirectional charger as a distributed P-Q resource in power distribution networks. First, we present an optimization-based approach to operate such distributed P-Q resources based on the characteristics of the battery and charger system as well as the features and needs of the power distribution network. Then, we use the RTDS Simulator, which is an industry-standard simulation tool of power systems, to develop two RTDS-based design approaches. The first design is based on an ideal four-quadrant distributed P-Q power resource. The second design is based on a detailed four-quadrant distributed P-Q power resource that is developed using power electronics components. The hardware and power electronics circuitry as well as the control units are explained for the second design. After that, given the two-RTDS designs, we conducted extensive RTDS simulations to assess the performance of the designed distributed P-Q Power Resource in an IEEE 13 bus test system. We observed that the proposed design can noticeably improve the operational performance of the power distribution grid in at least four key aspects: reducing power loss, active power peak load shaving at substation, reactive power peak load shaving at substation, and voltage regulation. We examine these performance measures across three design cases: Case 1: There is no P-Q Power Resource available on the power distribution network. Case 2: The installed P-Q Power Resource only supports active power, i.e., it only utilizes its battery component. Case 3: The installed P-Q Power Resource supports both active and reactive power, i.e., it utilizes both its battery component and its power electronics charger component. In the end, we present insightful interpretations on the simulation results and suggest some future works.

Systematic review of electronic surveillance of infectious diseases with emphasis on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

Rattanaumpawan, Pinyo; Boonyasiri, Adhiratha; Vong, Sirenda; Thamlikitkul, Visanu

2018-02-01

Electronic surveillance of infectious diseases involves rapidly collecting, collating, and analyzing vast amounts of data from interrelated multiple databases. Although many developed countries have invested in electronic surveillance for infectious diseases, the system still presents a challenge for resource-limited health care settings. We conducted a systematic review by performing a comprehensive literature search on MEDLINE (January 2000-December 2015) to identify studies relevant to electronic surveillance of infectious diseases. Study characteristics and results were extracted and systematically reviewed by 3 infectious disease physicians. A total of 110 studies were included. Most surveillance systems were developed and implemented in high-income countries; less than one-quarter were conducted in low-or middle-income countries. Information technologies can be used to facilitate the process of obtaining laboratory, clinical, and pharmacologic data for the surveillance of infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections. These novel systems require greater resources; however, we found that using electronic surveillance systems could result in shorter times to detect targeted infectious diseases and improvement of data collection. This study highlights a lack of resources in areas where an effective, rapid surveillance system is most needed. The availability of information technology for the electronic surveillance of infectious diseases, including AMR infections, will facilitate the prevention and containment of such emerging infectious diseases. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Kalaeloa Oahu, Hawaii (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-03-16

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Los Angeles, California (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Stoffel, T.; Andreas, A.

2010-04-26

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Cedar City, Utah (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-07-13

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Escalante Tri-State - Prewitt, New Mexico (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2012-11-03

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Sun Spot Two; Swink, Colorado (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-11-10

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Milford, Utah (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-07-14

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); La Ola Lanai, Hawaii (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2009-07-22

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Observed Atmospheric and Solar Information System (OASIS); Tucson, Arizona (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-11-03

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

The Journal of Earth System Science Education: Peer Review for Digital Earth and Digital Library Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D.; Ruzek, M.; Weatherley, J.

2001-05-01

The Journal of Earth System Science Education is a new interdisciplinary electronic journal aiming to foster the study of the Earth as a system and promote the development and exchange of interdisciplinary learning resources for formal and informal education. JESSE will serve educators and students by publishing and providing ready electronic access to Earth system and global change science learning resources for the classroom and will provide authors and creators with professional recognition through publication in a peer reviewed journal. JESSE resources foster a world perspective by emphasizing interdisciplinary studies and bridging disciplines in the context of the Earth system. The Journal will publish a wide ranging variety of electronic content, with minimal constraints on format, targeting undergraduate educators and students as the principal readership, expanding to a middle and high school audience as the journal matures. JESSE aims for rapid review and turn-around of resources to be published, with a goal of 12 weeks from submission to publication for resources requiring few changes. Initial publication will be on a quarterly basis until a flow of resource submissions is established to warrant continuous electronic publication. JESSE employs an open peer review process in which authors and reviewers discuss directly the acceptability of a resource for publication using a software tool called the Digital Document Discourse Environment. Reviewer comments and attribution will be available with the resource upon acceptance for publication. JESSE will also implement a moderated peer commentary capability where readers can comment on the use of a resource or make suggestions. In the development phase, JESSE will also conduct a parallel anonymous review of content to validate and ensure credibility of the open review approach. Copyright of materials submitted remains with the author, granting JESSE the non-exclusive right to maintain a copy of the resource published on the JESSE web server, ensuring long term access to the resource as reviewed. JESSE is collaborating with the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) as a federated partner. Initial release is planned for Summer, 2001.

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement VIII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials; related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and…

Quality Assessment of Published Articles in Iranian Journals Related to Economic Evaluation in Health Care Programs Based on Drummond's Checklist: A Narrative Review.

PubMed

Rezapour, Aziz; Jafari, Abdosaleh; Mirmasoudi, Kosha; Talebianpour, Hamid

2017-09-01

Health economic evaluation research plays an important role in selecting cost-effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of published articles in Iranian journals related to economic evaluation in health care programs based on Drummond's checklist in terms of numbers, features, and quality. In the present review study, published articles (Persian and English) in Iranian journals related to economic evaluation in health care programs were searched using electronic databases. In addition, the methodological quality of articles' structure was analyzed by Drummond's standard checklist. Based on the inclusion criteria, the search of databases resulted in 27 articles that fully covered economic evaluation in health care programs. A review of articles in accordance with Drummond's criteria showed that the majority of studies had flaws. The most common methodological weakness in the articles was in terms of cost calculation and valuation. Considering such methodological faults in these studies, it is anticipated that these studies would not provide an appropriate feedback to policy makers to allocate health care resources correctly and select suitable cost-effective interventions. Therefore, researchers are required to comply with the standard guidelines in order to better execute and report on economic evaluation studies.

Quality Assessment of Published Articles in Iranian Journals Related to Economic Evaluation in Health Care Programs Based on Drummond’s Checklist: A Narrative Review

PubMed Central

Rezapour, Aziz; Jafari, Abdosaleh; Mirmasoudi, Kosha; Talebianpour, Hamid

2017-01-01

Health economic evaluation research plays an important role in selecting cost-effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of published articles in Iranian journals related to economic evaluation in health care programs based on Drummond’s checklist in terms of numbers, features, and quality. In the present review study, published articles (Persian and English) in Iranian journals related to economic evaluation in health care programs were searched using electronic databases. In addition, the methodological quality of articles’ structure was analyzed by Drummond’s standard checklist. Based on the inclusion criteria, the search of databases resulted in 27 articles that fully covered economic evaluation in health care programs. A review of articles in accordance with Drummond’s criteria showed that the majority of studies had flaws. The most common methodological weakness in the articles was in terms of cost calculation and valuation. Considering such methodological faults in these studies, it is anticipated that these studies would not provide an appropriate feedback to policy makers to allocate health care resources correctly and select suitable cost-effective interventions. Therefore, researchers are required to comply with the standard guidelines in order to better execute and report on economic evaluation studies. PMID:29234174

Apparent foraging success reflects habitat quality in an irruptive species, the Black-backed Woodpecker

Treesearch

Christopher T. Rota; Mark A. Rumble; Chad P. Lehman; Dylan C. Kesler; Joshua J. Millspaugh

2015-01-01

Dramatic fluctuations in food resources are a key feature of many habitats, and many species have evolved a movement strategy to exploit food resources that are unpredictable in space and time. The availability of food resources may be a particularly strong determinant of habitat quality for irruptive bird species. We studied the apparent foraging success of Black-...

The 1992 Vermont recreation survey and environmental index: Vermonters' perceptions of recreational and environmental issues in Vermont

Treesearch

Kevin R. Wiberg; Frederick E. Schmidt; Robert E. Manning; Susan Bulmer

1995-01-01

In 1992, Vermonters rated the state's recreational resources a "B-" with a corresponding grade of "B" for the quality of the state's environment. Scenic resources continued to be rated most highly as were state trails and commercial recreation establishments. Concern for water resource quality, solid and toxic waste disposal, acid rain,...

Clinical Case Registries: Simultaneous Local and National Disease Registries for Population Quality Management

PubMed Central

Backus, Lisa I.; Gavrilov, Sergey; Loomis, Timothy P.; Halloran, James P.; Phillips, Barbara R.; Belperio, Pamela S.; Mole, Larry A.

2009-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a system-wide, patient-centric electronic medical record system (EMR) within which the authors developed the Clinical Case Registries (CCR) to support population-centric delivery and evaluation of VA medical care. To date, the authors have applied the CCR to populations with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Local components use diagnosis codes and laboratory test results to identify patients who may have HIV or HCV and support queries on local care delivery with customizable reports. For each patient in a local registry, key EMR data are transferred via HL7 messaging to a single national registry. From 128 local registry systems, over 60,000 and 320,000 veterans in VA care have been identified as having HIV and HCV, respectively, and entered in the national database. Local and national reports covering demographics, resource usage, quality of care metrics and medication safety issues have been generated. PMID:19717794

Study on the Ingredient Proportions and After-Treatment of Laser Sintering Walnut Shell Composites

PubMed Central

Guo, Yanling; Jiang, Ting; Li, Jian; Jiang, Kaiyi; Zhang, Hui

2017-01-01

To alleviate resource shortage, reduce the cost of materials consumption and the pollution of agricultural and forestry waste, walnut shell composites (WSPC) consisting of walnut shell as additive and copolyester hot melt adhesive (Co-PES) as binder was developed as the feedstock of selective laser sintering (SLS). WSPC parts with different ingredient proportions were fabricated by SLS and processed through after-treatment technology. The density, mechanical properties and surface quality of WSPC parts before and after post processing were analyzed via formula method, mechanical test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Results show that, when the volume fraction of the walnut shell powder in the WSPC reaches the maximum (40%), sintered WSPC parts have the smallest warping deformation and the highest dimension precision, although the surface quality, density, and mechanical properties are low. However, performing permeating resin as the after-treatment technology could considerably increase the tensile, bending and impact strength by 496%, 464%, and 516%, respectively. PMID:29207485

Using Focused Laboratory Management and Quality Improvement Projects to Enhance Resident Training and Foster Scholarship

PubMed Central

Ford, Bradley A.; Klutts, J. Stacey; Jensen, Chris S.; Briggs, Angela S.; Robinson, Robert A.; Bruch, Leslie A.; Karandikar, Nitin J.

2017-01-01

Training in patient safety, quality, and management is widely recognized as an important element of graduate medical education. These concepts have been intertwined in pathology graduate medical education for many years, although training programs face challenges in creating explicit learning opportunities in these fields. Tangibly involving pathology residents in management and quality improvement projects has the potential to teach and reinforce key concepts and further fulfill Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals for pursuing projects related to patient safety and quality improvement. In this report, we present our experience at a pathology residency program (University of Iowa) in engaging pathology residents in projects related to practical issues of laboratory management, process improvement, and informatics. In this program, at least 1 management/quality improvement project, typically performed during a clinical chemistry/management rotation, was required and ideally resulted in a journal publication. The residency program also initiated a monthly management/informatics series for pathology externs, residents, and fellows that covers a wide range of topics. Since 2010, all pathology residents at the University of Iowa have completed at least 1 management/quality improvement project. Many of the projects involved aspects of laboratory test utilization, with some projects focused on other areas such as human resources, informatics, or process improvement. Since 2012, 31 peer-reviewed journal articles involving effort from 26 residents have been published. Multiple projects resulted in changes in ongoing practice, particularly within the hospital electronic health record. Focused management/quality improvement projects involving pathology residents can result in both meaningful quality improvement and scholarly output. PMID:28913416

Using Focused Laboratory Management and Quality Improvement Projects to Enhance Resident Training and Foster Scholarship.

PubMed

Krasowski, Matthew D; Ford, Bradley A; Klutts, J Stacey; Jensen, Chris S; Briggs, Angela S; Robinson, Robert A; Bruch, Leslie A; Karandikar, Nitin J

2017-01-01

Training in patient safety, quality, and management is widely recognized as an important element of graduate medical education. These concepts have been intertwined in pathology graduate medical education for many years, although training programs face challenges in creating explicit learning opportunities in these fields. Tangibly involving pathology residents in management and quality improvement projects has the potential to teach and reinforce key concepts and further fulfill Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals for pursuing projects related to patient safety and quality improvement. In this report, we present our experience at a pathology residency program (University of Iowa) in engaging pathology residents in projects related to practical issues of laboratory management, process improvement, and informatics. In this program, at least 1 management/quality improvement project, typically performed during a clinical chemistry/management rotation, was required and ideally resulted in a journal publication. The residency program also initiated a monthly management/informatics series for pathology externs, residents, and fellows that covers a wide range of topics. Since 2010, all pathology residents at the University of Iowa have completed at least 1 management/quality improvement project. Many of the projects involved aspects of laboratory test utilization, with some projects focused on other areas such as human resources, informatics, or process improvement. Since 2012, 31 peer-reviewed journal articles involving effort from 26 residents have been published. Multiple projects resulted in changes in ongoing practice, particularly within the hospital electronic health record. Focused management/quality improvement projects involving pathology residents can result in both meaningful quality improvement and scholarly output.

Country Immunization Information System Assessments - Kenya, 2015 and Ghana, 2016.

PubMed

Scott, Colleen; Clarke, Kristie E N; Grevendonk, Jan; Dolan, Samantha B; Ahmed, Hussein Osman; Kamau, Peter; Ademba, Peter Aswani; Osadebe, Lynda; Bonsu, George; Opare, Joseph; Diamenu, Stanley; Amenuvegbe, Gregory; Quaye, Pamela; Osei-Sarpong, Fred; Abotsi, Francis; Ankrah, Joseph Dwomor; MacNeil, Adam

2017-11-10

The collection, analysis, and use of data to measure and improve immunization program performance are priorities for the World Health Organization (WHO), global partners, and national immunization programs (NIPs). High quality data are essential for evidence-based decision-making to support successful NIPs. Consistent recording and reporting practices, optimal access to and use of health information systems, and rigorous interpretation and use of data for decision-making are characteristics of high-quality immunization information systems. In 2015 and 2016, immunization information system assessments (IISAs) were conducted in Kenya and Ghana using a new WHO and CDC assessment methodology designed to identify root causes of immunization data quality problems and facilitate development of plans for improvement. Data quality challenges common to both countries included low confidence in facility-level target population data (Kenya = 50%, Ghana = 53%) and poor data concordance between child registers and facility tally sheets (Kenya = 0%, Ghana = 3%). In Kenya, systemic challenges included limited supportive supervision and lack of resources to access electronic reporting systems; in Ghana, challenges included a poorly defined subdistrict administrative level. Data quality improvement plans (DQIPs) based on assessment findings are being implemented in both countries. IISAs can help countries identify and address root causes of poor immunization data to provide a stronger evidence base for future investments in immunization programs.

The Next Information Revolution in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennicutt, R. C.

2006-08-01

The information revolution has truly revolutionized our profession, through such innovations as the astronomical data centres, electronic journals and preprint servers, and bibliographic interfaces that link these resources through instantaneous and freely available web interfaces. For most of us the effects of these innovations have been profound, changing forever the way we access the research literature, disseminate results to our colleagues, and even in the ways we carry out our research and write papers. Astronomy's efforts in this area have attracted the attention and admiration of other scientific professions as well as the information technology community. We now stand at the threshold of a second revolution, in which enormous and rich collections of astronomical observations, models, software, and tools will be accessible through a common Virtual Observatory interface. The next logical step beyond that is an integration of these VO resources with the web of astronomical literature, to provide mechanisms for quality certification of those resources, and to provide a seamless mechanism by which authors can make the results of their research available to other scientists in their most useful form. If this is done successfully its impacts on the way we conduct and disseminate our research may be as profound as those of the past decade. However this success will require cooperative approaches to information archiving and publication involving the data centres, journals, and library communities, and which incorporate or at least emulate the features of curation, provenance, quality assurance, and intellectual property protections that underlie the traditional publishing system. This talk will highlight some of the efforts being made in the VO and journal communities to make this vision a reality, and identify some of the key challenges that remain.

Exploring the Potential of Predictive Analytics and Big Data in Emergency Care.

PubMed

Janke, Alexander T; Overbeek, Daniel L; Kocher, Keith E; Levy, Phillip D

2016-02-01

Clinical research often focuses on resource-intensive causal inference, whereas the potential of predictive analytics with constantly increasing big data sources remains largely unexplored. Basic prediction, divorced from causal inference, is much easier with big data. Emergency care may benefit from this simpler application of big data. Historically, predictive analytics have played an important role in emergency care as simple heuristics for risk stratification. These tools generally follow a standard approach: parsimonious criteria, easy computability, and independent validation with distinct populations. Simplicity in a prediction tool is valuable, but technological advances make it no longer a necessity. Emergency care could benefit from clinical predictions built using data science tools with abundant potential input variables available in electronic medical records. Patients' risks could be stratified more precisely with large pools of data and lower resource requirements for comparing each clinical encounter to those that came before it, benefiting clinical decisionmaking and health systems operations. The largest value of predictive analytics comes early in the clinical encounter, in which diagnostic and prognostic uncertainty are high and resource-committing decisions need to be made. We propose an agenda for widening the application of predictive analytics in emergency care. Throughout, we express cautious optimism because there are myriad challenges related to database infrastructure, practitioner uptake, and patient acceptance. The quality of routinely compiled clinical data will remain an important limitation. Complementing big data sources with prospective data may be necessary if predictive analytics are to achieve their full potential to improve care quality in the emergency department. Copyright © 2015 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 2517 - Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

... hydraulics, wetlands and other waters of the U.S., vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status species, esthetics, cultural resources, recreation, land use, fisheries, water quality, air quality, and...

Electronic Journals in Academic Libraries: A Comparison of ARL and Non-ARL Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shemberg, Marian; Grossman, Cheryl

1999-01-01

Describes a survey dealing with academic library provision of electronic journals and other electronic resources that compared ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members to non-ARL members. Highlights include full-text electronic journals; computers in libraries; online public access catalogs; interlibrary loan and electronic reserves; access…

Resource based view of the firm as a theoretical lens on the organisational consequences of quality improvement.

PubMed

Burton, Christopher R; Rycroft-Malone, Jo

2014-08-01

Evaluating the investment that healthcare organisations make in quality improvement requires knowledge of impact at multiple levels, including patient care, workforce and other organisational resources. The degree to which these resources help organisations to survive and thrive in the challenging contexts in which healthcare is designed and delivered is unknown. Investigating this question from the perspective of the Resource Based View (RBV) of the Firm may provide insights, although is not without challenge.

Mycobacterial biomaterials and resources for researchers.

PubMed

Hazbón, Manzour Hernando; Rigouts, Leen; Schito, Marco; Ezewudo, Matthew; Kudo, Takuji; Itoh, Takashi; Ohkuma, Moriya; Kiss, Katalin; Wu, Linhuan; Ma, Juncai; Hamada, Moriyuki; Strong, Michael; Salfinger, Max; Daley, Charles L; Nick, Jerry A; Lee, Jung-Sook; Rastogi, Nalin; Couvin, David; Hurtado-Ortiz, Raquel; Bizet, Chantal; Suresh, Anita; Rodwell, Timothy; Albertini, Audrey; Lacourciere, Karen A; Deheer-Graham, Ana; Alexander, Sarah; Russell, Julie E; Bradford, Rebecca; Riojas, Marco A

2018-06-01

There are many resources available to mycobacterial researchers, including culture collections around the world that distribute biomaterials to the general scientific community, genomic and clinical databases, and powerful bioinformatics tools. However, many of these resources may be unknown to the research community. This review article aims to summarize and publicize many of these resources, thus strengthening the quality and reproducibility of mycobacterial research by providing the scientific community access to authenticated and quality-controlled biomaterials and a wealth of information, analytical tools and research opportunities.

[Quality analysis of the statistical used resources (material and methods section) in thesis projects of a university department].

PubMed

Regojo Zapata, O; Lamata Hernández, F; Sánchez Zalabardo, J M; Elizalde Benito, A; Navarro Gil, J; Valdivia Uría, J G

2004-09-01

Studies about quality in thesis and investigation projects in biomedical sciences are unusual, but very important in university teaching because is necessary to improve the quality elaboration of the thesis. The objectives the study were to determine the project's quality of thesis in our department, according to the fulfillment of the scientific methodology and to establish, if it exists, a relation between the global quality of the project and the statistical used resources. Descriptive study of 273 thesis projects performed between 1995-2002 in surgery department of the Zaragoza University. The review realized for 15 observers that they analyzed 28 indicators of every project. Giving a value to each of the indicators, the projects qualified in a scale from 1 to 10 according to the quality in the fulfillment of the scientific methodology. The mean of the project's quality was 5.53 (D.E: 1.77). In 13.9% the thesis projects was concluded with the reading of the work. The three indicators of statistical used resources had a significant difference with the value of the quality projects. The quality of the statistical resources is very important when a project of thesis wants to be realized by good methodology, because it assures to come to certain conclusions. In our study we have thought that more of the third part of the variability in the quality of the project of thesis explains for three statistical above-mentioned articles.

An Improved Global Wind Resource Estimate for Integrated Assessment Models: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eurek, Kelly; Sullivan, Patrick; Gleason, Michael

This paper summarizes initial steps to improving the robustness and accuracy of global renewable resource and techno-economic assessments for use in integrated assessment models. We outline a method to construct country-level wind resource supply curves, delineated by resource quality and other parameters. Using mesoscale reanalysis data, we generate estimates for wind quality, both terrestrial and offshore, across the globe. Because not all land or water area is suitable for development, appropriate database layers provide exclusions to reduce the total resource to its technical potential. We expand upon estimates from related studies by: using a globally consistent data source of uniquelymore » detailed wind speed characterizations; assuming a non-constant coefficient of performance for adjusting power curves for altitude; categorizing the distance from resource sites to the electric power grid; and characterizing offshore exclusions on the basis of sea ice concentrations. The product, then, is technical potential by country, classified by resource quality as determined by net capacity factor. Additional classifications dimensions are available, including distance to transmission networks for terrestrial wind and distance to shore and water depth for offshore. We estimate the total global wind generation potential of 560 PWh for terrestrial wind with 90% of resource classified as low-to-mid quality, and 315 PWh for offshore wind with 67% classified as mid-to-high quality. These estimates are based on 3.5 MW composite wind turbines with 90 m hub heights, 0.95 availability, 90% array efficiency, and 5 MW/km2 deployment density in non-excluded areas. We compare the underlying technical assumption and results with other global assessments.« less

ALA Guide to Medical & Health Sciences Reference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ALA Editions, 2011

2011-01-01

This resource provides an annotated list of print and electronic biomedical and health-related reference sources, including Internet resources and digital image collections. Readers will find relevant research, clinical, and consumer health information resources. The emphasis is on resources within the United States, with a few representative…

Potential resource and toxicity impacts from metals in waste electronic devices.

PubMed

Woo, Seung H; Lee, Dae Sung; Lim, Seong-Rin

2016-04-01

As a result of the continuous release of new electronic devices, existing electronic devices are quickly made obsolete and rapidly become electronic waste (e-waste). Because e-waste contains a variety of metals, information about those metals with the potential for substantial environmental impact should be provided to manufacturers, recyclers, and disposers to proactively reduce this impact. This study assesses the resource and toxicity (i.e., cancer, noncancer, and ecotoxicity) potentials of various heavy metals commonly found in e-waste from laptop computers, liquid-crystal display (LCD) monitors, LCD TVs, plasma TVs, color cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs, and cell phones and then evaluates such potentials using life cycle impact-based methods. Resource potentials derive primarily from Cu, Sb, Ag, and Pb. Toxicity potentials derive primarily from Pb, Ni, and Hg for cancer toxicity; from Pb, Hg, Zn, and As for noncancer toxicity; and from Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn for ecotoxicity. Therefore, managing these heavy metals should be a high priority in the design, recycling, and disposal stages of electronic devices. © 2015 SETAC.

Resources and quality of care in services for the elderly.

PubMed

Winsløw, Jacob Hilden; Borg, Vilhelm

2008-05-01

To investigate the association between resources of the workplace and the quality of care in municipal long-term care. At the municipal level, the resources comprised the proportion of care workers with a long period of professional training and the relative availability of care-giving manpower. At the level of the organizational unit, the resources comprised aspects of the psychosocial working environment. A survey of 7,500 care workers in 36 municipalities in Denmark was performed. Quality of care was measured by seven standardized questions in a questionnaire. Data on the psychosocial resources of the workplace were aggregated responses from the care workers to questions from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Data on the training and relative availability of care workers were derived by combining information from payroll lists and data available from government databases. There was a positive association between psychosocial resources at the level of the organizational unit and the quality of care provided by the individual care worker. There was no association between the level of professional training of the municipal workforce of care-givers and the quality of care provided by the individual care worker. There was a complex relationship between the relative availability of care-giving manpower at the municipal level and the quality of care provided by the individual care worker. Improving the psychosocial working environment of care workers is one key to securing sufficient caring staff for the long-term care sector; increasing manpower or increasing the proportion of highly trained staff are not in themselves such keys.

Charting a Course through CORAL: Texas A&M University Libraries' Experience Implementing an Open-Source Electronic Resources Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartnett, Eric; Beh, Eugenia; Resnick, Taryn; Ugaz, Ana; Tabacaru, Simona

2013-01-01

In 2010, after two previous unsuccessful attempts at electronic resources management system (ERMS) implementation, Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries set out once again to find an ERMS that would fit its needs. After surveying the field, TAMU Libraries selected the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries-developed, open-source ERMS,…

Impact of Electronic Resources and Usage in Academic Libraries in Ghana: Evidence from Koforidua Polytechnic & All Nations University College, Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akussah, Maxwell; Asante, Edward; Adu-Sarkodee, Rosemary

2015-01-01

The study investigates the relationship between impact of electronic resources and its usage in academic libraries in Ghana: evidence from Koforidua Polytechnic & All Nations University College, Ghana. The study was a quantitative approach using questionnaire to gather data and information. A valid response rate of 58.5% was assumed. SPSS…

Use of Electronic Information Resources among Research Scholars in the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amjad, Anam; Ahmed, Shamshad; Bin Naeem, Salman

2013-01-01

This study examined the use of electronic resources among academic scholars of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), Punjab, Pakistan. A quantitative survey was found most convenient and useful for this study. The total population of the study was 169 research students in IUB. The response rate was 79% and 133 utilizable responses were coded…

Electronic Collection Development: A Practical Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Stuart D.

Chapter 1, "Preliminary Issues," explores the historical importance of the electronic publishing revolution, some of the terminology to be used in the book, and the differences and similarities between traditional and electronic collection development. Chapter 2, "What Is an Offer? The Electronic Resources Landscape," covers…

Explore a Career in Health Sciences Information

MedlinePlus

... tools that range from traditional print journals to electronic databases and the latest mobile devices, health sciences ... an expert search of the literature. connecting licensed electronic resources and decision tools into a patient's electronic ...

High quality single shot ultrafast MeV electron diffraction from a photocathode radio-frequency gun

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Feichao; Liu, Shengguang; Zhu, Pengfei

2014-08-15

A compact ultrafast electron diffractometer, consisting of an s-band 1.6 cell photocathode radio-frequency gun, a multi-function changeable sample chamber, and a sensitive relativistic electron detector, was built at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. High-quality single-shot transmission electron diffraction patterns have been recorded by scattering 2.5 MeV electrons off single crystalline gold and polycrystalline aluminum samples. The high quality diffraction pattern indicates an excellent spatial resolution, with the ratio of the diffraction ring radius over the ring rms width beyond 10. The electron pulse width is estimated to be about 300 fs. The high temporal and spatial resolution may open new opportunities inmore » various areas of sciences.« less

High quality single shot ultrafast MeV electron diffraction from a photocathode radio-frequency gun.

PubMed

Fu, Feichao; Liu, Shengguang; Zhu, Pengfei; Xiang, Dao; Zhang, Jie; Cao, Jianming

2014-08-01

A compact ultrafast electron diffractometer, consisting of an s-band 1.6 cell photocathode radio-frequency gun, a multi-function changeable sample chamber, and a sensitive relativistic electron detector, was built at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. High-quality single-shot transmission electron diffraction patterns have been recorded by scattering 2.5 MeV electrons off single crystalline gold and polycrystalline aluminum samples. The high quality diffraction pattern indicates an excellent spatial resolution, with the ratio of the diffraction ring radius over the ring rms width beyond 10. The electron pulse width is estimated to be about 300 fs. The high temporal and spatial resolution may open new opportunities in various areas of sciences.

Transforming the Primary Care Training Clinic: New York State's Hospital Medical Home Demonstration Pilot.

PubMed

Angelotti, Marietta; Bliss, Kathryn; Schiffman, Dana; Weaver, Erin; Graham, Laura; Lemme, Thomas; Pryor, Veronica; Gesten, Foster C

2015-06-01

Training in patient-centered medical home (PCMH) settings may prepare new physicians to measure quality of care, manage the health of populations, work in teams, and include cost information in decision making. Transforming resident clinics to PCMHs requires funding for additional staff, electronic health records, training, and other resources not typically available to residency programs. Describe how a 1115 Medicaid waiver was used to transform the majority of primary care training sites in New York State to the PCMH model and improve the quality of care provided. The 2013-2014 Hospital Medical Home Program provided awards to 60 hospitals and 118 affiliated residency programs (training more than 5000 residents) to transform outpatient sites into PCMHs and provide high-quality, coordinated care. Site visits, coaching calls, resident surveys, data reporting, and feedback were used to promote and monitor change in resident continuity and quality of care. Descriptive analyses measured improvements in these areas. A total of 156 participating outpatient sites (100%) received PCMH recognition. All sites enhanced resident education using PCMH principles through patient empanelment, development of quality dashboards, and transforming resident scheduling and training. Clinical quality outcomes showed improvement across the demonstration, including better performance on colorectal and breast cancer screening rates (rate increases of 13%, P≤.001, and 11%, P=.011, respectively). A 1115 Medicaid waiver is a viable mechanism for states to transform residency clinics to reflect new primary care models. The PCMH transformation of 156 sites led to improvements in resident continuity and clinical outcomes.

77 FR 41442 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Order of the Secretary on Oil and Gas and Potash Development...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... protection of other mineral resources, other natural resources, environmental quality, life, health, safety... sufficient thickness and quality to be mineable), the Development Areas would generally be larger...

Tools, Techniques, and Training: Results of an E-Resources Troubleshooting Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathmel, Angela; Mobley, Liisa; Pennington, Buddy; Chandler, Adam

2015-01-01

A primary role of any e-resources librarian or staff is troubleshooting electronic resources (e-resources). While much progress has been made in many areas of e-resources management (ERM) to understand the ERM lifecycle and to manage workflows, troubleshooting access remains a challenge. This collaborative study is the result of the well-received…

Factors Influencing the Internet Resource Users' Satisfaction: An Analytical Study on Omani Undergraduate Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sriram, B.

2016-01-01

The internet resources are one of the important knowledge sharing tools in day-to-day business processes. These internet resources have greater impact on education field too. The learning processes have become comparatively easy due to these electronic resources. The online resources help the students to acquire the required knowledge through…

Cohort profile of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Biomedical Research Centre (SLaM BRC) Case Register: current status and recent enhancement of an Electronic Mental Health Record-derived data resource.

PubMed

Perera, Gayan; Broadbent, Matthew; Callard, Felicity; Chang, Chin-Kuo; Downs, Johnny; Dutta, Rina; Fernandes, Andrea; Hayes, Richard D; Henderson, Max; Jackson, Richard; Jewell, Amelia; Kadra, Giouliana; Little, Ryan; Pritchard, Megan; Shetty, Hitesh; Tulloch, Alex; Stewart, Robert

2016-03-01

The South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust Biomedical Research Centre (SLaM BRC) Case Register and its Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) application were developed in 2008, generating a research repository of real-time, anonymised, structured and open-text data derived from the electronic health record system used by SLaM, a large mental healthcare provider in southeast London. In this paper, we update this register's descriptive data, and describe the substantial expansion and extension of the data resource since its original development. Descriptive data were generated from the SLaM BRC Case Register on 31 December 2014. Currently, there are over 250,000 patient records accessed through CRIS. Since 2008, the most significant developments in the SLaM BRC Case Register have been the introduction of natural language processing to extract structured data from open-text fields, linkages to external sources of data, and the addition of a parallel relational database (Structured Query Language) output. Natural language processing applications to date have brought in new and hitherto inaccessible data on cognitive function, education, social care receipt, smoking, diagnostic statements and pharmacotherapy. In addition, through external data linkages, large volumes of supplementary information have been accessed on mortality, hospital attendances and cancer registrations. Coupled with robust data security and governance structures, electronic health records provide potentially transformative information on mental disorders and outcomes in routine clinical care. The SLaM BRC Case Register continues to grow as a database, with approximately 20,000 new cases added each year, in addition to extension of follow-up for existing cases. Data linkages and natural language processing present important opportunities to enhance this type of research resource further, achieving both volume and depth of data. However, research projects still need to be carefully tailored, so that they take into account the nature and quality of the source information. 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/

Use of Web-based library resources by medical students in community and ambulatory settings.

PubMed

Tannery, Nancy Hrinya; Foust, Jill E; Gregg, Amy L; Hartman, Linda M; Kuller, Alice B; Worona, Paul; Tulsky, Asher A

2002-07-01

The purpose was to evaluate the use of Web-based library resources by third-year medical students. Third-year medical students (147) in a twelve-week multidisciplinary primary care rotation in community and ambulatory settings. Individual user surveys and log file analysis of Website were used. Twenty resource topics were compiled into a Website to provide students with access to electronic library resources from any community-based clerkship location. These resource topics, covering subjects such as hypertension and back pain, linked to curriculum training problems, full-text journal articles, MEDLINE searches, electronic book chapters, and relevant Websites. More than half of the students (69%) accessed the Website on a daily or weekly basis. Over 80% thought the Website was a valuable addition to their clerkship. Web-based information resources can provide curriculum support to students for whom access to the library is difficult and time consuming.

Considering Point-of-Care Electronic Medical Resources in Lieu of Traditional Textbooks for Medical Education.

PubMed

Hale, LaDonna S; Wallace, Michelle M; Adams, Courtney R; Kaufman, Michelle L; Snyder, Courtney L

2015-09-01

Selecting resources to support didactic courses is a critical decision, and the advantages and disadvantages must be carefully considered. During clinical rotations, students not only need to possess strong background knowledge but also are expected to be proficient with the same evidence-based POC resources used by clinicians. Students place high value on “real world” learning and therefore may place more value on POC resources that they know practicing clinicians use as compared with medical textbooks. The condensed nature of PA education requires students to develop background knowledge and information literacy skills over a short period. One way to build that knowledge and those skills simultaneously is to use POC resources in lieu of traditional medical textbooks during didactic training. Electronic POC resources offer several advantages over traditional textbooks and should be considered as viable options in PA education.

Scheduling quality of precise form sets which consist of tasks of circular type in GRID systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saak, A. E.; Kureichik, V. V.; Kravchenko, Y. A.

2018-05-01

Users’ demand in computer power and rise of technology favour the arrival of Grid systems. The quality of Grid systems’ performance depends on computer and time resources scheduling. Grid systems with a centralized structure of the scheduling system and user’s task are modeled by resource quadrant and re-source rectangle accordingly. A Non-Euclidean heuristic measure, which takes into consideration both the area and the form of an occupied resource region, is used to estimate scheduling quality of heuristic algorithms. The authors use sets, which are induced by the elements of square squaring, as an example of studying the adapt-ability of a level polynomial algorithm with an excess and the one with minimal deviation.

Self-care resources and activity as predictors of quality of life in persons after myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Baas, Linda S

2004-01-01

An ex post facto correlational study was conducted to examine predictors of quality of life in persons 3 to 6 months after a myocardial infarction. Self-care resources, self-care knowledge (needs), activity level, and selected demographic variables were examined as predictor variables. A convenience sample of 86 subjects with a mean age of 61 years, was recruited for participation in this study. The study that explained 35% of the variance in quality of life included self-care resources available, activity level, and self-care needs. Modeling and Role Modeling Paradigm provided a useful explanation of how self-care resources and self-care knowledge can be applied to persons recovering from myocardial infarction.

Drug information resources used by nurse practitioners and collaborating physicians at the point of care in Nova Scotia, Canada: a survey and review of the literature

PubMed Central

Murphy, Andrea L; Fleming, Mark; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Sketris, Ingrid S; MacCara, Mary; Gass, David

2006-01-01

Background Keeping current with drug therapy information is challenging for health care practitioners. Technologies are often implemented to facilitate access to current and credible drug information sources. In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, legislation was passed in 2002 to allow nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice collaboratively with physician partners. The purpose of this study was to determine the current utilization patterns of information technologies by these groups of practitioners. Methods Nurse practitioners and their collaborating physician partners in Nova Scotia were sent a survey in February 2005 to determine the frequency of use, usefulness, accessibility, credibility, and current/timeliness of personal digital assistant (PDA), computer, and print drug information resources. Two surveys were developed (one for PDA users and one for computer users) and revised based on a literature search, stakeholder consultation, and pilot-testing results. A second distribution to nonresponders occurred two weeks following the first. Data were entered and analysed with SPSS. Results Twenty-seven (14 NPs and 13 physicians) of 36 (75%) recipients responded. 22% (6) returned personal digital assistant (PDA) surveys. Respondents reported print, health professionals, and online/electronic resources as the most to least preferred means to access drug information, respectively. 37% and 35% of respondents reported using "both print and electronic but print more than electronic" and "print only", respectively, to search monograph-related drug information queries whereas 4% reported using "PDA only". Analysis of respondent ratings for all resources in the categories print, health professionals and other, and online/electronic resources, indicated that the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties and pharmacists ranked highly for frequency of use, usefulness, accessibility, credibility, and current/timeliness by both groups of practitioners. Respondents' preferences and resource ratings were consistent with self-reported methods for conducting drug information queries. Few differences existed between NP and physician rankings of resources. Conclusion The use of computers and PDAs remains limited, which is also consistent with preferred and frequent use of print resources. Education for these practitioners regarding available electronic drug information resources may facilitate future computer and PDA use. Further research is needed to determine methods to increase computer and PDA use and whether these technologies affect prescribing and patient outcomes. PMID:16822323

Evaluating Electronic Reference Services: Issues, Approaches and Criteria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novotny, Eric

2001-01-01

Discussion of electronic library reference services focuses on an overview of the chief methodologies available for conducting assessments of electronic services. Highlights include quantitative measures and benchmarks, including equity and access; quality measures; behavioral aspects of quality, including librarian-patron interaction; and future…

Diversity of the Eastern Hardwood Resource and How This Diversity Influences Timber Utilization

Treesearch

William Luppold; Scott A. Pugh

2016-01-01

The eastern hardwood resource is often associated with high-quality sawtimber used in the production of grade products, but this segment of the resource accounts for approximately 20 percent of the cubic volume of all live trees. By contrast, 17 percent of the hardwood timber volume is classified as cull trees, and an additional 14 percent is low-quality sawlog-size...

A Resource Package Training Framework for Producing Quality Graduates to Work in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia: A Global Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Timothy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to advocate the resource package for producing quality graduates to work in rural, regional and remote Australia (TERRR Network), using a global perspective. This paper argues that the resource package achieves more than the objectives of the original project; "Developing Strategies at the Pre-service Level to…

Managing Quality Assurance in Higher Education: The Case of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anane, George Kwadwo; Addaney, Michael

2016-01-01

The paper discusses quality assurance in the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana. The University is a public funded institution established by an act of parliament; Act 830, 2011. As a newly established public funded University, quality assurance plays a central role in satisfying the requirements of stakeholders on the supply and…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 28, 1986.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and nonprint materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 29, 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources, Supplement XIV (1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 23 (1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement XIX (1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 25 (1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to hazardous wastes and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS). A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XVI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement IX.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 24 (l985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS). A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XIII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS). A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XV.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement X.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 26, 1986.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of governmental, private concerns, and…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement XX (1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 22 (1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS). A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials. Supplement XVII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 21 (1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement 27, 1986.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Quality Instructional Resources Information System (IRIS): A Compilation of Abstracts to Water Quality and Water Resources Materials, Supplement XVIII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH. Information Reference Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.

Compiled are abstracts and indexes to selected print and non-print materials related to wastewater treatment and water quality education and instruction, as well as materials related to pesticides, hazardous wastes, and public participation. Sources of abstracted/indexed materials include all levels of government, private concerns, and educational…

Water Resources Data, Georgia, 2002--Volume 1: Continuous water-level, streamflow, water-quality data, and periodic water-quality data, Water Year 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, Andrew C.; Kerestes, John F.; McCallum, Brian E.

2002-01-01

Water resources data for the 2002 water year for Georgia consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; and the stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs published in two volumes in a digital format on a CD-ROM. Volume one of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during water year 2002, including: discharge records of 154 gaging stations; stage for 165 gaging stations; precipitation for 105 gaging stations; information for 20 lakes and reservoirs; continuous water-quality records for 27 stations; the annual peak stage and annual peak discharge for 72 crest-stage partial-record stations; and miscellaneous streamflow measurements at 50 stations, and miscellaneous water-quality data recorded by the NAWQA program in Georgia. Volume two of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during calendar year 2002, including continuous water-level records of 155 ground-water wells and periodic records at 132 water-quality stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Georgia.

Water Resources Data, Georgia, 2003, Volume 1: Continuous water-level, streamflow, water-quality data, and periodic water-quality data, Water Year 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, Andrew C.; Kerestes, John F.; McCallum, Brian E.

2004-01-01

Water resources data for the 2003 water year for Georgia consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; and the stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs published in two volumes in a digital format on a CD-ROM. Volume one of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during water year 2003, including: discharge records of 163 gaging stations; stage for 187 gaging stations; precipitation for 140 gaging stations; information for 19 lakes and reservoirs; continuous water-quality records for 40 stations; the annual peak stage and annual peak discharge for 65 crest-stage partial-record stations; and miscellaneous streamflow measurements at 36 stations, and miscellaneous water-quality data at 162 stations in Georgia. Volume two of this report contains water resources data for Georgia collected during calendar year 2003, including continuous water-level records of 156 ground-water wells and periodic records at 130 water-quality stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Georgia.

Modified Graphene with SnO2 Nanocomposites Using Thermal Decomposition Method and Sensing Behavior Towards NO2 Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Vikram

2017-11-01

This is the first time the graphene sample has been functionalized with metal oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition process. In this paper, graphene has been synthesized from natural resources using flower petals as carbon feedstock by thermal exfoliation technique at temperatures 1300 °C and the synthesis of graphene-tin oxide (SnO2) nanocomposites has been done using chemical treatment followed by thermal decomposition method. The response versus time condition has been investigated for the fabricated sample. The electrical resistance w.r.t. temperature could be explained by the thermal generation of electron-hole pairs and carrier scattering by acoustic phonons. The structural, morphological and chemical composition studies of the nanocomposites were carried out by the Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The evidence of good-quality graphene is obtained from Raman spectroscopy studies. The SEM and HRTEM images have shown that SnO2 nanoparticles are well distributed in the multilayer electron transparent graphene films. The sensor response was found to lie between 8.25 and 9.36% at 500 ppm of nitrogen dioxide, and also resistance recovered quickly without any application of heat. We believe such chemical treatment of graphene could potentially be used to manufacture a new generation of low-power nano-NO2 sensors.

Association Between Real-time Electronic Injury Surveillance Applications and Clinical Documentation and Data Acquisition in a South African Trauma Center.

PubMed

Zargaran, Eiman; Spence, Richard; Adolph, Lauren; Nicol, Andrew; Schuurman, Nadine; Navsaria, Pradeep; Ramsey, Damon; Hameed, S Morad

2018-03-14

Collection and analysis of up-to-date and accurate injury surveillance data are a key step in the maturation of trauma systems. Trauma registries have proven to be difficult to establish in low- and middle-income countries owing to the burden of trauma volume, cost, and complexity. To determine whether an electronic trauma health record (eTHR) used by physicians can serve as simultaneous clinical documentation and data acquisition tools. This 2-part quality improvement study included (1) preimplementation and postimplementation eTHR study with assessments of satisfaction by 41 trauma physicians, time to completion, and quality of data collected comparing paper and electronic charting; and (2) prospective ecologic study describing the burden of trauma seen at a Level I trauma center, using real-time data collected by the eTHR on consecutive patients during a 12-month study period. The study was conducted from October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2011, at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Data analysis was performed from October 15, 2011, to January 15, 2013. The primary outcome of part 1 was data field competition rates of pertinent trauma registry items obtained through electronic or paper documentation. The main measures of part 2 were to identify risk factors to trauma in Cape Town and quality indicators recommended for trauma system evaluation at Groote Schuur Hospital. The 41 physicians included in the study found the electronic patient documentation to be more efficient and preferable. A total of 11 612 trauma presentations were accurately documented and promptly analyzed. Fields relevant to injury surveillance in the eTHR (n = 11 612) had statistically significant higher completion rates compared with paper records (n = 9236) (for all comparisons, P < .001). The eTHR successfully captured quality indicators recommended for trauma system evaluation which were previously challenging to collect in a timely and accurate manner. Of the 11 612 patient admissions over the study period, injury location was captured 11 075 times (95.4%), injury mechanism 11 135 times (95.9%), systolic blood pressure 11 106 times (95.6%), and Glasgow Coma Scale 11 140 times (95.9%). These fields were successfully captured with statistically higher rates than previous paper documentation. Epidemiologic analysis confirmed a heavy burden of violence-related injury (51.8% of all injuries) and motor vehicle crash injuries (14.3% of all injuries). Mapping analysis demonstrated clusters of injuries originating mainly from vulnerable and low-income neighborhoods and their respective referring trauma facilities, Mitchell's Plain Hospital (734 [10.1%]), Guguletu Community Health Center (654 [9.0%]), and New Somerset Hospital (400 [5.5%]). Accurate capture and simultaneous analysis of trauma data in low-resource trauma settings are feasible through the integration of surveillance into clinical workflow and the timely analysis of electronic data.

GRADE guidelines: 10. Considering resource use and rating the quality of economic evidence.

PubMed

Brunetti, Massimo; Shemilt, Ian; Pregno, Silvia; Vale, Luke; Oxman, Andrew D; Lord, Joanne; Sisk, Jane; Ruiz, Francis; Hill, Suzanne; Guyatt, Gordon H; Jaeschke, Roman; Helfand, Mark; Harbour, Robin; Davoli, Marina; Amato, Laura; Liberati, Alessandro; Schünemann, Holger J

2013-02-01

In this article, we describe how to include considerations about resource utilization when making recommendations according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We focus on challenges with rating the confidence in effect estimates (quality of evidence) and incorporating resource use into evidence profiles and Summary of Findings (SoF) tables. GRADE recommends that important differences in resource use between alternative management strategies should be included along with other important outcomes in the evidence profile and SoF table. Key steps in considering resources in making recommendations with GRADE are the identification of items of resource use that may differ between alternative management strategies and that are potentially important to decision makers, finding evidence for the differences in resource use, making judgments regarding confidence in effect estimates using the same criteria used for health outcomes, and valuing the resource use in terms of costs for the specific setting for which recommendations are being made. With our framework, decision makers will have access to concise summaries of recommendations, including ratings of the quality of economic evidence, and better understand the implications for clinical decision making. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP): Southwest Solar Research Park (Formerly SolarCAT) Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (RSR); Phoenix, Arizona (Data)

DOE Data Explorer

Wilcox, S.; Andreas, A.

2010-09-27

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborates with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Joint Solar Power Industry and Department of Energy Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Steve; Myers, Daryl

2009-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has embarked on a collaborative effort with the solar industry to establish high quality solar and meteorological measurements. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of concentrating solar thermal power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result will be high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar power projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Water quality: a factor in Arkansas River development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dover, T.B.

1957-01-01

One of the first requisites for intelligent planning of the utilization and control of water and for the administration of laws relating to its use, is data on the quantity, quality, and mode of occurence of water supplies. The collections, evaluation, interpretation, and publication of such data constitute the primary function of the Water Resources Division of the United States Geological Survey. Since 1895 the Congress has made appropriations to this agency for investigations of the water resources of the Nation. In 1929 the Congress adopted the policy of dollar-for-dollar cooperation with State and local governmental agencies for water-resources investigations. The Geological Survey's Federal-State cooperative program of quality-of-water investigations in Oklahoma was started in 1944 in cooperation with the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board. Since July of this year the program has been carried on cooperatively with the newly created Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

Aggregate resource availability in the conterminous United States, including suggestions for addressing shortages, quality, and environmental concerns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langer, William H.

2011-01-01

Although potential sources of aggregate are widespread throughout the United States, many sources may not meet certain physical property requirements, such as soundness, hardness, strength, porosity, and specific gravity, or they may contain contaminants or deleterious materials that render them unusable. Encroachment by conflicting land uses, permitting considerations, environmental issues, and societal pressures can prevent or limit development of otherwise suitable aggregate. The use of sustainable aggregate resource management can help ensure an economically viable supply of aggregate. Sustainable aggregate resource management techniques that have successfully been used include (1) protecting potential resources from encroachment; (2) using marginal-quality local aggregate for applications that do not demand a high-quality resource; (3) using substitute materials such as clinker, scoria, and recycled asphalt and concrete; and (4) using rail and water to transport aggregates from remote sources.

ARGOS Policy Brief on Semantic Interoperability

PubMed Central

KALRA, Dipak; MUSEN, Mark; SMITH, Barry; CEUSTERS, Werner

2016-01-01

Semantic interoperability is one of the priority themes of the ARGOS Trans-Atlantic Observatory. This topic represents a globally recognised challenge that must be addressed if electronic health records are to be shared among heterogeneous systems, and the information in them exploited to the maximum benefit of patients, professionals, health services, research, and industry. Progress in this multi-faceted challenge has been piecemeal, and valuable lessons have been learned, and approaches discovered, in Europe and in the US that can be shared and combined. Experts from both continents have met at three ARGOS workshops during 2010 and 2011 to share understanding of these issues and how they might be tackled collectively from both sides of the Atlantic. This policy brief summarises the problems and the reasons why they are important to tackle, and also why they are so difficult. It outlines the major areas of semantic innovation that exist and that are available to help address this challenge. It proposes a series of next steps that need to be championed on both sides of the Atlantic if further progress is to be made in sharing and analysing electronic health records meaningfully. Semantic interoperability requires the use of standards, not only for EHR data to be transferred and structurally mapped into a receiving repository, but also for the clinical content of the EHR to be interpreted in conformity with the original meanings intended by its authors. Wide-scale engagement with professional bodies, globally, is needed to develop these clinical information standards. Accurate and complete clinical documentation, faithful to the patient’s situation, and interoperability between systems, require widespread and dependable access to published and maintained collections of coherent and quality-assured semantic resources, including models such as archetypes and templates that would (1) provide clinical context, (2) be mapped to interoperability standards for EHR data, (3) be linked to well specified multi-lingual terminology value sets, and (4) be derived from high quality ontologies. There is need to gain greater experience in how semantic resources should be defined, validated, and disseminated, how users (who increasingly will include patients) should be educated to improve the quality and consistency of EHR documentation and to make full use of it. There are urgent needs to scale up the authorship, acceptance, and adoption of clinical information standards, to leverage and harmonise the islands of standardisation optimally, to assure the quality of the artefacts produced, and to organise end-to-end governance of the development and adoption of solutions. PMID:21893897

75 FR 69049 - Expansion and Extension of the Green Technology Pilot Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... environmental quality, energy conservation, development of renewable energy resources, and greenhouse gas... including greenhouse gas reduction (applications pertaining to environmental quality, energy conservation, development of renewable energy resources or greenhouse gas emission reduction) and met other requirements...

Sound data management as a foundation for natural resources management and science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burley, Thomas E.

2012-01-01

Effective decision making is closely related to the quality and completeness of available data and information. Data management helps to ensure data quality in any discipline and supports decision making. Managing data as a long-term scientific asset helps to ensure that data will be usable beyond the original intended application. Emerging issues in water-resources management and climate variability require the ability to analyze change in the conditions of natural resources over time. The availability of quality, well-managed, and documented data from the past and present helps support this requirement.

[Perception of quality of life and the use of social welfare resources for the elderly in non-institutionalized elders].

PubMed

Ricoy Lorenzo, M Carmen; Pino Juste, Margarita R

2008-01-01

To determine quality of life and resource use by a group of elderly people as a starting point for the subsequent design and implementation of a health education program in the autonomous region of Galicia (Spain). This study was carried out in 407 non-institutionalized elderly persons attending 17 walk-in primary care health centers in the south of Galicia. A descriptive-interpretative approach was used and the results were obtained from the SF-12 quality of life scale and an ad hoc questionnaire. Factors related to a more favorable perception of quality of life were younger age, being married, having a comfortable socioeconomic position and educational level, male sex, and not having serious diseases. The group studied used some of the nearby social and health resources available in the community, such as the health center, pharmacy office, and the church, more frequently than others. The results obtained are useful to approach the design and development of a health education program for the elderly, based on the following evidence: most participants had a positive view of their quality of life that decreased with age; the intensity and continuity of health resource use differed in this group and access to these resources diminished in rural areas.

Community health centers tackle rising demands and expectations.

PubMed

Hurley, Robert; Felland, Laurie; Lauer, Johanna

2007-12-01

As key providers of preventive and primary care for underserved people, including the uninsured, community health centers (CHCs) are the backbone of the U.S. health care safety net. Despite significant federal funding increases, community health centers are struggling to meet rising demand for care, particularly for specialty medical, dental and mental health services, according to findings from the Center for Studying Health System Change's (HSC) 2007 site visits to 12 nationally representative metropolitan communities. Health centers are responding to these pressures by expanding capacity and adding services but confront staffing, resource and other constraints. At the same time, CHCs are facing other demands, including increased quality reporting expectations, addressing racial and ethnic disparities, developing electronic medical records, and preparing for public health emergencies.

Implementation of a large-scale hospital information infrastructure for multi-unit health-care services.

PubMed

Yoo, Sun K; Kim, Dong Keun; Kim, Jung C; Park, Youn Jung; Chang, Byung Chul

2008-01-01

With the increase in demand for high quality medical services, the need for an innovative hospital information system has become essential. An improved system has been implemented in all hospital units of the Yonsei University Health System. Interoperability between multi-units required appropriate hardware infrastructure and software architecture. This large-scale hospital information system encompassed PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications Systems), EMR (Electronic Medical Records) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). It involved two tertiary hospitals and 50 community hospitals. The monthly data production rate by the integrated hospital information system is about 1.8 TByte and the total quantity of data produced so far is about 60 TByte. Large scale information exchange and sharing will be particularly useful for telemedicine applications.

Mobile Care (Moca) for Remote Diagnosis and Screening

PubMed Central

Celi, Leo Anthony; Sarmenta, Luis; Rotberg, Jhonathan; Marcelo, Alvin; Clifford, Gari

2010-01-01

Moca is a cell phone-facilitated clinical information system to improve diagnostic, screening and therapeutic capabilities in remote resource-poor settings. The software allows transmission of any medical file, whether a photo, x-ray, audio or video file, through a cell phone to (1) a central server for archiving and incorporation into an electronic medical record (to facilitate longitudinal care, quality control, and data mining), and (2) a remote specialist for real-time decision support (to leverage expertise). The open source software is designed as an end-to-end clinical information system that seamlessly connects health care workers to medical professionals. It is integrated with OpenMRS, an existing open source medical records system commonly used in developing countries. PMID:21822397

Implementation of health information technology to maximize efficiency of resource utilization in a geographically dispersed prenatal care delivery system.

PubMed

Cochran, Marlo Baker; Snyder, Russell R; Thomas, Elizabeth; Freeman, Daniel H; Hankins, Gary D V

2012-04-01

This study investigated the utilization of health information technology (HIT) to enhance resource utilization in a geographically dispersed tertiary care system with extensive outpatient and delivery services. It was initiated as a result of a systems change implemented after Hurricane Ike devastated southeast Texas. A retrospective database and electronic medical record review was performed, which included data collection from all patients evaluated 18 months prior (epoch I) and 18 months following (epoch II) the landfall of Hurricane Ike. The months immediately following the storm were omitted from the analysis, allowing time to establish a new baseline. We analyzed a total of 21,201 patients evaluated in triage at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Epoch I consisted of 11,280 patients and epoch II consisted of 9922 patients. Using HIT, we were able to decrease the number of visits to triage while simultaneously managing more complex patients in the outpatient setting with no clinically significant change in maternal or fetal outcome. This study developed an innovated model of care using constrained resources while providing quality and safety to our patients without additional cost to the health care delivery system. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

A Canada-Bangladesh partnership for nurse education: case study.

PubMed

Berland, A; Richards, J; Lund, K D

2010-09-01

To describe the lessons learned from a partnership in nurse education between a Bangladesh university and a group of Canadian volunteers. In the host country, nursing enjoys low status and pay, which adversely affect professional standards. The paper describes implementation details of training a core of nurses to international standards, using limited resources. The first cohort received their Bachelor of Nursing degrees in 2009. The Bangladeshi partners benefit from access to up-to-date curriculum materials, current clinical expertise, and interaction with visiting faculty and students. The Canadian nursing instructors enjoy professional development opportunities; visiting Canadian students gain exposure to a practice setting in a low-income country. These include the importance of (1) integrating nurse training with a general university able to provide core courses (e.g. English as second language, computer training), (2) countering the low status of nursing and inculcating a caring attitude among students, and (3) instilling critical thinking as opposed to rote learning. Next, the following were identified: mechanisms to support networking in the local health system, sharing of resources (e.g. electronic course material adapted to host country context), and assuring programme quality. The paper will be of interest to those concerned with nurse education and human resource development in less developed countries.

Environmental impact of pyrolysis of mixed WEEE plastics part 2: Life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Alston, Sue M; Arnold, J Cris

2011-11-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) contains up to 25% plastics. Extraction of higher quality fractions for recycling leaves a mix of plastic types contaminated with other materials, requiring the least environmentally harmful disposal route. Data from trials of pyrolysis, described in part 1 of this paper set, were used in a life cycle assessment of the treatment of WEEE plastics. Various levels of recycling of the sorted fraction were considered, and pyrolysis was compared with incineration (with energy recovery) and landfill for disposal of the remainder. Increased recycling gave reduced environmental impact in almost all categories considered, although inefficient recycling decreased that benefit. Significant differences between pyrolysis, incineration and landfill were seen in climate change impacts, carbon sent to landfill, resources saved, and radiation. There was no overall "best" option. Landfill had the least short-term impact on climate change so could be a temporary means of sequestering carbon. Incineration left almost no carbon to landfill, but produced the most greenhouse gases. Pyrolysis or incineration saved most resources, with the balance depending on the source of electricity replaced by incineration. Pyrolysis emerged as a strong compromise candidate since the gases and oils produced could be used as fuels and so provided significant resource saving without high impact on climate change or landfill space.

Use of Web-based library resources by medical students in community and ambulatory settings*

PubMed Central

Tannery, Nancy Hrinya; Foust, Jill E.; Gregg, Amy L.; Hartman, Linda M.; Kuller, Alice B.; Worona, Paul; Tulsky, Asher A.

2002-01-01

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the use of Web-based library resources by third-year medical students. Setting/Participants/Resources: Third-year medical students (147) in a twelve-week multidisciplinary primary care rotation in community and ambulatory settings. Methodology: Individual user surveys and log file analysis of Website were used. Results/Outcomes: Twenty resource topics were compiled into a Website to provide students with access to electronic library resources from any community-based clerkship location. These resource topics, covering subjects such as hypertension and back pain, linked to curriculum training problems, full-text journal articles, MEDLINE searches, electronic book chapters, and relevant Websites. More than half of the students (69%) accessed the Website on a daily or weekly basis. Over 80% thought the Website was a valuable addition to their clerkship. Discussion/Conclusion: Web-based information resources can provide curriculum support to students for whom access to the library is difficult and time consuming. PMID:12113515

Economic Evaluations of Opioid Use Disorder Interventions: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Murphy, Sean M.; Polsky, Daniel

2017-01-01

Background The economic costs associated with opioid misuse are immense. Effective interventions for opioid use disorders are available; however, given the scarce resources faced by substance-use treatment providers and payers of all kinds, evidence of effectiveness is not always sufficient to encourage the adoption of a given therapy, nor should it be. Economic evaluations can provide evidence that will help stakeholders efficiently allocate their resources. Objective The purpose of this study was to review the literature on economic evaluations of opioid use disorder interventions. Methods We performed a systematic review of the major electronic databases from inception until present (August 2015). A sensitive approach was used to ensure a comprehensive list of relevant articles. Given the quality of existing reviews, we narrowed our search to studies published since 2007. The Drummond checklist was used to evaluate and categorize economic-evaluation studies according to their quality. Results A total of 98 articles were identified as potentially relevant to the current study. Of these 98 articles, half (n=49) were included in this study. Six of the included articles were review in nature. The remaining 43 articles performed an economic evaluation of an intervention for opioid use disorders. In general, the evidence on methadone-maintenance therapy (MMT) supports previous findings that MMT is an economically advantageous opioid-use-disorder therapy. The economic literature comparing MMT to other opioid-use-disorder pharmacotherapies is limited, as is the literature on other forms of therapy. Conclusions With the possible exception of MMT, additional high-quality economic evaluations are needed in order to assess the relative value of existing opioid-use-disorder interventions. PMID:27002518

Overview of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leahy, P.P.; Thompson, T.H.

1994-01-01

The Nation's water resources are the basis for life and our economic vitality. These resources support a complex web of human activities and fishery and wildlife needs that depend upon clean water. Demands for good-quality water for drinking, recreation, farming, and industry are rising, and as a result, the American public is concerned about the condition and sustainability of our water resources. The American public is asking: Is it safe to swim in and drink water from our rivers or lakes? Can we eat the fish that come from them? Is our ground water polluted? Is water quality degrading with time, and if so, why? Has all the money we've spent to clean up our waters, done any good? The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program was designed to provide information that will help answer these questions. NAWQA is designed to assess historical, current, and future water-quality conditions in representative river basins and aquifers nationwide. One of the primary objectives of the program is to describe relations between natural factors, human activities, and water-quality conditions and to define those factors that most affect water quality in different parts of the Nation. The linkage of water quality to environmental processes is of fundamental importance to water-resource managers, planners, and policy makers. It provides a strong and unbiased basis for better decisionmaking by those responsible for making decisions that affect our water resources, including the United States Congress, Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups, and industry. Information from the NAWQA Program also will be useful for guiding research, monitoring, and regulatory activities in cost effective ways.

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of clinical nurse specialists in outpatient roles: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kilpatrick, Kelley; Kaasalainen, Sharon; Donald, Faith; Reid, Kim; Carter, Nancy; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Harbman, Patricia; Marshall, Deborah Anne; Charbonneau-Smith, Renee; DiCenso, Alba

2014-12-01

Increasing numbers of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are working in outpatient settings. The objective of this paper is to describe a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the cost-effectiveness of CNSs delivering outpatient care in alternative or complementary provider roles. We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and seven other electronic databases, 1980 to July 2012 and hand-searched bibliographies and key journals. RCTs that evaluated formally trained CNSs and health system outcomes were included. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Quality of Health Economic Studies instrument. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation to assess quality of evidence for individual outcomes. Eleven RCTs, four evaluating alternative provider (n = 683 participants) and seven evaluating complementary provider roles (n = 1464 participants), were identified. Results of the alternative provider RCTs (low-to-moderate quality evidence) were fairly consistent across study populations with similar patient outcomes to usual care, some evidence of reduced resource use and costs, and two economic analyses (one fair and one high quality) favouring CNS care. Results of the complementary provider RCTs (low-to-moderate quality evidence) were also fairly consistent across study populations with similar or improved patient outcomes and mostly similar health system outcomes when compared with usual care; however, the economic analyses were weak. Low-to-moderate quality evidence supports the effectiveness and two fair-to-high quality economic analyses support the cost-effectiveness of outpatient alternative provider CNSs. Low-to-moderate quality evidence supports the effectiveness of outpatient complementary provider CNSs; however, robust economic evaluations are needed to address cost-effectiveness. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.