Sample records for quality information service

  1. Total Quality Management in Information Services. Information Services Management Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    St. Clair, Guy

    Information services managers have a responsibility to provide the best information delivery possible. The basic principles of total quality management can be used by information professionals to help justify library funding through the creation of an environment where customer-patron satisfaction is paramount. This book reveals how to apply the…

  2. Quality Management and Building Government Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farrell, Maggie

    1998-01-01

    Discusses serving library-patron needs in terms of customer service and quality control. Highlights include tools for measuring the quality of service (e.g., the SERVQUAL survey), advisory boards or focus groups, library "service statements," changing patron needs, new information formats, and justifying depository library services. (JAK)

  3. Total quality management - It works for aerospace information services

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Erwin, James; Eberline, Carl; Colquitt, Wanda

    1993-01-01

    Today we are in the midst of information and 'total quality' revolutions. At the NASA STI Program's Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), we are focused on using continuous improvements techniques to enrich today's services and products and to ensure that tomorrow's technology supports the TQM-based improvement of future STI program products and services. The Continuous Improvements Program at CASI is the foundation for Total Quality Management in products and services. The focus is customer-driven; its goal, to identify processes and procedures that can be improved and new technologies that can be integrated with the processes to gain efficiencies, provide effectiveness, and promote customer satisfaction. This Program seeks to establish quality through an iterative defect prevention approach that is based on the incorporation of standards and measurements into the processing cycle.

  4. 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.

  5. Motivating medical information system performance by system quality, service quality, and job satisfaction for evidence-based practice.

    PubMed

    Chang, Ching-Sheng; Chen, Su-Yueh; Lan, Yi-Ting

    2012-11-21

    No previous studies have addressed the integrated relationships among system quality, service quality, job satisfaction, and system performance; this study attempts to bridge such a gap with evidence-based practice study. The convenience sampling method was applied to the information system users of three hospitals in southern Taiwan. A total of 500 copies of questionnaires were distributed, and 283 returned copies were valid, suggesting a valid response rate of 56.6%. SPSS 17.0 and AMOS 17.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for data analysis and processing. The findings are as follows: System quality has a positive influence on service quality (γ11= 0.55), job satisfaction (γ21= 0.32), and system performance (γ31= 0.47). Service quality (β31= 0.38) and job satisfaction (β32= 0.46) will positively influence system performance. It is thus recommended that the information office of hospitals and developers take enhancement of service quality and user satisfaction into consideration in addition to placing b on system quality and information quality when designing, developing, or purchasing an information system, in order to improve benefits and gain more achievements generated by hospital information systems.

  6. Modelling End-User of Electronic-Government Service: The Role of Information quality, System Quality and Trust

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Witarsyah Jacob, Deden; Fudzee, Mohd Farhan Md; Aizi Salamat, Mohamad; Kasim, Shahreen; Mahdin, Hairulnizam; Azhar Ramli, Azizul

    2017-08-01

    Many governments around the world increasingly use internet technologies such as electronic government to provide public services. These services range from providing the most basic informational website to deploying sophisticated tools for managing interactions between government agencies and beyond government. Electronic government (e-government) aims to provide a more accurate, easily accessible, cost-effective and time saving for the community. In this study, we develop a new model of e-government adoption service by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) through the incorporation of some variables such as System Quality, Information Quality and Trust. The model is then tested using a large-scale, multi-site survey research of 237 Indonesian citizens. This model will be validated by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The result indicates that System Quality, Information Quality and Trust variables proven to effect user behavior. This study extends the current understanding on the influence of System Quality, Information Quality and Trust factors to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

  7. Total quality management: It works for aerospace information services

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Erwin, James; Eberline, Carl; Colquitt, Wanda

    1993-01-01

    Today we are in the midst of information and 'total quality' revolutions. At the NASA STI Program's Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), we are focused on using continuous improvements techniques to enrich today's services and products and to ensure that tomorrow's technology supports the TQM-based improvement of future STI program products and services. The Continuous Improvements Program at CASI is the foundation for Total Quality Management in products and services. The focus is customer-driven; its goal, to identify processes and procedures that can be improved and new technologies that can be integrated with the processes to gain efficiencies, provide effectiveness, and promote customer satisfaction. This Program seeks to establish quality through an iterative defect prevention approach that is based on the incorporation of standards and measurements into the processing cycle. Four projects are described that utilize cross-functional, problem-solving teams for identifying requirements and defining tasks and task standards, management participation, attention to critical processes, and measurable long-term goals. The implementation of these projects provides the customer with measurably improved access to information that is provided through several channels: the NASA STI Database, document requests for microfiche and hardcopy, and the Centralized Help Desk.

  8. Quality of service management framework for dynamic chaining of geographic information services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Onchaga, Richard

    2006-06-01

    Dynamic chaining of geographic information services (geo-services) is gaining popularity as a new paradigm for evolving flexible geo-information systems and for providing on-demand access to geo-information. In dynamic chaining, disparate geo-services are discovered and composed at run time to yield more elaborate functionality and create value-added geo-information. Common approaches to service chaining discover and compose disparate geo-services based on the functional capability of individual geo-services. The primary concern of common approaches is thus the emergent behavior of the resulting composite geo-service. However, as geo-services become mundane and take on a greater and more strategic role in mission critical processes, deliverable quality of service (QoS) becomes an important concern. QoS concerns operational characteristics of a service that determine its utility in an application context. To address pertinent QoS requirements, a new approach to service chaining becomes necessary. In this paper we propose a QoS-aware chaining approach in which geo-services are discovered, composed and executed considering both functional and QoS requirements. We prescribe a QoS management framework that defines fundamental principles, concepts and mechanisms which can be applied to evolve an effective distributed computing platform for QoS-aware chaining of geo-services - the so-called geo-service infrastructure. The paper also defines an extensible QoS model for services delivered by dynamic compositions of geo-services. The process of orthophoto generation is used to demonstrate the applicability of the prescribed framework to service-oriented geographic information processing.

  9. Motivating medical information system performance by system quality, service quality, and job satisfaction for evidence-based practice

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background No previous studies have addressed the integrated relationships among system quality, service quality, job satisfaction, and system performance; this study attempts to bridge such a gap with evidence-based practice study. Methods The convenience sampling method was applied to the information system users of three hospitals in southern Taiwan. A total of 500 copies of questionnaires were distributed, and 283 returned copies were valid, suggesting a valid response rate of 56.6%. SPSS 17.0 and AMOS 17.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for data analysis and processing. Results The findings are as follows: System quality has a positive influence on service quality (γ11= 0.55), job satisfaction (γ21= 0.32), and system performance (γ31= 0.47). Service quality (β31= 0.38) and job satisfaction (β32= 0.46) will positively influence system performance. Conclusions It is thus recommended that the information office of hospitals and developers take enhancement of service quality and user satisfaction into consideration in addition to placing b on system quality and information quality when designing, developing, or purchasing an information system, in order to improve benefits and gain more achievements generated by hospital information systems. PMID:23171394

  10. Use of quality information in decision-making about health and social care services--a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Turnpenny, Agnes; Beadle-Brown, Julie

    2015-07-01

    User choice and personalisation have been at the centre of health and social care policies in many countries. Exercising choice can be especially challenging for people with long-term conditions (LTC) or disabilities. Information about the quality, cost and availability of services is central to user choice. This study used systematic review methods to synthesise evidence in three main areas: (i) how people with LTC or disabilities and their family carers find and access information about the quality of services; (ii) how quality information is used in decision-making; and (iii) what type of quality information is most useful. Quality information was defined broadly and could include formal quality reports (e.g. inspection reports, report cards, etc.), information about the characteristics of a service or provider (e.g. number and qualifications of staff, facilities, etc.) and informal reports about quality (e.g. personal experience, etc.). Literature searches were carried out using electronic databases in January 2012. Thirteen papers reporting findings from empirical studies published between 2001 and 2012 were included in the review. The majority of papers (n = 9) had a qualitative design. The analysis highlighted the use of multiple sources of information in decision-making about services and in particular the importance of informal sources and extended social networks in accessing information. There is limited awareness and use of 'official' and online information sources. Service users or family carers place greater emphasis on general information and structural indicators. Clinical or quality-of-life outcomes are often difficult to interpret and apply. Trust emerged a key issue in relation to quality information. Experiential and subjective information is highly valued and trusted. Various barriers to the effective use of quality information in making choices about services are identified. Implications for policy and future research are discussed. © 2014

  11. Enhancing Quality of Orthotic Services with Process and Outcome Information

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0788 TITLE: Enhancing Quality of Orthotic Services with Process and Outcome Information PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for... information . Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information , including suggestions for reducing this

  12. A quality function deployment framework for the service quality of health information websites.

    PubMed

    Chang, Hyejung; Kim, Dohoon

    2010-03-01

    This research was conducted to identify both the users' service requirements on health information websites (HIWs) and the key functional elements for running HIWs. With the quality function deployment framework, the derived service attributes (SAs) are mapped into the suppliers' functional characteristics (FCs) to derive the most critical FCs for the users' satisfaction. Using the survey data from 228 respondents, the SAs, FCs and their relationships were analyzed using various multivariate statistical methods such as principal component factor analysis, discriminant analysis, correlation analysis, etc. Simple and compound FC priorities were derived by matrix calculation. Nine factors of SAs and five key features of FCs were identified, and these served as the basis for the house of quality model. Based on the compound FC priorities, the functional elements pertaining to security and privacy, and usage support should receive top priority in the course of enhancing HIWs. The quality function deployment framework can improve the FCs of the HIWs in an effective, structured manner, and it can also be utilized for critical success factors together with their strategic implications for enhancing the service quality of HIWs. Therefore, website managers could efficiently improve website operations by considering this study's results.

  13. Measuring Service Quality in the Information Services Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maddox-Swan, Ruth

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to identify the service factors that influence judgments of customer satisfaction in the academic library/media center. The study, conducted at Florida State University examined the relative importance of these determinants of service quality and compared these results to earlier studies conducted with customers of…

  14. A Quality Function Deployment Framework for the Service Quality of Health Information Websites

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Dohoon

    2010-01-01

    Objectives This research was conducted to identify both the users' service requirements on health information websites (HIWs) and the key functional elements for running HIWs. With the quality function deployment framework, the derived service attributes (SAs) are mapped into the suppliers' functional characteristics (FCs) to derive the most critical FCs for the users' satisfaction. Methods Using the survey data from 228 respondents, the SAs, FCs and their relationships were analyzed using various multivariate statistical methods such as principal component factor analysis, discriminant analysis, correlation analysis, etc. Simple and compound FC priorities were derived by matrix calculation. Results Nine factors of SAs and five key features of FCs were identified, and these served as the basis for the house of quality model. Based on the compound FC priorities, the functional elements pertaining to security and privacy, and usage support should receive top priority in the course of enhancing HIWs. Conclusions The quality function deployment framework can improve the FCs of the HIWs in an effective, structured manner, and it can also be utilized for critical success factors together with their strategic implications for enhancing the service quality of HIWs. Therefore, website managers could efficiently improve website operations by considering this study's results. PMID:21818418

  15. THE CONCEPT OF A COMMUNITY INFORMATION SYSTEM TO MEASURE THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    The community information system would consist of the collection of data relevant to public service quality , the periodic reporting of this data in a summarized, sharply focused form, and the application of reliable performance measures to it. The primary purpose of the CIS...groups in forming balanced judgments and making decisions concerning the service they receive. A secondary purpose would be to increase service quality by making it more visible to the public. (Author)

  16. Consumer evaluation of the quality of hospital services from an economics of information perspective.

    PubMed

    Lynch, J; Schuler, D

    1990-06-01

    Consumer evaluations of the quality of hospital services have become increasingly important as the patient and the patient's family have become more involved in hospital selection. The authors investigate the appropriateness of the search, experience, and credence typology of economics of information theory as a framework for analyzing how consumers judge the quality of specific hospital services. Advertising strategies are recommended for each category for hospitals seeking to create images of quality and excellence.

  17. Information for mental health systems: an instrument for policy-making and system service quality.

    PubMed

    Lora, A; Lesage, A; Pathare, S; Levav, I

    2017-08-01

    Information is crucial in mental healthcare, yet it remains undervalued by stakeholders. Its absence undermines rationality in planning, makes it difficult to monitor service quality improvement, impedes accountability and human rights monitoring. For international organizations (e.g., WHO, OECD), information is indispensable for achieving better outcomes in mental health policies, services and programs. This article reviews the importance of developing system level information with reference to inputs, processes and outputs, analyzes available tools for collecting and summarizing information, highlights the various goals of information gathering, discusses implementation issues and charts the way forward. Relevant publications and research were consulted, including WHO studies that purport to promote the use of information systems to upgrade mental health care in high- and low-middle income countries. Studies have shown that once information has been collected by relevant systems and analyzed through indicator schemes, it can be put to many uses. Monitoring mental health services, represents a first step in using information. In addition, studies have noted that information is a prime resource in many other areas such as evaluation of quality of care against evidence based standards of care. Services data may support health services research where it is possible to link mental health data with other health and non-health databases. Information systems are required to carefully monitor involuntary admissions, restrain and seclusion, to reduce human rights violations in care facilities. Information has been also found useful for policy makers, to monitor the implementation of policies, to evaluate their impact, to rationally allocate funding and to create new financing models. Despite its manifold applications, Information systems currently face many problems such as incomplete recording, poor data quality, lack of timely reporting and feedback, and limited

  18. Public transparency Web sites for radiology practices: prevalence of price, clinical quality, and service quality information.

    PubMed

    Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Doshi, Ankur M

    2016-01-01

    To assess information regarding radiology practices on public transparency Web sites. Eight Web sites comparing radiology centers' price and quality were identified. Web site content was assessed. Six of eight Web sites reported examination prices. Other reported information included hours of operation (4/8), patient satisfaction (2/8), American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation (3/8), on-site radiologists (2/8), as well as parking, accessibility, waiting area amenities, same/next-day reports, mammography follow-up rates, examination appropriateness, radiation dose, fellowship-trained radiologists, and advanced technologies (1/8 each). Transparency Web sites had a preponderance of price (and to a lesser extent service quality) information, risking fostering price-based competition at the expense of clinical quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. A service for the application of data quality information to NASA earth science satellite records

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Armstrong, E. M.; Xing, Z.; Fry, C.; Khalsa, S. J. S.; Huang, T.; Chen, G.; Chin, T. M.; Alarcon, C.

    2016-12-01

    A recurring demand in working with satellite-based earth science data records is the need to apply data quality information. Such quality information is often contained within the data files as an array of "flags", but can also be represented by more complex quality descriptions such as combinations of bit flags, or even other ancillary variables that can be applied as thresholds to the geophysical variable of interest. For example, with Level 2 granules from the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) project up to 6 independent variables could be used to screen the sea surface temperature measurements on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Quality screening of Level 3 data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) instrument can be become even more complex, involving 161 unique bit states or conditions a user can screen for. The application of quality information is often a laborious process for the user until they understand the implications of all the flags and bit conditions, and requires iterative approaches using custom software. The Virtual Quality Screening Service, a NASA ACCESS project, is addressing these issues and concerns. The project has developed an infrastructure to expose, apply, and extract quality screening information building off known and proven NASA components for data extraction and subset-by-value, data discovery, and exposure to the user of granule-based quality information. Further sharing of results through well-defined URLs and web service specifications has also been implemented. The presentation will focus on overall description of the technologies and informatics principals employed by the project. Examples of implementations of the end-to-end web service for quality screening with GHRSST and SMAP granules will be demonstrated.

  20. Quality Management and Information Brokerage.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Halm, Johan

    1995-01-01

    To compete effectively, information brokers need to adopt management and marketing tools; Total Quality Management can upgrade an organization's performance by using customer feedback of its services. SERVQUAL identifies gaps in service by assessing quality expectations versus quality experiences. (AEF)

  1. Information Technology Manager's Perspective on Experiences with Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: A Phenomenology Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porter, Sherry A.

    2016-01-01

    The general problem was that, in the competitive telecommunications industry, information technology service providers have to develop ways to improve on customer satisfaction and service quality during service disruptions to meet service level agreements. A descriptive phenomenological study was used to explore the lived experiences and…

  2. [Quality management is associated with high quality services in health care].

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Tenna Hassert; Riis, Allan; Mainz, Jan; Jensen, Anne-Louise Degn

    2013-12-09

    In these years, quality management has been the focus in order to meet high quality services for the patients in Danish health care. This article provides information on quality management and quality improvement and it evaluates its effectiveness in achieving better organizational structures, processes and results in Danish health-care organizations. Our findings generally support that quality management is associated with high quality services in health care.

  3. E-Service Quality Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Batagan, Lorena; Pocovnicu, Adrian; Capisizu, Sergiu

    2009-01-01

    A characteristic of today's society is the increasing use of modern information and communication technologies in all areas. Computer applications, called e-services, are being developed to provide efficient access to services, electronically. Quality management systems are needed to provide a consistent way to select, evaluate, prioritize and…

  4. Investigation of Service Quality of Measurement Reference Points for the Internet Services on Mobile Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lipenbergs, E.; Bobrovs, Vj.; Ivanovs, G.

    2016-10-01

    To ensure that end-users and consumers have access to comprehensive, comparable and user-friendly information regarding the Internet access service quality, it is necessary to implement and regularly renew a set of legislative regulatory acts and to provide monitoring of the quality of Internet access services regarding the current European Regulatory Framework. The actual situation regarding the quality of service monitoring solutions in different European countries depends on national regulatory initiatives and public awareness. The service monitoring solutions are implemented using different measurement methodologies and tools. The paper investigates the practical implementations for developing a harmonising approach to quality monitoring in order to obtain objective information on the quality of Internet access services on mobile networks.

  5. Service Quality: A Main Determinant Factor for Health Information System Success in Low-resource Settings.

    PubMed

    Tilahun, Binyam; Fritz, Fleur

    2015-01-01

    With the increasing implementation of different health information systems in developing countries, there is a growing need to measure the main determinants of their success. The results of this evaluation study on the determinants of HIS success in five low resource setting hospitals show that service quality is the main determinant factor for information system success in those kind of settings.

  6. National Water Quality Laboratory, 1995 services catalog

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Timme, P.J.

    1995-01-01

    This Services Catalog contains information about field supplies and analytical services available from the National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, Colo., and field supplies available from the Quality Water Service Unit in Ocala, Fla., to members of the U.S. Geological Survey. To assist personnel in the selection of analytical services, this catalog lists sample volume, required containers, applicable concentration range, detection level, precision of analysis, and preservation requirements for samples.

  7. Developing Information Services and Tools to Access and Evaluate Data Quality in Global Satellite-based Precipitation Products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Z.; Shie, C. L.; Meyer, D. J.

    2017-12-01

    Global satellite-based precipitation products have been widely used in research and applications around the world. Compared to ground-based observations, satellite-based measurements provide precipitation data on a global scale, especially in remote continents and over oceans. Over the years, satellite-based precipitation products have evolved from single sensor and single algorithm to multi-sensors and multi-algorithms. As a result, many satellite-based precipitation products have been enhanced such as spatial and temporal coverages. With inclusion of ground-based measurements, biases of satellite-based precipitation products have been significantly reduced. However, data quality issues still exist and can be caused by many factors such as observations, satellite platform anomaly, algorithms, production, calibration, validation, data services, etc. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) is home to NASA global precipitation product archives including the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), as well as other global and regional precipitation products. Precipitation is one of the top downloaded and accessed parameters in the GES DISC data archive. Meanwhile, users want to easily locate and obtain data quality information at regional and global scales to better understand how precipitation products perform and how reliable they are. As data service providers, it is necessary to provide an easy access to data quality information, however, such information normally is not available, and when it is available, it is not in one place and difficult to locate. In this presentation, we will present challenges and activities at the GES DISC to address precipitation data quality issues.

  8. Quality of service provision assessment in the healthcare information and telecommunications infrastructures.

    PubMed

    Babulak, Eduard

    2006-01-01

    The continuous increase in the complexity and the heterogeneity of corporate and healthcare telecommunications infrastructures will require new assessment methods of quality of service (QoS) provision that are capable of addressing all engineering and social issues with much faster speeds. Speed and accessibility to any information at any time from anywhere will create global communications infrastructures with great performance bottlenecks that may put in danger human lives, power supplies, national economy and security. Regardless of the technology supporting the information flows, the final verdict on the QoS is made by the end user. The users' perception of telecommunications' network infrastructure QoS provision is critical to the successful business management operation of any organization. As a result, it is essential to assess the QoS Provision in the light of user's perception. This article presents a cost effective methodology to assess the user's perception of quality of service provision utilizing the existing Staffordshire University Network (SUN) by adding a component of measurement to the existing model presented by Walker. This paper presents the real examples of CISCO Networking Solutions for Health Care givers and offers a cost effective approach to assess the QoS provision within the campus network, which could be easily adapted to any health care organization or campus network in the world.

  9. Phoenix: SOA based information management services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grant, Rob; Combs, Vaughn; Hanna, Jim; Lipa, Brian; Reilly, Jim

    2009-05-01

    The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has developed a reference set of Information Management (IM) Services that will provide an essential piece of the envisioned final Net-Centric IM solution for the Department of Defense (DoD). These IM Services will provide mission critical functionality to enable seamless interoperability between existing and future DoD systems and services while maintaining a highly available IM capability across the wide spectrum of differing scalability and performance requirements. AFRL designed this set of IM Services for integration with other DoD and commercial SOA environments. The services developed will provide capabilities for information submission, information brokering and discovery, repository, query, type management, dissemination, session management, authorization, service brokering and event notification. In addition, the IM services support common information models that facilitate the management and dissemination of information consistent with client needs and established policy. The services support flexible and extensible definitions of session, service, and channel contexts that enable the application of Quality of Service (QoS) and security policies at many levels within the SOA.

  10. Tourism guide cloud service quality: What actually delights customers?

    PubMed

    Lin, Shu-Ping; Yang, Chen-Lung; Pi, Han-Chung; Ho, Thao-Minh

    2016-01-01

    The emergence of advanced IT and cloud services has beneficially supported the information-intensive tourism industry, simultaneously caused extreme competitions in attracting customers through building efficient service platforms. On response, numerous nations have implemented cloud platforms to provide value-added sightseeing information and personal intelligent service experiences. Despite these efforts, customers' actual perspectives have yet been sufficiently understood. To bridge the gap, this study attempts to investigate what aspects of tourism cloud services actually delight customers' satisfaction and loyalty. 336 valid survey questionnaire answers were analyzed using structural equation modeling method. The results prove positive impacts of function quality, enjoyment, multiple visual aids, and information quality on customers' satisfaction as well as of enjoyment and satisfaction on use loyalty. The findings hope to provide helpful references of customer use behaviors for enhancing cloud service quality in order to achieve better organizational competitiveness.

  11. Ensuring and Improving Information Quality for Earth Science Data and Products Role of the ESIP Information Quality Cluster

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramapriyan, H. K. (Rama); Peng, Ge; Moroni, David; Shie, Chung-Lin

    2016-01-01

    Quality of products is always of concern to users regardless of the type of products. The focus of this paper is on the quality of Earth science data products. There are four different aspects of quality scientific, product, stewardship and service. All these aspects taken together constitute Information Quality. With increasing requirement on ensuring and improving information quality, there has been considerable work related to information quality during the last several years. Given this rich background of prior work, the Information Quality Cluster (IQC), established within the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) has been active with membership from multiple organizations. Its objectives and activities, aimed at ensuring and improving information quality for Earth science data and products, are discussed briefly.

  12. Ensuring and Improving Information Quality for Earth Science Data and Products: Role of the ESIP Information Quality Cluster

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramapriyan, Hampapuram; Peng, Ge; Moroni, David; Shie, Chung-Lin

    2016-01-01

    Quality of products is always of concern to users regardless of the type of products. The focus of this paper is on the quality of Earth science data products. There are four different aspects of quality - scientific, product, stewardship and service. All these aspects taken together constitute Information Quality. With increasing requirement on ensuring and improving information quality, there has been considerable work related to information quality during the last several years. Given this rich background of prior work, the Information Quality Cluster (IQC), established within the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) has been active with membership from multiple organizations. Its objectives and activities, aimed at ensuring and improving information quality for Earth science data and products, are discussed briefly.

  13. Evaluating Service Quality in Universities: A Service Department Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Gareth; Smith, Alison; Clarke, Alison

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the study is to report on an in-depth exploration of service quality in an Information Technology service department in a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and to evaluate the instrument used. Design/methodology/approach: The study surveys customers using the SERVQUAL instrument, which is one of the most widely used and…

  14. Evaluation of poison information services provided by a new poison information center.

    PubMed

    Churi, Shobha; Abraham, Lovin; Ramesh, M; Narahari, M G

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to assess the nature and quality of services provided by poison information center established at a tertiary-care teaching hospital, Mysore. This was a prospective observational study. The poison information center was officially established in September 2010 and began its functioning thereafter. The center is equipped with required resources and facility (e.g., text books, Poisindex, Drugdex, toll free telephone service, internet and online services) to provide poison information services. The poison information services provided by the center were recorded in documentation forms. The documentation form consists of numerous sections to collect information on: (a) Type of population (children, adult, elderly or pregnant) (b) poisoning agents (c) route of exposure (d) type of poisoning (intentional, accidental or environmental) (e) demographic details of patient (age, gender and bodyweight) (f) enquirer details (background, place of call and mode of request) (g) category and purpose of query and (h) details of provided service (information provided, mode of provision, time taken to provide information and references consulted). The nature and quality of poison information services provided was assessed using a quality assessment checklist developed in accordance with DSE/World Health Organization guidelines. Chi-Square test (χ(2)). A total of 419 queries were received by the center. A majority (n = 333; 79.5%) of the queries were asked by the doctors to provide optimal care (n = 400; 95.5%). Most of the queries were received during ward rounds (n = 201; 48.0%), followed by direct access (n = 147; 35.1%). The poison information services were predominantly provided through verbal communication (n = 352; 84.0%). Upon receipt of queries, the required service was provided immediately (n = 103; 24.6%) or within 10-20 min (n = 296; 70.6%). The queries were mainly related to intentional poisoning (n = 258; 64.5%), followed by accidental poisoning

  15. Health-care quality and information failure: Evidence from Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Evans, David K; Welander Tärneberg, Anna

    2018-03-01

    Low-quality health services are a problem across low- and middle-income countries. Information failure may contribute, as patients may have insufficient knowledge to discern the quality of health services. That decreases the likelihood that patients will sort into higher quality facilities, increasing demand for better health services. This paper presents results from a health survey in Nigeria to investigate whether patients can evaluate health service quality effectively. Specifically, this paper demonstrates that although more than 90% of patients agree with any positive statement about the quality of their local health services, satisfaction is significantly associated with the diagnostic ability of health workers at the facility. Satisfaction is not associated with more superficial characteristics such as infrastructure quality or prescriptions of medicines. This suggests that patients may have sufficient information to discern some of the most important elements of quality, but that alternative measures are crucial for gauging the overall quality of care. Copyright © The World Bank Health Economics © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: An Assessment and Future Directions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernon, Peter; Nitecki, Danuta A.; Altman, Ellen

    1999-01-01

    Reviews the literature of library and information science to examine issues related to service quality and customer satisfaction in academic libraries. Discusses assessment, the application of a business model to higher education, a multiple constituency approach, decision areas regarding service quality, resistance to service quality, and future…

  17. Signal Quality and Service Quality: A Study of Local and International MBA Programs in Vietnam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Tho D.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: Although it is well known that firms can use signals to inform consumers about the unobservable aspect of their products or services in a market where asymmetric information exists, research on the relationship between signal quality and service quality is largely ignored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of signal…

  18. Why (just) information is not enough: The contributions of information services in the management of healthcare information

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kostagiolas, P.; Lappa, E.

    2015-02-01

    Information is at the centre of every hospital activity including clinical decisions and healthcare service delivery systems. Although information is an important hospital asset, several issues related to its management and organization needs to be addressed within the hospitals. The management of healthcare information is a strategic goal related to the reduction of healthcare service provision costs, and to the improvement of quality and safety of healthcare services. By discussing the rather obvious necessity for information organization and management in the healthcare domain, this work aims at the role of healthcare information services, i.e. hospital libraries and patient medical records. Finally, a typology of information services' contributions to hospital environment is presented.

  19. Designing-and Redesigning-Information Services for Maximum Impact.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Rebecca; Dysart, Jane

    2002-01-01

    Discusses innovative information services, including new services and the redesign of existing services. Describes the development process, including assessing the market and developing a marketing plan; and explains the implementation process, including monitoring client satisfaction and quality control. (LRW)

  20. 7 CFR 54.15 - Advance information concerning service rendered.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Advance information concerning service rendered. 54.15... Service § 54.15 Advance information concerning service rendered. Upon request of any applicant, all or any... concerning the determination of class, grade, other quality, or compliance of products for such applicant may...

  1. A framework for evaluating e-health: Systematic review of studies assessing the quality of health information and services for patients on the Internet

    PubMed Central

    Eysenbach, Gunther

    2000-01-01

    Context A recent concern and topic of many publications in the last three years has been the quality of health information and services for the public on the Internet. Objectives To identify and summarize studies published in the peer-reviewed literature evaluating the quality of information and services for consumers on the Internet, including information published on web sites, information on newsgroups and mailing lists and other venues such as email contacts with doctors, as well as studies evaluating the quality of ehealth services such as cyberdoctors and cyberpharmacies. Data Sources MEDLINE and PREMEDLINE (1966 - May 2000), Science Citation Index (1992-May 2000), Social Sciences Citation Index (1992- May 2000), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1992-May 2000) and a personal bibliographic database. Study Selection We included empirical studies where investigators searched the Internet systematically for specific health information or clearly define a set of specific services to be included, evaluated the quality of information or services found, and reported quantitative data. Data Extraction Study characteristics, medical domain, search strategies used, quality criteria and methodology of quality assessment, results (number of sites rated as sufficient pertaining to a quality), quality and rigor of study methodology and reporting. Data Synthesis A total of 41 studies met the inclusion criteria, dealing either with content of websites, information on e-commerce sites, quality of online-care or community venues. A) Content: 29 evaluated information on websites, of those 5 evaluated information on websites from the field of pediatrics, 3 from oncology, 3 pharmacology information, 2 nutrition information, 4 general clinical information and 12 specific information from other clinical disciplines. Studies varied widely in methodology, quality and results. Among the 29 studies dealing with quality of health information on websites, one study evaluated the

  2. A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing E-Government Service Quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papadomichelaki, Xenia; Mentzas, Gregoris

    A critical element in the evolution of e-governmental services is the development of sites that better serve the citizens’ needs. To deliver superior service quality, we must first understand how citizens perceive and evaluate online citizen service. This involves defining what e-government service quality is, identifying its underlying dimensions, and determining how it can be conceptualized and measured. In this article we conceptualise an e-government service quality model (e-GovQual) and then we develop, refine, validate, confirm and test a multiple-item scale for measuring e-government service quality for public administration sites where citizens seek either information or services.

  3. Service quality and asymmetric information in the regulation of monopolies: The Chilean electricity distribution industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melo, Oscar Alfredo

    This study is an enquiry about the role that service quality, asymmetric information, scope of regulation and regulator's preferences play in the regulation of monopolies, with an application to the case of the Chilean electricity distribution industry. In Chapter 1, I present the problem of regulating a monopolist and introduce the special conditions that the electricity sector has. Later I discuss the main characteristics of the electricity system that operates in Chile. The literature on regulation is reviewed in Chapter 2. A special emphasis is given to the problems of quality and information, and the lack of its proper joint treatment. In Chapter 3, I develop four theoretical models of regulation that explicitly consider the regulation of price and quality versus price-only regulation, and a symmetric versus asymmetric information structure where only the regulator knows its true costs. In these models, I also consider the effect of a regulator that may have a preference between consumers and the regulated monopolistic firms. I conclude that with symmetric information and independent of the scope of regulation, having a regulator that prefers consumers or producers does not affect the efficiency of the outcome. I also show that the regulator's inability to set quality, thus regulating only price, leads to an inefficient outcome, away from the first best solution that can be achieved by regulating both price and quality, even with asymmetric information, as long as the regulator does not have a "biased" preference for consumers or the monopolistic producers. If the regulator has a "bias," then the equilibrium will be inefficient with asymmetric information. But the effect on equilibrium price and quality depends on the direction of the effect of quality on the marginal effect of price in demand. More importantly, no closed-form solution can be derived unless drastic simplifications are made. To further investigate the outcome of the models, I use numerical

  4. Developing a long-term condition's information service in collaboration with third sector organisations.

    PubMed

    McShane, Lesley; Greenwell, Kate; Corbett, Sally; Walker, Richard

    2014-06-01

    People with long-term conditions need to be signposted to high quality information and advice to understand and manage their condition. Information seeking tools combined with third sector information could help address their information needs. To describe the development and implementation of an information service for people living with long-term conditions at one NHS acute trust in the Northeast of England. An information service was trialled using bespoke information models for three long-term conditions in collaboration with third sector organisations. These guided people to relevant, timely and reliable information. Both clinician and service user questionnaires were used to evaluate satisfaction with the service. Appropriately designed information models can be used interchangeably across all services. Between 75% and 91% of users agreed that they were satisfied with various aspects of the service. Generally, users received relevant, understandable and high quality information at the right time. Nearly all health professionals (94-100%) felt the service was accessible, provided high quality information and did not significantly impact on their consultation time. The developed information service was well received by service users and health professionals. Specifically, the use of information prescriptions and menus facilitated access to information for people with long-term conditions. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Group.

  5. Why (just) information is not enough: The contributions of information services in the management of healthcare information

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

    Kostagiolas, P., E-mail: pkostagiolas@ionio.gr; Lappa, E., E-mail: evlappa@med.uoa.gr

    Information is at the centre of every hospital activity including clinical decisions and healthcare service delivery systems. Although information is an important hospital asset, several issues related to its management and organization needs to be addressed within the hospitals. The management of healthcare information is a strategic goal related to the reduction of healthcare service provision costs, and to the improvement of quality and safety of healthcare services. By discussing the rather obvious necessity for information organization and management in the healthcare domain, this work aims at the role of healthcare information services, i.e. hospital libraries and patient medical records.more » Finally, a typology of information services’ contributions to hospital environment is presented.« less

  6. Quality improvement in physiotherapy services.

    PubMed

    Boak, George; Sephton, Ruth; Hough, Elaine; Ten Hove, Ruth

    2017-06-12

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a process change in physiotherapy services and to explore factors that may have influenced the outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This is a multiple case study and information was gathered from eight physiotherapy teams over 24 months. Findings The process change was successfully implemented in six teams. It had a clear, positive effect on service quality provided to patients in three teams. Whilst quality also improved in three other teams, other issues make changes difficult to assess. Factors that enabled process change to be effective are suggested. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on results achieved by only eight English teams. Practical implications This process change may be appropriate for other teams providing therapy services if attention is paid to potential enabling factors, and a learning approach is adopted to designing and introducing the change. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other longitudinal process change study in therapy services has been published.

  7. Measuring Quality in Special Libraries: Lessons from Service Marketing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Marilyn Domas; Abels, Eileen G.

    1995-01-01

    Surveys the service marketing literature for models and data-gathering instruments measuring service quality, particularly the instruments SERVQUAL and SERVPERF, and assesses their applicability to special libraries and information centers. Topics include service characteristics and definitions of service; performance-minus-expectations and…

  8. Helping You Identify Quality Laboratory Services

    MedlinePlus

    ... and then discuss specifics about the quality improvement processes the laboratory has in place. General questions  What ... like a printed copy, please call the Customer Service Center at (630) 792-5800. To report information ...

  9. Service quality in contracted facilities.

    PubMed

    Rabbani, Fauziah; Pradhan, Nousheen Akber; Zaidi, Shehla; Azam, Syed Iqbal; Yousuf, Farheen

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the readiness of contracted and non-contracted first-level healthcare facilities in Pakistan to deliver quality maternal and neonatal health (MNH) care. A balanced scorecard (BSC) was used as the assessment framework. Using a cross-sectional study design, two rural health centers (RHCs) contracted out to Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan were compared with four government managed RHCs. A BSC was designed to assess RHC readiness to deliver good quality MNH care. In total 20 indicators were developed, representing five BSC domains: health facility functionality, service provision, staff capacity, staff and patient satisfaction. Validated data collection tools were used to collect information. Pearson χ2, Fisher's Exact and the Mann-Whitney tests were applied as appropriate to detect significant service quality differences among the two facilities. Contracted facilities were generally found to be better than non-contracted facilities in all five BSC domains. Patients' inclination for facility-based delivery at contracted facilities was, however, significantly higher than non-contracted facilities (80 percent contracted vs 43 percent non-contracted, p=0.006). The study shows that contracting out initiatives have the potential to improve MNH care. This is the first study to compare MNH service delivery quality across contracted and non-contracted facilities using BSC as the assessment framework.

  10. Asynchronous Transfer Mode Quality-of-Service Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ivancic, William D.

    1998-01-01

    In support of satellite-ATM interoperability, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center performed asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) quality-of-service experiments using MPEG-2 (ATM application layer 5, AAL5) over ATM over an emulated satellite link. The purpose of these experiments was to determine the free-space link quality necessary to use the ATM protocol to transmit high-quality multimedia information. The experimental results have been submitted to various International Telecommunications Union (ITU) study groups in order to improve and modify current standards and recommendations for the telecommunications industry. Quality-of-service parameters for Class I, stringent class requirements for ITU-T I.356 are currently being debated. The experimental results presented will help to establish these quality-of-service thresholds. This material will also be useful in the development of the ITU-R WP-4B's Draft Preliminary New Recommendation on the Transmission of Asynchronous Transfer Mode Traffic via Satellite (Rec. S.atm).

  11. Total Quality Management of Information System for Quality Assessment of Pesantren Using Fuzzy-SERVQUAL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faizah, Arbiati; Syafei, Wahyul Amien; Isnanto, R. Rizal

    2018-02-01

    This research proposed a model combining an approach of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Fuzzy method of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) to asses service quality. TQM implementation was as quality management orienting on customer's satisfaction by involving all stakeholders. SERVQUAL model was used to measure quality service based on five dimensions such as tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Fuzzy set theory was to accommodate subjectivity and ambiguity of quality assessment. Input data consisted of indicator data and quality assessment aspect. Input data was, then, processed to be service quality assessment questionnaires of Pesantren by using Fuzzy method to get service quality score. This process consisted of some steps as follows : inputting dimension and questionnaire data to data base system, filling questionnaire through system, then, system calculated fuzzification, defuzzification, gap of quality expected and received by service receivers, and calculating each dimension rating showing quality refinement priority. Rating of each quality dimension was, then, displayed at dashboard system to enable users to see information. From system having been built, it could be known that tangible dimension had the highest gap, -0.399, thus it needs to be prioritized and gets evaluation and refinement action soon.

  12. Application of Information Technology in the Outpatient Service Optimization.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaoying

    2017-01-01

    In a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment policy local tertiary hospitals assume the majority of clinic service, improving patient medical experience and enhancing service quality. Information technologies such as comprehensive self-services, and palm medical APPs can help solve these problems.

  13. Operationalisation of service quality in household waste collection.

    PubMed

    Schulte, Nico Alexander; Gellenbeck, Klaus; Nelles, Michael

    2017-04-01

    Since 2007, there has been intensive discussion at European and national levels concerning the standardisation of services including those in the sector of waste management. The drafts of the European standard prEN 16250 and the German preliminary standard DIN SPEC 1108 are intended to establish a uniform definition of corresponding services and their (minimum) service levels. Their binding application in practice requires that systematic inspections be provided to ascertain to what degree a service has been carried out as agreed upon. However, both standardisation projects give only a few examples of potential quality characteristics and offer no concrete information concerning methods of measurement. Because intersectoral or cross-service quality inspections do not exist, there is a need for the development of specific quality inspections. The study introduced in this article examines the question of how the service quality of door-to-door waste collection can be systematically measured. To this end, the quality concept applied to the process of waste collection was first concretised and then operationalised using indicators. Based upon this, the methods of the quality inspections were developed and subjected to a trial of their applicability in a German waste management company. The methods for measuring and evaluating take into account, in addition to the different boundary conditions of collection, also the possible customer influence on the collection process and consequently on the service performed by the collection crew. In order to avoid time- and therefore cost-intensive exhaustive surveys, a multilevel random-controlled selection of survey units was developed, too. Based on the analysis of the measurement data, it was possible to determine specific time requirement values for the regular performance of the data surveys, as well as minimum sample sizes as a function of the number of container locations of the waste collection tours. On the basis of this

  14. Quality of services and quality of life from service providers' perspectives: analysis with focus groups.

    PubMed

    Jenaro, C; Vega, V; Flores, N; Cruz, M

    2013-06-01

    Concepts such as support, quality of life and quality of services are customary in services for people with intellectual disabilities. The identification of the different ways of conceiving, prioritising and implementing these concepts by service providers can help to drive changes to achieve better personal outcomes for this population. The current study aims to identify service providers' perceptions regarding the quality of life of their clients and the quality of services they provide. It also aims to identify similarities and differences of appraisals among professionals, and to identify associations between supports, quality of life and quality of services. Data were collected from 22 service providers who attended three focus groups (professionals, direct support staff, and managers) from whom 424 comments were analysed. Service providers were asked about the required support for users, the meaning of quality of life for those users, and about features that should characterise quality services. Thematic analysis was employed and transcripts of the sessions were coded according to the dimensions of models on supports, quality of life and quality of services. Chi-squared tests were utilised to test for potential differences among groups. Each professional group has its own priorities concerning required supports. Among the organisation different and potentially conflicting perceptions regarding the meaning of experiencing quality of life coexist. Concerning quality of services, only managers mentioned personal outcomes. Finally, institutionalisation has a negative impact on supports, quality of life and quality of services. It is necessary to move beyond a shared awareness of the negative impact of institutionalisation towards the transformation of services in search of personal quality outcomes. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

  15. Sense of community, organizational commitment and quality of services.

    PubMed

    Lampinen, Mai-Stiina; Suutala, ElinaAnnikki; Konu, Anne Irmeli

    2017-10-02

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how factors associated with a sense of community in the workplace are connected with organizational commitment and the quality of services among frontline managers and middle managers in social and health care services in Finland. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire designed specifically for this research was sent to 241 lower-level and middle-level managers in social and health care services in central Finland. A total of 136 managers completed the questionnaire (response rate 56 per cent). The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analyses. Findings The study showed that feeling a sense of belonging, mutual trust and appreciation, and open interaction among colleagues were connected to organizational commitment for frontline managers and middle managers in social and health care services in Finland. Correspondingly, an open flow of information in the organization, job meaningfulness and appreciation received from managers' superiors were connected to the quality of services. Originality/value This study provides information on the factors that influence social and health care managers' organizational commitment and on items connected to their experience of the quality of services.

  16. Reinventing Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farkas-Conn, Irene; And Others

    1996-01-01

    This special section includes seven articles that discuss reinventing information services. Highlights include linking information services to business strategies; meeting client initiatives; information services at the Ottawa laboratory of Bell-Northern Research (BNR); product service strategies; information management and transition economies;…

  17. Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality.

    PubMed

    Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

    2014-02-01

    A better understanding of factors influencing quality of medical service can pinpoint better strategies for quality assurance in medical services. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of medical services provided by Iranian physicians. Exploratory in-depth individual interviews were conducted with sixty-four physicians working in various medical institutions in Iran. Individual, organizational and environmental factors enhance or inhibit the quality of medical services. Quality of medical services depends on the personal factors of the physician and patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare setting and the broader environment. Differences in internal and external factors such as availability of resources, patient cooperation and collaboration among providers affect the quality of medical services and patient outcomes. Supportive leadership, proper planning, education and training and effective management of resources and processes improve the quality of medical services. This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding factors that influence medical services quality.

  18. 1990 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pritt, Jeffrey; Jones, Berwyn E.

    1989-01-01

    PREFACE This catalog provides information about analytical services available from the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) to support programs of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. To assist personnel in the selection of analytical services, the catalog lists cost, sample volume, applicable concentration range, detection level, precision of analysis, and preservation techniques for samples to be submitted for analysis. Prices for services reflect operationa1 costs, the complexity of each analytical procedure, and the costs to ensure analytical quality control. The catalog consists of five parts. Part 1 is a glossary of terminology; Part 2 lists the bottles, containers, solutions, and other materials that are available through the NWQL; Part 3 describes the field processing of samples to be submitted for analysis; Part 4 describes analytical services that are available; and Part 5 contains indices of analytical methodology and Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) numbers. Nomenclature used in the catalog is consistent with WATSTORE and STORET. The user is provided with laboratory codes and schedules that consist of groupings of parameters which are measured together in the NWQL. In cases where more than one analytical range is offered for a single element or compound, different laboratory codes are given. Book 5 of the series 'Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey' should be consulted for more information about the analytical procedures included in the tabulations. This catalog supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-232 '1986-87-88 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog', October 1985.

  19. 77 FR 20317 - Acquisition, Protection, and Disclosure of Quality Improvement Organization Information

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 42 CFR Part 480 Acquisition, Protection, and Disclosure of Quality Improvement Organization Information CFR Correction In... DISCLOSURE OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION INFORMATION [FR Doc. 2012-8184 Filed 4-3-12; 8:45 am] BILLING...

  20. [The digital information platform after-sale service of medical equipment].

    PubMed

    Cao, Shaoping; Li, Bin

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes the after-sale service of medical equipment information management platform, with large data sharing resources to further enhance customer service in the whole management process of medical service, to strengthen quality management, to control medical risk.

  1. Service quality in health care setting.

    PubMed

    Rashid, Wan Edura Wan; Jusoff, Hj Kamaruzaman

    2009-01-01

    This paper attempts to explore the concept of service quality in a health care setting. This paper probes the definition of service quality from technical and functional aspects for a better understanding on how consumers evaluate the quality of health care. It adopts the conceptual model of service quality frequently used by the most researchers in the health care sector. The paper also discusses several service quality dimensions and service quality problems in order to provide a more holistic conception of hospital service quality. The paper finds that service quality in health care is very complex as compared to other services because this sector highly involves risk. The paper adds a new perspective towards understanding how the concept of service quality is adopted in a health care setting.

  2. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  3. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  4. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  5. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  6. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  7. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  8. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  9. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  10. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  11. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  12. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  13. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  14. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  15. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  16. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  17. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  18. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  19. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  20. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  1. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  2. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  3. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  4. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-08-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  5. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  6. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  7. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  8. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  9. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  10. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  11. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  12. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  13. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  14. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  15. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-08-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  16. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  17. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  18. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  19. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  20. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  1. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  2. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  3. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-09-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  4. Pharmacy specialists' attitudes toward pharmaceutical service quality at community pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Urbonas, Gvidas; Jakušovaitė, Irayda; Savickas, Arūnas

    2010-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to analyze pharmacy specialists' attitudes toward the quality of pharmaceutical services at Lithuanian community pharmacies. Between April and June 2009, a total of 471 Lithuanian community pharmacy specialists completed a questionnaire designed to evaluate their attitudes toward the quality of pharmaceutical services at community pharmacies. The main dimensions of pharmaceutical service quality were extracted by principal component analysis. Two main dimensions of pharmaceutical service quality were extracted: pharmacotherapeutic aspects (provision of information about drug therapy, possible side effects, health promotion, the amount of time spent with a patient, and the ascertainment that a patient understood the provided information) and socioeconomic aspects (considering patient's needs and financial capabilities, making a patient confident with the services provided). Pharmacy specialists evaluated the quality of both dimensions positively, but the quality of the first dimension was rated significantly worse than that of the second dimension. The attitudes of pharmacy specialists working at independent pharmacies were more positive toward pharmacotherapeutic aspects as compared to the specialists working at chain or state pharmacies. Pharmacotherapeutic aspects were rated better by pharmacy specialists, aged ≥ 55 years, than those younger than 45 years. Moreover, the attitudes of 45-54-year-old pharmacy specialists toward the socioeconomic aspects were more positive as compared with those of 35-44-year olds. Pharmacists rated the socioeconomic aspects of pharmaceutical service quality worse as compared with pharmacy technicians. The attitudes of pharmacy specialists working at pharmacies with 6-9 specialists were more negative toward pharmacotherapeutic aspects than those of the pharmacies with 1-2 specialists. Pharmacy specialists working at pharmacies with ≥ 10 specialists reported lower scores of socioeconomic

  5. 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.

  6. Motivating Customer Service Employees to Deliver Service Quality

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-12-01

    Motivating Customer Service Employees to Deliver Service Quality A Professional Paper Presented to The Faculty of the Conrad Hilton College of...AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) REPORT DATE ■W-MJl.UU MAJOR REPORT 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE MOTIVATING CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEESTO DELIVER SERVICE...DIOR, Oct 94 Motivating Customer Service Employees to Deliver Service Quality A Professional Paper Presented to The Faculty of the Conrad Hilton

  7. Community Information and Services Centers: Concepts for Activation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopkins, Cleve

    An experimental program based on a study by the Department of Housing and Urban Development was activated to deliver services to urban residents via automated communications technology. Designed to contribute to improvement in the quality of life, the program of a Community Information and Services Center (CISC) included: outreach programs, i.e.,…

  8. Dimensions of service quality in healthcare: a systematic review of literature.

    PubMed

    Fatima, Iram; Humayun, Ayesha; Iqbal, Usman; Shafiq, Muhammad

    2018-06-13

    Various dimensions of healthcare service quality were used and discussed in literature across the globe. This study presents an updated meaningful review of the extensive research that has been conducted on measuring dimensions of healthcare service quality. Systematic review method in current study is based on PRISMA guidelines. We searched for literature using databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed and Social Science, Citation Index. In this study, we screened 1921 identified papers using search terms/phrases. Snowball strategies were adopted to extract published articles from January 1997 till December 2016. Two-hundred and fourteen papers were identified as relevant for data extraction; completed by two researchers, double checked by the other two to develop agreement in discrepancies. In total, 74 studies fulfilled our pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria for data analysis. Service quality is mainly measured as technical and functional, incorporating many sub-dimensions. We synthesized the information about dimensions of healthcare service quality with reference to developed and developing countries. 'Tangibility' is found to be the most common contributing factor whereas 'SERVQUAL' as the most commonly used model to measure healthcare service quality. There are core dimensions of healthcare service quality that are commonly found in all models used in current reviewed studies. We found a little difference in these core dimensions while focusing dimensions in both developed and developing countries, as mostly SERVQUAL is being used as the basic model to either generate a new one or to add further contextual dimensions. The current study ranked the contributing factors based on their frequency in literature. Based on these priorities, if factors are addressed irrespective of any context, may lead to contribute to improve healthcare quality and may provide an important information for evidence-informed decision-making.

  9. Service quality of hospital outpatient departments: patients' perspective.

    PubMed

    Zarei, Ehsan

    2015-01-01

    Assessment of patient perceptions of health service quality as an important element in quality assessments has attracted much attention in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to assess the service quality of hospital outpatient departments affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences from the patients' perspective. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 in Tehran, Iran. The study samples included 500 patients who were selected by multi-stage random sampling from four hospitals. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire consisting of 50 items, and the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed. For data analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Friedman test, and descriptive statistics were used through LISREL 8.54 and SPSS 18 applications. Eight significant factors were extracted for outpatient service quality, which explained about 67 per cent of the total variance. Physician consultation, information provided to the patient, and the physical environment of the clinic were the three determining factors of the quality of outpatient services. The highest and lowest perceptions were related to physician consultation and perceived waiting time dimension, respectively. The mean score of patients' perception of outpatient service quality was 3.89 (±0.60). About 59.5 per cent of patients assessed the quality of outpatient services as good, 38.2 per cent as moderate, and 2.3 per cent as poor. Practical implications - The instrument developed for this study is valid and reliable, and it can help hospital managers to identify the areas needing improvement and correction. According to the findings of this study, the majority of patients had a positive experience with outpatient departments of teaching hospitals, and the services provided in these centres were of adequate quality, based on patient assessments.

  10. Evaluation of service quality of hospital outpatient department services.

    PubMed

    Chakravarty, Abhijit

    2011-07-01

    It has become essential for hospital managers to understand and measure consumer perspectives and service quality gaps, so that any perceived gap in delivery of service is identified and suitably addressed. A study was conducted at a peripheral service hospital to ascertain any service gap between consumer expectations and perceptions in respect of the hospital outpatient department (OPD) services. A cross-sectional study was conducted using SERVQUAL as the survey instrument, the instrument being validated for use in the hospital environment. Consumer ratings across 22 items of the survey instrument were collected in paired expectation and perception scores and then service quality gaps were identified and statistically analysed. Service quality gaps were identified to exist across all the five dimensions of the survey instrument, with statistically significant gaps across the dimensions of 'tangibles' and 'responsiveness.' The quality gaps were further validated by a total unweighted SERVQUAL score of (-) 1.63. The study concludes that significant service quality gaps existed in the delivery of the hospital OPD services, which need to be addressed by focused improvement efforts by the hospital management.

  11. 42 CFR 422.153 - Use of quality improvement organization review information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... § 422.153 Use of quality improvement organization review information. CMS will acquire from quality... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Use of quality improvement organization review information. 422.153 Section 422.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF...

  12. 42 CFR 422.153 - Use of quality improvement organization review information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... § 422.153 Use of quality improvement organization review information. CMS will acquire from quality... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Use of quality improvement organization review information. 422.153 Section 422.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF...

  13. Service quality in health care.

    PubMed

    Kenagy, J W; Berwick, D M; Shore, M F

    1999-02-17

    Although US health care is described as "the world's largest service industry," the quality of service--that is, the characteristics that shape the experience of care beyond technical competence--is rarely discussed in the medical literature. This article illustrates service quality principles by analyzing a routine encounter in health care from a service quality point of view. This illustration and a review of related literature from both inside and outside health care has led to the following 2 premises: First, if high-quality service had a greater presence in our practices and institutions, it would improve clinical outcomes and patient and physician satisfaction while reducing cost, and it would create competitive advantage for those who are expert in its application. Second, many other industries in the service sector have taken service quality to a high level, their techniques are readily transferable to health care, and physicians caring for patients can learn from them.

  14. Factors affecting dental service quality.

    PubMed

    Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Ravangard, Ramin; Baldacchino, Donia

    2015-01-01

    Measuring dental clinic service quality is the first and most important factor in improving care. The quality provided plays an important role in patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting dental service quality from the patients' viewpoint. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a dental clinic in Tehran between January and June 2014. A sample of 385 patients was selected from two work shifts using stratified sampling proportional to size and simple random sampling methods. The data were collected, a self-administered questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study, based on the Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model of service quality which consisted of two parts: the patients' demographic characteristics and a 30-item questionnaire to measure the five dimensions of the service quality. The collected data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 and Amos 18.0 through some descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, as well as analytical methods, including confirmatory factor. Results showed that the correlation coefficients for all dimensions were higher than 0.5. In this model, assurance (regression weight=0.99) and tangibility (regression weight=0.86) had, respectively, the highest and lowest effects on dental service quality. The Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model is suitable to measure quality in dental services. The variables related to dental services quality have been made according to the model. This is a pioneering study that uses Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model and CFA in a dental setting. This study provides useful insights and guidance for dental service quality assurance.

  15. Perceived quality of physiotherapy services among informal caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Olaleye, Olubukola A; Hamzat, Talhatu K; Oloso, Modinat O

    2015-01-01

    Effective physiotherapy intervention for children with cerebral palsy (CP) requires that expectations of their caregivers be incorporated into treatment plans and strategies. This study explored the perceived Quality of Physiotherapy (QoP) for children with CP in Ibadan, Nigeria This cross-sectional survey explored the perceived QoP using the SERVQUAL instrument among informal caregivers of children with CP from two different healthcare facilities. Data was analysed using Mann Whiney U and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests at p ≤ 0.05. Fifty-three informal caregivers (50 females, 3 males) of children with CP (32 males, 21 females) were surveyed. Fourth-fifths (81.13%) of the caregivers perceived the QoP service for their children as poor. The highest negative and positive ranks were in the tangible and responsiveness dimensions of the SERVQUAL respectively. The study demonstrated that caregivers of children with CP perceived the quality of physiotherapy provided for their children as poor. This poor perception is related more to the tangible dimension of care. Strategies to improve care environment for children with CP and their informal caregivers should be implemented to engender satisfaction with care.

  16. Information Technology Management: DoD Organization Information Assurance Management of Information Technology Goods and Services Acquired Through Interagency Agreements

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-02-23

    Information Technology Management Department of Defense Office of Inspector General February 23, 2006 AccountabilityIntegrityQuality DoD...Organization Information Assurance Management of Information Technology Goods and Services Acquired Through Interagency Agreements (D-2006-052) Report...REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2006 to 00-00-2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Information Technology Management: DoD Organization Information

  17. 77 FR 42738 - Request for Information on Quality Measurement Enabled by Health IT

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-20

    ... Information on Quality Measurement Enabled by Health IT AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of Request for Information (RFI). SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requests information from the Public, including...

  18. A CIS (Clinical Information System) Quality Evaluation Tool for Nursing Care Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Seon Ah

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to evaluate the quality of a clinical information system (CIS) conceived by nurses and conduct a pilot test with the developed tool as an initial assessment. CIS quality is required for successful implementation in information technology (IT) environments. The study started with the realization that…

  19. Technology usage, quality management system, and service quality in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sivabrovornvatana, Nilubon; Siengthai, Sununta; Krairit, Donyaprueth; Paul, Himangshu

    2005-01-01

    This article aims to explore the relationship between technology and quality management for enhancing Thai hospital service quality. The paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that investigates service quality from the customer and service provider perception. In-depth interviews were conducted with respondents in Thai hospitals. The interviews explored service-related factors that patients and service providers perceive to be important for hospital services. The first interview group consisted of professionals as internal customers in direct contact with external customers, while the second group consisted of external customers of the same hospitals. The study's outcomes clearly suggest factors that make significant contribution to service quality. These factors can be categorized according to five SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibility), although some factors required slightly different interpretation. The findings suggest that hospitals can develop an appropriate approach to their advantage, which can yield sustainable improvement in service quality as perceived by patients and professionals. Hospitals can make better quality decisions based on structured measurement and knowledge. It is recommended that managers apply this knowledge for successful implementation of activities related to service quality in their organizations.

  20. Service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

    PubMed

    Ramessur, Vinaysing; Hurreeram, Dinesh Kumar; Maistry, Kaylasson

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a service quality framework that enhances service delivery in clinical laboratories by gauging medical practitioner satisfaction and by providing avenues for continuous improvement. The case study method has been used for conducting the exploratory study, with focus on the Mauritian public clinical laboratory. A structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL service quality model was used for data collection, analysis and for the development of the service quality framework. The study confirms the pertinence of the following service quality dimensions within the context of clinical laboratories: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, turnaround time, technology, test reports, communication and laboratory staff attitude and behaviour. The service quality framework developed, termed LabSERV, is vital for clinical laboratories in the search for improving service delivery to medical practitioners. This is a pioneering work carried out in the clinical laboratory sector in Mauritius. Medical practitioner expectations and perceptions have been simultaneously considered to generate a novel service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

  1. How to assess quality in your sexual health service.

    PubMed

    Hathorn, Emma; Land, Lucy; Ross, Jonathan D C

    2011-10-01

    Previous improvements in NHS have largely focused on increasing service capacity to ensure the provision of universal, comprehensive healthcare at the point of need in the UK. However, public expectations of the NHS are changing, triggered by increased access to information and media coverage of a series of lapses in quality and geographical inequity of care. The NHS also faces the challenges posed by a changing family structure, an ageing population, advancing technology and economic uncertainty. To meet these challenges, improvements in quality rather than just quantity have become a focus of the new NHS. This article provides an overview of quality and how to measure it in sexual health services.

  2. The impact of an integrated hospital-community medical information system on quality and service utilization in hospital departments.

    PubMed

    Nirel, Nurit; Rosen, Bruce; Sharon, Assaf; Blondheim, Orna; Sherf, Michael; Samuel, Hadar; Cohen, Arnon D

    2010-09-01

    In 2005, an innovative system of hospital-community on-line medical records (OFEK) was implemented at Clalit Health Services (CHS). The goals of the study were to examine the extent of OFEK's use and its impact on quality indicators and medical-service utilization in Internal Medicine and General Surgery wards of CHS hospitals. Examining the frequency of OFEK's use with its own track-log data; comparing, "before" and "after", quality indicators and service utilization data in experimental (CHS patients) versus control groups (other patients). OFEK's use increased by tens of percentages each year, Internal Medicine wards showed a significant decrease in the number of laboratory tests and 3 CT tests performed compared with the control group. Wards using OFEK extensively showed a greater decrease in CT tests, in one imaging test, and in the average number of ambulatory hospitalizations. No similar changes were found in General Surgery wards. The study helps evaluate the extent to which OFEK's targets were achieved and contributes to the development of measures to examine the impact of such systems, which can be used to assess a broad range of Health Information Technology (HIT) systems. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. 42 CFR 422.153 - Use of quality improvement organization review information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Improvement § 422.153 Use of quality improvement organization review information. CMS will acquire from... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Use of quality improvement organization review information. 422.153 Section 422.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF...

  4. 42 CFR 422.153 - Use of quality improvement organization review information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Improvement § 422.153 Use of quality improvement organization review information. CMS will acquire from... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Use of quality improvement organization review information. 422.153 Section 422.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF...

  5. 42 CFR 422.153 - Use of quality improvement organization review information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Improvement § 422.153 Use of quality improvement organization review information. CMS will acquire from... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Use of quality improvement organization review information. 422.153 Section 422.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF...

  6. Identifying Key Hospital Service Quality Factors in Online Health Communities

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain

    2015-01-01

    Background The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. Objective As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. Methods We defined social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea’s two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media–based key quality factors for hospitals. Results To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is

  7. Identifying key hospital service quality factors in online health communities.

    PubMed

    Jung, Yuchul; Hur, Cinyoung; Jung, Dain; Kim, Minki

    2015-04-07

    The volume of health-related user-created content, especially hospital-related questions and answers in online health communities, has rapidly increased. Patients and caregivers participate in online community activities to share their experiences, exchange information, and ask about recommended or discredited hospitals. However, there is little research on how to identify hospital service quality automatically from the online communities. In the past, in-depth analysis of hospitals has used random sampling surveys. However, such surveys are becoming impractical owing to the rapidly increasing volume of online data and the diverse analysis requirements of related stakeholders. As a solution for utilizing large-scale health-related information, we propose a novel approach to identify hospital service quality factors and overtime trends automatically from online health communities, especially hospital-related questions and answers. We defined social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. In addition, we developed text mining techniques to detect such factors that frequently occur in online health communities. After detecting these factors that represent qualitative aspects of hospitals, we applied a sentiment analysis to recognize the types of recommendations in messages posted within online health communities. Korea's two biggest online portals were used to test the effectiveness of detection of social media-based key quality factors for hospitals. To evaluate the proposed text mining techniques, we performed manual evaluations on the extraction and classification results, such as hospital name, service quality factors, and recommendation types using a random sample of messages (ie, 5.44% (9450/173,748) of the total messages). Service quality factor detection and hospital name extraction achieved average F1 scores of 91% and 78%, respectively. In terms of recommendation classification, performance (ie, precision) is 78% on average. Extraction and

  8. 77 FR 67366 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Quality Assurance Requirements

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-09

    ..., acceptance, warranty, and other measures associated with quality requirements. Standard clauses related to...; Information Collection; Quality Assurance Requirements AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services... requirement concerning quality assurance requirements. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether...

  9. Managing Quality by Action Research--Improving Quality Service Delivery in Higher Education as a Marketing Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbitt, Brian

    1998-01-01

    Describes two action research projects undertaken at an Australian university to improve quality of services to foreign students and improve the institution's image through word of mouth, or informal marketing. Each project, although small, facilitated changes or improvements to a targeted service. The role of management in empowering employees…

  10. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-08

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-08-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  11. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2008-10

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  12. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-10

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  13. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2010-12

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  14. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2014-06

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-06-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  15. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2013-01

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  16. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-08

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-08-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  17. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-05

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  18. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2014-03

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  19. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-11

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  20. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2012-03

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  1. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2012-01

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-01-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  2. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2013-12

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  3. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2013-09

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-09-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  4. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2012-09

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-09-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  5. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2013-08

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-08-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  6. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-10

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  7. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-03

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-03-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  8. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-07

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  9. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-07

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  10. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2011-12

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-12-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  11. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2014-07

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  12. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-11

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-11-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  13. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-02

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-02-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  14. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2009-05

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-05-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  15. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2010-09

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-09-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  16. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2012-10

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-10-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  17. Airline Service Quality Performance 234 (On-Time performance data) : [2013-04

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-04-01

    This CD presents data reported by U.S. certificated air carriers so that information on the air carriers' quality of service can be made available to consumers of air transportation. Carriers within 1% or more of the total domestic scheduled service ...

  18. Switching health insurers: the role of price, quality and consumer information search.

    PubMed

    Boonen, Lieke H H M; Laske-Aldershof, Trea; Schut, Frederik T

    2016-04-01

    We examine the impact of price, service quality and information search on people's propensity to switch health insurers in the competitive Dutch health insurance market. Using panel data from annual household surveys and data on health insurers' premiums and quality ratings over the period 2006-2012, we estimate a random effects logit model of people's switching decisions. We find that switching propensities depend on health plan price and quality, and on people's age, health, education and having supplementary or group insurance. Young people (18-35 years) are more sensitive to price, whereas older people are more sensitive to quality. Searching for health plan information has a much stronger impact on peoples' sensitivity to price than to service quality. In addition, searching for health plan information has a stronger impact on the switching propensity of higher than lower educated people, suggesting that higher educated people make better use of available health plan information. Finally, having supplementary insurance significantly reduces older people's switching propensity.

  19. [Evaluation of quality of service in Early Intervention: A systematic review].

    PubMed

    Jemes Campaña, Inmaculada Concepción; Romero-Galisteo, Rita Pilar; Labajos Manzanares, María Teresa; Moreno Morales, Noelia

    2018-06-07

    Early Intervention (EI), as a paediatric service, has the duty of quantifying the results and the quality of its services provided. The accessibility of valid and reliable tools allows professionals to evaluate the quality of these services. The aim of this study is to review the scientific literature on tools used to measure the methodological and service quality in EI. A search was made in different databases: Medline (from PubMed), Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Scopus, ERIC and Scielo. The methodological quality of the studies was tested using the COSMIN scale. A total of 13 manuscripts met the criteria to be included in this review. Ten of them received a "good" or "reasonable" score based on the COSMIN scale. Despite its importance, there is no consensus among authors on the measurement of service quality in EI. It is often the family of the children attended in EI that are considered the target to study, although the opinion of professionals carries more weight and completes the information. Copyright © 2018. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  20. Quality of Services and Quality of Life from Service Providers' Perspectives: Analysis with Focus Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenaro, C.; Vega, V.; Flores, N.; Cruz, M.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Concepts such as support, quality of life and quality of services are customary in services for people with intellectual disabilities. The identification of the different ways of conceiving, prioritising and implementing these concepts by service providers can help to drive changes to achieve better personal outcomes for this…

  1. Healthcare service quality perception in Japan.

    PubMed

    Eleuch, Amira ep Koubaa

    2011-01-01

    This study aims to assess Japanese patients' healthcare service quality perceptions and to shed light on the most meaningful service features. It follows-up a study published in IJHCQA Vol. 21 No. 7. Through a non-linear approach, the study relied on the scatter model to detect healthcare service features' importance in forming overall quality judgment. Japanese patients perceive healthcare services through a linear compensatory process. Features related to technical quality and staff behavior compensate for each other to decide service quality. A limitation of the study is the limited sample size. Non-linear approaches could help researchers to better understand patients' healthcare service quality perceptions. The study highlights a need to adopt an evolution that enhances technical quality and medical practices in Japanese healthcare settings. The study relies on a non-linear approach to assess patient overall quality perceptions in order to enrich knowledge. Furthermore, the research is conducted in Japan where healthcare marketing studies are scarce owing to cultural and language barriers. Japanese culture and healthcare system characteristics are used to explain and interpret the results.

  2. The Impact of Information Behavior in Academic Library Service Quality: A Case Study of the Science and Technology Area in Spain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinto, Maria; Fernandez-Marcial, Viviana; Gomez-Camarero, Carmen

    2010-01-01

    This research explores the extent of service quality in Spanish university science and technology libraries, based on the expectations and perceptions of their users: faculty and researchers. Users' information behavior is analyzed with the specially designed BiQual tool, which reveals specific needs such as the greater importance of electronic…

  3. Application of ESE Data and Tools to Air Quality Management: Services for Helping the Air Quality Community use ESE Data (SHAirED)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Falke, Stefan; Husar, Rudolf

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this REASoN applications and technology project is to deliver and use Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) data and tools in support of air quality management. Its scope falls within the domain of air quality management and aims to develop a federated air quality information sharing network that includes data from NASA, EPA, US States and others. Project goals were achieved through a access of satellite and ground observation data, web services information technology, interoperability standards, and air quality community collaboration. In contributing to a network of NASA ESE data in support of particulate air quality management, the project will develop access to distributed data, build Web infrastructure, and create tools for data processing and analysis. The key technologies used in the project include emerging web services for developing self describing and modular data access and processing tools, and service oriented architecture for chaining web services together to assemble customized air quality management applications. The technology and tools required for this project were developed within DataFed.net, a shared infrastructure that supports collaborative atmospheric data sharing and processing web services. Much of the collaboration was facilitated through community interactions through the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Air Quality Workgroup. The main activities during the project that successfully advanced DataFed, enabled air quality applications and established community-oriented infrastructures were: develop access to distributed data (surface and satellite), build Web infrastructure to support data access, processing and analysis create tools for data processing and analysis foster air quality community collaboration and interoperability.

  4. E-Services quality assessment framework for collaborative networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stegaru, Georgiana; Danila, Cristian; Sacala, Ioan Stefan; Moisescu, Mihnea; Mihai Stanescu, Aurelian

    2015-08-01

    In a globalised networked economy, collaborative networks (CNs) are formed to take advantage of new business opportunities. Collaboration involves shared resources and capabilities, such as e-Services that can be dynamically composed to automate CN participants' business processes. Quality is essential for the success of business process automation. Current approaches mostly focus on quality of service (QoS)-based service selection and ranking algorithms, overlooking the process of service composition which requires interoperable, adaptable and secure e-Services to ensure seamless collaboration, data confidentiality and integrity. Lack of assessment of these quality attributes can result in e-Service composition failure. The quality of e-Service composition relies on the quality of each e-Service and on the quality of the composition process. Therefore, there is the need for a framework that addresses quality from both views: product and process. We propose a quality of e-Service composition (QoESC) framework for quality assessment of e-Service composition for CNs which comprises of a quality model for e-Service evaluation and guidelines for quality of e-Service composition process. We implemented a prototype considering a simplified telemedicine use case which involves a CN in e-Healthcare domain. To validate the proposed quality-driven framework, we analysed service composition reliability with and without using the proposed framework.

  5. A Quality Screening Service for Remote Sensing Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lynnes, Christopher; Olsen, Edward; Fox, Peter; Vollmer, Bruce; Wolfe, Robert; Samadi, Shahin

    2010-01-01

    NASA provides a wide variety of Earth-observing satellite data products to a diverse community. These data are annotated with quality information in a variety of ways, with the result that many users struggle to understand how to properly account for quality when dealing with satellite data. To address this issue, a Data Quality Screening Service (DQSS) is being implemented for a number of datasets. The DQSS will enable users to obtain data files in which low-quality pixels have been filtered out, based either on quality criteria recommended by the science team or on the user s particular quality criteria. The objective is to increase proper utilization of this critical quality data in science data analysis of satellite data products.

  6. The structure of service quality perceptions for multiple-encounter services.

    PubMed

    Andaleeb, Syed Saad; Kara, Ali

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine a complex service environment-hospitals-to suggest how service quality could be reframed and measured for multiple-encounter service situations more effectively. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 371 patients completed the survey instrument. Service quality measures were guided by the literature but allowed to flow from the respondents at the preliminary stage. Confirmatory factor analysis, along with structural equation modeling, was used to test the hypothesized relationships among key actors' performance metrics (KAPMs). Patient satisfaction is significantly influenced by perceived service quality based on KAPMs. For multiple-encounter services, service quality dimensions and measures ought to be tied to KAPMs. Primary actors-ie, doctors-need knowledge and skills about patient psychology, negotiation, handling difficult patients, and, importantly, "putting the customer first." Sensitivity training on such matters should be provided. The secondary actors are the nurses who have more frequent contact with the patients. Nurses need to be perceived as "patient advocates." Effective advocacy begins with prompt and caring services to build trust. The tertiary actors in their support role also ought to be integrated into becoming vital part of the service provided.

  7. Role of information systems in public health services.

    PubMed

    Hartshorne, J E; Carstens, I L

    1990-07-01

    The purpose of this review is to establish a conceptual framework on the role of information systems in public health care. Information is indispensable for effective management and development of health services and therefore considered as an important operational asset or resource. A Health Information System is mainly required to support management and operations at four levels: namely transactional and functional; operational control; management planning and control; and strategic planning. To provide the necessary information needs of users at these levels of management in the health care system, a structured information system coupled with appropriate information technology is required. Adequate and relevant information is needed regarding population characteristics, resources available and expended, output and outcome of health care activities. Additionally information needs to be reliable, accurate, timely, easily accessible and presented in a compact and meaningful form. With a well-planned health information system health authorities would be in a position to provide a quality, cost-effective and efficient health service for as many people as need it, optimal utilisation of resources and to maintain and improve the community's health status.

  8. Service quality in healthcare institutions: establishing the gaps for policy action.

    PubMed

    Abuosi, Aaron A; Atinga, Roger A

    2013-01-01

    The authors seek to examine two key issues: to assess patients' hospital service quality perceptions and expectation using SERVQUAL; and to outline the distinct concepts used to assess patient perceptions. Questionnaires were administered to 250 patients on admission and follow-up visits. The 22 paired SERVQUAL expectation and perception items were adopted. Repeated t-measures and factor analysis with Varimax rotation were used to analyse data. Results showed that patient expectations were not being met during medical treatment. Perceived service quality was rated lower than expectations for all variables. The mean difference between perceptions and expectations was statistically significant. Contrary to the SERVQUAL five-factor model, four service-quality factors were identified in the study. Findings have practical implications for hospital managers who should consider stepping up staffing levels backed by client-centred training programmes to help clinicians deliver care to patients' expectations. Limited studies are tailored towards patients' service-quality perception and expectation in Ghanaian hospitals. The findings therefore provide valuable information for policy and practice.

  9. Intrusion-Tolerant Location Information Services in Intelligent Vehicular Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Gongjun; Yang, Weiming; Shaner, Earl F.; Rawat, Danda B.

    Intelligent Vehicular Networks, known as Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Roadside wireless communications (also called Vehicular Ad hoc Networks), are revolutionizing our daily driving with better safety and more infortainment. Most, if not all, applications will depend on accurate location information. Thus, it is of importance to provide intrusion-tolerant location information services. In this paper, we describe an adaptive algorithm that detects and filters the false location information injected by intruders. Given a noisy environment of mobile vehicles, the algorithm estimates the high resolution location of a vehicle by refining low resolution location input. We also investigate results of simulations and evaluate the quality of the intrusion-tolerant location service.

  10. Factors influencing healthcare service quality

    PubMed Central

    Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Background: The main purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence healthcare quality in the Iranian context. Methods: Exploratory in-depth individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 222 healthcare stakeholders including healthcare providers, managers, policy-makers, and payers to identify factors affecting the quality of healthcare services provided in Iranian healthcare organisations. Results: Quality in healthcare is a production of cooperation between the patient and the healthcare provider in a supportive environment. Personal factors of the provider and the patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare organisation, healthcare system, and the broader environment affect healthcare service quality. Healthcare quality can be improved by supportive visionary leadership, proper planning, education and training, availability of resources, effective management of resources, employees and processes, and collaboration and cooperation among providers. Conclusion: This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework that provides policy-makers and managers a practical understanding of factors that affect healthcare service quality. PMID:25114946

  11. Measuring the quality of Hospital Food Services: Development and reliability of a Meal Quality Audit Tool.

    PubMed

    Banks, Merrilyn; Hannan-Jones, Mary; Ross, Lynda; Buckley, Ann; Ellick, Jennifer; Young, Adrienne

    2017-04-01

    To develop and test the reliability of a Meal Quality Audit Tool (MQAT) to audit the quality of hospital meals to assist food service managers and dietitians in identifying areas for improvement. The MQAT was developed using expert opinion and was modified over time with extensive use and feedback. A phased approach was used to assess content validity and test reliability: (i) trial with 60 dietetic students, (ii) trial with 12 food service dietitians in practice and (iii) interrater reliability study. Phases 1 and 2 confirmed content validity and informed minor revision of scoring, language and formatting of the MQAT. To assess reliability of the final MQAT, eight separate meal quality audits of five identical meals were conducted over several weeks in the hospital setting. Each audit comprised an 'expert' team and four 'test' teams (dietitians, food services and ward staff). Interrater reliability was determined using intra-class correlation analysis. There was statistically significant interrater reliability for dimensions of Temperature and Accuracy (P < 0.001) but not for Appearance or Sensory. Composition of the 'test' team appeared to influence results for Appearance and Sensory, with food service-led teams scoring higher on these dimensions. 'Test' teams reported that MQAT was clear and easy to use. MQAT was found to be reliable for Temperature and Accuracy domains, with further work required to improve the reliability of the Appearance and Sensory dimensions. The systematic use of the tool, used in conjunction with patient satisfaction, could provide pertinent and useful information regarding the quality of food services and areas for improvement. © 2017 Dietitians Association of Australia.

  12. Service quality and clinical outcomes: an example from mental health rehabilitation services in England.

    PubMed

    Killaspy, Helen; Marston, Louise; Omar, Rumana Z; Green, Nicholas; Harrison, Isobel; Lean, Melanie; Holloway, Frank; Craig, Tom; Leavey, Gerard; King, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Current health policy assumes better quality services lead to better outcomes. To investigate the relationship between quality of mental health rehabilitation services in England, local deprivation, service user characteristics and clinical outcomes. Standardised tools were used to assess the quality of mental health rehabilitation units and service users' autonomy, quality of life, experiences of care and ratings of the therapeutic milieu. Multiple level modelling investigated relationships between service quality, service user characteristics and outcomes. A total of 52/60 (87%) National Health Service trusts participated, comprising 133 units and 739 service users. All aspects of service quality were positively associated with service users' autonomy, experiences of care and therapeutic milieu, but there was no association with quality of life. Quality of care is linked to better clinical outcomes in people with complex and longer-term mental health problems. Thus, investing in quality is likely to show real clinical gains.

  13. Library information services.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Michold, U.; Cummins, M.; Watson, J. M.; Holmquist, J.; Shobbrook, R.

    Contents: library catalogs and holdings; indexing and abstract services; preprint services; electronic journals and newsletters; alerting services; commercial databases; informal networking; use of a thesaurus for on-line searching. An extensive list of access pointers for library catalogs and services, electronic newsletters, and publishers and bookshops is enclosed.

  14. Cultural values and health service quality in China.

    PubMed

    Polsa, Pia; Fuxiang, Wei; Sääksjärvi, Maria; Shuyuan, Pei

    2013-01-01

    Several service quality studies show how cultural features may influence the way service quality is perceived. However, few studies specifically describe culture's influence on health service quality. Also, there are few studies that take into account patients' health service quality perceptions. This article seeks to present a first step to fill these gaps by examining patients' cultural values and their health service quality assessments. The study draws on published work and applies its ideas to Chinese healthcare settings. Data consist of hospital service perceptions in the People's Republic of China (PRC), a society that is socially, economically and culturally undergoing major changes. In total, 96 patients were surveyed. Data relationships were tested using partial least square (PLS) analysis. Findings show that Chinese patients' cultural values and their health service assessments are related and that the cultural values themselves seem to be changing. Additionally, further analyses provided interesting results pointing to which cultural values influenced service quality perceptions. The strongest service quality predictor was power distance. The sample is relatively small and collected from only one major hospital in China. Therefore, future research should extend the sample size and scope. Follow-up research could also include cross-cultural investigations of perceived health service quality to substantiate cultural influences on health service quality perceptions. In line with similar research in other contexts, the study confirms that power distance has a significant relationship with service quality perceptions. The study contributes to existing health service literature by offering patients' views on health service quality and by describing relationships between health service perceptions and cultural values--the study's main contribution.

  15. Experiences with information locator services

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Christian, E.

    1999-01-01

    Over the last few years, governments and other organizations have been using new technologies to create networked Information Locator Services that help people find information resources. These services not only enhance access to information, but also are designed to support fundamental information policy principles. This article relates experiences in developing and promoting services interoperable with the Global Information Locator Service standard that has now been adopted and promoted in many forums worldwide. The article describes sample implementations and touches on the strategic choices made in public policy, standards, and technology. Ten recommendations are offered for successful implementation of an Information Locator Service. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Using technology to enhance the quality of home health care: three case studies of health information technology initiatives at the visiting nurse service of New York.

    PubMed

    Russell, David; Rosenfeld, Peri; Ames, Sylvia; Rosati, Robert J

    2010-01-01

    There is a growing recognition among health services researchers and policy makers that Health Information Technology (HIT) has the potential to address challenging issues that face patients and providers of healthcare. The Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), a large not-for-profit home healthcare agency, has integrated technology applications into the service delivery model of several programs. Case studies, including the development and implementation, of three informatics initiatives at VNSNY are presented on: (1) Quality Scorecards that utilize process, outcomes, cost, and satisfaction measures to assess performance among clinical staff and programs; (2) a tool to identify patients at risk of being hospitalized, and (3) a predictive model that identifies patients who are eligible for physical rehabilitation services. Following a description of these initiatives, we discuss their impact on quality and process indicators, as well as the opportunities and challenges to implementation. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

  17. Rethinking Student Services: Assessing and Improving Service Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zammuto, Raymond F.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    A study investigated the quality of services in four student enrollment services administrative sub-units (recruiting, admissions, records and registration, financial aid) at a public comprehensive university, using student and staff evaluations and program evaluations. Specific changes needed to improve service delivery are identified and…

  18. [6-year experience with a drug information service for patients].

    PubMed

    Huber, Martin; Kullak-Ublick, Gerd A; Kirch, Wilhelm

    2009-03-15

    Many patients are inadequately informed about their drug therapy. There is thus a need for providing additional drug information to patients. The authors here report on a 6-year experience with a drug information service for patients. The information service was available by telephone, e-mail or regular mail and was addressed initially to patients in Saxony and since 2005 to patients throughout Germany. Demographic and drug therapy data of the patients were registered and analyzed using a relational database. All enquiries to the information service between August 2001 and January 2007 were evaluated. 5,587 enquiries were registered. 61.4% of the persons calling were female and 33.8% male (sex was unknown in 4.8% by anonymous calls). The most frequent reasons for an enquiry were a general need for information about drugs and therapy (27.5%) and adverse drug reactions (24.7%). The drug group most frequently enquired about were cardiovascular drugs, accounting for 34.4%, followed by neuropsychiatric drugs (15.1%). The results of this analysis show an evident need for a drug information service for patients. This need is possibly caused by the shortage of time that physicians can devote to patients. An independent and competent drug information service may improve the quality of medical care and the satisfaction of the patients involved.

  19. THE EFFECT OF OUTPATIENT SERVICE QUALITY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION IN TEACHING HOSPITALS IN IRAN

    PubMed Central

    Pouragha, Behrouz; Zarei, Ehsan

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The quality of services plays a primary role in achieving patient satisfaction. The main purpose of this study was to explore the effect of outpatient service quality on patient satisfaction in teaching hospitals in Iran. Methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014. The study sample included 500 patients were selected with systematic random method from the outpatient departments (clinics) of four teaching hospitals in Tehran. The survey instrument was a questionnaire consisted of 44 items, which were confirmed its reliability and validity. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multivariate regression methods with the SPSS.18 software. Results: According to the findings of this study, the majority of patients had a positive experience in the outpatient departments of the teaching hospitals and thus evaluated the services as good. Perceived service costs, physician consultation, physical environment, and information to patient were found to be the most important determinants of outpatient satisfaction. Conclusion: The results suggest that improving the quality of consultation, providing information to the patients during examination and consultation, creating value for patients by reducing costs or improving service quality, and enhancing the physical environment quality of the clinic can be regarded as effective strategies for the management of teaching hospitals toward increasing outpatient satisfaction. PMID:27047262

  20. THE EFFECT OF OUTPATIENT SERVICE QUALITY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION IN TEACHING HOSPITALS IN IRAN.

    PubMed

    Pouragha, Behrouz; Zarei, Ehsan

    2016-02-01

    The quality of services plays a primary role in achieving patient satisfaction. The main purpose of this study was to explore the effect of outpatient service quality on patient satisfaction in teaching hospitals in Iran. this cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014. The study sample included 500 patients were selected with systematic random method from the outpatient departments (clinics) of four teaching hospitals in Tehran. The survey instrument was a questionnaire consisted of 44 items, which were confirmed its reliability and validity. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multivariate regression methods with the SPSS.18 software. According to the findings of this study, the majority of patients had a positive experience in the outpatient departments of the teaching hospitals and thus evaluated the services as good. Perceived service costs, physician consultation, physical environment, and information to patient were found to be the most important determinants of outpatient satisfaction. The results suggest that improving the quality of consultation, providing information to the patients during examination and consultation, creating value for patients by reducing costs or improving service quality, and enhancing the physical environment quality of the clinic can be regarded as effective strategies for the management of teaching hospitals toward increasing outpatient satisfaction.

  1. Service Quality: A Concept not Fully Explored.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernon, Peter; Nitecki, Danuta A.

    2001-01-01

    Examines the concept of service quality in libraries. Highlights include assessment; service quality versus user satisfaction; measuring service quality, including SERVQUAL; planning; experiences at Texas A& M University in cooperation with ARL (Association of Research Libraries) that resulted in LibQUAL+; and conceptual issues. (Contains 54…

  2. Quality effort decision in service supply chain with quality preference based on quantum game

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Cuihua; Xing, Peng; Wang, Jianwei

    2015-04-01

    Service quality preference behaviors of both members are considered in service supply chain (SSC) including a service integrator and a service provider with stochastic demand. Through analysis of service quality cost and revenue, the utility functions are established on service quality effort degree and service quality preference level in integrated and decentralized SSC. Nash equilibrium and quantum game are used to optimize the models. By comparing the different solutions, the optimal strategies are obtained in SSC with quality preference. Then some numerical examples are studied and the changing trend of service quality effort is further analyzed by the influence of the entanglement operator and quality preferences.

  3. Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS): An Instrument for Evaluating Service Quality of Health-Fitness Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Eddie T. C.; Zhang, James J.; Jensen, Barbara E.

    2005-01-01

    This study was designed to develop the Service Quality Assessment Scale to evaluate the service quality of health-fitness clubs. Through a review of literature, field observations, interviews, modified application of the Delphi technique, and a pilot study, a preliminary scale with 46 items was formulated. The preliminary scale was administered to…

  4. Information Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scofield, James

    Newspaper librarians discussed the public use of their newspapers' libraries. Policies run the gamut from well-staffed public information services, within or outside the newspaper library, to no service at all to those outside the staff of the paper. Problems of dealing with tax and law enforcement agencies were covered, as well as cooperative…

  5. Adoption of Clinical Information Systems in Health Services Organizations

    PubMed Central

    Austin, Charles J.; Holland, Gloria J.

    1988-01-01

    This paper presents a conceptual model of factors which influence organizational decisions to invest in the installation of clinical information systems. Using results of previous research as a framework, the relative influence of clinical, fiscal, and strategic-institutional decision structures are examined. These adoption decisions are important in health services organizations because clinical information is essential for managing demand and allocating resources, managing quality of care, and controlling costs.

  6. Communicating and visualizing data quality through Web Map Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roberts, Charles; Blower, Jon; Maso, Joan; Diaz, Daniel; Griffiths, Guy; Lewis, Jane

    2014-05-01

    The sharing and visualization of environmental data through OGC Web Map Services is becoming increasingly common. However, information about the quality of data is rarely presented. (In this presentation we consider mostly data uncertainty as a measure of quality, although we acknowledge that many other quality measures are relevant to the geoscience community.) In the context of the GeoViQua project (http://www.geoviqua.org) we have developed conventions and tools for using WMS to deliver data quality information. The "WMS-Q" convention describes how the WMS specification can be used to publish quality information at the level of datasets, variables and individual pixels (samples). WMS-Q requires no extensions to the WMS 1.3.0 specification, being entirely backward-compatible. (An earlier version of WMS-Q was published as OGC Engineering Report 12-160.) To complement the WMS-Q convention, we have also developed extensions to the OGC Symbology Encoding (SE) specification, enabling uncertain geoscience data to be portrayed using a variety of visualization techniques. These include contours, stippling, blackening, whitening, opacity, bivariate colour maps, confidence interval triangles and glyphs. There may also be more extensive applications of these methods beyond the visual representation of uncertainty. In this presentation we will briefly describe the scope of the WMS-Q and "extended SE" specifications and then demonstrate the innovations using open-source software based upon ncWMS (http://ncwms.sf.net). We apply the tools to a variety of datasets including Earth Observation data from the European Space Agency's Climate Change Initiative. The software allows uncertain raster data to be shared through Web Map Services, giving the user fine control over data visualization.

  7. Cost (and Quality and Value) of Information Technology Support in Large Research Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peebles, Christopher S.; Antolovic, Laurie

    1999-01-01

    Shows how financial and quality measures associated with the Balanced Scorecard (developed by Kaplan and Norton to measure organizational performance) can be applied to information technology (IT) user education and support in large research universities. Focuses on University Information Technology Services that has measured the quality of IT…

  8. Service Quality and Patient Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study of Pathology Laboratories in Jaipur.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Anuradha; Singh, Maithili R P

    2016-01-01

    One of the most important parts of healthcare system is diagnostics. Nowadays, Indians have become more aware of their health, due to improved and better availability of health related information, increase in medical tourism, and expanding health insurance. The demand for better diagnostic facilities have increased with the increase in lifestyle related diseases, excesses use of chemicals in agriculture practices and change in food habits. It is expected that the Indian diagnostic market will grow from USD $5 billion in the year 2012 to USD $32 billion by the year 2020 with 20% CAGR (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015 ). Today patients have easy access of information regarding the health services and they have become more concerned about it as they look forward to receiving the maximum value for their money. To win the confidence of the patients and to maintain that trust, it is required to deliver the right services to the right person at the right time. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure the service quality at pathology laboratory. A thorough review of literature revealed that there are studies related to healthcare service quality but there is no such established scale to measure service quality of pathology laboratory. Thus, the authors strived to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure the patients' perception toward pathology laboratory service quality. For this exploratory study was conducted on the sample of 80 patients of the laboratories in Jaipur city. The reliability and factor structures were tested to purify the scale. The findings revealed 13 items, comprising of three dimensions of service quality: responsiveness, tangibility, and reliability.

  9. Quality Work, Quality Control in Technical Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horny, Karen L.

    1985-01-01

    Quality in library technical services is explored in light of changes produced by automation. Highlights include a definition of quality; new opportunities and shifting priorities; cataloging (fullness of records, heading consistency, accountability, local standards, automated checking); need for new skills (management, staff); and boons of…

  10. GEO Label Web Services for Dynamic and Effective Communication of Geospatial Metadata Quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lush, Victoria; Nüst, Daniel; Bastin, Lucy; Masó, Joan; Lumsden, Jo

    2014-05-01

    We present demonstrations of the GEO label Web services and their integration into a prototype extension of the GEOSS portal (http://scgeoviqua.sapienzaconsulting.com/web/guest/geo_home), the GMU portal (http://gis.csiss.gmu.edu/GADMFS/) and a GeoNetwork catalog application (http://uncertdata.aston.ac.uk:8080/geonetwork/srv/eng/main.home). The GEO label is designed to communicate, and facilitate interrogation of, geospatial quality information with a view to supporting efficient and effective dataset selection on the basis of quality, trustworthiness and fitness for use. The GEO label which we propose was developed and evaluated according to a user-centred design (UCD) approach in order to maximise the likelihood of user acceptance once deployed. The resulting label is dynamically generated from producer metadata in ISO or FDGC format, and incorporates user feedback on dataset usage, ratings and discovered issues, in order to supply a highly informative summary of metadata completeness and quality. The label was easily incorporated into a community portal as part of the GEO Architecture Implementation Programme (AIP-6) and has been successfully integrated into a prototype extension of the GEOSS portal, as well as the popular metadata catalog and editor, GeoNetwork. The design of the GEO label was based on 4 user studies conducted to: (1) elicit initial user requirements; (2) investigate initial user views on the concept of a GEO label and its potential role; (3) evaluate prototype label visualizations; and (4) evaluate and validate physical GEO label prototypes. The results of these studies indicated that users and producers support the concept of a label with drill-down interrogation facility, combining eight geospatial data informational aspects, namely: producer profile, producer comments, lineage information, standards compliance, quality information, user feedback, expert reviews, and citations information. These are delivered as eight facets of a wheel

  11. Experiencing health care service quality: through patients' eyes.

    PubMed

    Schembri, Sharon

    2015-02-01

    The primary aim of the present study was to consider health care service quality from the patients' perspective, specifically through the patient's eyes. A narrative analysis was performed on 300 patient stories. This rigorous analysis of patient stories is designed to identify and describe health care service quality through patients' eyes in an authentic and accurate, experiential manner. The findings show that there are variant and complex ways that patients experience health care service quality. Patient stories offer an authentic view of the complex ways that patients experience health care service quality. Narrative analysis is a useful tool to identify and describe how patients experience health care service quality. Patients experience health care service quality in complex and varying ways.

  12. Data Quality Screening Service

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strub, Richard; Lynnes, Christopher; Hearty, Thomas; Won, Young-In; Fox, Peter; Zednik, Stephan

    2013-01-01

    A report describes the Data Quality Screening Service (DQSS), which is designed to help automate the filtering of remote sensing data on behalf of science users. Whereas this process often involves much research through quality documents followed by laborious coding, the DQSS is a Web Service that provides data users with data pre-filtered to their particular criteria, while at the same time guiding the user with filtering recommendations of the cognizant data experts. The DQSS design is based on a formal semantic Web ontology that describes data fields and the quality fields for applying quality control within a data product. The accompanying code base handles several remote sensing datasets and quality control schemes for data products stored in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF), a common format for NASA remote sensing data. Together, the ontology and code support a variety of quality control schemes through the implementation of the Boolean expression with simple, reusable conditional expressions as operands. Additional datasets are added to the DQSS simply by registering instances in the ontology if they follow a quality scheme that is already modeled in the ontology. New quality schemes are added by extending the ontology and adding code for each new scheme.

  13. Experienced and potential medical tourists' service quality expectations.

    PubMed

    Guiry, Michael; Scott, Jeannie J; Vequist, David G

    2013-01-01

    The paper's aim is to compare experienced and potential US medical tourists' foreign health service-quality expectations. Data were collected via an online survey involving 1,588 US consumers engaging or expressing an interest in medical tourism. The sample included 219 experienced and 1,369 potential medical tourists. Respondents completed a SERVQUAL questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to determine significant differences between experienced and potential US medical tourists' service-quality expectations. For all five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) experienced medical tourists had significantly lower expectations than potential medical tourists. Experienced medical tourists also had significantly lower service-quality expectations than potential medical tourists for 11 individual SERVQUAL items. Results suggest using experience level to segment medical tourists. The study also has implications for managing medical tourist service-quality expectations at service delivery point and via external marketing communications. Managing medical tourists' service quality expectations is important since expectations can significantly influence choice processes, their experience and post-consumption behavior. This study is the first to compare experienced and potential US medical tourist service-quality expectations. The study establishes a foundation for future service-quality expectations research in the rapidly growing medical tourism industry.

  14. Legal issues concerning electronic health information: privacy, quality, and liability.

    PubMed

    Hodge, J G; Gostin, L O; Jacobson, P D

    1999-10-20

    Personally identifiable health information about individuals and general medical information is increasingly available in electronic form in health databases and through online networks. The proliferation of electronic data within the modern health information infrastructure presents significant benefits for medical providers and patients, including enhanced patient autonomy, improved clinical treatment, advances in health research and public health surveillance, and modern security techniques. However, it also presents new legal challenges in 3 interconnected areas: privacy of identifiable health information, reliability and quality of health data, and tortbased liability. Protecting health information privacy (by giving individuals control over health data without severely restricting warranted communal uses) directly improves the quality and reliability of health data (by encouraging individual uses of health services and communal uses of data), which diminishes tort-based liabilities (by reducing instances of medical malpractice or privacy invasions through improvements in the delivery of health care services resulting in part from better quality and reliability of clinical and research data). Following an analysis of the interconnectivity of these 3 areas and discussing existing and proposed health information privacy laws, recommendations for legal reform concerning health information privacy are presented. These include (1) recognizing identifiable health information as highly sensitive, (2) providing privacy safeguards based on fair information practices, (3) empowering patients with information and rights to consent to disclosure (4) limiting disclosures of health data absent consent, (5) incorporating industry-wide security protections, (6) establishing a national data protection authority, and (7) providing a national minimal level of privacy protections.

  15. [Quality assurance in occupational health services].

    PubMed

    Michalak, J

    1996-01-01

    The general conditions influencing the quality assurance and audit in Polish occupational health services are presented. The factors promoting or hampering the implementation of quality assurance and audits are also discussed. The major influence on the transformation of Polish occupational health services in exorted by employers who are committed to cover the costs of the obligatory prophylactic examination of their employees. This is the factor which also contributes to the improvement of quality if services. The definitions of the most important terms are reviewed to highlight their accordance with the needs of occupational health services in Poland. The examples of audit are presented and the elements of selected methods of auditing are suggested to be adopted in Poland.

  16. Experimental climate information services in support of risk management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, R. S.; Pulwarty, R. S.; Davidson, M. A.; Shea, E. E.; Nierenberg, C.; Dole, R. M.

    2009-12-01

    Climate variability and change impact national and local economies and environments. Developing and communicating climate and climate impacts information to inform decision making requires an understanding of context, societal objectives, and identification of factors important to the management of risk. Information sensitive to changing baselines or extremes is a critical emergent need. Meeting this need requires timely production and delivery of useful climate data, information and knowledge within familiar pathways. We identify key attributes for a climate service , and the network and infrastructure to develop and coordinate the resulting services based on lessons learned in experimental implementations of climate services. "Service-type" activities already exist in many settings within federal, state, academic, and private sectors. The challenge for a climate service is to find effective implementation strategies for improving decision quality (not just meeting user needs). These strategies include upfront infrastructure investments, learning from event to event, coordinated innovation and diffusion, and highlighting common adaptation interests. Common to these strategies is the production of reliable and accessible data, analyses of emergent conditions and needs, and deliberative processes to identify appropriate entry points and uses for improved knowledge. Experimental climate services show that the development of well-structured paths among observations, projections, risk assessments and usable information requires sustained participation in “knowledge management systems” for early warning across temporal and spatial scales. Central to these systems is a collaborative framework between research and management to ensure anticipatory coordination between decision makers and information providers, allowing for emerging research findings and their attendant uncertainties to be considered. Early warnings in this context are not simply forecasts or

  17. Using mobile technology to improve healthcare service quality.

    PubMed

    Chao, Chia Chen; Jen, Wen Yuan; Li, Yu-Chuan; Chi, Y P; Chen, Chang-I; Feng, Chen Chjeh

    2005-01-01

    Improving healthcare service quality for illness of treatment, illness prevention and patient service is difficult for most hospitals because the hospitals are lack adequate resources and labor. In order to provide better healthcare service quality for patients, mobile technology can be used to manage healthcare in a way that provides the optimal healthcare service for patients. Pursuing utilization of mobile technology for better patient service, Taipei Medical University Municipal W. F. Teaching Hospital has implemented a mobile healthcare service (m-HS) system to increase healthcare service quality. The m-HS system improves the quality of medical care as well as healthcare service. The m-HS is a multi-functional healthcare management agent, meets the mobile tendency of the present society. This study seeks to discuss the m-HS architecture and workflow processes. We believe the m-HS does have the potential to improve healthcare service quality. Finally, the conclusions and suggestions for the m-HS are given.

  18. a Web Api and Web Application Development for Dissemination of Air Quality Information

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Şahin, K.; Işıkdağ, U.

    2017-11-01

    Various studies have been carried out since 2005 under the leadership of Ministry of Environment and Urbanism of Turkey, in order to observe the quality of air in Turkey, to develop new policies and to develop a sustainable air quality management strategy. For this reason, a national air quality monitoring network has been developed providing air quality indices. By this network, the quality of the air has been continuously monitored and an important information system has been constructed in order to take precautions for preventing a dangerous situation. The biggest handicap in the network is the data access problem for instant and time series data acquisition and processing because of its proprietary structure. Currently, there is no service offered by the current air quality monitoring system for exchanging information with third party applications. Within the context of this work, a web service has been developed to enable location based querying of the current/past air quality data in Turkey. This web service is equipped with up-todate and widely preferred technologies. In other words, an architecture is chosen in which applications can easily integrate. In the second phase of the study, a web-based application was developed to test the developed web service and this testing application can perform location based acquisition of air-quality data. This makes it possible to easily carry out operations such as screening and examination of the area in the given time-frame which cannot be done with the national monitoring network.

  19. Mechanism Design for Task Procurement with Flexible Quality of Service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gerding, Enrico H.; Larson, Kate; Rogers, Alex; Jennings, Nicholas R.

    In this paper, we consider the problem where an agent wishes to complete a single computational task, but lacks the required resources. Instead, it must contract self-interested service providers, who are able to flexibly manipulate the quality of service they deliver, in order to maximise their own utility. We extend an existing model to allow for multiple such service providers to be contracted for the same task, and derive optimal task procurement mechanisms in the setting where the agent has full knowledge of the cost functions of these service providers (considering both simultaneous and sequential procurement). We then extend these results to the incomplete information setting where the agent must elicit cost information from the service providers, and we characterise a family of incentive-compatible and individually-rational mechanisms. We show empirically that sequential procurement always generates greater utility for the agent compared to simultaneous procurement, and that over a range of settings, contracting multiple providers is preferable to contracting just one.

  20. Measuring Service Quality in a Tertiary Institution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soutar, Geoffrey; McNeil, Margaret

    1996-01-01

    Measures service quality from the viewpoint of customers (students at an Australian university), using the SERVQUAL model. Obtains evaluations of academic and administrative aspects of the educational service. Makes significant negative evaluations of administrative service quality (resulting from communication problems). Satisfaction with the…

  1. Utilization of ontology look-up services in information retrieval for biomedical literature.

    PubMed

    Vishnyakova, Dina; Pasche, Emilie; Lovis, Christian; Ruch, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    With the vast amount of biomedical data we face the necessity to improve information retrieval processes in biomedical domain. The use of biomedical ontologies facilitated the combination of various data sources (e.g. scientific literature, clinical data repository) by increasing the quality of information retrieval and reducing the maintenance efforts. In this context, we developed Ontology Look-up services (OLS), based on NEWT and MeSH vocabularies. Our services were involved in some information retrieval tasks such as gene/disease normalization. The implementation of OLS services significantly accelerated the extraction of particular biomedical facts by structuring and enriching the data context. The results of precision in normalization tasks were boosted on about 20%.

  2. Stakeholder Expectations of Service Quality in a University Web Portal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tate, Mary; Evermann, Joerg; Hope, Beverley; Barnes, Stuart

    Online service quality is a much-studied concept. There is considerable evidence that user expectations and perceptions of self-service and online service quality differ in different business domains. In addition, the nature of online services is continually changing and universities have been at the forefront of this change, with university websites increasingly acting as a portal for a wide range of online transactions for a wide range of stakeholders. In this qualitative study, we conduct focus groups with a range of stakeholders in a university web portal. Our study offers a number of insights into the changing nature of the relationship between organisations and customers. New technologies are influencing customer expectations. Customers increasingly expect organisations to have integrated information systems, and to utilise new technologies such as SMS and web portals. Organisations can be slow to adopt a customer-centric viewpoint, and persist in providing interfaces that are inconsistent or require inside knowledge of organisational structures and processes. This has a negative effect on customer perceptions.

  3. The contribution of hospital library information services to clinical care: a study in eight hospitals.

    PubMed Central

    King, D N

    1987-01-01

    Hospital health sciences libraries represent, for the vast majority of health professionals, the most accessible source for library information and services. Most health professionals do not have available the specialized services of a clinical medical librarian, and rely instead upon general information services for their case-related information needs. The ability of the hospital library to meet these needs and the impact of the information on quality patient care have not been previously examined. A study was conducted in eight hospitals in the Chicago area as a quality assurance project. A total of 176 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals requested information from their hospital libraries related to a current case or clinical situation. They then assessed the quality of information received, its cognitive value, its contribution to patient care, and its impact on case management. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents asserted that they would definitely or probably handle their cases differently as a result of the information provided by the library. Almost all rated the libraries' performance and response highly. An overview of the context and purpose of the study, its methods, selected results, limitations, and conclusions are presented here, as is a review of selected earlier research. PMID:3450340

  4. Quantitative comparison of measurements of urgent care service quality.

    PubMed

    Qin, Hong; Prybutok, Victor; Prybutok, Gayle

    2016-01-01

    Service quality and patient satisfaction are essential to health care organization success. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry introduced SERVQUAL, a prominent service quality measure not yet applied to urgent care. We develop an instrument to measure perceived service quality and identify the determinants of patient satisfaction/ behavioral intentions. We examine the relationships among perceived service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and demonstrate that urgent care service quality is not equivalent using measures of perceptions only, differences of expectations minus perceptions, ratio of perceptions to expectations, and the log of the ratio. Perceptions provide the best measure of urgent care service quality.

  5. Evaluation of service quality in family planning clinics in Lusaka, Zambia.

    PubMed

    Hancock, Nancy L; Vwalika, Bellington; Sitali, Elizabeth Siyama; Mbwili-Muleya, Clara; Chi, Benjamin H; Stuart, Gretchen S

    2015-10-01

    To determine the quality of contraceptive services in family planning clinics in Lusaka, Zambia, using a standardized approach. We utilized the Quick Investigation of Quality, a cross-sectional survey tool consisting of a facility assessment, client-provider observation and client exit interview, in public-sector family planning clinics. Data were collected on availability of seven contraceptive methods, information given to clients, interpersonal relations between providers and clients, providers' technical competence and mechanisms for continuity and follow-up. Data were collected from five client-provider observations and client exit interviews in each of six public-sector family planning clinics. All clinics had at least two contraceptive methods continuously available for the preceding 6 months. Most providers asked clients about concerns with their contraceptive method (80%) and told clients when to return to the clinic (87%). Most clients reported that the provider advised what to do if a problem develops (93%), described possible side effects (89%), explained how to use the method effectively (85%) and told them when to come for follow-up (83%). Clients were satisfied with services received (93%). This application of the Quick Investigation of Quality showed that the participating family planning clinics in Lusaka, Zambia, were prepared to offer high-quality services with the available commodities and that clients were satisfied with the received services. Despite the subjective client satisfaction, quality improvement efforts are needed to increase contraceptive availability. Although clients perceived the quality of care received to be high, family planning service quality could be improved to continuously offer the full spectrum of contraceptive options. The Quick Investigation of Quality was easily implemented in Lusaka, Zambia, and this simple approach could be utilized in a variety of settings as a modality for quality improvement. Copyright © 2015

  6. Comparison of information about the quality of apparel in three retail formats.

    PubMed

    Bye, Elizabeth K; Reiley, Kathryn

    2003-06-01

    Multiple options are available for selection and purchase of apparel including in-store, catalogue, and Internet. The present purpose was to compare information about quality available to consumers in three retail formats. Students studying quality of apparel selected a product which could be purchased in each of the three formats, completed an evaluation from both a consumer's and preprofessional perspective, and made recommendations for improving information on quality. A total of 413 recommendations were categorized and tested for independence. Students had similar expectations for cues of quality across Internet, catalogue, and in-store formats including fiber content, country of origin, 3-dimensional information about fit, color accuracy, size charts, and strong customer service. Students expected a uniform array of information on quality regardless of the shopping format. Merchandisers must be aware of the total image across formats and be prepared to explore methods for improving communication of information on quality in each.

  7. Quality Assessment of Family Planning Sterilization Services at Health Care Facilities: Case Record Audit.

    PubMed

    Mathur, Medha; Goyal, Ram Chandra; Mathur, Navgeet

    2017-05-01

    Quality of sterilization services is a matter of concern in India because population control is a necessity. Family Planning Sterilization (FPS) services provided at public health care facilities need to be as per Standard Operating Procedures. To assess the quality of FPS services by audit of case records at selected health care facilities. This cross-sectional study was conducted for two and a half year duration at selected public health care facilities of central India by simple random sampling where FPS services were provided. As per the standards of Government of India, case records were audited and compliance was calculated to assess the quality of services. Results of record audit were satisfactory but important criteria like previous contraceptive history and postoperative counselling were found to be deviated from standards. At Primary Health Centres (PHCs) only 89.5% and at Community Health Centres (CHCs) 58.7% of records were having details of previous contraceptive history. Other criteria like mental illness (only 70% at CHCs) assessment were also inadequate. Although informed consent was found to be having 100% compliance in all records. Quality of care in FPS services is the matter of concern in present scenario for better quality of services. This study may enlighten the policy makers regarding improvements needed for providing quality care.

  8. Service quality in community pharmacy: an exploration of determinants.

    PubMed

    White, Lesley; Klinner, Christiane

    2012-01-01

    Although various instruments have been developed to measure customer satisfaction with community pharmacy services, there is limited research regarding pharmacy staffs' understanding of service quality and its determinants. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of pharmacy staff regarding the factors that constitute a high level of service quality using the service quality determinants proposed by the Conceptual Model of Service Quality. Structured interviews were conducted with 27 pharmacy assistants and 6 pharmacists in 3 community pharmacies in Sydney. The interview questions focused on the participants' perceptions of consumer expectations, the translation of these perceptions into service quality specifications, the actual service delivery, and the communication to customers. From the pharmacy staff perspective, service quality is significantly limited by insufficient internal communication and control processes that impede role clarity and the resolution of conflicting role expectations among customer service personnel. Participants indicated that these problems could be alleviated through the implementation of more transparent, realistic, measurable, and accepted quality specifications by pharmacy management. The study indicates that the extent to which pharmacy management sets, maintains, and communicates service quality specifications to staff directly affects role clarity, role conflict, and organizational commitment among customer service staff, which in turn directly influence the level of service quality provided to the customers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Effect of post-menstrual regulation family-planning service quality on subsequent contraceptive use in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Sultana, Farhana; Nahar, Quamrun; Marions, Lena; Oliveras, Elizabeth

    2013-11-01

    To determine whether the quality of post-menstrual regulation family-planning services (post-MRFP) affected contraceptive use at 3-month follow-up. 915 women who received post-MRFP in 2 public and 1 NGO clinics in a district in Bangladesh were interviewed to obtain information on service quality and other characteristics. Quality was scored based on 21 items and the score divided into 3 categories: low (0-6); medium (7-11); and high (12-21). Three months after menstrual regulation, 902 of the women were interviewed at their residence or a clinic and contraceptive status was recorded. Adjusted odd ratios (aORs) for using contraception were calculated via multivariate logistic regression. Contraceptive use was positively correlated with the level of service quality, with 78% use among women who received the lowest-quality care and 92% use among women who received the highest-quality care. The aOR for contraceptive use was 1.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.93) among women who received moderate-quality services and 3.01 (95% CI, 1.43-6.37) among women receiving high-quality services compared with those who received poor-quality services. Good-quality post-MRFP increases contraceptive use, at least in the short term. © 2013.

  10. Adopting Quality Criteria for Websites Providing Medical Information About Rare Diseases.

    PubMed

    Pauer, Frédéric; Göbel, Jens; Storf, Holger; Litzkendorf, Svenja; Babac, Ana; Frank, Martin; Lührs, Verena; Schauer, Franziska; Schmidtke, Jörg; Biehl, Lisa; Wagner, Thomas Of; Ückert, Frank; Graf von der Schulenburg, Johann-Matthias; Hartz, Tobias

    2016-08-25

    The European Union considers diseases to be rare when they affect less than 5 in 10,000 people. It is estimated that there are between 5000 and 8000 different rare diseases. Consistent with this diversity, the quality of information available on the Web varies considerably. Thus, quality criteria for websites about rare diseases are needed. The objective of this study was to generate a catalog of quality criteria suitable for rare diseases. First, relevant certificates and quality recommendations for health information websites were identified through a comprehensive Web search. Second, all considered quality criteria of each certification program and catalog were examined, extracted into an overview table, and analyzed by thematic content. Finally, an interdisciplinary expert group verified the relevant quality criteria. We identified 9 quality certificates and criteria catalogs for health information websites with 304 single criteria items. Through this, we aggregated 163 various quality criteria, each assigned to one of the following categories: thematic, technical, service, content, and legal. Finally, a consensus about 13 quality criteria for websites offering medical information on rare diseases was determined. Of these categories, 4 (data protection concept, imprint, creation and updating date, and possibility to contact the website provider) were identified as being the most important for publishing medical information about rare diseases. The large number of different quality criteria appearing within a relatively small number of criteria catalogs shows that the opinion of what is important in the quality of health information differs. In addition, to define useful quality criteria for websites about rare diseases, which are an essential source of information for many patients, a trade-off is necessary between the high standard of quality criteria for health information websites in general and the limited provision of information about some rare diseases

  11. Quality Is Key--The Impact of Community Service, Community Service Quality, and Reflection on Adolescents' Volunteering Intentions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Goethem, Anne A. J.; van Hoof, Anne; Orobio de Castro, Bram; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the effect of community service program-quality on changes in adolescents' intentions to volunteer. Based on the literature, volunteering intentions were expected to increase by programs with high quality community service activities (e.g., instructive activities) and educational activities including reflection. Adolescents (N=…

  12. Dynamic selection mechanism for quality of service aware web services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Mello, Demian Antony; Ananthanarayana, V. S.

    2010-02-01

    A web service is an interface of the software component that can be accessed by standard Internet protocols. The web service technology enables an application to application communication and interoperability. The increasing number of web service providers throughout the globe have produced numerous web services providing the same or similar functionality. This necessitates the use of tools and techniques to search the suitable services available over the Web. UDDI (universal description, discovery and integration) is the first initiative to find the suitable web services based on the requester's functional demands. However, the requester's requirements may also include non-functional aspects like quality of service (QoS). In this paper, the authors define a QoS model for QoS aware and business driven web service publishing and selection. The authors propose a QoS requirement format for the requesters, to specify their complex demands on QoS for the web service selection. The authors define a tree structure called quality constraint tree (QCT) to represent the requester's variety of requirements on QoS properties having varied preferences. The paper proposes a QoS broker based architecture for web service selection, which facilitates the requesters to specify their QoS requirements to select qualitatively optimal web service. A web service selection algorithm is presented, which ranks the functionally similar web services based on the degree of satisfaction of the requester's QoS requirements and preferences. The paper defines web service provider qualities to distinguish qualitatively competitive web services. The paper also presents the modelling and selection mechanism for the requester's alternative constraints defined on the QoS. The authors implement the QoS broker based system to prove the correctness of the proposed web service selection mechanism.

  13. Application of Ethics for Providing Telemedicine Services and Information Technology

    PubMed Central

    Langarizadeh, Mostafa; Moghbeli, Fatemeh; Aliabadi, Ali

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Advanced technology has increased the use of telemedicine and Information Technology (IT) in treating or rehabilitating diseases. An increased use of technology increases the importance of the ethical issues involved. The need for keeping patients’ information confidential and secure, controlling a number of therapists’ inefficiency as well as raising the quality of healthcare services necessitates adequate heed to ethical issues in telemedicine provision. Aim: The goal of this review is gathering all articles that are published through 5 years until now (2012-2017) for detecting ethical issues for providing telemedicine services and Information technology. The reason of this time is improvement of telemedicine and technology through these years. This article is important for clinical practice and also to world, because of knowing ethical issues in telemedicine and technology are always important factors for physician and health providers. Material and methods: the required data in this research were derived from published electronic sources and credible academic articles published in such databases as PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. The following key words were searched for in separation and combination: tele-health, telemedicine, ethical issues in telemedicine. A total of 503 articles were found. After excluding the duplicates (n= 93), the titles and abstracts of 410 articles were skimmed according to the inclusion criteria. Finally, 64 articles remained. They were reviewed in full text and 36 articles were excluded. At the end, 28 articles were chosen which met our eligibility criteria and were included in this study. Results: Ethics has been of a great significance in IT and telemedicine especially the Internet since there are more chances provided for accessing information. It is, however, accompanied by a threat to patients’ personal information. Therefore, suggestions are made to investigate ethics in technology, to offer standards and

  14. Application of Ethics for Providing Telemedicine Services and Information Technology.

    PubMed

    Langarizadeh, Mostafa; Moghbeli, Fatemeh; Aliabadi, Ali

    2017-10-01

    Advanced technology has increased the use of telemedicine and Information Technology (IT) in treating or rehabilitating diseases. An increased use of technology increases the importance of the ethical issues involved. The need for keeping patients' information confidential and secure, controlling a number of therapists' inefficiency as well as raising the quality of healthcare services necessitates adequate heed to ethical issues in telemedicine provision. The goal of this review is gathering all articles that are published through 5 years until now (2012-2017) for detecting ethical issues for providing telemedicine services and Information technology. The reason of this time is improvement of telemedicine and technology through these years. This article is important for clinical practice and also to world, because of knowing ethical issues in telemedicine and technology are always important factors for physician and health providers. the required data in this research were derived from published electronic sources and credible academic articles published in such databases as PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. The following key words were searched for in separation and combination: tele-health, telemedicine, ethical issues in telemedicine. A total of 503 articles were found. After excluding the duplicates (n= 93), the titles and abstracts of 410 articles were skimmed according to the inclusion criteria. Finally, 64 articles remained. They were reviewed in full text and 36 articles were excluded. At the end, 28 articles were chosen which met our eligibility criteria and were included in this study. Ethics has been of a great significance in IT and telemedicine especially the Internet since there are more chances provided for accessing information. It is, however, accompanied by a threat to patients' personal information. Therefore, suggestions are made to investigate ethics in technology, to offer standards and guidelines to therapists. Due to the advancement in

  15. 77 FR 45717 - Proposed Information Collection (Food Service and Nutritional Care Analysis) Activity; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0227] Proposed Information Collection (Food Service and Nutritional Care Analysis) Activity; Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration... determine patients' satisfaction with the quality of food and nutrition services. DATES: Written comments...

  16. Quality of service routing in the differentiated services framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Marilia C.; Melo, Bruno; Quadros, Goncalo; Monteiro, Edmundo

    2001-02-01

    In this paper we present a quality of service routing strategy for network where traffic differentiation follows the class-based paradigm, as in the Differentiated Services framework. This routing strategy is based on a metric of quality of service. This metric represents the impact that delay and losses verified at each router in the network have in application performance. Based on this metric, it is selected a path for each class according to the class sensitivity to delay and losses. The distribution of the metric is triggered by a relative criterion with two thresholds, and the values advertised are the moving average of the last values measured.

  17. Quality considerations in midwifery pre-service education: exemplars from Africa.

    PubMed

    Fullerton, Judith T; Johnson, Peter G; Thompson, Joyce B; Vivio, Donna

    2011-06-01

    This paper uses comparisons and contrasts identified during an assessment of pre-service education for midwives in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of the paper is to stimulate discussion about issues that must be carefully considered in the context of midwifery educational programming and the expansion of the midwifery workforce. A mixed qualitative and quantitative participatory assessment was conducted in Ethiopia, Ghana and Malawi, in the context of a final review of outcomes of a USAID-funded global project (ACCESS). Quantitative surveys were distributed. Individual and focus group interviews were conducted. Participants included key informants at donor, government and policy-making levels, representatives of collaborating and supporting agencies, midwives and students in education programmes, and midwives in clinical practice. Information is presented concerning the challenges encountered by those responsible for midwifery pre-service education related to issues in programming including: pathways to midwifery, student recruitment and admission, midwifery curricula, preparation of faculty to engage in academic teaching and clinical mentorship, modes of curriculum dissemination and teaching/learning strategies, programme accreditation, qualifications for entry-into practice and the assessment of continued competence. Quality issues must be carefully considered when designing and implementing midwifery pre-service education programmes, and planning for the integration of new graduates into the health workforce. These issues, such as the availability of qualified tutors and clinical teachers, and measures for the implementation of competency-based teaching and learner-assessment strategies, are particularly relevant in countries that experience health manpower shortages. This review highlights important strategic choices that can be made to enhance the quality of pre-service midwifery education. The deployment, appropriate utilisation and

  18. Linking service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention.

    PubMed

    Woodside, A G; Frey, L L; Daly, R T

    1989-12-01

    Based on the service quality and script theory literature, a framework of relationships among service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention for service purchases is proposed. Specific models are developed from the general framework and the models are applied and tested for the highly complex and divergent consumer service of overnight hospital care. Service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention data were collected from recent patients of two hospitals. The findings support the specific models and general framework. Implications for theory, service marketing, and future research are discussed.

  19. Communicating data quality through Web Map Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blower, Jon; Roberts, Charles; Griffiths, Guy; Lewis, Jane; Yang, Kevin

    2013-04-01

    The sharing and visualization of environmental data through spatial data infrastructures is becoming increasingly common. However, information about the quality of data is frequently unavailable or presented in an inconsistent fashion. ("Data quality" is a phrase with many possible meanings but here we define it as "fitness for purpose" - therefore different users have different notions of what constitutes a "high quality" dataset.) The GeoViQua project (www.geoviqua.org) is developing means for eliciting, formatting, discovering and visualizing quality information using ISO and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards. Here we describe one aspect of the innovations of the GeoViQua project. In this presentation, we shall demonstrate new developments in using Web Map Services to communicate data quality at the level of datasets, variables and individual samples. We shall outline a new draft set of conventions (known as "WMS-Q"), which describe a set of rules for using WMS to convey quality information (OGC draft Engineering Report 12-160). We shall demonstrate these conventions through new prototype software, based upon the widely-used ncWMS software, that applies these rules to enable the visualization of uncertainties in raster data such as satellite products and the results of numerical simulations. Many conceptual and practical issues have arisen from these experiments. How can source data be formatted so that a WMS implementation can detect the semantic links between variables (e.g. the links between a mean field and its variance)? The visualization of uncertainty can be a complex task - how can we provide users with the power and flexibility to choose an optimal strategy? How can we maintain compatibility (as far as possible) with existing WMS clients? We explore these questions with reference to existing standards and approaches, including UncertML, NetCDF-U and Styled Layer Descriptors.

  20. Measuring patient-perceived hospital service quality: a conceptual framework.

    PubMed

    Pai, Yogesh P; Chary, Satyanarayana T

    2016-04-18

    Purpose - Although measuring healthcare service quality is not a new phenomenon, the instruments used to measure are timeworn. With the shift in focus to patient centric processes in hospitals and recognizing healthcare to be different compared to other services, service quality measurement needs to be tuned specifically to healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to design a conceptual framework for measuring patient perceived hospital service quality (HSQ), based on existing service quality literature. Design/methodology/approach - Using HSQ theories, expanding existing healthcare service models and literature, a conceptual framework is proposed to measure HSQ. The paper outlines patient perceived service quality dimensions. Findings - An instrument for measuring HSQ dimensions is developed and compared with other service quality measuring instruments. The latest dimensions are in line with previous studies, but a relationship dimension is added. Practical implications - The framework empowers managers to assess healthcare quality in corporate, public and teaching hospitals. Originality/value - The paper helps academics and practitioners to assess HSQ from a patient perspective.

  1. Improving the interface between informal carers and formal health and social services: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    McPherson, K M; Kayes, N K; Moloczij, N; Cummins, C

    2014-03-01

    Reports about the impact of caring vary widely, but a consistent finding is that the role is influenced (for better or worse) by how formal services respond to, and work with informal carers and of course the cared for person. We aimed to explore the connection between informal and formal cares and identify how a positive connection or interface might be developed and maintained. We undertook a qualitative descriptive study with focus groups and individual interviews with informal carers, formal care service providers and representatives from carer advocacy groups. Content analysis was used to identify key factors impacting on the interface between informal and formal carers and propose specific recommendations for service development. Community setting including urban and rural areas of New Zealand. Seventy participants (the majority informal carers) took part in 13 focus groups and 22 individual interviews. Four key themes were derived: Quality of care for the care recipient; Knowledge exchange (valuing carer perspectives); One size does not fit all (creating flexible services); and A constant struggle (reducing the burden services add). An optimum interface to address these key areas was proposed. In addition to ensuring quality care for the care recipient, specific structures and processes to support a more positive interface appear warranted if informal carers and services are to work well together. An approach recognising the caring context and carer expertise may decrease the additional burden services contribute, and reduce conflicting information and resultant confusion and/or frustration many carers experience. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. An Examination of Possible Relationships between Service Quality and Brand Equity in Online Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarrell, Charles M.

    2012-01-01

    Researchers and marketers lack information about possible relationships between service quality and online brand equity in intangible and often undifferentiated service businesses. The services sector of the economy is large with 72% of the economic output and 80% of the workers in the United States in 2007. Within the services sector, Internet…

  3. Power and Influence: Enhancing Information Services within the Organization. Information Services Management Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    St. Clair, Guy

    As funds for supporting library and information services dwindle, librarians are beginning to recognize the value of evaluating and justifying their library in terms that the decision makers--those who control the budgets--understand. This book offers proven techniques for implementing a program that both promotes information services and dispels…

  4. Quality Assurance in University Guidance Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simon, Alexandra

    2014-01-01

    In Europe there is no common quality assurance framework for the delivery of guidance in higher education. Using a case study approach in four university career guidance services in England, France and Spain, this article aims to study how quality is implemented in university career guidance services in terms of strategy, standards and models,…

  5. Renewing focus on family planning service quality globally.

    PubMed

    Hancock, Nancy L; Stuart, Gretchen S; Tang, Jennifer H; Chibwesha, Carla J; Stringer, Jeffrey S A; Chi, Benjamin H

    2016-01-01

    Reducing the global unmet need for contraception is currently a priority for many governments, multi-lateral initiatives, non-governmental organizations, and donors. Evidence strongly suggests that the provision of quality family planning services can increase uptake, prevalence, and continuation of contraception. While an accepted framework to define the components of family planning service quality exists, translating this framework into assessment tools that are accessible, easily utilized, and valid for service providers has remained a challenge. We propose new approaches to improve the standardization and accessibility of family planning service quality assessment tools to simplify family planning service quality evaluation. With easier approaches to program evaluation, quality improvements can be performed more swiftly to help increase uptake and continuation of contraception to improve the health of women and their families.

  6. Factor selection for service quality evaluation: a hospital case study.

    PubMed

    Ameryoun, Ahmad; Najafi, Seyedvahid; Nejati-Zarnaqi, Bayram; Khalilifar, Seyed Omid; Ajam, Mahdi; Ansarimoghadam, Ahmad

    2017-02-13

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a systematic approach to predict service quality dimension's influence on service quality using a novel analysis based on data envelopment and SERVQUAL. Design/methodology/approach To assess hospital service quality in Tehran, expectation and perception of those who received the services were evaluated using SERVQUAL. The hospital service quality dimensions were found by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). To compare customer expectation and perception, perceived service quality index (PSQI) was measured using a new method based on common weights. A novel sensitivity approach was used to test the service quality factor's impact on the PSQI. Findings A new service quality dimension named "trust in services" was found using EFA, which is not an original SERVQUAL factor. The approach was applied to assess the hospital's service quality. Since the PSQI value was 0.76 it showed that improvements are needed to meet customer expectations. The results showed the factor order that affect PSQI. "Trust in services" has the strongest influence on PSQI followed by "tangibles," "assurance," "empathy," and "responsiveness," respectively. Practical implications This work gives managers insight into service quality by following a systematic method; i.e., measuring perceived service quality from the customer viewpoint and service factors' impact on customer perception. Originality/value The procedure helps managers to select the required service quality dimensions which need improvement and predict their effects on customer perception.

  7. Service quality, trust, and patient satisfaction in interpersonal-based medical service encounters

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Interaction between service provider and customer is the primary core of service businesses of different natures, and the influence of trust on service quality and customer satisfaction could not be ignored in interpersonal-based service encounters. However, lack of existing literature on the correlation between service quality, patient trust, and satisfaction from the prospect of interpersonal-based medical service encounters has created a research gap in previous studies. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge such a gap with an evidence-based practice study. Methods We adopted a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire survey of outpatients in seven medical centers of Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty copies of questionnaire were distributed, and 285 valid copies were retrieved, with a valid response rate of 81.43%. The SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 14.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for analysis. Structural equation modeling clarifies the extent of relationships between variables as well as the chain of cause and effect. Restated, SEM results do not merely show empirical relationships between variables when defining the practical situation. For this reason, SEM was used to test the hypotheses. Results Perception of interpersonal-based medical service encounters positively influences service quality and patient satisfaction. Perception of service quality among patients positively influences their trust. Perception of trust among patients positively influences their satisfaction. Conclusions According to the findings, as interpersonal-based medical service encounters will positively influence service quality and patient satisfaction, and the differences for patients’ perceptions of the professional skill and communication attitude of personnel in interpersonal-based medical service encounters will influence patients’ overall satisfaction in two ways: (A) interpersonal-based medical service encounter directly

  8. Service quality, trust, and patient satisfaction in interpersonal-based medical service encounters.

    PubMed

    Chang, Ching-Sheng; Chen, Su-Yueh; Lan, Yi-Ting

    2013-01-16

    Interaction between service provider and customer is the primary core of service businesses of different natures, and the influence of trust on service quality and customer satisfaction could not be ignored in interpersonal-based service encounters. However, lack of existing literature on the correlation between service quality, patient trust, and satisfaction from the prospect of interpersonal-based medical service encounters has created a research gap in previous studies. Therefore, this study attempts to bridge such a gap with an evidence-based practice study. We adopted a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire survey of outpatients in seven medical centers of Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty copies of questionnaire were distributed, and 285 valid copies were retrieved, with a valid response rate of 81.43%. The SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 14.0 (structural equation modeling) statistical software packages were used for analysis. Structural equation modeling clarifies the extent of relationships between variables as well as the chain of cause and effect. Restated, SEM results do not merely show empirical relationships between variables when defining the practical situation. For this reason, SEM was used to test the hypotheses. Perception of interpersonal-based medical service encounters positively influences service quality and patient satisfaction. Perception of service quality among patients positively influences their trust. Perception of trust among patients positively influences their satisfaction. According to the findings, as interpersonal-based medical service encounters will positively influence service quality and patient satisfaction, and the differences for patients' perceptions of the professional skill and communication attitude of personnel in interpersonal-based medical service encounters will influence patients' overall satisfaction in two ways: (A) interpersonal-based medical service encounter directly affects patient satisfaction, which represents a

  9. Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

    PubMed Central

    Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

    1991-01-01

    A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas. PMID:1909197

  10. Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

    PubMed

    Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

    1991-07-01

    A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas.

  11. Using Third Party Data to Update a Reference Dataset in a Quality Evaluation Service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xavier, E. M. A.; Ariza-López, F. J.; Ureña-Cámara, M. A.

    2016-06-01

    Nowadays it is easy to find many data sources for various regions around the globe. In this 'data overload' scenario there are few, if any, information available about the quality of these data sources. In order to easily provide these data quality information we presented the architecture of a web service for the automation of quality control of spatial datasets running over a Web Processing Service (WPS). For quality procedures that require an external reference dataset, like positional accuracy or completeness, the architecture permits using a reference dataset. However, this reference dataset is not ageless, since it suffers the natural time degradation inherent to geospatial features. In order to mitigate this problem we propose the Time Degradation & Updating Module which intends to apply assessed data as a tool to maintain the reference database updated. The main idea is to utilize datasets sent to the quality evaluation service as a source of 'candidate data elements' for the updating of the reference database. After the evaluation, if some elements of a candidate dataset reach a determined quality level, they can be used as input data to improve the current reference database. In this work we present the first design of the Time Degradation & Updating Module. We believe that the outcomes can be applied in the search of a full-automatic on-line quality evaluation platform.

  12. Forest ecosystem services: Carbon and air quality

    Treesearch

    David J. Nowak; Neelam C. Poudyal; Steve G. McNulty

    2017-01-01

    Forests provide various ecosystem services related to air quality that can provide substantial value to society. Through tree growth and alteration of their local environment, trees and forests both directly and indirectly affect air quality. Though forests affect air quality in numerous ways, this chapter will focus on five main ecosystem services or disservices...

  13. The trust-commitment challenge in service quality-loyalty relationships.

    PubMed

    Moreira, Antonio Carrizo; Silva, Pedro Miguel

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a model to examine service quality, satisfaction, trust and commitment as loyalty antecedents in a private healthcare service. The approach was tested using structural equation modelling, involving 175 patients from a private Portuguese healthcare unit, using a revised Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS) scale for service quality evaluation. The scale used to evaluate service quality is valid and meaningful. Service quality proved to be a multidimensional construct and relevant to build satisfaction. The path satisfaction→trust→loyalty was validated, whereas the path satisfaction→commitment→loyalty was not statistically supported. The revised SQAS scale showed good internal consistency in healthcare context. Further trust-commitment antecedents must be examined in a private healthcare landscape to generalise the findings. Healthcare quality managers must explore the service quality dimensions to generate satisfaction among their patients. Developing trust generates positive patient attitudes and loyalty. This study explores using the SQAS scale in a private healthcare context. The authors provide further evidence that service quality is an antecedent and different from satisfaction. All the measures used proved to be valid and reliable. Trust and commitment play different roles in their relationship with loyalty.

  14. Manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and service climate: test of a model.

    PubMed

    Salvaggio, Amy Nicole; Schneider, Benjamin; Nishii, Lisa H; Mayer, David M; Ramesh, Anuradha; Lyon, Julie S

    2007-11-01

    This article conceptually and empirically explores the relationships among manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and climate for customer service. Data were collected from 1,486 employees and 145 managers in grocery store departments (N = 145) to test the authors' theoretical model. Largely consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that core self-evaluations were positively related to managers' service quality orientation, even after dimensions of the Big Five model of personality were controlled, and that service quality orientation fully mediated the relationship between personality and global service climate. Implications for personality and organizational climate research are discussed. (c) 2007 APA

  15. Information sharing model in supporting implementation of e-procurement service: Case of Bandung city

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramantoko, Gadang; Irawan, Herry

    2017-10-01

    This research examines the factors influencing the Information Sharing Model in Supporting Implementation of e-Procurement Services: Case of Bandung City in its early maturity stage. The early maturity of information sharing stage was determined using e-Government Maturity Stage Conceptual Framework from Estevez. Bandung City e-Procurement Information Sharing system was categorized at stage 1 in Estevez' model where the concern was mainly on assessing the benefit and risk of implementing the system. The Authors were using DeLone & McLean (D&M) Information System Success model to study benefit and risk of implementing the system in Bandung city. The model was then empirically tested by employing survey data that was collected from the available 40 listed supplier firms. D&M's model adjusted by Klischewski's description was introducing Information Quality, System Quality, and Service Quality as independent variable; Usability and User Satisfaction as intermediate dependent variable; and Perceived Net Benefit as final dependent variable. The findings suggested that, all of the predictors in D&M's model significantly influenced the net perceived benefit of implementing the e-Procurement system in the early maturity stage. The theoretical contribution of this research suggested that D&M's model might find useful in modeling complex information technology successfulness such as the one used in e-Procurement service. This research could also have implications for policy makers (LPSE) and system providers (LKPP) following the introduction of the service. However, the small number of respondent might be considered limitation of the study. The model needs to be further tested using larger number of respondents by involving the population of the firms in extended boundary/municipality area around Bandung.

  16. Healthcare delivery systems: designing quality into health information systems.

    PubMed

    Joyce, Phil; Green, Rosamund; Winch, Graham

    2007-01-01

    To ensure that quality is 'engineered in' a holistic, integrated and quality approach is required, and Total Quality Management (TQM) principles are the obvious foundations for this. This paper describes a novel approach to viewing the operations of a healthcare provider where electronic means could be used to distribute information (including electronic fund settlements), building around the Full Service Provider core. Specifically, an approach called the "triple pair flow" model is used to provide a view of healthcare delivery that is integrated, yet detailed, and that combines the strategic enterprise view with a business process view.

  17. Genetic service delivery: infrastructure, assessment and information.

    PubMed

    Kaye, C I

    2012-01-01

    Identification of genomic determinants of complex disorders such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease has prompted public health systems to focus on genetic service delivery for prevention of these disorders, adding to their previous efforts in birth defects prevention and newborn screening. This focus is consistent with previously identified obligations of the public health system as well as the core functions of public health identified by the Institute of Medicine. Models of service delivery include provision of services by the primary care provider in conjunction with subspecialists, provision of services through the medical home with co-management by genetics providers, provision of services in conjunction with disorder-specific treatment centers, and provision of services through a network of genetics clinics linked to medical homes. Whatever the model for provision of genetic services, tools to assist providers include facilities for outreach and telemedicine, information technology, just-in-time management plans, and emergency management tools. Assessment tools to determine which care is best are critical for quality improvement and development of best practices. Because the workforce of genetics providers is not keeping pace with the need for services, an understanding of the factors contributing to this lag is important, as is the development of an improved knowledge base in genomics for primary care providers. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. User's perspectives of barriers and facilitators to implementing quality colonoscopy services in Canada: a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Jobin, Gilles; Gagnon, Marie Pierre; Candas, Bernard; Dubé, Catherine; Ben Abdeljelil, Anis; Grenier, Sonya

    2010-11-02

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a serious and growing health problem in Canada. Colonoscopy is used for screening and diagnosis of symptomatic or high CRC risk individuals. Although a number of countries are now implementing quality colonoscopy services, knowledge synthesis of barriers and facilitators perceived by healthcare professionals and patients during implementation has not been carried out. In addition, the perspectives of various stakeholders towards the implementation of quality colonoscopy services and the need of an efficient organisation of such services have been reported in the literature but have not been synthesised yet. The present study aims to produce a comprehensive synthesis of actual knowledge on the barriers and facilitators perceived by all stakeholders to the implementation of quality colonoscopy services in Canada. First, we will conduct a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and other published documentation on the barriers and facilitators to implementing quality colonoscopy services. Standardised literature searches and data extraction methods will be used. The quality of the studies and their relevance to informing decisions on colonoscopy services implementation will be assessed. For each group of users identified, barriers and facilitators will be categorised and compiled using narrative synthesis and meta-analytical techniques. The principle factors identified for each group of users will then be validated for its applicability to various Canadian contexts using the Delphi study method. Following this study, a set of strategies will be identified to inform decision makers involved in the implementation of quality colonoscopy services across Canadian jurisdictions. This study will be the first to systematically summarise the barriers and facilitators to implementation of quality colonoscopy services perceived by different groups and to consider the local contexts in order to ensure the applicability of this

  19. Do quality improvement systems improve health library services? A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Gray, Hannah; Sutton, Gary; Treadway, Victoria

    2012-09-01

    A turbulent financial and political climate requires health libraries to be more accountable than ever. Quality improvement systems are widely considered a 'good thing to do', but do they produce useful outcomes that can demonstrate value? To undertake a systematic review to identify which aspects of health libraries are being measured for quality, what tools are being used and what outcomes are reported following utilisation of quality improvement systems. Many health libraries utilise quality improvement systems without translating the data into service improvements. Included studies demonstrate that quality improvement systems produce valuable outcomes including a positive impact on strategic planning, promotion, new and improved services and staff development. No impact of quality improvement systems on library users or patients is reported in the literature. The literature in this area is sparse and requires updating. We recommend further primary research is conducted in health libraries focusing upon the outcomes of utilising quality improvement systems. An exploration of quality improvement systems in other library sectors may also provide valuable insight for health libraries. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

  20. Mapping mental health service access: achieving equity through quality improvement.

    PubMed

    Green, Stuart A; Poots, Alan J; Marcano-Belisario, Jose; Samarasundera, Edgar; Green, John; Honeybourne, Emmi; Barnes, Ruth

    2013-06-01

    Improving access to psychological therapies (IAPTs) services deliver evidence-based care to people with depression and anxiety. A quality improvement (QI) initiative was undertaken by an IAPT service to improve referrals providing an opportunity to evaluate equitable access. QI methodologies were used by the clinical team to improve referrals to the service. The collection of geo-coded data allowed referrals to be mapped to small geographical areas according to deprivation. A total of 6078 patients were referred to the IAPT service during the period of analysis and mapped to 120 unique lower super output areas (LSOAs). The average weekly referral rate rose from 17 during the baseline phase to 43 during the QI implementation phase. Spatial analysis demonstrated all 15 of the high deprivation/low referral LSOAs were converted to high deprivation/high or medium referral LSOAs following the QI initiative. This work highlights the importance of QI in developing clinical services aligned to the needs of the population through the analysis of routine data matched to health needs. Mapping can be utilized to communicate complex information to inform the planning and organization of clinical service delivery and evaluate the progress and sustainability of QI initiatives.

  1. A Kind of Transformation of Information Service--Science and Technology Novelty Search in Chinese University Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aiguo, Li

    2007-01-01

    Science and Technology Novelty Search (S&TNS) is a special information consultation service developed as part of the Chinese Sci-Tech system. The author introduces the concept of S&TNS, and explains its role, and the role of the university library in the process. A quality control model to improve the quality of service of the S&TNS at…

  2. 1 CFR 3.1 - Information services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 1 General Provisions 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Information services. 3.1 Section 3.1 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER GENERAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC § 3.1 Information services. Except in cases where the time required would be excessive, information concerning the...

  3. 1 CFR 3.1 - Information services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 1 General Provisions 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Information services. 3.1 Section 3.1 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER GENERAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC § 3.1 Information services. Except in cases where the time required would be excessive, information concerning the...

  4. 1 CFR 3.1 - Information services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 1 General Provisions 1 2014-01-01 2012-01-01 true Information services. 3.1 Section 3.1 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER GENERAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC § 3.1 Information services. Except in cases where the time required would be excessive, information concerning the...

  5. 1 CFR 3.1 - Information services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 1 General Provisions 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Information services. 3.1 Section 3.1 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER GENERAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC § 3.1 Information services. Except in cases where the time required would be excessive, information concerning the...

  6. 1 CFR 3.1 - Information services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 1 General Provisions 1 2013-01-01 2012-01-01 true Information services. 3.1 Section 3.1 General Provisions ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER GENERAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC § 3.1 Information services. Except in cases where the time required would be excessive, information concerning the...

  7. Adopting Quality Criteria for Websites Providing Medical Information About Rare Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Göbel, Jens; Storf, Holger; Litzkendorf, Svenja; Babac, Ana; Frank, Martin; Lührs, Verena; Schauer, Franziska; Schmidtke, Jörg; Biehl, Lisa; Wagner, Thomas OF; Ückert, Frank; Graf von der Schulenburg, Johann-Matthias; Hartz, Tobias

    2016-01-01

    Background The European Union considers diseases to be rare when they affect less than 5 in 10,000 people. It is estimated that there are between 5000 and 8000 different rare diseases. Consistent with this diversity, the quality of information available on the Web varies considerably. Thus, quality criteria for websites about rare diseases are needed. Objective The objective of this study was to generate a catalog of quality criteria suitable for rare diseases. Methods First, relevant certificates and quality recommendations for health information websites were identified through a comprehensive Web search. Second, all considered quality criteria of each certification program and catalog were examined, extracted into an overview table, and analyzed by thematic content. Finally, an interdisciplinary expert group verified the relevant quality criteria. Results We identified 9 quality certificates and criteria catalogs for health information websites with 304 single criteria items. Through this, we aggregated 163 various quality criteria, each assigned to one of the following categories: thematic, technical, service, content, and legal. Finally, a consensus about 13 quality criteria for websites offering medical information on rare diseases was determined. Of these categories, 4 (data protection concept, imprint, creation and updating date, and possibility to contact the website provider) were identified as being the most important for publishing medical information about rare diseases. Conclusions The large number of different quality criteria appearing within a relatively small number of criteria catalogs shows that the opinion of what is important in the quality of health information differs. In addition, to define useful quality criteria for websites about rare diseases, which are an essential source of information for many patients, a trade-off is necessary between the high standard of quality criteria for health information websites in general and the limited

  8. Analysis of Student Satisfaction Toward Quality of Service Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI; Abdillah, LA; Ahmar, AS; Simarmata, J.; Hidayat, R.; Nurdiyanto, H.; Pranolo, A.

    2018-01-01

    The development of higher education is very rapid rise to the tight competition both public universities and private colleges. XYZ University realized to win the competition, required continuous quality improvement, including the quality of existing service facilities. Amenities quality services is believed to support the success of the learning activities and improve user satisfaction. This study aims to determine the extent to which the quality of the services effect on user satisfaction. The research method used is survey-based questionnaire that measure perception and expectation. The results showed a gap between perception and expectations of the respondents have a negative value for each item. This means XYZ service facility at the university is not currently meet the expectations of society members. Three service facility that has the lowest index is based on the perception of respondents is a laboratory (2.56), computer and multimedia (2.63) as well as wifi network (2.99). The magnitude of the correlation between satisfaction with the quality of service facilities is 0.725 which means a strong and positive relationship. The influence of the quality of service facilities to the satisfaction of the students is 0.525 meaning that the variable quality of the services facility can explain 52.5% of the variable satisfaction. The study provided recommendations for improvements to enhance the quality of services facility at the XYZ university facilities.

  9. Evaluation of outpatient service quality in Eastern Saudi Arabia

    PubMed Central

    Fraihi, Khalid J. Al; FAMCO, Dip; FAMCO, Fellow; Latif, Shahid A.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: To investigate perceptions and expectations of patients regarding hospital outpatient services by using a service quality gap model and factors influencing such gaps. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between October and November 2014 in the outpatient waiting areas of a hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, a sample of 306 patients was selected by convenience sampling technique. The data was collected through an Arabic version of the service quality (SERVQUAL) questionnaire consisting of 2 parts: patients’ demographic characteristics, and 22 items scales of patients’ expectations and perceptions of SERVQUAL. The data was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis, independent, and paired t samples tests and one way analysis of variance test. Results: The results showed that the proposed model for service quality dimensions had a good fit by satisfying the recommended values. The patients’ expectations exceeded perceptions in all service quality dimensions indicating statistically significant service quality gaps (t=26.3, p<0.000). Findings revealed that the empathy dimension contributed most patients’ expectations (4.7 ± 0.5) and perceptions (3.7 ± 0.8) scores, and responsiveness contributed least to expectations (4.5 ± 0.6) and perceptions (3.2 ± 0.8) scores. Prompt services showed highest service quality gap, while observation of privacy showed the smallest service quality gap in the statements. The study showed a significant association between gender, age, education, multiple visits, and service quality dimensions. Conclusion: The proposed model is valid and reliable and significant service quality gaps of all 5 dimensions need to be prioritized and addressed by focused improvement efforts of hospital management. PMID:27052285

  10. Real-time dissemination of air quality information using data streams and Web technologies: linking air quality to health risks in urban areas.

    PubMed

    Davila, Silvije; Ilić, Jadranka Pečar; Bešlić, Ivan

    2015-06-01

    This article presents a new, original application of modern information and communication technology to provide effective real-time dissemination of air quality information and related health risks to the general public. Our on-line subsystem for urban real-time air quality monitoring is a crucial component of a more comprehensive integrated information system, which has been developed by the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health. It relies on a StreamInsight data stream management system and service-oriented architecture to process data streamed from seven monitoring stations across Zagreb. Parameters that are monitored include gases (NO, NO2, CO, O3, H2S, SO2, benzene, NH3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and meteorological data (wind speed and direction, temperature and pressure). Streamed data are processed in real-time using complex continuous queries. They first go through automated validation, then hourly air quality index is calculated for every station, and a report sent to the Croatian Environment Agency. If the parameter values exceed the corresponding regulation limits for three consecutive hours, the web service generates an alert for population groups at risk. Coupled with the Common Air Quality Index model, our web application brings air pollution information closer to the general population and raises awareness about environmental and health issues. Soon we intend to expand the service to a mobile application that is being developed.

  11. Critical to quality in telemedicine service management: application of DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL).

    PubMed

    Yun, Eun Kyoung; Chun, Kee Moon

    2008-01-01

    Telemedicine generally refers to the use of communications and information technologies for the delivery of health care. owever, telemedicine is not merely a simple combination of health care and technology. The researchers propose a systematic approach for assessing needs of telemedicine customers, called critical-to-quality (CTQ) in Six Sigma, with a purpose of continuous quality improvement. The combination approach using DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL (Service Quality Framework) was applied to define the critical quality attributes of telemedicine service management and to match them with the current telemedicine process. With a step-by-step procedure, telemedicine service process was reviewed and all the important CTQ candidates identified via a case study. The findings suggest that nurses need further understanding and research methods that will improve and manage the quality of health care service in various medical fields.

  12. Optimization of Price and Quality in Service Systems,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Price and service quality are important variables in the design of optimal service systems. Price is important because of the strong consumption...priorities of service offered. The paper takes a systematic view of this problem, and presents techniques for quantitative determination of the optimal prices and service quality in a wide class of systems. (Author)

  13. Sharing Service Resource Information for Application Integration in a Virtual Enterprise - Modeling the Communication Protocol for Exchanging Service Resource Information

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamada, Hiroshi; Kawaguchi, Akira

    Grid computing and web service technologies enable us to use networked resources in a coordinated manner. An integrated service is made of individual services running on coordinated resources. In order to achieve such coordinated services autonomously, the initiator of a coordinated service needs to know detailed service resource information. This information ranges from static attributes like the IP address of the application server to highly dynamic ones like the CPU load. The most famous wide-area service discovery mechanism based on names is DNS. Its hierarchical tree organization and caching methods take advantage of the static information managed. However, in order to integrate business applications in a virtual enterprise, we need a discovery mechanism to search for the optimal resources based on the given a set of criteria (search keys). In this paper, we propose a communication protocol for exchanging service resource information among wide-area systems. We introduce the concept of the service domain that consists of service providers managed under the same management policy. This concept of the service domain is similar to that for autonomous systems (ASs). In each service domain, the service information provider manages the service resource information of service providers that exist in this service domain. The service resource information provider exchanges this information with other service resource information providers that belong to the different service domains. We also verified the protocol's behavior and effectiveness using a simulation model developed for proposed protocol.

  14. Quality of web-based family-building information for LGBTQ individuals.

    PubMed

    Kreines, Fabiana M; Farr, Alex; Chervenak, Frank A; Grünebaum, Amos

    2018-02-01

    The number of patients who seek health information on the internet is increasing. Rates are particularly high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, due to health care barriers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and inclusivity of web-based information pertaining to LGBTQ family building. The first 100 US-based websites pertaining to LGBTQ family building were identified through a terminology-based internet search. After eliminating 45 websites, 55 websites were found to be eligible. The 2016 Website Information Reliability Evaluation Instrument (of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services) was used to analyse the quality of information on each website. Websites were analysed for inclusivity of important topics surrounding LGBTQ family building. A total of 46 websites (83.6%) belonged or were related to reproductive services and served as advertisements for their respective owners; nine websites (16.4%) belonged to third parties. No website met more than four of the six major reliability criteria, and 42 websites (76.4%) met only one or two of the six major reliability criteria. When inclusivity was considered, 29 websites (52.7%) mentioned options for transgender individuals and nine websites (16.4%) mentioned adoption. There is a lack of reliable web-based information for LGBTQ family building and a need for improvement in quality and scope. Improvements could lead to a shift in reproductive health care towards better inclusion of and catering to LGBTQ individuals.

  15. Data envelopment analysis in service quality evaluation: an empirical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Najafi, Seyedvahid; Saati, Saber; Tavana, Madjid

    2015-09-01

    Service quality is often conceptualized as the comparison between service expectations and the actual performance perceptions. It enhances customer satisfaction, decreases customer defection, and promotes customer loyalty. Substantial literature has examined the concept of service quality, its dimensions, and measurement methods. We introduce the perceived service quality index (PSQI) as a single measure for evaluating the multiple-item service quality construct based on the SERVQUAL model. A slack-based measure (SBM) of efficiency with constant inputs is used to calculate the PSQI. In addition, a non-linear programming model based on the SBM is proposed to delineate an improvement guideline and improve service quality. An empirical study is conducted to assess the applicability of the method proposed in this study. A large number of studies have used DEA as a benchmarking tool to measure service quality. These models do not propose a coherent performance evaluation construct and consequently fail to deliver improvement guidelines for improving service quality. The DEA models proposed in this study are designed to evaluate and improve service quality within a comprehensive framework and without any dependency on external data.

  16. Information technology as a tool to improve the quality of American Indian health care.

    PubMed

    Sequist, Thomas D; Cullen, Theresa; Ayanian, John Z

    2005-12-01

    The American Indian/Alaska Native population experiences a disproportionate burden of disease across a spectrum of conditions. While the recent National Healthcare Disparities Report highlighted differences in quality of care among racial and ethnic groups, there was only very limited information available for American Indians. The Indian Health Service (IHS) is currently enhancing its information systems to improve the measurement of health care quality as well as to support quality improvement initiatives. We summarize current knowledge regarding health care quality for American Indians, highlighting the variation in reported measures in the existing literature. We then discuss how the IHS is using information systems to produce standardized performance measures and present future directions for improving American Indian health care quality.

  17. E-Service Quality Evaluation on E-Government Website: Case Study BPJS Kesehatan Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rasyid, A.; Alfina, I.

    2017-01-01

    This research intends to develop a model to evaluate the quality of e-services on e-government. The proposed model consists of seven dimensions: web design, reliability, responsiveness, privacy and security, personalization, information, and ease of use. The model is used to measure the quality of the e-registration of BPJS Kesehatan, an Indonesian government health insurance program. The validation and reliability testing show that of the seven dimensions proposed, only four that suitable for the case study. The result shows that the BPJS Kesehatan e-registration service is good in reliability and responsiveness dimensions, while from web design and ease of use dimensions the e-service still needs to be optimized.

  18. A roadmap for improving healthcare service quality.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Denise M; Caselli, Richard J; Berry, Leonard L

    2011-01-01

    A data-driven, comprehensive model for improving service and creating long-term value was developed and implemented at Mayo Clinic Arizona (MCA). Healthcare organizations can use this model to prepare for value-based purchasing, a payment system in which quality and patient experience measures will influence reimbursement. Surviving and thriving in such a system will require a comprehensive approach to sustaining excellent service performance from physicians and allied health staff (e.g., nurses, technicians, nonclinical staff). The seven prongs in MCA's service quality improvement model are (1) multiple data sources to drive improvement, (2) accountability for service quality, (3) service consultation and improvement tools, (4) service values and behaviors, (5) education and training, (6) ongoing monitoring and control, and (7) recognition and reward. The model was fully implemented and tested in five departments in which patient perception of provider-specific service attributes and/or overall quality of care were below the 90th percentile for patient satisfaction in the vendor's database. Extent of the implementation was at the discretion of department leadership. Perception data rating various service attributes were collected from randomly selected patients and monitored over a 24-month period. The largest increases in patient perception of excellence over the pilot period were realized when all seven prongs of the model were implemented as a comprehensive improvement approach. The results of this pilot may help other healthcare organizations prepare for value-based purchasing.

  19. Website Service Quality in Ireland: An Empirical Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Connolly, Regina

    Despite the fact that service quality is a critical determinant of website success, studies show that consumers frequently view the service quality delivered through websites as unsatisfactory. This paper outlines a study that investigated the dimensions of website service excellence valued by Irish customers of a small-to-medium enterprise specialising in gifts. The E-S-QUAL measurement instrument was applied to the customers who purchase products online from this retailer, in order to determine their purchasing patterns and the dimensions of e-service quality that they value. The results of this study indicate the effectiveness of the instrument in determining gaps in e-service quality. The findings will be of benefit both to practitioners and researchers seeking to improve their understanding of the factors that contribute towards the creation and maintenance of consumer satisfaction in Irish online transactions.

  20. A Mechanized Information Services Catalog.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marron, Beatrice; And Others

    The National Bureau of Standards is mechanizing a catalog of currently available information sources and services. Information from recent surveys of machine-readable, commercially-available bibliographic data bases, and the various current awareness, batch retrospective, and interactive retrospective services which can access them have been…

  1. Information Structure, Information Technology, and the Human Services Organizational Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Semke, Jeanette I.; Nurius, Paula S.

    1991-01-01

    Examines current trends in data collection and information use in human services organizations. Describes issues for managers who are planning information systems, including practitioner resistance to automation. Proposes that conceptual integration of agendas for human services automation, practice evaluation, and service effectiveness enables…

  2. Searching the Internet for information on prostate cancer screening: an assessment of quality.

    PubMed

    Ilic, Dragan; Risbridger, Gail; Green, Sally

    2004-07-01

    To identify how on-line information relating to prostate cancer screening (PCS) is best sourced, whether through general, medical, or meta-search engines, and to assess the quality of that information. Websites providing information about PCS were searched across 15 search engines representing three distinct types: general, medical, and meta-search engines. The quality of on-line information was assessed using the DISCERN quality assessment tool. Quality performance characteristics were analyzed by performing Mann-Whitney U tests. Search engine efficiency was measured by each search query as a percentage of the relevant websites included for analysis from the total returned and analyzed by performing Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. Of 6690 websites reviewed, 84 unique websites were identified as providing information relevant to PCS. General and meta-search engines were significantly more efficient at retrieving relevant information on PCS compared with medical search engines. The quality of information was variable, with most of a poor standard. Websites that provided referral links to other resources and a citation of evidence provided a significantly better quality of information. In contrast, websites offering a direct service were more likely to provide a significantly poorer quality of information. The current lack of a clear consensus on guidelines and recommendation in published data is also reflected by the variable quality of information found on-line. Specialized medical search engines were no more likely to retrieve relevant, high-quality information than general or meta-search engines.

  3. Reinventing information services to increase customer satisfaction

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

    Madison, J.E.

    1993-12-01

    In this paper, the author presents her view of the role of an information service and proposes means of improving information customer service and satisfaction. The emphasis of the paper is on placing the primary value on the information customer rather than on the information itself. After receiving a request for information, the information service should strive for speed and accuracy of service to provide full-text sources in a language and format convenient to the customer. The author stresses that information professionals need to re-evaluate their roles to correctly assess and rectify customers` information deficiencies.

  4. Evaluating health service quality: using importance performance analysis.

    PubMed

    Izadi, Azar; Jahani, Younes; Rafiei, Sima; Masoud, Ali; Vali, Leila

    2017-08-14

    Purpose Measuring healthcare service quality provides an objective guide for managers and policy makers to improve their services and patient satisfaction. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to measure service quality provided to surgical and medical inpatients at Kerman Medical Sciences University (KUMS) in 2015. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive-analytic study, using a cross-sectional method in the KUMS training hospitals, was implemented between October 2 and March 15, 2015. Using stratified random sampling, 268 patients were selected. Data were collected using an importance-performance analysis (IPA) questionnaire, which measures current performance and determines each item's importance from the patients' perspectives. These data indicate overall satisfaction and appropriate practical strategies for managers to plan accordingly. Findings Findings revealed a significant gap between service importance and performance. From the patients' viewpoint, tangibility was the highest priority (mean=3.54), while reliability was given the highest performance (mean=3.02). The least important and lowest performance level was social accountability (mean=1.91 and 1.98, respectively). Practical implications Healthcare managers should focus on patient viewpoints and apply patient comments to solve problems, improve service quality and patient satisfaction. Originality/value The authors applied an IPA questionnaire to measure service quality provided to surgical and medical ward patients. This method identifies and corrects service quality shortcomings and improving service recipient perceptions.

  5. Quality of medication information available on retail pharmacy Web sites.

    PubMed

    Ghoshal, Malini; Walji, Muhammad F

    2006-12-01

    The Internet is becoming an important source for medication information. Although the quality of consumer medication information (CMI) in brick and mortar pharmacies has been reported to be suboptimal, little is known about the quality of CMI offered by pharmacy Web sites. To evaluate the quality, readability, and provision of Web functionality of 4 popular medications (atenolol, nitroglycerin, atorvastatin, and glyburide) available on the websites of 3 of the largest retail pharmacies: Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, and Rite Aid. The quality of online medication information was evaluated by 2 reviewers using a preexisting evaluation instrument created by a national panel of experts. Readability level was assessed using the Gunning Fog Test. We also assessed the presence of 4 Web-specific functional criteria: (1) capability for font enlargement, (2) availability of a glossary of terms, (3) presence of an "Ask a pharmacist" feature, and (4) access to detailed medication information or full prescribing information. Overall, medication information was 77% adherent to the criteria evaluated. When broken down by drug, CMI was most adherent for atorvastatin (83%), followed by glyburide (77%), atenolol (76%), and nitroglycerin (75%). The average readability level was found to be 10th grade. No pharmacy Web site provided the ability for font enlargement, a glossary of terms, or access to detailed medication information; however, all pharmacy Web sites provided an "Ask a pharmacist" service. Although pharmacy Web sites were found to have an overall good content quality, the high readability level of text, areas of incomplete information, and limited use of desirable Web functionality suggest room for improvement.

  6. Developing Cyberinfrastructure Tools and Services for Metadata Quality Evaluation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mecum, B.; Gordon, S.; Habermann, T.; Jones, M. B.; Leinfelder, B.; Powers, L. A.; Slaughter, P.

    2016-12-01

    Metadata and data quality are at the core of reusable and reproducible science. While great progress has been made over the years, much of the metadata collected only addresses data discovery, covering concepts such as titles and keywords. Improving metadata beyond the discoverability plateau means documenting detailed concepts within the data such as sampling protocols, instrumentation used, and variables measured. Given that metadata commonly do not describe their data at this level, how might we improve the state of things? Giving scientists and data managers easy to use tools to evaluate metadata quality that utilize community-driven recommendations is the key to producing high-quality metadata. To achieve this goal, we created a set of cyberinfrastructure tools and services that integrate with existing metadata and data curation workflows which can be used to improve metadata and data quality across the sciences. These tools work across metadata dialects (e.g., ISO19115, FGDC, EML, etc.) and can be used to assess aspects of quality beyond what is internal to the metadata such as the congruence between the metadata and the data it describes. The system makes use of a user-friendly mechanism for expressing a suite of checks as code in popular data science programming languages such as Python and R. This reduces the burden on scientists and data managers to learn yet another language. We demonstrated these services and tools in three ways. First, we evaluated a large corpus of datasets in the DataONE federation of data repositories against a metadata recommendation modeled after existing recommendations such as the LTER best practices and the Attribute Convention for Dataset Discovery (ACDD). Second, we showed how this service can be used to display metadata and data quality information to data producers during the data submission and metadata creation process, and to data consumers through data catalog search and access tools. Third, we showed how the centrally

  7. 39 CFR 3050.51 - Information on service performance for Special Services. [Reserved

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Information on service performance for Special Services. [Reserved] 3050.51 Section 3050.51 Postal Service POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION PERSONNEL PERIODIC REPORTING § 3050.51 Information on service performance for Special Services. [Reserved] ...

  8. Strategy, Structure and Quality Service: Developing School Wide Quality Improvement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murgatroyd, Stephen

    1991-01-01

    Builds on earlier contributions to the literature on educational leadership and total quality management in education. Introduces two new tools--the service guarantee and the House of Quality, placing them in the context of strategic marketing, structural change, and other total quality management methods. (19 references) (MLH)

  9. 77 FR 18821 - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research... Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the...

  10. Market Segmentation for Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halperin, Michael

    1981-01-01

    Discusses the advantages and limitations of market segmentation as strategy for the marketing of information services made available by nonprofit organizations, particularly libraries. Market segmentation is defined, a market grid for libraries is described, and the segmentation of information services is outlined. A 16-item reference list is…

  11. Information Design: A New Approach to Teaching Technical Writing Service Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKee, Candie DeLane

    2012-01-01

    This study used a needs assessment, process analysis, process design, and textbook design to develop a new process and new textbook, based on Cargile-Cook's layered literacies, Quesenbery's five qualities of usability, and Carliner's information design theories, for use in technical writing service learning courses. The needs assessment was based…

  12. Health authority commissioning for quality in contraception services

    PubMed Central

    Newman, M.; Bardsley, M.; Morgan, D.; Jacobson, B.

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare the commissioning of contraception services by London health authorities with accepted models of good practice. DESIGN: Combined interview and postal surveys of all health authorities and National Health Service (NHS) trusts responsible for running family planning clinics in the Greater London area. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health authority commissioning was assessed on the presence of four key elements of good practice--strategies, coordination, service specifications, and quality standards in contracts--by monitoring activity and quality. RESULTS: Less than half the health authorities surveyed had written strategies or service specifications for contraception services. Arrangements for coordination of services were limited and monitoring was underdeveloped. CONCLUSION: The process of commissioning services for contraception seems to be relatively underdeveloped despite the importance of health problems associated with unplanned pregnancy in London. These findings raise questions about the capacity of health authorities to improve the quality of these services through the commissioning process. PMID:10185140

  13. Understanding and using quality information for quality improvement: The effect of information presentation.

    PubMed

    Zwijnenberg, Nicolien C; Hendriks, Michelle; Delnoij, Diana M J; de Veer, Anke J E; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Wagner, Cordula

    2016-12-01

    To examine how information presentation affects the understanding and use of information for quality improvement. An experimental design, testing 22 formats, and showing information on patient safety culture. Formats differed in visualization, outcomes and benchmark information. Respondents viewed three randomly selected presentation formats in an online survey, completing several tasks per format. The hospital sector in the Netherlands. A volunteer sample of healthcare professionals, mainly nurses, working in hospitals. Main Outcome Measure(s): The degree to which information is understandable and usable (accurate choice for quality improvement, sense of urgency to change and appraisal of one's own performance). About 115 healthcare professionals participated (response rate 25%), resulting in 345 reviews. Information in tables (P = 0.007) and bar charts (P < 0.0001) was better understood than radars. Presenting outcomes on a 5-point scale (P < 0.001) or as '% positive responders' (P < 0.001) was better understood than '% negative responders'. Formats without benchmarks were better understood than formats with benchmarks. Use: Bar charts resulted in more accurate choices than tables (P = 0.003) and radars (P < 0.001). Outcomes on a 5-point scale resulted in more accurate choices than '% negative responders' (P = 0.007). Presenting '% positive responders' resulted in a higher sense of urgency to change than outcomes on a 5-point scale (P = 0.002). Benchmark information had inconsistent effects on the appraisal of one's own performances. Information presentation affects healthcare professionals' understanding and use of quality information. Our findings supplement the further understanding on how quality information can be best communicated to healthcare professionals for realizing quality improvements. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved

  14. Mission-Related Execution and Planning Through Quality of Service Methods

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-01

    which maximizes a mission effectiveness functions is the ideal driver of QoS mechanisms. Service Quality Quality of Service may also exist in other...However, service quality is the originating concept of QoS and is the level of performance which one entity expects from another, including non-IT SoSs... Service quality may also be reflected in the context of a system’s purpose or an organization’s mission. Putting level of service values and

  15. Web Service for Positional Quality Assessment: the Wps Tier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xavier, E. M. A.; Ariza-López, F. J.; Ureña-Cámara, M. A.

    2015-08-01

    In the field of spatial data every day we have more and more information available, but we still have little or very little information about the quality of spatial data. We consider that the automation of the spatial data quality assessment is a true need for the geomatic sector, and that automation is possible by means of web processing services (WPS), and the application of specific assessment procedures. In this paper we propose and develop a WPS tier centered on the automation of the positional quality assessment. An experiment using the NSSDA positional accuracy method is presented. The experiment involves the uploading by the client of two datasets (reference and evaluation data). The processing is to determine homologous pairs of points (by distance) and calculate the value of positional accuracy under the NSSDA standard. The process generates a small report that is sent to the client. From our experiment, we reached some conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of WPSs when applied to the automation of spatial data accuracy assessments.

  16. Service Quality Of Diagnostic Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology In A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Lahore (Process Measure As Patient's Perspective).

    PubMed

    Rizvi, Zainab; Usmani, Rabia Arshed; Rizvi, Amna; Wazir, Salim; Zahra, Taskeen; Rasool, Hafza

    2017-01-01

    Quality of any service is the most important aspect for the manufacturer as well as the consumer. The primary objective of any nation's health system is to provide supreme quality health care services to its patients. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of diagnostic fine needle aspiration cytology service in a tertiary care hospital. As Patient's perspectives provide valuable information on quality of process, therefore, patient's perception in terms of satisfaction with the service was measured. In this cross sectional analytical study, 291 patients undergoing fine needle aspiration cytology in Mayo Hospital were selected by systematic sampling technique. Information regarding satisfaction of patients with four dimensions of service quality process, namely "procedure, sterilization, conduct and competency of doctor" was collected through interview on questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed on SERVQUAL model, a measurement tool, for quality assessment of services provided to patients. All items were assessed on 2- point likert scale (0=dissatisfied, 1=satisfied). Frequencies and percentages of satisfied and dissatisfied patients were recorded for each item and all items in each dimension were scored. If the percentage of sum of all item scores of a dimension was ≥60, the dimension was 'good quality'. Whereas <60% was 'poor quality' dimension. Data was analysed using epi-info-3.5.1. Fisher test was applied to check statistical significance. (p-value <0.05). Out of the 4 dimensions of service quality process, Procedure (48.8%), Sterilization (51.5%) and practitioner conduct (50.9%) were perceived as 'poor' by the patients. Only practitioner competency (67.4%) was perceived as 'good'. Comparison of dimensions of service quality scoring with overall level of patient satisfaction revealed that all 4 dimensions were significantly related to patient dissatisfaction (p<.05). The study suggests that service quality of therapeutic and diagnostic

  17. [A survey about quality of care and user’s' rights in Chilean psychiatric services].

    PubMed

    Minoletti, Alberto; Toro, Olga; Alvarado, Rubén; Carniglia, Claudia; Guajardo, Alejandro; Rayo, Ximena

    2015-12-01

    Quality of care and respect for the rights of users are critical to achieve positive health outcomes and respond appropriately to the expectations of people, particularly if they have mental illnesses. To carry out a baseline diagnosis of quality of care and respect for rights in public outpatient psychiatric services. Quality of care and respect for patients'’ rights was assessed by a mental health professional and a trained psychiatric service user in 15 ambulatory psychiatric services. The WHO QualityRights instrument was used, reviewing documentation and making observations in each facility, as well as interviewing 146 patients, 148 health care workers and 64 relatives of patients. A high level of achievement was accomplished in terms of discrimination-free health care, availability of psychotropic medications, lack of abuse or neglect and use of informed consents. A low level of achievement was found in terms of user support to cope with community living, access to education or work and participation in community activities, respect for user treatment preferences and preventive measures to avoid maltreatment and cruelty. Chile could improve the performance of psychiatry services having laws based on the “Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and standards of the World Health Organization, having national policies about quality of care and rights of users, reinforcing the community work of mental health care teams, reinforcing and informing users about their rights and promoting research on interventions to improve the respect of their rights.

  18. The attendees' view of quality in community-based day centre services for people with psychiatric disabilities.

    PubMed

    Lundqvist, Lars-Olov; Ivarsson, Ann-Britt; Rask, Mikael; Brunt, David; Schröder, Agneta

    2018-05-01

    Community-based day centres in Sweden are well-established arenas for psychiatric rehabilitation, but little is known of the attendees' perception of the quality of the service provided. The aim of the study was thus to describe and investigate the quality of the services in community-based day centre for people with psychiatric disabilities. A sample of 218 attendees in 14 community-based day centre services in Sweden completed the Quality in Psychiatric Care - Daily Activities (QPC-DA). The results showed that people with psychiatric disabilities perceived the quality of community-based day centre services as high. Most notably, quality of service was rated higher by those with lower educational level, had waited shorter time to attend the centre, and had better mental and physical health. However, particularly aspects of a secluded environment and participation (information) may be areas with potential for improvement. From an occupational science perspective, the results adhere to the importance of occupational balance, with periods of rest/privacy during the time at the centre.

  19. Marketing to older patients: perceptions of service quality.

    PubMed

    Brand, R R; Cronin, J J; Routledge, J B

    1997-01-01

    Marketing has taken on increased importance in the United States' health care industry, especially with respect to Americans aged 55 and older. Given that health care costs account for 14 percent of the GNP of the U.S., and that older Americans represent nearly 25 percent of all health care expenditures, the ability of physicians to assess the perceptions of service quality, service value, and satisfaction and the effects of these variables on patient loyalty with respect to older patients is very important. A comprehensive model of patient behavior is introduced and tested. The results suggest the medical office staff and the expertise of the physician play particularly important roles in older patients' perceptions of service quality. In addition, strong relationships were found between (1) Service Quality and Satisfaction, (2) Satisfaction and Patient Behavior (repeated use of the physician), and (3) Service Quality and Patient Behavior. Conclusions and suggestions for future research are offered.

  20. Quality of requests for serum digoxin concentrations: experience from an Australian regional health service.

    PubMed

    Ellington, Chris; Grgurinovich, Nick; Miners, John O; Mangoni, Arduino A

    2007-05-01

    * Therapeutic drug monitoring of serum digoxin concentrations (SDC) is considered useful in enhancing the therapeutic benefits of digoxin and minimizing the incidence of adverse drug reactions. * The quality of requests for SDC has been reported to be generally unsatisfactory. However, studies have focused on few information parameters. * A better knowledge of these issues might be useful to target appropriate areas of weakness within heathcare systems. * The poor quality of the information in SDC requests involves a wide range of codes from the contact details of the requester to the time interval between the last dose of digoxin and blood sampling. * Misuse of the therapeutic drug monitoring service is common across different specialties and healthcare settings. To assess the quality of the information provided with serum digoxin concentration (SDC) requests received by a therapeutic drug monitoring service in a regional health service. We conducted a retrospective audit of a consecutive series of 685 SDC requests during a 7-month period. Information regarding (i) contact details, (ii) reasons for request, (iii) dose, (iv) route of administration, (v) concurrent therapy, (vi) treatment duration and (vii) time interval between the last dose and sampling was reviewed and coded as appropriate or inappropriate/missing. Data were analysed according to the origin of request, i.e. from different specialties/wards (emergency department and critical care, cardiology and coronary care unit, medicine and aged care, surgery, and general/private practice) and healthcare settings (teaching hospital, geriatric hospital and general/private practice). The quality of SDC requests was generally poor across different specialties and healthcare settings. The information provided for the coded parameters was appropriate only in 19.1% (i), 6.4% (ii), 54.7% (iii), 45.8% (iv), 12.8% (v), 32.9% (vi) and 47.1% (vii) of cases. No SDC request was complete in all the information codes. SDC

  1. Quality of family planning services in primary health centers of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Tafese, Fikru; Woldie, Mirkuzie; Megerssa, Berhane

    2013-11-01

    Good quality of care in family planning (FP) services help individuals and couples to meet their reproductive health needs safely and effectively. Therefore, assessment and improvement of the quality of family planning services could enhance family planning services utilization. This study was thus conducted to assess the quality of family planning services in primary health centers of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional facility based study was conducted from March 1(st)-25(th), 2011 among family planning clients of government primary health care centers in southwest Ethiopia. Exit interview of 301 family planning clients identified through systematic random sampling technique was carried out using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Availability of resources was checked using provider interview and inventory checklist. Moreover, a total of 150 consultation sessions were observed using checklist. Descriptive statistics and linear regression coefficients were generated to meet the objective of the study. There was a shortage of some medical equipment, trained staffs, and information education and communication materials (IEC) in all of the family planning clinics. The mean waiting time at the service delivery points and consultation duration were 16.4 and 10.5 minutes, respectively. The providers used at least one information education and communication material in 33.3% of the consultation sessions. The overall satisfaction score was 8.64. Clients' perception on adequacy of information during consultation (β=0.24; ( 95%CI=0.02-0.16) ease of getting the clinic site, short waiting time (β=0.17; 95%CI=0.15-029) and educational level (β=0.09; 95%CI =0.09-0.29) were significantly associated with overall satisfaction. The findings of this study showed that there was lack of critical resources for the provision of quality family planning services in all of the primary health care centers included in the study. This has affected important aspects of

  2. Quality of care in contraceptive services provided to young people in two Ugandan districts: a simulated client study.

    PubMed

    Nalwadda, Gorrette; Tumwesigye, Nazarius M; Faxelid, Elisabeth; Byamugisha, Josaphat; Mirembe, Florence

    2011-01-01

    Low and inconsistent use of contraceptives by young people contributes to unintended pregnancies. This study assessed quality of contraceptive services for young people aged 15-24 in two rural districts in Uganda. Five female and two male simulated clients (SCs) interacted with 128 providers at public, private not-for-profit (PNFP), and private for profit (PFP) health facilities. After consultations, SCs were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Six aspects of quality of care (client's needs, choice of contraceptive methods, information given to users, client-provider interpersonal relations, constellation of services, and continuity mechanisms) were assessed. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were performed. Means and categorized quality scores for all aspects of quality were low in both public and private facilities. The lowest quality scores were observed in PFP, and medium scores in PNFP facilities. The choice of contraceptive methods and interpersonal relations quality scores were slightly higher in public facilities. Needs assessment scores were highest in PNFP facilities. All facilities were classified as having low scores for appropriate constellation of services. Information given to users was suboptimal and providers promoted specific contraceptive methods. Minority of providers offered preferred method of choice and showed respect for privacy. The quality of contraceptive services provided to young people was low. Concurrent quality improvements and strengthening of health systems are needed.

  3. Quality of Care in Contraceptive Services Provided to Young People in Two Ugandan Districts: A Simulated Client Study

    PubMed Central

    Nalwadda, Gorrette; Tumwesigye, Nazarius M.; Faxelid, Elisabeth; Byamugisha, Josaphat; Mirembe, Florence

    2011-01-01

    Background Low and inconsistent use of contraceptives by young people contributes to unintended pregnancies. This study assessed quality of contraceptive services for young people aged 15–24 in two rural districts in Uganda. Methods Five female and two male simulated clients (SCs) interacted with 128 providers at public, private not-for-profit (PNFP), and private for profit (PFP) health facilities. After consultations, SCs were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Six aspects of quality of care (client's needs, choice of contraceptive methods, information given to users, client-provider interpersonal relations, constellation of services, and continuity mechanisms) were assessed. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were performed. Results Means and categorized quality scores for all aspects of quality were low in both public and private facilities. The lowest quality scores were observed in PFP, and medium scores in PNFP facilities. The choice of contraceptive methods and interpersonal relations quality scores were slightly higher in public facilities. Needs assessment scores were highest in PNFP facilities. All facilities were classified as having low scores for appropriate constellation of services. Information given to users was suboptimal and providers promoted specific contraceptive methods. Minority of providers offered preferred method of choice and showed respect for privacy. Conclusions The quality of contraceptive services provided to young people was low. Concurrent quality improvements and strengthening of health systems are needed. PMID:22132168

  4. Uncertainty in Reference and Information Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    VanScoy, Amy

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Uncertainty is understood as an important component of the information seeking process, but it has not been explored as a component of reference and information service. Method: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to examine the practitioner perspective of reference and information service for eight academic research…

  5. Do efforts to standardize, assess and improve the quality of health service provision to adolescents by government-run health services in low and middle income countries, lead to improvements in service-quality and service-utilization by adolescents?

    PubMed

    Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Chatterjee, Subidita; Bose, Krishna

    2016-02-06

    Researchers and implementers working in adolescent health, and adolescents themselves question whether government-run health services in conservative and resource-constrained settings can be made adolescent friendly. This paper aims to find out what selected low and middle income country (LMIC) governments have set out to do to improve the quality of health service provision to adolescents; whether their efforts led to measurable improvements in quality and to increased health service-utilization by adolescents. We gathered normative guidance and reports from eight LMICs in Asia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Pacific. We analysed national quality standards for adolescent friendly health services, findings from the assessments of the quality of health service provision, and findings on the utilization of health services. Governments of LMICs have set out to improve the accessibility, acceptability, equity, appropriateness and effectiveness of health service provision to adolescents by defining standards and actions to achieve them. Their actions have led to measurable improvements in quality and to increases in health service utilisation by adolescents. With support, government-run health facilities in LMICs can improve the quality of health services and their utilization by adolescents.

  6. Effective interventions on service quality improvement in a physiotherapy clinic.

    PubMed

    Gharibi, Farid; Tabrizi, JafarSadegh; Eteraf Oskouei, MirAli; AsghariJafarabadi, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Service quality is considered as a main domain of quality associ-ated with non-clinical aspect of healthcare. This study aimed to survey and im-proves service quality of delivered care in the Physiotherapy Clinic affiliated with the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. A quasi experimental interventional study was conducted in the Physiotherapy Clinic, 2010-2011. Data were collected using a validated and reli-able researcher made questionnaire with participation of 324 patients and their coadjutors. The study questionnaire consisted of 7 questions about demographic factors and 38 questions for eleven aspects of service quality. Data were then analyzed using paired samples t-test by SPSS16. In the pre intervention phase, six aspects of service quality including choice of provider, safety, prevention and early detection, dignity, autonomy and availability achieved non-acceptable scores. Following interventions, all aspects of the service quality improved and also total service quality score improved from 8.58 to 9.83 (P<0.001). Service quality can be improved by problem implementation of appropriate interventions. The acquired results can be used in health system fields to create respectful environments for healthcare customers.

  7. Distributed spatial information integration based on web service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, Hengjian; Zhang, Yun; Shao, Zhenfeng

    2008-10-01

    Spatial information systems and spatial information in different geographic locations usually belong to different organizations. They are distributed and often heterogeneous and independent from each other. This leads to the fact that many isolated spatial information islands are formed, reducing the efficiency of information utilization. In order to address this issue, we present a method for effective spatial information integration based on web service. The method applies asynchronous invocation of web service and dynamic invocation of web service to implement distributed, parallel execution of web map services. All isolated information islands are connected by the dispatcher of web service and its registration database to form a uniform collaborative system. According to the web service registration database, the dispatcher of web services can dynamically invoke each web map service through an asynchronous delegating mechanism. All of the web map services can be executed at the same time. When each web map service is done, an image will be returned to the dispatcher. After all of the web services are done, all images are transparently overlaid together in the dispatcher. Thus, users can browse and analyze the integrated spatial information. Experiments demonstrate that the utilization rate of spatial information resources is significantly raised thought the proposed method of distributed spatial information integration.

  8. Distributed spatial information integration based on web service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, Hengjian; Zhang, Yun; Shao, Zhenfeng

    2009-10-01

    Spatial information systems and spatial information in different geographic locations usually belong to different organizations. They are distributed and often heterogeneous and independent from each other. This leads to the fact that many isolated spatial information islands are formed, reducing the efficiency of information utilization. In order to address this issue, we present a method for effective spatial information integration based on web service. The method applies asynchronous invocation of web service and dynamic invocation of web service to implement distributed, parallel execution of web map services. All isolated information islands are connected by the dispatcher of web service and its registration database to form a uniform collaborative system. According to the web service registration database, the dispatcher of web services can dynamically invoke each web map service through an asynchronous delegating mechanism. All of the web map services can be executed at the same time. When each web map service is done, an image will be returned to the dispatcher. After all of the web services are done, all images are transparently overlaid together in the dispatcher. Thus, users can browse and analyze the integrated spatial information. Experiments demonstrate that the utilization rate of spatial information resources is significantly raised thought the proposed method of distributed spatial information integration.

  9. ESIP Information Quality Cluster (IQC)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ramapriyan, H. K.; Peng, Ge; Moroni, David F.

    2016-01-01

    The Information Quality Cluster (IQC) within the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) was initially formed in 2011 and has evolved significantly over time. The current objectives of the IQC are to: 1. Actively evaluate community data quality best practices and standards; 2. Improve capture, description, discovery, and usability of information about data quality in Earth science data products; 3. Ensure producers of data products are aware of standards and best practices for conveying data quality, and data providers distributors intermediaries establish, improve and evolve mechanisms to assist users in discovering and understanding data quality information; and 4. Consistently provide guidance to data managers and stewards on how best to implement data quality standards and best practices to ensure and improve maturity of their data products. The activities of the IQC include: 1. Identification of additional needs for consistently capturing, describing, and conveying quality information through use case studies with broad and diverse applications; 2. Establishing and providing community-wide guidance on roles and responsibilities of key players and stakeholders including users and management; 3. Prototyping of conveying quality information to users in a more consistent, transparent, and digestible manner; 4. Establishing a baseline of standards and best practices for data quality; 5. Evaluating recommendations from NASA's DQWG in a broader context and proposing possible implementations; and 6. Engaging data providers, data managers, and data user communities as resources to improve our standards and best practices. Following the principles of openness of the ESIP Federation, IQC invites all individuals interested in improving capture, description, discovery, and usability of information about data quality in Earth science data products to participate in its activities.

  10. Caregivers’ Quality of Life and Quality of Services for Children with Cancer: A Review from Iran

    PubMed Central

    Sajjadi, Homeira; Vameghi, Meroe; Ghazinour, Mehdi; KhodaeiArdakani, Mohammadreza

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Caregivers of cancer patients are exposed to different types of psychosocial stress which influence their quality of life. The purposes of this study were to assess quality of life in caregivers of children with cancer and to investigate the relationship between the caregivers’ quality of life and quality of services in the social work section. Method: 125 caregivers were recruited. Quality of life was measured by the Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and data concerning service quality were obtained from the Iranian version of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Findings: Scores in physical health, psychological status and environmental conditions for caregivers of children with cancer were significantly lower than the general population. There was a negative correlation between the tangible domain of SERVQUAL and the psychological status and environmental conditions of quality of life. The tangible dimension was the only aspect of service quality to predict caregivers’ quality of life regarding psychological status and environmental conditions. Conclusion: Caregivers of children with a disease are care consumers and, like all consumers, they expect good service. Delivering high quality services consistently is difficult but profitable for a service organization. In other words, trying to deliver more appropriate services than patients expect to receive from their social work care is one of the most reliable ways to promote caregivers’ satisfaction and quality of life. PMID:23618487

  11. Caregivers' quality of life and quality of services for children with cancer: a review from iran.

    PubMed

    Sajjadi, Homeira; Vameghi, Meroe; Ghazinour, Mehdi; Khodaeiardekani, Mohammadreza

    2013-03-04

    Caregivers of cancer patients are exposed to different types of psychosocial stress which influence their quality of life. The purposes of this study were to assess quality of life in caregivers of children with cancer and to investigate the relationship between the caregivers' quality of life and quality of services in the social work section. 125 caregivers were recruited. Quality of life was measured by the Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and data concerning service quality were obtained from the Iranian version of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Scores in physical health, psychological status and environmental conditions for caregivers of children with cancer were significantly lower than the general population. There was a negative correlation between the tangible domain of SERVQUAL and the psychological status and environmental conditions of quality of life. The tangible dimension was the only aspect of service quality to predict caregivers' quality of life regarding psychological status and environmental conditions. Caregivers of children with a disease are care consumers and, like all consumers, they expect good service. Delivering high quality services consistently is difficult but profitable for a service organization. In other words, trying to deliver more appropriate services than patients expect to receive from their social work care is one of the most reliable ways to promote caregivers' satisfaction and quality of life.

  12. The Effect of Hospital Service Quality on Patient's Trust

    PubMed Central

    Zarei, Ehsan; Daneshkohan, Abbas; Khabiri, Roghayeh; Arab, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Background: The trust is meant the belief of the patient to the practitioner or the hospital based on the concept that the care provider seeks the best for the patient and will provide the suitable care and treatment for him/her. One of the main determinants of patient’s trust is the service quality. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of quality of services provided in private hospitals on the patient’s trust. Patients and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 969 patients were selected using the consecutive method from eight private general hospitals of Tehran, Iran, in 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire containing 20 items (14 items for quality, 6 items for trust) and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. Results: The mean score of patients' perception of trust was 3.80 and 4.01 for service quality. Approximately 38% of the variance in patient trust was explained by service quality dimensions. Quality of interaction and process (P < 0.001) were the strongest factors in predicting patient’s trust, but the quality of the environment had no significant effect on the patients' degree of trust. Conclusions: The interaction quality and process quality were the key determinants of patient’s trust in the private hospitals of Tehran. To enhance the patients' trust, quality improvement efforts should focus on service delivery aspects such as scheduling, timely and accurate doing of the service, and strengthening the interpersonal aspects of care and communication skills of doctors, nurses and staff. PMID:25763258

  13. The Effect of Hospital Service Quality on Patient's Trust.

    PubMed

    Zarei, Ehsan; Daneshkohan, Abbas; Khabiri, Roghayeh; Arab, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    The trust is meant the belief of the patient to the practitioner or the hospital based on the concept that the care provider seeks the best for the patient and will provide the suitable care and treatment for him/her. One of the main determinants of patient's trust is the service quality. This study aimed to examine the effect of quality of services provided in private hospitals on the patient's trust. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 969 patients were selected using the consecutive method from eight private general hospitals of Tehran, Iran, in 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire containing 20 items (14 items for quality, 6 items for trust) and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. The mean score of patients' perception of trust was 3.80 and 4.01 for service quality. Approximately 38% of the variance in patient trust was explained by service quality dimensions. Quality of interaction and process (P < 0.001) were the strongest factors in predicting patient's trust, but the quality of the environment had no significant effect on the patients' degree of trust. The interaction quality and process quality were the key determinants of patient's trust in the private hospitals of Tehran. To enhance the patients' trust, quality improvement efforts should focus on service delivery aspects such as scheduling, timely and accurate doing of the service, and strengthening the interpersonal aspects of care and communication skills of doctors, nurses and staff.

  14. [Assessment of quality indicators in pediatric poisoning in an emergency service].

    PubMed

    Giménez Roca, C; Martínez Sánchez, L; Calzada Baños, Y; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, V; Quintilla Martínez, J M; Luaces Cubells, C

    2014-01-01

    Assessment of quality indicators allows clinicians to evaluate clinical assistance with a standard, to detect deficiencies and to improve medical assistance. Patients who came to emergency services of a tertiary level hospital for suspicion of poisoning from January 2011 to June 2012 were assessed using 20 quality indicators of pediatric poisoning. Data collection was performed by retrospective review of clinical reports. A total of 393 patients were admitted for suspicion of poisoning (0.3% of all admissions).The standard was reached in 11 indicators and not reached in 6: administration of activated charcoal within 2hours of poison ingestion (standard=90%, result=83.5%); attention within the first 15minutes of arriving in the emergency service (standard=90%, result=60.4%); start of gastrointestinal decontamination within 20minutes of arrival in emergency services (standard=90%, result=29.7%); performing of electrocardiogram on the patients poisoned with cardiotoxic substances (standard=95%, result=87%); judicial communication of cases of poisoning that could conceal a crime (standard=95%, result=31.3%), and collection of the minimal set of information of poisoned patients (standard=90%, result=1.9%). Three indicators could not be evaluated as a consequence of the limited number of cases where they could be applied (<5). The main deficiencies are related to delay in assistance, collection of information and completion of judicial reports. Giving these patients priority, designing a checklist to collect the main points of their management, and creating obligatory fields for data in computerized medical records, are the main actions available to achieve pediatric poisoning quality indicators in this emergency service. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. Using internal marketing to improve organizational commitment and service quality.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Yafang; Wu, Shih-Wang

    2011-12-01

    The purpose of this article was to explore the structural relationships among internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality and to practically apply the findings. Internal marketing is a way to assist hospitals in improving the quality of the services that they provide while executing highly labour-intensive tasks. Through internal marketing, a hospital can enhance the organizational commitment of its employees to attain higher service quality. This research uses a cross-sectional study to survey nursing staff perceptions about internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality. The results of the survey are evaluated using equation models. The sample includes three regional hospitals in Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed and 288 valid questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 82.3%. The survey process lasted from 1 February to 9 March 2007. The data were analysed with SPSS 12.0, including descriptive statistics based on demographics. In addition, the influence of demographics on internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality is examined using one-way anova. The findings reveal that internal marketing plays a critical role in explaining employee perceptions of organizational commitment and service quality. Organizational commitment is the mediator between internal marketing and service quality. The results indicate that internal marketing has an impact on both organizational commitment and service quality. Internal marketing should be emphasized to influence frontline nursing staff, thereby helping to create better organizational commitment and service quality. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Architecture of a framework for providing information services for public transport.

    PubMed

    García, Carmelo R; Pérez, Ricardo; Lorenzo, Alvaro; Quesada-Arencibia, Alexis; Alayón, Francisco; Padrón, Gabino

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents OnRoute, a framework for developing and running ubiquitous software that provides information services to passengers of public transportation, including payment systems and on-route guidance services. To achieve a high level of interoperability, accessibility and context awareness, OnRoute uses the ubiquitous computing paradigm. To guarantee the quality of the software produced, the reliable software principles used in critical contexts, such as automotive systems, are also considered by the framework. The main components of its architecture (run-time, system services, software components and development discipline) and how they are deployed in the transportation network (stations and vehicles) are described in this paper. Finally, to illustrate the use of OnRoute, the development of a guidance service for travellers is explained.

  17. Architecture of a Framework for Providing Information Services for Public Transport

    PubMed Central

    García, Carmelo R.; Pérez, Ricardo; Lorenzo, Álvaro; Quesada-Arencibia, Alexis; Alayón, Francisco; Padrón, Gabino

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents OnRoute, a framework for developing and running ubiquitous software that provides information services to passengers of public transportation, including payment systems and on-route guidance services. To achieve a high level of interoperability, accessibility and context awareness, OnRoute uses the ubiquitous computing paradigm. To guarantee the quality of the software produced, the reliable software principles used in critical contexts, such as automotive systems, are also considered by the framework. The main components of its architecture (run-time, system services, software components and development discipline) and how they are deployed in the transportation network (stations and vehicles) are described in this paper. Finally, to illustrate the use of OnRoute, the development of a guidance service for travellers is explained. PMID:22778585

  18. Quality indicators for Transfusion Medicine in Spain: a survey among hospital transfusion services.

    PubMed

    Romon, Iñigo; Lozano, Miguel

    2017-05-01

    Transfusion services in the European Union must implement quality management systems to improve quality. Quality indicators (QI) play a key role in quality management because they can supply important information about the performance of the transfusion service, which can then be used for benchmarking. However, little is known about the actual use of QI in hospitals. We tried to ascertain the use and characteristics of QI in Spanish hospital transfusion services. We performed a survey among transfusion services in order to learn which QI they use. We classified indicators into categories and concepts, according to the steps of the transfusion process or the activities the indicators referred to. Seventy-six hospitals (17.9% of the hospitals actively transfusing in the country) reported 731 QI. Twenty-two of them (29%) were tertiary level hospitals. The number of indicators per hospital and by activity varied greatly. QI were assigned to some basic categories: transfusion process (23% of indicators), transfusion activity and stock management (22%), haemovigilance (20%), stem cell transplantation (9%), transfusion laboratory (9%), quality management system (8%), blood donation (3.4%), apheresis and therapeutic activities (2.5%) and immunohaematology of pregnancy (2%). Although most hospitals use QI in their quality management system and share a core group of indicators, we found a great dispersion in the number and characteristics of the indicators used. The use of a commonly agreed set of QI could be an aid to benchmarking among hospitals and to improving the transfusion process.

  19. Information services and information processing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    Attempts made to design and extend space system capabilities are reported. Special attention was given to establishing user needs for information or services which might be provided by space systems. Data given do not attempt to detail scientific, technical, or economic bases for the needs expressed by the users.

  20. Understanding Employee Awareness of Health Care Quality Information: How Can Employers Benefit?

    PubMed Central

    Abraham, Jean; Feldman, Roger; Carlin, Caroline

    2004-01-01

    Objective To analyze the factors associated with employee awareness of employer-disseminated quality information on providers. Data Sources Primary data were collected in 2002 on a stratified, random sample of 1,365 employees in 16 firms that are members of the Buyers Health Care Action Group (BHCAG) located in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region. An employer survey was also conducted to assess how employers communicated the quality information to employees. Study Design In 2001, BHCAG sponsored two programs for reporting provider quality. We specify employee awareness of the quality information to depend on factors that influence the benefits and costs of search. Factors influencing the benefits include age, sex, provider satisfaction, health status, job tenure, and Twin Cities tenure. Factors influencing search costs include employee income, education, and employer communication strategies. We estimate the model using bivariate probit analysis. Data Collection Employee data were collected by phone survey. Principal Findings Overall, the level of quality information awareness is low. However, employer communication strategies such as distributing booklets to all employees or making them available on request have a large effect on the probability of quality information awareness. Employee education and utilization of providers' services are also positively related to awareness. Conclusions This study is one of the first to investigate employee awareness of provider quality information. Given the direct implications for medical outcomes, one might anticipate higher rates of awareness regarding provider quality, relative to plan quality. However, we do not find empirical evidence to support this assertion. PMID:15533188

  1. Information Quality as a Foundation for User Trustworthiness of Earth Science Data.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Y.; Moroni, D. F.; Ramapriyan, H.; Peng, G.

    2017-12-01

    Information quality is multidimensional. Four different aspects of information quality can be defined based on the lifecycle stages of Earth Science data products: science, product, stewardship and services. With increasing requirements on ensuring and improving information quality coming from multiple government agencies and throughout industry, there have been considerable efforts toward improving information quality during the last decade, much of which has not been well vetted in a collective sense until recently. Given this rich background of prior work, the Information Quality Cluster (IQC), established within the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) in 2011, and reactivated in the summer of 2014, has been active with membership from multiple organizations. The IQC's objectives and activities, aimed at ensuring and improving information quality for Earth science data and products, are also considered vital toward improving the trustworthiness of Earth science data to a vast and interdisciplinary community of data users. During 2016, several members of the IQC have led the development and assessment of four use cases. This was followed up in 2017 with multiple panel sessions at the 2017 Winter and Summer ESIP Meetings to survey the challenges posed in the various aspects of information quality. What was discovered to be most lacking is the transparency of data lineage (i.e., provenance and maturity), uniform methods for uncertainty characterization, and uniform quality assurance data and metadata. While solutions to these types of issues exist, most data producers have little time to investigate and collaborate to arrive at and conform to a consensus approach. The IQC has positioned itself as a community platform to bring together all relevant stakeholders from data producers, repositories, program managers, and the end users. A combination of both well-vetted and "trailblazing" solutions are presented to address how data trustworthiness can

  2. The management of health care service quality. A physician perspective

    PubMed Central

    Bobocea, L; Gheorghe, IR; Spiridon, St; Gheorghe, CM; Purcarea, VL

    2016-01-01

    Applying marketing in health care services is presently an essential element for every manager or policy maker. In order to be successful, a health care organization has to identify an accurate measurement scale for defining service quality due to competitive pressure and cost values. The most widely employed scale in the services sector is SERVQUAL scale. In spite of being successfully adopted in fields such as brokerage and banking, experts concluded that the SERVQUAL scale should be modified depending on the specific context. Moreover, the SERVQUAL scale focused on the consumer’s perspective regarding service quality. While service quality was measured with the help of SERVQUAL scale, other experts identified a structure-process-outcome design, which, they thought, would be more suitable for health care services. This approach highlights a different perspective on investigating the service quality, namely, the physician’s perspective. Further, we believe that the Seven Prong Model for Improving Service Quality has been adopted in order to effectively measure the health care service in a Romanian context from a physician’s perspective. PMID:27453745

  3. The management of health care service quality. A physician perspective.

    PubMed

    Bobocea, L; Gheorghe, I R; Spiridon, St; Gheorghe, C M; Purcarea, V L

    2016-01-01

    Applying marketing in health care services is presently an essential element for every manager or policy maker. In order to be successful, a health care organization has to identify an accurate measurement scale for defining service quality due to competitive pressure and cost values. The most widely employed scale in the services sector is SERVQUAL scale. In spite of being successfully adopted in fields such as brokerage and banking, experts concluded that the SERVQUAL scale should be modified depending on the specific context. Moreover, the SERVQUAL scale focused on the consumer's perspective regarding service quality. While service quality was measured with the help of SERVQUAL scale, other experts identified a structure-process-outcome design, which, they thought, would be more suitable for health care services. This approach highlights a different perspective on investigating the service quality, namely, the physician's perspective. Further, we believe that the Seven Prong Model for Improving Service Quality has been adopted in order to effectively measure the health care service in a Romanian context from a physician's perspective.

  4. Quality of care in family planning services in Morocco.

    PubMed

    Brown, L; Tyane, M; Bertrand, J; Lauro, D; Abou-ouakil, M; deMaria, L

    1995-01-01

    This study was conducted to heighten awareness of quality of care as a programmatic issue in the Moroccan governmental family planning program and to test modified Situation Analysis instruments for measuring quality of care. Data were collected from 50 service-delivery points in five provinces to measure six elements of quality in accordance with the Bruce/Jain framework. A procedure for calculating quality-indicator scores is presented. Although facilities varied by province and within provinces, most had the equipment and supplies needed to deliver services; service personnel were trained and regularly supervised; the service-delivery points scored well on mechanisms to ensure continuity of use. Notable shortcomings included a dearth of materials for counseling and a widespread unavailability of the Ovrette pill. This study raises issues regarding the complexity of measuring quality, the ownership of results, and the appropriateness of a centralized study of quality in a decentralized program.

  5. Variations in the service quality of medical practices.

    PubMed

    Ly, Dan P; Glied, Sherry A

    2013-11-01

    To examine regional variation in the service quality of physician practices and to assess the association of this variation with the supply and organization of physicians. Secondary analyses of the Community Tracking Study (CTS) household and physician surveys. A total of 40,339 individuals who had seen a primary care physician because of an illness or injury and 17,345 generalist physicians across 4 survey time periods in 60 CTS sites were included. Service quality measures used were lag between making an appointment and seeing a physician, and wait time at the physician's office. Our supply measure was the physician-to-population ratio. Our organizational measure was the percentage of physicians in group practices. Multivariate regressions were performed to examine the relationship between service quality and the supply and organization of physicians. There was substantial variation in the service quality of physician visits across the country. For example, in 2003, the average wait time to see a doctor was 16 minutes in Milwaukee but more than 41 minutes in Miami; the average appointment lag for a sick visit in 2003 was 1.2 days in west-central Alabama but almost 6 days in Northwestern Washington. Service quality was not associated with the primary care physician-to-population ratio and had varying associations with the organization of practices. Cross-site variation in service quality of care in primary care has been large, persistent, and associated with the organization of practices. Areas with higher primary care physician-to-population ratios had longer, not shorter, appointment lags.

  6. Differentiated strategies for improving streaming service quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    An, Hui; Chen, Xin-Meng

    2005-02-01

    With the explosive growth of streaming services, users are becoming more and more sensitive to its quality of service. To handle these problems, the research community focuses of the application of caching and replication techniques. But most approaches try to find specific strategies of caching of replication that suit for streaming service characteristics and to design some kind of universal policy to deal with all streaming objects. This paper explores the combination of caching and replication for improving streaming service quality and demonstrates that it makes sense to incorporate two technologies. It provides a system model and discusses some related issues of how to determining a refreshable streaming object and which refreshment policies a refreshable object should use.

  7. Defining Information Quality Into Health Websites: A Conceptual Framework of Health Website Information Quality for Educated Young Adults

    PubMed Central

    LeRouge, Cynthia; Smith, K Jody; De Leo, Gianluca

    2017-01-01

    Background Today’s health care environment encourages health care consumers to take an active role in managing their health. As digital natives, young educated adults do much of their health information management through the Internet and consider it a valid source of health advice. However, the quality of information on health websites is highly variable and dynamic. Little is known about the understandings and perceptions that young educated adults have garnered on the quality of information on health websites used for health care–related purposes. Objective To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of health website information quality with quality dimensions (ie, criteria) and associated quality drivers (ie, attributes) specified in the context of young educated adults’ use of health websites for health care–related purposes. This aim was achieved by (1) identifying information quality dimensions of health websites from the perspective of young educated adults; (2) identifying the importance ratings of these quality dimensions; and (3) constructing a framework of health website information quality with quality dimensions and associated drivers specified in the context of young educated adults’ use of health websites for health care–related purposes. Methods The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. Methods included semistructured group interviews and an individual quality assessment exercise grounded in visiting various websites and responding to Likert scale questions regarding the importance ratings of information quality dimensions and open-ended questions with specifying website quality drivers. Study participants included junior and senior undergraduate and graduate students in business, allied health, and public health majors. Qualitative, open-coding procedures were used to develop the conceptual framework reflecting the participants’ means of assessing information quality on health

  8. Orienting health care information systems toward quality: how Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound did it.

    PubMed

    Goverman, I L

    1994-11-01

    Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC), a large staff-model health maintenance organization based in Seattle, is redesigning its information systems to provide the systems and information needed to support its quality agenda. Long-range planning for GHC's information resources was done in three phases. In assessment, interviews, surveys, and a benchmarking effort identified strengths and weaknesses of the existing information systems. We concluded that we needed to improve clinical care and patient management systems and enhance health plan applications. In direction setting, we developed six objectives (for example, approach information systems in a way that is consistent with quality improvement principles). Detailed planning was used to define projects, timing, and resource allocations. Some of the most important efforts in the resulting five-year plan include the development of (1) a computerized patient record; (2) a provider-based clinical workstation for access to patient information, order entry, results reporting, guidelines, and reminders; (3) a comprehensive set of patient management and service quality systems; (4) reengineered structures, policies, and processes within the health plan, supported by a complete set of integrated information systems; (5) a standardized, high-capacity communications network to provide linkages both within GHC and among its business partners; and (6) a revised oversight structure for information services, which forms partnerships with users. A quality focus ensured that each project not only produced its own benefits but also supported the larger organizational goals associated with "total" quality.

  9. Implementation of Quality Management in Core Service Laboratories

    PubMed Central

    Creavalle, T.; Haque, K.; Raley, C.; Subleski, M.; Smith, M.W.; Hicks, B.

    2010-01-01

    CF-28 The Genetics and Genomics group of the Advanced Technology Program of SAIC-Frederick exists to bring innovative genomic expertise, tools and analysis to NCI and the scientific community. The Sequencing Facility (SF) provides next generation short read (Illumina) sequencing capacity to investigators using a streamlined production approach. The Laboratory of Molecular Technology (LMT) offers a wide range of genomics core services including microarray expression analysis, miRNA analysis, array comparative genome hybridization, long read (Roche) next generation sequencing, quantitative real time PCR, transgenic genotyping, Sanger sequencing, and clinical mutation detection services to investigators from across the NIH. As the technology supporting this genomic research becomes more complex, the need for basic quality processes within all aspects of the core service groups becomes critical. The Quality Management group works alongside members of these labs to establish or improve processes supporting operations control (equipment, reagent and materials management), process improvement (reengineering/optimization, automation, acceptance criteria for new technologies and tech transfer), and quality assurance and customer support (controlled documentation/SOPs, training, service deficiencies and continual improvement efforts). Implementation and expansion of quality programs within unregulated environments demonstrates SAIC-Frederick's dedication to providing the highest quality products and services to the NIH community.

  10. 48 CFR 39.104 - Information technology services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Information technology... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY General 39.104 Information technology services. When acquiring information technology services, solicitations must not describe any...

  11. 48 CFR 39.104 - Information technology services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Information technology... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY General 39.104 Information technology services. When acquiring information technology services, solicitations must not describe any...

  12. 48 CFR 39.104 - Information technology services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Information technology... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY General 39.104 Information technology services. When acquiring information technology services, solicitations must not describe any...

  13. 48 CFR 39.104 - Information technology services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Information technology... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY General 39.104 Information technology services. When acquiring information technology services, solicitations must not describe any...

  14. 48 CFR 39.104 - Information technology services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Information technology... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY General 39.104 Information technology services. When acquiring information technology services, solicitations must not describe any...

  15. Service Quality in Higher Education Using an Enhanced SERVQUAL Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Kay C.; Kek, Sei W.

    2004-01-01

    Customer service and quality are driving forces in the business community. As higher educational institutions tussle for competitive advantage and high service quality, the evaluation of educational service quality is essential to provide motivation for and to give feedback on the effectiveness of educational plans and implementation. This…

  16. From data to wisdom: quality improvement strategies supporting large-scale implementation of evidence-based services.

    PubMed

    Daleiden, Eric L; Chorpita, Bruce F

    2005-04-01

    The Hawaii Department of Health Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division has explored various strategies to promote widespread use of empirical evidence to improve the quality of services and outcomes for youth. This article describes a core set of clinical decisions and how several general and local evidence bases may inform those decisions. Multiple quality improvement strategies are illustrated in the context of a model that outlines four phases of evidence: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom.

  17. Service quality in public health clinics: perceptions of users and health professionals.

    PubMed

    Campos, Domingos Fernandes; Negromonte Filho, Rinaldo Bezerra; Castro, Felipe Nalon

    2017-10-09

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the expectations and quality gaps in services provided at city public health clinics in the city of Natal, Brazil, from the perspective of patients and healthcare service providers. Design/methodology/approach The research sample consisted of 1,200 patients who used public health services and 265 providers - doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists, pharmacists and managers at three health clinics in the city of Natal, Brazil. A scale with 25 health service attributes was used in data collection. Summary statistics and t-test were used to analyze the data. Findings The results show that the providers think that users have lower levels of expectations than those indicated by the users in all attributes. Providers and users have the most approximate insights into what attributes are considered most important: explanations, level of knowledge and attention dispensed by health professionals. Users and providers perceived similar quality gaps for most of the attributes. The gaps were statistically the same, when comparing the mean quality shortcomings by means of a Student's test, considering a significance level of 5 percent, obtained independently by the manifestation of users and providers. Research limitations/implications The results reveal only a photograph of the moment. The study did not consider the differences that may exist between groups with different income levels, genders or age groups. A qualitative study could improve the understanding of the differences and coincidences of the diverse points of views. A more advanced research could even study possibilities so that health managers could promote changes in the service, some of them low cost, as the health professionals training for contact with patients. Practical implications The evaluation of the service quality complemented by the matrix of opportunities, importance × quality gaps generates information to help make decisions in the

  18. Use-Inspired Data Information Services for NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Owen, T.

    2015-12-01

    Leveraging environmental data and information to make specific, informed decisions is critical to the Nation's economy, environment, and public safety. The ability to successfully transform past and recent data into environmental intelligence is predicated on the articulation of use-inspired, actionable requirements for product and service development. With the formation of the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), there is a unique opportunity to revolutionize the delivery of information services in support of customer requirements. Such delivery cuts across the disciplines of meteorology, geophysics, and oceanography, as well as regions and sectors for the United States. At NCEI, information services are based on a two-way dialogue that (i) raises awareness of environmental data products and services and (ii) captures user needs for product and services sustainment and development. To this end, NCEI information services has developed a formal process for collecting user needs and translating them into requirements. This process reflects economically-prevalent and regionally-focused sectors based on Census Bureau classifications.

  19. Assessing the quality of pharmacist answers to telephone drug information questions.

    PubMed

    Woodward, C T; Stevenson, J G; Poremba, A

    1990-04-01

    A quality assurance (QA) program is described in which frontline pharmacists were asked test drug information questions via anonymous telephone calls. The program was instituted at a university hospital that began providing decentralized pharmaceutical services in 1985. Questions were developed on the basis of a pilot study conducted to determine the types and complexity of drug information questions received by frontline pharmacists at the hospital. Data on departmental clinical productivity were used to determine the number of questions that would be posed during each shift in the various service areas. The questions were posed during a 10-day period; the pharmacists were aware of the program, but the callers did not identify their affiliation with it. In response to 105 questions asked, 86 were judged to have been answered correctly, 13 answers were deemed incomplete, and 6 were judged incorrect. Pharmacists were more likely to respond incorrectly to complex questions and questions posed during the night shift. As a result of the audit, staff members with advanced clinical knowledge were asked to help less experienced pharmacists, the position of assistant director for drug information and staff development was created, and educational programs were instituted. The QA audit has been repeated twice. Posing test drug information questions via anonymous telephone calls is effective in assessing the quality of drug information provided by pharmacists in patient-care areas.

  20. Data Quality Parameters and Web Services Facilitate User Access to Research-Ready Seismic Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trabant, C. M.; Templeton, M. E.; Van Fossen, M.; Weertman, B.; Ahern, T. K.; Casey, R. E.; Keyson, L.; Sharer, G.

    2016-12-01

    IRIS Data Services has the mission of providing efficient access to a wide variety of seismic and related geoscience data to the user community. With our vast archive of freely available data, we recognize that there is a constant challenge to provide data to scientists and students that are of a consistently useful level of quality. To address this issue, we began by undertaking a comprehensive survey of the data and generating metrics measurements that provide estimates of data quality. These measurements can inform the scientist of the level of suitability of a given set of data for their scientific investigation. They also serve as a quality assurance check for network operators, who can act on this information to improve their current recording or mitigate issues with already recorded data and metadata. Following this effort, IRIS Data Services is moving forward to focus on providing tools for the scientist that make it easier to access data of a quality and characteristic that suits their investigation. Data that fulfill this criterion are termed "research-ready". In addition to filtering data by type, geographic location, proximity to events, and specific time ranges, we will offer the ability to filter data based on specific quality assessments. These include signal-to-noise ratio measurements, data continuity, timing quality, absence of channel cross-talk, and potentially many other factors. Our goal is to ensure that the user receives only the data that meets their specifications and will not require extensive review and culling after delivery. We will present the latest developments of the MUSTANG automated data quality system and introduce the Research-Ready Data Sets (RRDS) service. Together these two technologies serve as a data quality assurance ecosystem that will provide benefit to the scientific community by aiding efforts to readily find appropriate and suitable data for use in any number of objectives.

  1. Exploring the impact of word-of-mouth about Physicians' service quality on patient choice based on online health communities.

    PubMed

    Lu, Naiji; Wu, Hong

    2016-11-26

    Health care service is a high-credence service and patients may face difficulties ascertaining service quality in order to make choices about their available treatment options. Online health communities (OHCs) provide a convenient channel for patients to search for physicians' information, such as Word-of-Mouth (WOM), particularly on physicians' service quality evaluated by other patients. Existing studies from other service domains have proved that WOM impacts consumer choice. However, how patients make a choice based on physicians' WOM has not been studied, particularly with reference to different patient characteristics and by using real data. One thousand eight hundred fifty three physicians' real data were collected from a Chinese online health community. The data were analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The study found that functional quality negatively moderated the relationship between technical quality and patient choice, and disease risk moderated the relationship between physicians' service quality and patient choice. Our study recommends that hospital managers need to consider the roles of both technical quality and functional quality seriously. Physicians should improve their medical skills and bedside manners based on the severity and type of disease to provide better service.

  2. Applying revised gap analysis model in measuring hotel service quality.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yu-Cheng; Wang, Yu-Che; Chien, Chih-Hung; Wu, Chia-Huei; Lu, Shu-Chiung; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Dong, Weiwei

    2016-01-01

    With the number of tourists coming to Taiwan growing by 10-20 % since 2010, the number has increased due to an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly after deregulation allowed admitting tourist groups, followed later on by foreign individual tourists, from mainland China. The purpose of this study is to propose a revised gap model to evaluate and improve service quality in Taiwanese hotel industry. Thus, service quality could be clearly measured through gap analysis, which was more effective for offering direction in developing and improving service quality. The HOLSERV instrument was used to identify and analyze service gaps from the perceptions of internal and external customers. The sample for this study included three main categories of respondents: tourists, employees, and managers. The results show that five gaps influenced tourists' evaluations of service quality. In particular, the study revealed that Gap 1 (management perceptions vs. customer expectations) and Gap 9 (service provider perceptions of management perceptions vs. service delivery) were more critical than the others in affecting perceived service quality, making service delivery the main area of improvement. This study contributes toward an evaluation of the service quality of the Taiwanese hotel industry from the perspectives of customers, service providers, and managers, which is considerably valuable for hotel managers. It was the aim of this study to explore all of these together in order to better understand the possible gaps in the hotel industry in Taiwan.

  3. Defining Information Quality Into Health Websites: A Conceptual Framework of Health Website Information Quality for Educated Young Adults.

    PubMed

    Tao, Donghua; LeRouge, Cynthia; Smith, K Jody; De Leo, Gianluca

    2017-10-06

    Today's health care environment encourages health care consumers to take an active role in managing their health. As digital natives, young educated adults do much of their health information management through the Internet and consider it a valid source of health advice. However, the quality of information on health websites is highly variable and dynamic. Little is known about the understandings and perceptions that young educated adults have garnered on the quality of information on health websites used for health care-related purposes. To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of health website information quality with quality dimensions (ie, criteria) and associated quality drivers (ie, attributes) specified in the context of young educated adults' use of health websites for health care-related purposes. This aim was achieved by (1) identifying information quality dimensions of health websites from the perspective of young educated adults; (2) identifying the importance ratings of these quality dimensions; and (3) constructing a framework of health website information quality with quality dimensions and associated drivers specified in the context of young educated adults' use of health websites for health care-related purposes. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. Methods included semistructured group interviews and an individual quality assessment exercise grounded in visiting various websites and responding to Likert scale questions regarding the importance ratings of information quality dimensions and open-ended questions with specifying website quality drivers. Study participants included junior and senior undergraduate and graduate students in business, allied health, and public health majors. Qualitative, open-coding procedures were used to develop the conceptual framework reflecting the participants' means of assessing information quality on health websites. Five dimensions of information

  4. Quality of requests for serum digoxin concentrations: experience from an Australian Regional Health Service

    PubMed Central

    Ellington, Chris; Grgurinovich, Nick; Miners, John O; Mangoni, Arduino A

    2007-01-01

    What is already known about this subject Therapeutic drug monitoring of serum digoxin concentrations (SDC) is considered useful in enhancing the therapeutic benefits of digoxin and minimizing the incidence of adverse drug reactions. The quality of requests for SDC has been reported to be generally unsatisfactory. However, studies have focused on few information parameters. A better knowledge of these issues might be useful to target appropriate areas of weakness within heathcare systems. What this study adds The poor quality of the information in SDC requests involves a wide range of codes from the contact details of the requester to the time interval between the last dose of digoxin and blood sampling. Misuse of the therapeutic drug monitoring service is common across different specialties and healthcare settings. Aims To assess the quality of the information provided with serum digoxin concentration (SDC) requests received by a therapeutic drug monitoring service in a regional health service. Methods We conducted a retrospective audit of a consecutive series of 685 SDC requests during a 7-month period. Information regarding (i) contact details, (ii) reasons for request, (iii) dose, (iv) route of administration, (v) concurrent therapy, (vi) treatment duration and (vii) time interval between the last dose and sampling was reviewed and coded as appropriate or inappropriate/missing. Data were analysed according to the origin of request, i.e. from different specialties/wards (emergency department and critical care, cardiology and coronary care unit, medicine and aged care, surgery, and general/private practice) and healthcare settings (teaching hospital, geriatric hospital and general/private practice). Results The quality of SDC requests was generally poor across different specialties and healthcare settings. The information provided for the coded parameters was appropriate only in 19.1% (i), 6.4% (ii), 54.7% (iii), 45.8% (iv), 12.8% (v), 32.9% (vi) and 47.1% (vii

  5. Multiple service use: the impact of consistency in service quality for vulnerable youth.

    PubMed

    Sanders, Jackie; Munford, Robyn; Liebenberg, Linda; Ungar, Michael

    2014-04-01

    Little is known about the way in which variations in service quality influence outcomes when youth are clients of more than one service system. This article reports on a study of 1,210 adolescents (aged 13-17 years), half were concurrent clients of two or more services and half were not involved in two or more services. Youth completed a self-report questionnaire administered by a trained interviewer. It was hypothesized that youth reporting two positive service experiences would report lower risks, higher resilience, and better outcomes than youth reporting inconsistent or two negative service experiences and that their resilience, risks, and outcomes would be similar to those of youth not involved in two or more services. MANCOVA was used to determine the relationship among service quality and resilience, risk, and outcomes with four covariates that assessed family and neighborhood environments, history of abuse and neglect, and chronic need. Results indicate that service quality had an effect on resilience, risks, and outcomes. These relationships were mediated quite strongly by the influence of the risks youth faced in their neighborhoods and to a lesser extent by the other three covariates. Of the three dependent variables, risk appeared to be the most consistently influenced by all the covariates, and it also differentiated service experience groups. Results point to the importance of services developing strategies to effectively address risks confronted by youth and also to ensure that when more than one service is involved with youth, consistency in service delivery is achieved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Incorporating Quality Control Information in the Sensor Web

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Devaraju, Anusuriya; Kunkel, Ralf; Bogena, Heye

    2013-04-01

    The rapid development of sensing technologies had led to the creation of large amounts of heterogeneous environmental observations. The Sensor Web provides a wider access to sensors and observations via common protocols and specifications. Observations typically go through several levels of quality control, and aggregation before they are made available to end-users. Raw data are usually inspected, and related quality flags are assigned. Data are gap-filled, and errors are removed. New data series may also be derived from one or more corrected data sets. Until now, it is unclear how these kinds of information can be captured in the Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) framework. Apart from the quality measures (e.g., accuracy, precision, tolerance, or confidence), the levels of observational series, the changes applied, and the methods involved must be specified. It is important that this kind of quality control information is well described and communicated to end-users to allow for a better usage and interpretation of data products. In this paper, we describe how quality control information can be incorporated into the SWE framework. Concerning this, first, we introduce the TERENO (TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories), an initiative funded by the large research infrastructure program of the Helmholtz Association in Germany. The main goal of the initiative is to facilitate the study of long-term effects of climate and land use changes. The TERENO Online Data RepOsitORry (TEODOOR) is a software infrastructure that supports acquisition, provision, and management of observations within TERENO via SWE specifications and several other OGC web services. Next, we specify changes made to the existing observational data model to incorporate quality control information. Here, we describe the underlying TERENO data policy in terms of provision and maintenance issues. We present data levels, and their implementation within TEODOOR. The data levels are adapted from those used by

  7. Measuring Customer Satisfaction and Quality of Service in Special Libraries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Marilyn Domas; Abels, Eileen G.; Nitecki, Danuta

    This project tested the appropriateness of SERVQUAL (i.e., an instrument widely used in the service industry for assessing service quality based on repeated service encounters rather than a particular service encounter) to measure service quality in special libraries and developed a modified version for special libraries. SERVQUAL is based on an…

  8. Distributor- Retailer Interface in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Service Quality Measurement Scale.

    PubMed

    Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Babapour, Jafar; Peiravian, Farzad

    2016-01-01

    In the current competitive market, service quality management is the key to the survival and success of businesses. SERVQUAL is a popular service quality measurement scale (SQMS) that has served as a basis for subsequent research on service quality; it has been used for testing different aspects of service quality in a market. The purpose of our study is, therefore, to develop a service quality measurement scale (SQMS) for the distributor-retailer interface of Pharm supply chains (PSC) in Iran. A survey was performed to collect data from pharmacies located in Tehran. A valid and reliable questionnaire delivered to pharmacies, and 400 pharmacies were intended to participate in our survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to develop an SQMS in this study. Sufficient sampling was undertaken to do CFA. Consistent with other service quality studies, this Res developed an SQMS with five dimensions and 20 items for PSC, and contributes to mangers to regularly measure service quality. This is an initial study to develop a framework for measuring service quality in Iranian PCS. The framework can be used effectively to achieve competitive advantage at the distributor-retailer interface.

  9. Distributor– Retailer Interface in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Service Quality Measurement Scale

    PubMed Central

    Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Babapour, Jafar; peiravian, farzad

    2016-01-01

    In the current competitive market, service quality management is the key to the survival and success of businesses. SERVQUAL is a popular service quality measurement scale (SQMS) that has served as a basis for subsequent research on service quality; it has been used for testing different aspects of service quality in a market. The purpose of our study is, therefore, to develop a service quality measurement scale (SQMS) for the distributor–retailer interface of Pharm supply chains (PSC) in Iran. A survey was performed to collect data from pharmacies located in Tehran. A valid and reliable questionnaire delivered to pharmacies, and 400 pharmacies were intended to participate in our survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to develop an SQMS in this study. Sufficient sampling was undertaken to do CFA. Consistent with other service quality studies, this Res developed an SQMS with five dimensions and 20 items for PSC, and contributes to mangers to regularly measure service quality. This is an initial study to develop a framework for measuring service quality in Iranian PCS. The framework can be used effectively to achieve competitive advantage at the distributor–retailer interface. PMID:28243297

  10. 21 CFR 20.114 - Data and information submitted pursuant to cooperative quality assurance agreements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Data and information submitted pursuant to cooperative quality assurance agreements. 20.114 Section 20.114 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION Availability of Specific Categories of...

  11. Perceived service quality's effect on patient satisfaction and behavioural compliance.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Bahari; Azizan, Noor Azlinna

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to advance healthcare service quality research using hierarchical component models. This study used a quantitative approach with cross-sectional design as a survey method, combining cluster and convenience sampling and partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to validate the research model and test the hypotheses. The study extends health service quality literature by showing that: patient satisfaction (PS) is dominant, significant and indirect determinant of behavioural compliance (BC); perceived service quality has the strongest effect on BC via PS. Only one hospital was evaluated. The study provides managers with a service quality model for conducting integrated service delivery systems analysis and design. Overall, the study makes a significant contribution to healthcare organizations, better health outcomes for patients and better quality of life for the community.

  12. Delivering Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Comparison of Public and Private Treatment Centres by Service Users and Service Providers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Resnick, Sheilagh M.; Griffiths, Mark D.

    2012-01-01

    In the UK, quality of care has now been placed at the centre of the National Health Service (NHS) modernisation programme. To date, there has been little research on the service quality delivery of alcohol treatment services from the perspective of both the service user and service provider. Therefore, this qualitative study explored the…

  13. 75 FR 27539 - Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services: Overview Information: National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-17

    ... consumers of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The National Center funded under this priority must do... VR agencies that received information related to the activities of both the National and Regional..., trainings, and publications improved the quality of interpreters. The percentage of all State VR agencies...

  14. The influence of service quality and patients' emotions on satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Vinagre, Maria Helena; Neves, José

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to develop and empirically test a model to examine the major factors affecting patients' satisfaction that depict and estimate the relationships between service quality, patient's emotions, expectations and involvement. The approach was tested using structural equation modeling, with a sample of 317 patients from six Portuguese public healthcare centres, using a revised SERVQUAL scale for service quality evaluation and an adapted DESII scale for assessing patient emotions. The scales used to evaluate service quality and emotional experience appears valid. The results support process complexity that leads to health service satisfaction, which involves diverse phenomena within the cognitive and emotional domain, revealing that all the predictors have a significant effect on satisfaction. The emotions inventory, although showing good internal consistency, might be enlarged to other typologies in further research--needed to confirm these findings. Patient's satisfaction mechanisms are important for improving service quality. The research shows empirical evidence about the effect of both patient's emotions and service quality on satisfaction with healthcare services. Findings also provide a model that includes valid and reliable measures.

  15. Providing Data Quality Information for Remote Sensing Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albrecht, F.; Blaschke, T.; Lang, S.; Abdulmutalib, H. M.; Szabó, G.; Barsi, Á.; Batini, C.; Bartsch, A.; Kugler, Zs.; Tiede, D.; Huang, G.

    2018-04-01

    The availability and accessibility of remote sensing (RS) data, cloud processing platforms and provided information products and services has increased the size and diversity of the RS user community. This development also generates a need for validation approaches to assess data quality. Validation approaches employ quality criteria in their assessment. Data Quality (DQ) dimensions as the basis for quality criteria have been deeply investigated in the database area and in the remote sensing domain. Several standards exist within the RS domain but a general classification - established for databases - has been adapted only recently. For an easier identification of research opportunities, a better understanding is required how quality criteria are employed in the RS lifecycle. Therefore, this research investigates how quality criteria support decisions that guide the RS lifecycle and how they relate to the measured DQ dimensions. Subsequently follows an overview of the relevant standards in the RS domain that is matched to the RS lifecycle. Conclusively, the required research needs are identified that would enable a complete understanding of the interrelationships between the RS lifecycle, the data sources and the DQ dimensions, an understanding that would be very valuable for designing validation approaches in RS.

  16. Introducing quality improvement management methods into primary health care services in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Omaswa, F; Burnham, G; Baingana, G; Mwebesa, H; Morrow, R

    1996-01-01

    Uganda's National Quality Assurance Program was established in 1994 to monitor the process of decentralization of primary health care services. Guidelines were developed to address problems (e.g., in obtaining health funds channeled through local government) identified at district meetings. Bringing together District Health Teams with local administrators and political leaders to share responsibility for strengthening health services has been a significant program achievement. A smoother functioning referral system from health units to district hospitals has resulted. The response to a measles outbreak in the Arua district in 1993-94 confirmed the utility of the quality management approach. Weaknesses in the district cold chain, problems with diagnostic accuracy, and a poorly functioning information system were identified as key causative factors, and corrective action in these areas led to a subsequent decline in measles cases. Patient dissatisfaction with long waiting times at Masaka Hospital was another concern addressed through the quality assurance approach. Five salient areas were identified for action: low health worker morale, supply shortages, inadequate supervision by hospital management, poor patient flow, and inefficient drug dispensing. As a result, long delays were eliminated and utilization of hospital outpatient services increased by 28%.

  17. 78 FR 16255 - National Technical Information Service Advisory Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-14

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Technical Information Service National Technical Information Service Advisory Board AGENCY: National Technical Information Service, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces the next meeting of the National Technical Information Service...

  18. 78 FR 61337 - National Technical Information Service Advisory Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Technical Information Service National Technical Information Service Advisory Board AGENCY: National Technical Information Service, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of open meeting SUMMARY: This notice announces the next meeting of the National Technical Information Service...

  19. Quality versus quantity: The role of socioeconomic status on parent-reported service knowledge, service use, unmet service needs, and barriers to service use.

    PubMed

    Pickard, Katherine E; Ingersoll, Brooke R

    2016-01-01

    Research within the autism spectrum disorder field has emphasized the role of socioeconomic status in shaping parents' ability to access services for their child with autism spectrum disorder. However, research has yet to explore the possible mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study sought to address this research gap by examining the following questions: (1) Does parents' service knowledge mediate the relationship between parent socioeconomic status and parents' autism spectrum disorder service use? (2) What are parents' reported service needs and service barriers, and do these needs vary across higher and lower socioeconomic status groups? Quantitative results from 244 parents of a child with autism spectrum disorder indicate that parents' autism spectrum disorder service knowledge partially mediates the relationship between parent socioeconomic status and parents' autism spectrum disorder service use. Qualitative findings helped to clarify this relationship by suggesting that both high and low socioeconomic status parents are aware of their child's basic autism spectrum disorder needs. However, low socioeconomic status parents more often report needing more information about services and more in-home services and emphasize that a number of structural barriers impede their ability to meet their child's autism spectrum disorder needs. On the other hand, high socioeconomic status parents more often report a need for "higher quality services," possibly reflecting their better recognition of best practice guidelines. These results highlight the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling unmet service needs within the autism spectrum disorder field. © The Author(s) 2015.

  20. PRECISE:PRivacy-prEserving Cloud-assisted quality Improvement Service in hEalthcare

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Feng; Wang, Shuang; Mohammed, Noman; Cheng, Samuel; Jiang, Xiaoqian

    2015-01-01

    Quality improvement (QI) requires systematic and continuous efforts to enhance healthcare services. A healthcare provider might wish to compare local statistics with those from other institutions in order to identify problems and develop intervention to improve the quality of care. However, the sharing of institution information may be deterred by institutional privacy as publicizing such statistics could lead to embarrassment and even financial damage. In this article, we propose a PRivacy-prEserving Cloud-assisted quality Improvement Service in hEalthcare (PRECISE), which aims at enabling cross-institution comparison of healthcare statistics while protecting privacy. The proposed framework relies on a set of state-of-the-art cryptographic protocols including homomorphic encryption and Yao’s garbled circuit schemes. By securely pooling data from different institutions, PRECISE can rank the encrypted statistics to facilitate QI among participating institutes. We conducted experiments using MIMIC II database and demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed PRECISE framework. PMID:26146645

  1. PRECISE:PRivacy-prEserving Cloud-assisted quality Improvement Service in hEalthcare.

    PubMed

    Chen, Feng; Wang, Shuang; Mohammed, Noman; Cheng, Samuel; Jiang, Xiaoqian

    2014-10-01

    Quality improvement (QI) requires systematic and continuous efforts to enhance healthcare services. A healthcare provider might wish to compare local statistics with those from other institutions in order to identify problems and develop intervention to improve the quality of care. However, the sharing of institution information may be deterred by institutional privacy as publicizing such statistics could lead to embarrassment and even financial damage. In this article, we propose a PRivacy-prEserving Cloud-assisted quality Improvement Service in hEalthcare (PRECISE), which aims at enabling cross-institution comparison of healthcare statistics while protecting privacy. The proposed framework relies on a set of state-of-the-art cryptographic protocols including homomorphic encryption and Yao's garbled circuit schemes. By securely pooling data from different institutions, PRECISE can rank the encrypted statistics to facilitate QI among participating institutes. We conducted experiments using MIMIC II database and demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed PRECISE framework.

  2. 76 FR 66327 - Iron Mountain Information Management, Inc., Corporate Service Group, Information Technology (IT...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-26

    ... Management, Inc., Corporate Service Group, Information Technology (IT) Division, Including On-Site Leased... Information Management, Inc., Corporate Service Group, Information Technology (IT) Division, including on-site... location of Iron Mountain Information Management, Inc., Corporate Service Group, Information Technology (IT...

  3. Quality of Care in the Social Services: Research Agenda and Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMillen, J. Curtis; Proctor, Enola K.; Megivern, Deborah; Striley, Catherine Woodstock; Cabassa, Leopoldo J.; Munson, Michelle R.; Dickey, Barbara

    2005-01-01

    In an era of heightened accountability, remarkably little is known empirically about the quality of social work services. This article applies insights from health services research to propose a research agenda on the quality of care in the social services. The agenda calls for studies that address the definition of quality service, variations in…

  4. Service climate as a mediator of organizational empowerment in customer-service employees.

    PubMed

    Mendoza-Sierra, Maria Isabel; Orgambídez-Ramos, Alejandro; Carrasco-González, Ana María; León-Jariego, José Carlos

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of the service climate between organizational empowerment (i.e., dynamic structural framework, control of workplace decisions, fluidity in information sharing) and service quality (functional and relational). 428 contact employees from 46 hotels participated in the survey. Correlations demonstrated that dynamic structural framework, control decisions, and fluidity in information sharing are related to both functional and relational service quality. Regression analyses and Sobel tests revealed that service climate totally mediated the relationship between all three dimensions of organizational empowerment and relational service quality. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

  5. Models of Dynamic Relations Among Service Activities, System State and Service Quality on Computer and Network Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    Service quality on computer and network systems has become increasingly important as many conventional service transactions are moved online. Service quality of computer and network services can be measured by the performance of the service process in throughput, delay, and so on. On a computer and network system, competing service requests of users and associated service activities change the state of limited system resources which in turn affects the achieved service ...relations of service activities, system state and service

  6. Measuring functional service quality using SERVQUAL in a high-dependence health service relationship.

    PubMed

    Clark, W Randy; Clark, Leigh Anne

    2007-01-01

    Although there is a growing concern about health care quality, little research has focused on how to measure quality in long-term care settings. In this article, we make the following observations: (1) most users of the SERVQUAL instrument reassess customers' expectations each time they measure quality perceptions; (2) long-term care relationships are likely to be ongoing, dependent relationships; (3) because of this dependence, customers in the long-term care setting are likely to reduce their expectations when faced with poor service quality; (4) by using this "settled" expectations level, service providers may make biased conclusions of quality improvements. We recommend various methods for overcoming or minimizing this "settling" effect and propose modifications to the SERVQUAL gap 5 measure to assess quality in a long-term care setting.

  7. Measuring quality in services for children with an intellectual disability.

    PubMed

    Koornneef, Erik

    2006-01-01

    To evaluate the application of one particular quality measurement tool, the SERVQUAL instrument, as a potential mechanism to measure quality in services for children with disabilities Staff and family of children with an intellectual disability in two organisations providing specialist therapy and day completed an adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire. A total of 81 SERVQUAL questionnaires were distributed and 59 questionnaires were returned (response rate of 73 per cent). The SERVQUAL instrument can be considered as a useful diagnostic tool to identify particular strengths and areas for improvement in services for people with disabilities as the instrument lends itself for the monitoring of the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives over time. The findings also showed relatively high customer expectations and the organisations involved in this research are currently not meeting all of these high expectations as significant quality gaps were found in the areas of reliability and responsiveness. The sample size was relatively small and the measurement of quality using the SERVQUAL instrument remains a challenge, due to the conceptual and empirical difficulties. The SERVQUAL instrument is probably most be attractive to service managers and funding organisations because of its ability to identify gaps in the quality of the service. The tool had been used to measure quality in services for people with disabilities and the research has shown that this tool might be an important additional quality measurement tool for services.

  8. Meeting psychosocial and health information needs to ensure quality of cancer care in outpatients.

    PubMed

    Piazza, Maria Francesca; Galletta, Maura; Portoghese, Igor; Pilia, Ilaria; Ionta, Maria Teresa; Contu, Paolo; Mereu, Alessandra; Campagna, Marcello

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate patients' and caregivers' health needs for a re-orientation program based on principles of health promotion in an Oncology Department from an Italian University Hospital. A Cross-sectional design with qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. Participants included cancer patients and their caregivers. Information about disease concerns were collected using a survey form. Information about healthy lifestyle was obtained using motivational interviews. Information about perceived quality of oncology services was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 403 information requests were collected about patients' disease, 203 motivational interviews were carried out, and 219 questionnaires were collected. Overall, the results showed that patients and caregivers have healthy lifestyles even if meat consumption was high. Weak points were: poor physical space organization in the Service, long waiting times, and limited access to healthcare providers for patients. This study revealed the need for an approach based on health-promotion principles, with a particular focus on patient wellbeing and quality of life. The study increases awareness about the influence that an environment has on patient health, thus suggesting that changes in culture, attitude, and health services re-organization are crucial to meet total needs of the individual as a whole process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 75 FR 45600 - Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) Record Changes AGENCY: Farm Service... Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) that contains the...

  10. Quality Assessment of University Studies as a Service: Dimensions and Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pukelyte, Rasa

    2010-01-01

    This article reviews a possibility to assess university studies as a service. University studies have to be of high quality both in their content and in the administrative level. Therefore, quality of studies as a service is an important constituent part of study quality assurance. When assessing quality of university studies as a service, it is…

  11. Quality assessment of Isfahan Medical Faculty web site electronic services and prioritizing solutions using analytic hierarchy process approach.

    PubMed

    Hajrahimi, Nafiseh; Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nargess; Sarmadi, Sima

    2014-01-01

    Implementing information technology in the best possible way can bring many advantages such as applying electronic services and facilitating tasks. Therefore, assessment of service providing systems is a way to improve the quality and elevate these systems including e-commerce, e-government, e-banking, and e-learning. This study was aimed to evaluate the electronic services in the website of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in order to propose solutions to improve them. Furthermore, we aim to rank the solutions based on the factors that enhance the quality of electronic services by using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. Non-parametric test was used to assess the quality of electronic services. The assessment of propositions was based on Aqual model and they were prioritized using AHP approach. The AHP approach was used because it directly applies experts' deductions in the model, and lead to more objective results in the analysis and prioritizing the risks. After evaluating the quality of the electronic services, a multi-criteria decision making frame-work was used to prioritize the proposed solutions. Non-parametric tests and AHP approach using Expert Choice software. The results showed that students were satisfied in most of the indicators. Only a few indicators received low satisfaction from students including, design attractiveness, the amount of explanation and details of information, honesty and responsiveness of authorities, and the role of e-services in the user's relationship with university. After interviewing with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts at the university, measurement criteria, and solutions to improve the quality were collected. The best solutions were selected by EC software. According to the results, the solution "controlling and improving the process in handling users complaints" is of the utmost importance and authorities have to have it on the website and place great importance on updating this process

  12. Customer perceived service quality, satisfaction and loyalty in Indian private healthcare.

    PubMed

    Kondasani, Rama Koteswara Rao; Panda, Rajeev Kumar

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to analyse how perceived service quality and customer satisfaction lead to loyalty towards healthcare service providers. In total, 475 hospital patients participated in a questionnaire survey in five Indian private hospitals. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, regression and correlation statistics were employed to analyse customer perceived service quality and how it leads to loyalty towards service providers. Results indicate that the service seeker-service provider relationship, quality of facilities and the interaction with supporting staff have a positive effect on customer perception. Findings help healthcare managers to formulate effective strategies to ensure a better quality of services to the customers. This study helps healthcare managers to build customer loyalty towards healthcare services, thereby attracting and gaining more customers. This paper will help healthcare managers and service providers to analyse customer perceptions and their loyalty towards Indian private healthcare services.

  13. An Evaluation of Alert Services: Quantity versus Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zandian, Fatemeh; Riahinia, Nosrat; Azimi, Ali; Poursalehi, Nastaran

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Online information vendors currently offer a variety of additional services; among these are alert services which present requested information on recent publications to registered users. This paper aims to investigate a variety of alert services provided by four online information vendors. Design/methodology/approach: A comparison of the…

  14. MaROS: Information Management Service

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allard, Daniel A.; Gladden, Roy E.; Wright, Jesse J.; Hy, Franklin H.; Rabideau, Gregg R.; Wallick, Michael N.

    2011-01-01

    This software is provided by the Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS) task to a variety of Mars projects for the purpose of coordinating communications sessions between landed spacecraft assets and orbiting spacecraft assets at Mars. The Information Management Service centralizes a set of functions previously distributed across multiple spacecraft operations teams, and as such, greatly improves visibility into the end-to-end strategic coordination process. Most of the process revolves around the scheduling of communications sessions between the spacecraft during periods of time when a landed asset on Mars is geometrically visible by an orbiting spacecraft. These relay sessions are used to transfer data both to and from the landed asset via the orbiting asset on behalf of Earth-based spacecraft operators. This software component is an application process running as a Java virtual machine. The component provides all service interfaces via a Representational State Transfer (REST) protocol over https to external clients. There are two general interaction modes with the service: upload and download of data. For data upload, the service must execute logic specific to the upload data type and trigger any applicable calculations including pass delivery latencies and overflight conflicts. For data download, the software must retrieve and correlate requested information and deliver to the requesting client. The provision of this service enables several key advancements over legacy processes and systems. For one, this service represents the first time that end-to-end relay information is correlated into a single shared repository. The software also provides the first multimission latency calculator; previous latency calculations had been performed on a mission-by-mission basis.

  15. Nurses' Emotional Intelligence Impact on the Quality of Hospital Services

    PubMed Central

    Ranjbar Ezzatabadi, Mohammad; Bahrami, Mohammad Amin; Hadizadeh, Farzaneh; Arab, Masoomeh; Nasiri, Soheyla; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza; Ahmadi Tehrani, Gholamreza

    2012-01-01

    Background Emotional intelligence is the potential to feel, use, communicate, recognize, remember, describe, identify, learn from, manage, understand and explain emotions. Service quality also can be defined as the post-consumption assessment of the services by consumers that are determined by many variables. Objectives This study was aimed to determine the nurses’ emotional intelligence impact on the delivered services quality. Materials and Methods This descriptive - applied study was carried out through a cross-sectional method in 2010. The research had 2 populations comprising of patients admitted to three academic hospitals of Yazd and the hospital nurses. Sample size was calculated by sample size formula for unlimited (patients) and limited (nursing staff) populations and obtained with stratified- random method. The data was collected by 4 valid questionnaires. Results The results of study indicated that nurses' emotional intelligence has a direct effect on the hospital services quality. The study also revealed that nurse's job satisfaction and communication skills have an intermediate role in the emotional intelligence and service quality relation. Conclusions This paper reports a new determinant of hospital services quality. PMID:23482866

  16. Assessing Medical Tourism Services Quality Using SERVQUAL Model: A Patient's Perspective.

    PubMed

    Qolipour, Mohammad; Torabipour, Amin; Faraji Khiavi, Farzad; Saki Malehi, Amal

    2018-01-01

    Continuous quality improvement of the hospital services is a basic requirement of medical tourism industry. The different dimensions of hospital services quality are assessed constantly to improve the service of medical tourism. The aim of this study was to determine the services quality of medical tourism in private and public hospitals. In this cross-sectional study, the quality of hospital services were assessed in view of 250 Iraqi tourists referred to Ahvaz private and public hospitals in 2015. Data were collected using a valid medical tourism SERVQUAL questionnaire (MTSQ). This questionnaire includes 8 main dimensions with 31 items. Finally, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze the data. The mean of age of patients was 39±2.2 yr. The mean of hospital length of stay was 3.87±1.36 days. The most patients were admitted to Orthopedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Obstetrics, and Gynecology departments, respectively. There was a negative gap in all of the dimensions of service quality in the studied hospitals ( P >0.001). The highest and lowest quality gap was seen in the "exchange and travel facilities" (-2.63) and the "tangibles" (-0.68) dimension, respectively. There was a negative gap in all of the dimensions of service quality in the studied hospitals. Therefore, the hospital services quality is improved to attract the foreign patients.

  17. [A quality assessment of notified occupational diseases submitted to the National Occupational Environment Service].

    PubMed

    Lander, F; Bach, B; Laursen, P

    1999-08-09

    The aim of this study was to assess the quality of a consecutive sample of occupational disease notifications submitted to the National Working Environment Service during 1994. The sample consisted of 860 notifications describing occupational diseases among persons working in companies situated in the county of Vejle. The data information e.g. company name and address, time of employment, harmful exposure and disease, were registered. An overall data quality assessment was performed including evaluation of the etiological connection between described occupational exposure and disease and potential preventive perspectives. The study showed that the notified informations in general were adequate, but doctors need to pay more attention to dose description of the harmful exposure. About 80% of the notifications presented an adequate connection between occupational exposure and disease. Only half of the notifications described preventable and recent (less than five years) harmful exposure. In conclusion, the Danish occupational disease notification system is in general of a high standard, and the National Working Environment Service could make more use of doctors' information provided in these notifications.

  18. ACCISS study rationale and design: activating collaborative cancer information service support for cervical cancer screening.

    PubMed

    Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Randhawa, Veenu; McFadden, H Gene; Fought, Angela; Bullard, Emily; Spring, Bonnie

    2009-12-02

    High-quality cancer information resources are available but underutilized by the public. Despite greater awareness of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service among low-income African Americans and Hispanics compared with Caucasians, actual Cancer Information Service usage is lower than expected, paralleling excess cancer-related morbidity and mortality for these subgroups. The proposed research examines how to connect the Cancer Information Service to low-income African-American and Hispanic women and their health care providers. The study will examine whether targeted physician mailing to women scheduled for colposcopy to follow up an abnormal Pap test can increase calls to the Cancer Information Service, enhance appropriate medical follow-up, and improve satisfaction with provider-patient communication. The study will be conducted in two clinics in ethnically diverse low-income communities in Chicago. During the formative phase, patients and providers will provide input regarding materials planned for use in the experimental phase of the study. The experimental phase will use a two-group prospective randomized controlled trial design. African American and Hispanic women with an abnormal Pap test will be randomized to Usual Care (routine colposcopy reminder letter) or Intervention (reminder plus provider recommendation to call the Cancer Information Service and sample questions to ask). Primary outcomes will be: 1) calls to the Cancer Information Service; 2) timely medical follow-up, operationalized by whether the patient keeps her colposcopy appointment within six months of the abnormal Pap; and 3) patient satisfaction with provider-patient communication at follow-up. The study examines the effectiveness of a feasible, sustainable, and culturally sensitive strategy to increase awareness and use of the Cancer Information Service among an underserved population. The goal of linking a public service (the Cancer Information Service) with real

  19. Prospective analysis of the quality of Spanish health information web sites after 3 years.

    PubMed

    Conesa-Fuentes, Maria C; Hernandez-Morante, Juan J

    2016-12-01

    Although the Internet has become an essential source of health information, our study conducted 3 years ago provided evidence of the low quality of Spanish health web sites. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of Spanish health information web sites now, and to compare these results with those obtained 3 years ago. For the original study, the most visited health information web sites were selected through the PageRank® (Google®) system. The present study evaluated the quality of the same web sites from February to May 2013, using the method developed by Bermúdez-Tamayo et al. and HONCode® criteria. The mean quality of the selected web sites was low and has deteriorated since the previous evaluation, especially in regional health services and institutions' web sites. The quality of private web sites remained broadly similar. Compliance with privacy and update criteria also improved in the intervening period. The results indicate that, even in the case of health web sites, design or appearance is more relevant to developers than quality of information. It is recommended that responsible institutions should increase their efforts to eliminate low-quality health information that may further contribute to health problems.

  20. Comparison of Online Agricultural Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reneau, Fred; Patterson, Richard

    1984-01-01

    Outlines major online agricultural information services--agricultural databases, databases with agricultural services, educational databases in agriculture--noting services provided, access to the database, and costs. Benefits of online agricultural database sources (availability of agricultural marketing, weather, commodity prices, management…

  1. An overview of service quality of continuous positive airway pressure services in Australian pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Hanes, Carissa A; Wong, Keith K H; Saini, Bandana

    2014-01-01

    Little is known about CPAP services offered in the Australian primary care pharmacy setting, despite the potential influence of service quality on patient adherence. The objective of this study was to provide an overview on a nationwide scale of the range and quality of CPAP and sleep apnoea-related services in Australian pharmacies. A paper-based questionnaire was developed and mailed to all pharmacies in Australia that currently provide CPAP services (as identified by manufacturer's distributor lists or Internet search). A point system was devised to score participants on the quality of their CPAP service. Pharmacies were rated against a list of 23 criteria that were determined by consensus, with one point allocated for each criterion met, allowing for a maximum score of 23. The study response rate was 55% (110/199), and representation was obtained from all eight Australian states and territories. The mean number of criteria met (total score) for pharmacies was 15.7 ± 3.4 (15.7/23 = 68.3%; score range 2-22). Variability was evident in the range of services offered. Eighty-seven per cent of respondents believed that pharmacies supplying CPAP should adhere to a formalized set of professional guidelines. The accessibility of pharmacies may make them a valuable venue for CPAP service provision. However, models of care to guide practice and standardize the variability in services are required. Implementation of such models could improve patient access to quality treatment in the primary care setting. © 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  2. The students' viewpoint on the quality gap in educational services.

    PubMed

    Rahim Khanli, Marziyeh; Daneshmandi, Hadi; Choobineh, Alireza

    2014-07-01

    Students and university community are social and human resources of the country. The students' viewpoints about the quality of educational services can be considered as a basis for planning quality promotion and improving organizational performance. This study was conducted to determine the quality gap in educational services by the students of Health and Nutrition School of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. In this cross-sectional study, 140 students participated voluntarily (age range=19 to 40 years). The service quality (SERVQUAL) questionnaire was used for data collection. This questionnaire measured the quality gap in 5 dimensions of educational service including assurance, responsiveness, empathy, reliability, and tangibility. The students' perception about the current conditions and their expectations as to optimal conditions can be determined, using this questionnaire. The score of the gap in quality of educational services is calculated from difference between perception and expectation scores. Due to non-normality of data, non-parametric tests were used. To this end, data were analyzed by statistical tests including Wilcoxon, Friedman, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whiteny tests in SPSS 14. The results showed that there was quality gap in all 5 dimensions of educational services. The largest and the smallest gaps were observed in "responsiveness" with a mean±SD of -0.94±0.74 and in "reliability" with a mean±SD of -0.76±0.69, respectively. There was a significant difference in quality gap between the 5 dimensions (p<0.001). According to the results, the students' expectations were higher than their perceptions of current conditions; also, in all aspects of the services their expectations were not met. It is recommended that workshops on customer services, communication skills and personnel's technical skills development should be planned and held. Also, allocating more resources for improving educational facilities and physical environment is

  3. Research on Holographic Evaluation of Service Quality in Power Data Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Chen; Jing, Tao; Ji, Yutong

    2018-01-01

    With the rapid development of power data network, the continuous development of the Power data application service system, more and more service systems are being put into operation. Following this, the higher requirements for network quality and service quality are raised, in the actual process for the network operation and maintenance. This paper describes the electricity network and data network services status. A holographic assessment model was presented to achieve a comprehensive intelligence assessment on the power data network and quality of service in the operation and maintenance on the power data network. This evaluation method avoids the problems caused by traditional means which performs a single assessment of network performance quality. This intelligent Evaluation method can improve the efficiency of network operation and maintenance guarantee the quality of real-time service in the power data network..

  4. Evaluating Quality of Students' Support Services in Open Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nsamba, Asteria; Makoe, Mpine

    2017-01-01

    Evaluating the quality of students' support services in distance education institutions is vital because by nature Open Distance Learning (ODL) is a high-involvement service industry, with multiple student support service encounters. Most quality evaluation models tend to view quality from the institutional perspective. As a result, little is…

  5. [Formal quality assessment of informed consent documents in 9 hospitals].

    PubMed

    Calle-Urra, J E; Parra-Hidalgo, P; Saturno-Hernández, P J; Martínez-Martínez, M J; Navarro-Moya, F J

    2013-01-01

    Informed consent forms are very important in the process of medical information. The aim of this study is to design reliable formal quality criteria of these documents and their application in the evaluation of those used in the hospitals of a regional health service. Criteria have been designed from the analysis of existing regulations, previous studies and consultation with key experts. The interobserver concordance was assessed using the kappa index. Criteria evaluation was performed on 1425 documents of 9 hospitals. A total of 19 criteria used in the evaluation of the quality of informed consent forms have been obtained. Kappa values were higher than 0,60 in 17 of them and higher than 0,52 in the other 2. The average number of defects per document was 7.6, with a high-low ratio among hospitals of 1.84. More than 90% of the documents had defects in the information on consequences and contraindications, and in about 90% it did not mention the copy to the patient. More than 60% did not comply with stating the purpose of the procedure, a statement of having understood and clarified doubts, and the treatment options. A tool has been obtained to reliably assess the formal quality of the informed consent forms. The documents assessed have a wide margin for improvement related to giving a copy to the patient, and some aspects of the specific information that patients should receive. Copyright © 2012 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  6. Providing Information Services in Videotex.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Gary L.

    1986-01-01

    The provision of information through videotex in West Germany is described. Information programs and services of the Gesellschaft fur Information und Dokumentation (GID) and its cooperative partners are reviewed to illustrate program contents, a marketing strategy, and the application of gateway technology with mainframe and personal computers.…

  7. Comparing Alternative Instruments to Measure Service Quality in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brochado, Ana

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of five alternative measures of service quality in the high education sector--service quality (SERVQUAL), importance-weighted SERVQUAL, service performance (SERVPERF), importance-weighted SERVPERF, and higher education performance (HEdPERF). Design/methodology/approach: Data were…

  8. User’s manual to update the National Wildlife Refuge System Water Quality Information System (WQIS)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Vishy, Chad J.; Hinck, Jo Ellen; Finger, Susan E.; Higgins, Michael J.; Kilbride, Kevin

    2013-01-01

    National Wildlife Refuges may have impaired water quality resulting from historic and current land uses, upstream sources, and aerial pollutant deposition. National Wildlife Refuge staff have limited time available to identify and evaluate potential water quality issues. As a result, water quality–related issues may not be resolved until a problem has already arisen. The National Wildlife Refuge System Water Quality Information System (WQIS) is a relational database developed for use by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to identify existing water quality issues on refuges in the United States. The WQIS database relies on a geospatial overlay analysis of data layers for ownership, streams and water quality. The WQIS provides summary statistics of 303(d) impaired waters and total maximum daily loads for the National Wildlife Refuge System at the national, regional, and refuge level. The WQIS allows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to be proactive in addressing water quality issues by identifying and understanding the current extent and nature of 303(d) impaired waters and subsequent total maximum daily loads. Water quality data are updated bi-annually, making it necessary to refresh the WQIS to maintain up-to-date information. This manual outlines the steps necessary to update the data and reports in the WQIS.

  9. The Students' Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran.

    PubMed

    Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

    2017-03-01

    Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers' perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students' viewpoint on quality of educational services. This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including "educational services standards by the teacher "and "the students' satisfaction". Thus the final education quality resulted from the students' experiences and perception is this way: "Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students' satisfaction". When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers' perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Therefore, designing educational quality standards in order to evaluate the teachers' function without taking the stakeholders

  10. Quantifying The Water Quality Services Of Wetlands

    EPA Science Inventory

    Wetlands are well recognized for their potential for providing a wide range of important ecological services including their ability to provide water quality protection. Watershed-scale water quality trading could create market driven incentives to restore and construct wetlands...

  11. Congestion Prediction Modeling for Quality of Service Improvement in Wireless Sensor Networks

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Ga-Won; Lee, Sung-Young; Huh, Eui-Nam

    2014-01-01

    Information technology (IT) is pushing ahead with drastic reforms of modern life for improvement of human welfare. Objects constitute “Information Networks” through smart, self-regulated information gathering that also recognizes and controls current information states in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Information observed from sensor networks in real-time is used to increase quality of life (QoL) in various industries and daily life. One of the key challenges of the WSNs is how to achieve lossless data transmission. Although nowadays sensor nodes have enhanced capacities, it is hard to assure lossless and reliable end-to-end data transmission in WSNs due to the unstable wireless links and low hard ware resources to satisfy high quality of service (QoS) requirements. We propose a node and path traffic prediction model to predict and minimize the congestion. This solution includes prediction of packet generation due to network congestion from both periodic and event data generation. Simulation using NS-2 and Matlab is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution. PMID:24784035

  12. Quality of the ophthalmological service to outpatients of the public and private healthcare systems.

    PubMed

    Hercos, Benigno Vicente Santos; Berezovsky, Adriana

    2017-01-01

    To compare perceptions of the quality of ophthalmological services offered to outpatients from the public healthcare system to those from the private healthcare system, and to determine which measures are seen as necessary and a priority for improving the quality of care. This was a prospective observational study on 200 patients, 101 and 99 of whom were from the public and private healthcare systems, respectively. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination at an ophthalmology hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Personal interviews were conducted using two structured questionnaires adapted from the modified SERVQUAL scale. Overall, patients from the private healthcare system were significantly more dissatisfied than those from the public healthcare system. In both systems, reliability was considered to be the most important determinant of quality, and it presented the highest level of dissatisfaction. Satisfaction with the public healthcare system was significantly greater than that with the private healthcare system in terms of the tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, and assurance determinants of the SERVQUAL scale. Institutions must plan, execute, evaluate, and monitor measures that seek to improve the overall patient satisfaction with the quality of services provided, particularly in the private healthcare system, and special attention must be paid to reliability in both healthcare systems. The identification and monitoring of the quality of healthcare services through the periodic use of the SERVQUAL scale may provide healthcare managers with information so that they can identify, plan, and monitor necessary and priority measures. This could be a key strategy for improving the quality of outpatient health services in the public and private systems.

  13. Information quality-control model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vincent, D. A.

    1971-01-01

    Model serves as graphic tool for estimating complete product objectives from limited input information, and is applied to cost estimations, product-quality evaluations, and effectiveness measurements for manpower resources allocation. Six product quality levels are defined.

  14. US Geoscience Information Network, Web Services for Geoscience Information Discovery and Access

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richard, S.; Allison, L.; Clark, R.; Coleman, C.; Chen, G.

    2012-04-01

    The US Geoscience information network has developed metadata profiles for interoperable catalog services based on ISO19139 and the OGC CSW 2.0.2. Currently data services are being deployed for the US Dept. of Energy-funded National Geothermal Data System. These services utilize OGC Web Map Services, Web Feature Services, and THREDDS-served NetCDF for gridded datasets. Services and underlying datasets (along with a wide variety of other information and non information resources are registered in the catalog system. Metadata for registration is produced by various workflows, including harvest from OGC capabilities documents, Drupal-based web applications, transformation from tabular compilations. Catalog search is implemented using the ESRI Geoportal open-source server. We are pursuing various client applications to demonstrated discovery and utilization of the data services. Currently operational applications allow catalog search and data acquisition from map services in an ESRI ArcMap extension, a catalog browse and search application built on openlayers and Django. We are developing use cases and requirements for other applications to utilize geothermal data services for resource exploration and evaluation.

  15. How and when service quality and satisfaction simultaneously influence purchase intentions?

    PubMed

    Huang, Yu-Ying; Li, Shyh-Jane; Yang, Miles M

    2011-08-01

    Th e purpose of this study is to examine how and when service quality and satisfaction simultaneously influence purchase intentions. The study tries to explore and clarify the relationship between service quality and satisfaction, and to examine whether satisfaction simultaneously moderates and mediates the relationship between perceived service quality and purchase intentions. A field survey was conducted for the outpatients of 12 regional hospitals in Taiwan. The findings show that the effects of different dimensions of service quality on purchase intentions are not equal across satisfied and unsatisfied patients. This study provides empirical evidence that show how the dual roles of the moderator and mediator manipulated together by satisfaction, work to affect purchase intentions in hospital settings. In addition, the relationships between service quality and satisfaction are also clarified.

  16. Co-designing for quality: Creating a user-driven tool to improve quality in youth mental health services.

    PubMed

    Hackett, Christina L; Mulvale, Gillian; Miatello, Ashleigh

    2018-04-29

    Although high quality mental health care for children and youth is a goal of many health systems, little is known about the dimensions of quality mental health care from users' perspectives. We engaged young people, caregivers and service providers to share experiences, which shed light on quality dimensions for youth mental health care. Using experience-based co-design, we collected qualitative data from young people aged 16-24 with a mental disorder (n = 19), identified caregivers (n = 12) and service providers (n = 14) about their experiences with respect to youth mental health services. Experience data were collected using multiple approaches including interviews, a suite of online and smartphone applications (n = 22), and a co-design event (n = 16) and analysed to extract touch points. These touch points were used to prioritize and co-design a user-driven prototype of a questionnaire to provide feedback to service providers. Young people, caregiver and service provider reports of service experiences were used to identify aspects of care quality at eight mental health service contact points: Access to mental health care; Transfer to/from hospital; Intake into hospital; Services provided; Assessment and treatment; Treatment environment; and Caregiver involvement in care. In some cases, low quality care was harmful to users and their caregivers. Young people co-designed a prototype of a user-driven feedback questionnaire to improve quality of service experiences that was supported by service providers and caregivers at the co-design event. By using EBCD to capture in-depth data regarding experiences of young people, their caregivers and service providers, study participants have begun to establish a baseline for acceptable quality of mental health care for young people. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. The implementation of a quality assurance procedure for the Veterinary Services of France.

    PubMed

    Gerster, F; Guerson, N; Moreau, V; Mulnet, O; Provot, S; Salabert, C

    2003-08-01

    Due to the increasing complexity of food production systems and the concerns that these systems raise, there has been increasing demand from the general public for more State control of these processes. In France, it is the official Veterinary Services who are responsible for food safety and who must respond to these demands. The Veterinary Service is formulating a quality assurance procedure in accordance with standard EN 45004-ISO 17020, which determines the requirements that inspection bodies must follow to be recognised, at national, European and international level, as competent and reliable. As part of this procedure, the Veterinary Service will review requirements in terms of organisation, functions, qualifications and resources. The progress of inspection service orders, from their conception by the Central Administration, to their implementation by decentralised services, must be carefully managed. It is essential that service orders be implemented effectively and systematically by using recognised methods and issuing adequate inspection reports. The training and qualifications of inspectors are very important: their skills must remain up-to-date so that there is always a network of qualified staff, that is, staff who have an understanding of production processes and who have recognised competences in terms of initial training, continuous professional development and adequate experience. The quality systems implemented will only meet expectations if they are continuously monitored by means of regular evaluations. For this reason, both internal and external audits are performed. These new practices contribute to establishing a basis for the improvement of internal evaluation. In order to facilitate the implementation of a quality assurance procedure for inspection services, several tools, that are linked with the information system of the government department responsible for food, are, or will be, at the disposal of the decentralised Veterinary Services, i

  18. Using fuzzy gap analysis to measure service quality of medical tourism in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Ho, Li-Hsing; Feng, Shu-Yun; Yen, Tieh-Min

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is intended to create a model to measure quality of service, using fuzzy linguistics to analyze the quality of service of medical tourism in Taiwan so as to find the direction for improvement of service quality in medical tourism. The study developed fuzzy questionnaires based on the characteristics of medical tourism quality of service in Taiwan. Questionnaires were delivered and recovered from February to April 2014, using random sampling according to the proportion of medical tourism companies in each region, and 150 effective samples were obtained. The critical quality of service level is found through the fuzzy gap analysis using questionnaires examining expectations and perceptions of customers, as the direction for continuous improvement. From the study, the primary five critical service items that improve the quality of service for medical tourism in Taiwan include, in order: the capability of the service provider to provide committed medical tourism services reliably and accurately, facility service providers in conjunction with the services provided, the cordial and polite attitude of the service provider eliciting a sense of trust from the customer, professional ability of medical (nursing) personnel in hospital and reliability of service provider. The contribution of this study is to create a fuzzy gap analysis to assess the performance of medical tourism service quality, identify key quality characteristics and provide a direction for improvement and development for medical tourism service quality in Taiwan.

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

    PubMed Central

    Waller, R R; Lisella, L W

    1991-01-01

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

  20. Improving service quality in primary care.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Denise M; Nordrum, Jon T; Edwards, Frederick D; Caselli, Richard J; Berry, Leonard L

    2015-01-01

    A framework for improving health care service quality was implemented at a 12-provider family medicine practice in 2010. A national patient satisfaction research vendor conducted weekly telephone surveys of 840 patients served by that practice: 280 patients served in 2009, and 560 served during 2010 and 2011. After the framework was implemented, the proportion of "excellent" ratings of provider service (the highest rating on a 5-point scale) increased by 5% to 9%, most notably thoroughness (P = .04), listening (P = .04), and explaining (P = .04). Other improvements included prompt test result notification and telephone staff courtesy (each by 10%, P = .02), as well as teamwork (by 8%, P = .04). Overall quality increased by 10% (P = .01), moving the practice from the 68th to the 91st percentile of medical practices in the research vendor's database. Improvements in patient satisfaction suggest that this framework may be useful in value-based payment models. © 2014 by the American College of Medical Quality.

  1. Service Quality in Postgraduate Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Angell, Robert J.; Heffernan, Troy W.; Megicks, Phil

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: Measuring service quality in higher education is increasingly important for attracting and retaining tuition-based revenues. Nonetheless, whilst undergraduates have received substantial academic exposure, postgraduate-based research has been scant. Consequently, the objectives of this paper are threefold: first, to identify the service…

  2. Non-Academic Service Quality: Comparative Analysis of Students and Faculty as Users

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharif, Khurram; Kassim, Norizan Mohd

    2012-01-01

    The research focus was a non-academic service quality assessment within higher education. In particular, non-academic service quality perceptions of faculty and students were evaluated using a service profit chain. This enabled a comparison which helped understanding of non-academic service quality orientation from a key users' perspective. Data…

  3. Applying Quality Function Deployment Model in Burn Unit Service Improvement.

    PubMed

    Keshtkaran, Ali; Hashemi, Neda; Kharazmi, Erfan; Abbasi, Mehdi

    2016-01-01

    Quality function deployment (QFD) is one of the most effective quality design tools. This study applies QFD technique to improve the quality of the burn unit services in Ghotbedin Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. First, the patients' expectations of burn unit services and their priorities were determined through Delphi method. Thereafter, burn unit service specifications were determined through Delphi method. Further, the relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and also the relationships between service specifications were determined through an expert group's opinion. Last, the final importance scores of service specifications were calculated through simple additive weighting method. The findings show that burn unit patients have 40 expectations in six different areas. These expectations are in 16 priority levels. Burn units also have 45 service specifications in six different areas. There are four-level relationships between the patients' expectations and service specifications and four-level relationships between service specifications. The most important burn unit service specifications have been identified in this study. The QFD model developed in the study can be a general guideline for QFD planners and executives.

  4. An Empirical Study of State University Students' Perceived Service Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sumaedi, Sik; Bakti, Gede Mahatma Yuda; Metasari, Nur

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to identify: university students' perceived service quality dimensions; the dimensions contributing most towards overall students' perceived service quality; and whether there is a difference in perceived quality level of each dimension based on students' year of study and gender in the context of undergraduate students of…

  5. Does human resource management improve family planning service quality? Analysis from the Kenya Service Provision Assessment 2010.

    PubMed

    Thatte, Nandita; Choi, Yoonjoung

    2015-04-01

    Human resource (HR) management is a priority for health systems strengthening in developing countries, yet few studies have empirically examined associations with service quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between HR management and family planning (FP) service quality. Data came from the 2010 Kenya Service Provision Assessment, a nationally representative health facility assessment. In total, 912 FP consultations from 301 facilities were analysed. Four indices were created to measure quality on reproductive history taking, physical examination, sexually transmitted infections prevention and pill/injectable specific counselling. HR management variables included training in the past year, any and supportive (i.e. with feedback, technical updates and discussion) in-person supervision in the past 6 months and having a written job description. Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to estimate coefficients of HR management variables on each of the four quality indices, adjusting for background characteristics of clients, provider and facilities. The level of service quality ranged from 16 to 53 out of a maximum score of 100 across the indices. Fifty-two per cent of consultations were done by providers who received supportive in-person supervision in the previous 6 months. In 23% and 38% of consultations, the provider was trained in the past year and had a written job description, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicated that having a written job description was associated with higher service quality in history taking, physical examination and the pill/injectable specific counselling. Other HR management variables were not significantly associated with service quality. Having a written job description was significantly associated with higher service quality and may be a useful tool for strengthening management practices. The details of such job descriptions and the quality of other management indicators should be

  6. High-Performance Scalable Information Service for the ATLAS Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolos, S.; Boutsioukis, G.; Hauser, R.

    2012-12-01

    The ATLAS[1] experiment is operated by a highly distributed computing system which is constantly producing a lot of status information which is used to monitor the experiment operational conditions as well as to assess the quality of the physics data being taken. For example the ATLAS High Level Trigger(HLT) algorithms are executed on the online computing farm consisting from about 1500 nodes. Each HLT algorithm is producing few thousands histograms, which have to be integrated over the whole farm and carefully analyzed in order to properly tune the event rejection. In order to handle such non-physics data the Information Service (IS) facility has been developed in the scope of the ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ)[2] project. The IS provides a high-performance scalable solution for information exchange in distributed environment. In the course of an ATLAS data taking session the IS handles about a hundred gigabytes of information which is being constantly updated with the update interval varying from a second to a few tens of seconds. IS provides access to any information item on request as well as distributing notification to all the information subscribers. In the latter case IS subscribers receive information within a few milliseconds after it was updated. IS can handle arbitrary types of information, including histograms produced by the HLT applications, and provides C++, Java and Python API. The Information Service is a unique source of information for the majority of the online monitoring analysis and GUI applications used to control and monitor the ATLAS experiment. Information Service provides streaming functionality allowing efficient replication of all or part of the managed information. This functionality is used to duplicate the subset of the ATLAS monitoring data to the CERN public network with a latency of a few milliseconds, allowing efficient real-time monitoring of the data taking from outside the protected ATLAS network. Each information

  7. New Developments in Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McAllister, Lois, Ed.

    The purpose of this conference was to: (1) improve reference and research library resources and services within its area by identifying, sharing and developing such resources and services and (2) further inter-library cooperation, communication and transportation of materials within the area of the Council. Aware that many information needs exist…

  8. Productivity and quality improvements in health care through airboss mobile messaging services.

    PubMed

    Shah, P J; Martinez, R; Cooney, E

    1997-01-01

    The US health care industry is in the midst of revolutionary changes. Under tremendous pressures from third-party payers and managed care programs to control costs while providing high quality medical services, health care entities are now looking at information technologies to help them achieve their goals. These goals typically include improved productivity, efficiency and decision-making capabilities among staff members. Moreover, hospitals and other health care facilities that provide a broad and integrated range of inpatient and outpatient care, wellness and home care services are in the best position to offer comprehensive packages to managed care and private insurers. Many health care providers and administrators are considered mobile employees. This mobility can range from intra-building and intra-campus to multi-site and metropolitan areas. This group often relies on a variety of information technologies such as personal computers, communicating laptops, pagers, cellular phones, wireline phones, cordless phones and fax machines to stay in touch and handle information needs. These health care professionals require mobile information access and messaging tools to improve communications, control accessibility and enhance decision-making capabilities. AirBoss mobile messaging services could address the health care industry's need for improved messaging capabilities for its mobile employees. The AirBoss family of services supports integrated voice services, data messaging, mobile facsimile and customized information delivery. This paper describes overview of the current mobile data networking capability, the AirBoss architecture, the health care-related applications it addresses and long-term benefits. In addition, a prototype application for mobile home health care workers is illustrated. This prototype application provides integrated e-mail, information services, web access, real-time access and update of patient records from wireline or wireless networks

  9. The Importance of Information Analysis Centers in the Performance of Information Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weisman, Herman M.

    It is necessary to distinguish the functions, services and products of various types of information services. For example, document centers, clearinghouses, referral centers, and special libraries deal mainly with information in a broad sense. The main function of information analysis centers, however, is to optimize the ratio of knowledge to…

  10. Telecommunications and Information Services in Brazil.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarapanoff, Kira; Alvares, Lillian

    1995-01-01

    Discusses the interdependence of telecommunications and information sciences in Brazil. Highlights include new technologies and telecommunications: satellites, fiber optic cables, data communication networks, information superhighways, and cooperative projects; and information services development. (AEF)

  11. Patients' perceptions of service quality in China: An investigation using the SERVQUAL model.

    PubMed

    Fan, Li-Hua; Gao, Lei; Liu, Xin; Zhao, Shi-Hong; Mu, Hui-Tong; Li, Zhe; Shi, Lei; Wang, Ling-Ling; Jia, Xiao-Li; Ha, Min; Lou, Feng-Ge

    2017-01-01

    The doctor-patient relationship has been a major focus of society. Hospitals' efforts to improve the quality of their medical services have been to reduce the probability of doctor-patient conflicts. In this study, we aimed to determine the gap between expectations and perceptions of service quality according to patients to provide reference data for creating strategies to improve health care quality. Twenty-seven hospitals in 15 provinces (municipalities directly beneath the central government) were selected for our survey; we sent out 1,589 questionnaires, of which 1,520 were collected (response rate 95.65%) and 1,303 were valid (85.72% effective recovery rate). Paired t-tests were used to analyze whether there were significant differences between patients' expectations and perceived service quality. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether there were significant differences in the gap between expectation and perception of service quality according to patients' demographic characteristics. There was a significant difference between the expected and perceived service quality (p < 0.05) according to patients both before and after receiving medical services. Furthermore, the service quality gap of each service dimension was negative. Specifically, the gaps in service quality were as follows: economy, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, reliability, and tangibles. Overall, we can conclude that patients' perceptions of service quality are lower than their expectations. According to the study results, the quality of health care services as perceived by patients was lower than expected. Hospitals should make adjustments according to the actual situation and should strive to constantly improve the quality of medical services for patients.

  12. Quality assessment of Isfahan Medical Faculty web site electronic services and prioritizing solutions using analytic hierarchy process approach

    PubMed Central

    Hajrahimi, Nafiseh; Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nargess; Sarmadi, Sima

    2014-01-01

    Context: Implementing information technology in the best possible way can bring many advantages such as applying electronic services and facilitating tasks. Therefore, assessment of service providing systems is a way to improve the quality and elevate these systems including e-commerce, e-government, e-banking, and e-learning. Aims: This study was aimed to evaluate the electronic services in the website of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in order to propose solutions to improve them. Furthermore, we aim to rank the solutions based on the factors that enhance the quality of electronic services by using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. Materials and Methods: Non-parametric test was used to assess the quality of electronic services. The assessment of propositions was based on Aqual model and they were prioritized using AHP approach. The AHP approach was used because it directly applies experts’ deductions in the model, and lead to more objective results in the analysis and prioritizing the risks. After evaluating the quality of the electronic services, a multi-criteria decision making frame-work was used to prioritize the proposed solutions. Statistical Analysis Used: Non-parametric tests and AHP approach using Expert Choice software. Results: The results showed that students were satisfied in most of the indicators. Only a few indicators received low satisfaction from students including, design attractiveness, the amount of explanation and details of information, honesty and responsiveness of authorities, and the role of e-services in the user's relationship with university. After interviewing with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts at the university, measurement criteria, and solutions to improve the quality were collected. The best solutions were selected by EC software. According to the results, the solution “controlling and improving the process in handling users complaints” is of the utmost importance and authorities

  13. [Construction and implementation of two quality indicators in nursing services].

    PubMed

    de Moura, Gisela Maria Schebela Souto; Juchem, Beatriz Cavalcanti; Falk, Maria Lucia Rodrigues; de Magalhães, Ana Maria Muller; Suzuki, Lyliam Midori

    2009-03-01

    Indicators monitor the quality of services and improve the attention offered to the patients. Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, has been developing strategies to assess its services according to its institutional management policy of quality The present study aims to report the experience at this university hospital with the construction and implementation of quality indicators in its nursing services. In 2006, four indicators were established: incidence of pressure ulcer, with a goal of < or = 10:1000 patients per day/month and incidence of falls from bed whose goal was established as < or = 2:1000 patients per day/month. Our challenge was to build and implement these indicators as management tools to assess the quality of nursing services, for this is a large hospital.

  14. Governance of quality of care: a qualitative study of health service boards in Victoria, Australia

    PubMed Central

    Bismark, Marie M; Studdert, David M

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To describe the engagement of health service boards with quality-of-care issues and to identify factors that influence boards’ activities in this area. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with 35 board members and executives from 13 public health services in Victoria, Australia. Interviews focused on the role currently played by boards in overseeing quality of care. We also elicited interviewees’ perceptions of factors that have influenced their current approach to governance in this area. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes from interview transcripts. Results Virtually all interviewees believed boards had substantial opportunities to influence the quality of care delivered within the service, chiefly through setting priorities, monitoring progress, holding staff to account and shaping culture. Perceived barriers to leveraging this influence included insufficient resources, gaps in skills and experience among board members, inadequate information on performance and regulatory requirements that miss the mark. Interviewees converged on four enablers of more effective quality governance: stronger regional collaborations; more tailored board training on quality issues; smarter use of reporting and accreditation requirements; and better access to data that was reliable, longitudinal and allowed for benchmarking against peer organisations. Conclusions Although health service boards are eager to establish quality of care as a governance priority, several obstacles are blocking progress. The result is a gap between the rhetoric of quality governance and the reality of month-to-month activities at the board level. The imperative for effective board-level engagement in this area cannot be met until these barriers are addressed. PMID:24327735

  15. The Information-Seeking Habits of In-Service Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shipman, Todd; Bannon, Susan H.; Nunes-Bufford, Kimberly

    2015-01-01

    Research on information literacy and educators has focused on preservice educators and learning information literacy skills. Little research exists on in-service educators and their information literacy skills. Purposes of this study were to identify information sources that in-service educators used; to determine relationships between information…

  16. Iranian women's perceptions of family-planning services quality: a client-satisfaction survey.

    PubMed

    Nakhaee, N; Mirahmadizadeh, A-R

    2005-09-01

    As Iran (IR) is included among the most successful developing countries in family planning, clarification and expression of the ideas and needs of women receiving the services not only have a great positive impact on national policies but also may be of interest to other nations. This research was conducted to clarify the client perceptions of the quality of family planning services in the capital cities of the two largest provinces of Iran. A representative sample of 909 women aged 15-50 referred to health centers were interviewed by skillful interviewers in a private area after obtaining informed consent. A questionnaire consisting of baseline data and 17 five-point Likert-scaled items measuring the satisfaction of clients and perceived importance of each item was developed by investigators. Half were aged 26-35 years, and most (84%) were housewives. The highest percentage of dissatisfaction was reported in relation to 'privacy protection' item. However, when the importance score was included, too, 'provision of sufficient information regarding other contraceptive methods' and 'unavailability of all methods' implicated the areas where priorities should be focused. The satisfaction levels obtained by the survey should be carefully heeded, and the supply chain and provision of information to the clients may be the first priorities in the process of improving the quality of care.

  17. 47 CFR 76.1602 - Customer service-general information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Customer service-general information. 76.1602 Section 76.1602 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1602 Customer service—general information. (a) A...

  18. 47 CFR 76.1602 - Customer service-general information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Customer service-general information. 76.1602 Section 76.1602 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1602 Customer service—general information. (a) A...

  19. 47 CFR 76.1602 - Customer service-general information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Customer service-general information. 76.1602 Section 76.1602 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1602 Customer service—general information. (a) A...

  20. 47 CFR 76.1602 - Customer service-general information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Customer service-general information. 76.1602 Section 76.1602 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1602 Customer service—general information. (a) A...

  1. 47 CFR 76.1602 - Customer service-general information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Customer service-general information. 76.1602 Section 76.1602 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1602 Customer service—general information. (a) A...

  2. Quality Management in Career Services, a la Deming.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korschgen, Ann J.; Rounds, Dan

    1992-01-01

    Describes career services program at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse that adapted material from W.E. Deming's quality control manual to the needs of its office. Discusses Deming's work and its implications for career services professionals, then describes application of Deming's model to the career services program. (NB)

  3. Realizing the Potential of Information Resources: Information, Technology, and Services. Track 4: Rethinking User Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CAUSE, Boulder, CO.

    Six papers and two abstracts of papers are presented from the 1995 CAUSE conference track on user services issues faced by managers of information technology at colleges and universities. The papers include: (1) "Academic Computing Services: MORE than a Utility" (Scott Bierman and Cathy Smith), which focuses on Carleton College's efforts…

  4. DPH Disease Information: Tuberculosis - Delaware Health and Social Services

    Science.gov Websites

    Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) DHSS Home Divisions Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities Child Support Services Delaware Health Care Commission Developmental Disabilities Services Health Care Quality Management Services Medicaid & Medical Assistance Public Health Social Services State

  5. Health information technology and physicians' perceptions of healthcare quality.

    PubMed

    Fang, Hai; Peifer, Karen L; Chen, Jie; Rizzo, John A

    2011-03-01

    To investigate the relationship between the use of health information technology (HIT) and physician perceptions of providing high-quality care and to determine whether this relationship has changed over time. We used 2 waves of longitudinal data from the Community Tracking Study Physician Surveys, 2000-2001 and 2004-2005. Three measures of HIT were examined: a binary variable measuring the use of at least 1 type of HIT, a continuous variable measuring the total number of HIT types, and a binary variable measuring use of all 5 HIT types related to "meaningful use" of HIT as defined by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Three multivariate models were estimated to study the effect of each HIT measure on physicians' perception of providing high-quality care. Individual fixed-effects estimation also was used to control for individual time-invariant factors. Using at least 1 type of HIT significantly enhanced physicians' perception of providing high-quality care in 2000-2001, but not in 2004-2005. The marginal effect of adding 1 extra HIT type was positive and statistically significant in both periods. The association between using all 5 HIT types related to meaningful use and perceived quality was statistically significant in 2000-2001, but not in 2004-2005. Health information technology has become a multifunctional system and appears to have enhanced physicians' perception of providing high-quality care. Physicians' perceptions of medical care quality improved as the number of HIT types used increased. This study supports more extensive use of HIT in physician practices.

  6. The Students’ Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

    2017-01-01

    Background: Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers’ perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students’ viewpoint on quality of educational services. Material and Methods: This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. Results: According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including “educational services standards by the teacher “and “the students’ satisfaction”. Thus the final education quality resulted from the students’ experiences and perception is this way: “Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students’ satisfaction”. When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers’ perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Conclusion: Therefore, designing educational quality standards in

  7. The influence of social capital towards the quality of community tourism services in Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Revida, Erika; Yanti Siahaan, Asima; Purba, Sukarman

    2018-03-01

    The objective of the research was to analyze the influence of social capital towards the quality of community tourism service In Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera. The method used the combination between quantitative and qualitative research. Sample was taken from the Community in the area around Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera with sample of 150 head of the family. The sampling technique was Simple Random Sampling. Data collection techniques used documentary studies, questionnaires, interview and observations, while the data analysis used were Product Moment and Simple Linear Regression analysis. The results of the research showed that there were positive and significant influence between Social Capital and the Quality of Community Tourism Services in Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera. This research recommend the need to enhance Social Capital such as trust, norms and network and the quality of community tourism services such as Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy by giving communications, information and education continuously from the families, institutions formal and informal, community leaders, religious figures and all communities in Lake Toba Parapat North Sumatera.

  8. The effectiveness of Teratology Information Services (TIS).

    PubMed

    Hancock, Rebecca L; Koren, Gideon; Einarson, Adrienne; Ungar, Wendy J

    2007-02-01

    Women and their health care providers have few reliable sources of information regarding the safety of exposures in pregnancy and lactation. Evidence-based information on these topics is provided by Teratology Information Services (TIS). Access to TIS, however, is limited in many regions, and many services have difficulty maintaining ongoing funding. The objective of this review is to highlight published reports of the effectiveness of TIS in improving maternal and neonatal health. A search of the Pub Med and Econ Lit databases was performed with no date restriction, using the search terms teratology, information, counseling, pregnancy, effectiveness, birth defects. Information disseminated from TIS has been shown to prevent congenital malformations, unnecessary pregnancy terminations, and occupational risks. TIS support optimal nutritional supplementation in pregnancy and optimal drug therapy in pregnancy and breast-feeding. In addition, they correct misperceptions of risk and facilitate knowledge transfer and translation. TIS have the potential to provide health care cost savings. TIS are vital services in supporting optimal maternal and neonatal health. A formal economic evaluation of TIS is required in order to inform resource allocation decision-making and continued funding of these services.

  9. Highly Developed Information-oriented Society and Humanity ; Medical Information Services and Library

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wakimoto, Atsuko

    Change in social circumstances caused by arrival of highly developed information-oriented society has altered what information services in medical libraries should be dramatically. Keeping with complication and diversification of needs by users such as medical doctors, researchers, medical technicians and so on medical librarians have been playing important role in the information activities, and are required to master more specialized knowledge. This paper outlines changes in circumstances surrounding medical libraries, discusses role of medical librarians in online information retrieval services, and introduces various curriculum for library education. The author proposes that humanity of librarian him or herself is still a key factor for library services regardless of advancement of computerization.

  10. Patients’ perceptions of service quality in China: An investigation using the SERVQUAL model

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Shi-hong; Mu, Hui-tong; Li, Zhe; Shi, Lei; Wang, Ling-ling; Jia, Xiao-li; Ha, Min; Lou, Feng-ge

    2017-01-01

    Background and aim The doctor–patient relationship has been a major focus of society. Hospitals’ efforts to improve the quality of their medical services have been to reduce the probability of doctor–patient conflicts. In this study, we aimed to determine the gap between expectations and perceptions of service quality according to patients to provide reference data for creating strategies to improve health care quality. Methods Twenty–seven hospitals in 15 provinces (municipalities directly beneath the central government) were selected for our survey; we sent out 1,589 questionnaires, of which 1,520 were collected (response rate 95.65%) and 1,303 were valid (85.72% effective recovery rate). Paired t-tests were used to analyze whether there were significant differences between patients' expectations and perceived service quality. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether there were significant differences in the gap between expectation and perception of service quality according to patients' demographic characteristics. Results There was a significant difference between the expected and perceived service quality (p < 0.05) according to patients both before and after receiving medical services. Furthermore, the service quality gap of each service dimension was negative. Specifically, the gaps in service quality were as follows: economy, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, reliability, and tangibles. Overall, we can conclude that patients’ perceptions of service quality are lower than their expectations. Conclusions According to the study results, the quality of health care services as perceived by patients was lower than expected. Hospitals should make adjustments according to the actual situation and should strive to constantly improve the quality of medical services for patients. PMID:29272312

  11. Quality of Health Management Information System for Maternal & Child Health Care in Haryana State, India

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Atul; Rana, Saroj Kumar; Prinja, Shankar; Kumar, Rajesh

    2016-01-01

    Background Despite increasing importance being laid on use of routine data for decision making in India, it has frequently been reported to be riddled with problems. Evidence suggests lack of quality in the health management information system (HMIS), however there is no robust analysis to assess the extent of its inaccuracy. We aim to bridge this gap in evidence by assessing the extent of completeness and quality of HMIS in Haryana state of India. Methods Data on utilization of key maternal and child health (MCH) services were collected using a cross-sectional household survey from 4807 women in 209 Sub-Centre (SC) areas across all 21 districts of Haryana state. Information for same services was also recorded from HMIS records maintained by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) at SCs to check under- or over-recording (Level 1 discordance). Data on utilisation of MCH services from SC ANM records, for a subset of the total women covered in the household survey, were also collected and compared with monthly reports submitted by ANMs to assess over-reporting while report preparation (Level 2 discordance) to paint the complete picture for quality and completeness of routine HMIS. Results Completeness of ANM records for various MCH services ranged from 73% for DPT1 vaccination dates to 94.6% for dates of delivery. Average completeness level for information recorded in HMIS was 88.5%. Extent of Level 1 discordance for iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation, 3 or more ante-natal care (ANC) visits and 2 Tetanus toxoid (TT) injections was 41%, 16% and 2% respectively. In 48.2% cases, respondents from community as well as HMIS records reported at least one post-natal care (PNC) home visit by ANM. Extent of Level 2 discordance ranged from 1.6% to 6%. These figures were highest for number of women who completed IFA supplementation, contraceptive intra-uterine device insertion and provision of 2nd TT injection during ANC. Conclusions HMIS records for MCH services at sub-centre level

  12. Perinatal staff perceptions of safety and quality in their service.

    PubMed

    Sinni, Suzanne V; Wallace, Euan M; Cross, Wendy M

    2014-11-28

    Ensuring safe and appropriate service delivery is central to a high quality maternity service. With this in mind, over recent years much attention has been given to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines, staff education and risk reporting systems. Less attention has been given to assessing staff perceptions of a service's safety and quality and what factors may influence that. In this study we set out to assess staff perceptions of safety and quality of a maternity service and to explore potential influences on service safety. The study was undertaken within a new low risk metropolitan maternity service in Victoria, Australia with a staffing profile comprising midwives (including students), neonatal nurses, specialist obstetricians, junior medical staff and clerical staff. In depth open-ended interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted with 23 staff involved in the delivery of perinatal care, including doctors, midwives, nurses, nursing and midwifery students, and clerical staff. Data were analyzed using naturalistic interpretive inquiry to identify emergent themes. Staff unanimously reported that there were robust systems and processes in place to maintain safety and quality. Three major themes were apparent: (1) clinical governance, (2) dominance of midwives, (3) inter-professional relationships. Overall, there was a strong sense that, at least in this midwifery-led service, midwives had the greatest opportunity to be an influence, both positively and negatively, on the safe delivery of perinatal care. The importance of understanding team dynamics, particularly mutual respect, trust and staff cohesion, were identified as key issues for potential future service improvement. Senior staff, particularly midwives and neonatal nurses, play central roles in shaping team behaviors and attitudes that may affect the safety and quality of service delivery. We suggest that strategies targeting senior staff to enhance their performance in

  13. Intranets: Considerations for the Information Services Manager.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackmore, Paul

    1997-01-01

    This article identifies benefits of using Internet technologies in an organization's intranet or internal information system: ease-of-use, one interface, implementation cost, access, information services (flat content and interactive intranets), support desks (via Web services and e-mail), document management. Discusses the impact of intranets on…

  14. Managing the Web-Enhanced Geographic Information Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Denise

    1997-01-01

    Examines key management issues involved in delivering geographic information services on the World Wide Web, using the Geographic Information Center (GIC) program at the University of Virginia Library as a reference. Highlights include integrating the Web into services; building collections for Web delivery; and evaluating spatial information…

  15. Towards a personalized environmental health information service using low-cost sensors and crowdsourcing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Castell, Nuria; Liu, Hai-Ying; Schneider, Philipp; Cole-Hunter, Tom; Lahoz, William; Bartonova, Alena

    2015-04-01

    Most European cities exceed the air quality guidelines established by the WHO to protect human health. As such, citizens are exposed to potentially harmful pollutant levels. Some cities have services (e.g., web pages, mobile apps, etc.) which provide timely air quality information to the public. However, air quality data at individual level is currently scarce or non-existent. Making this information directly useful to individuals poses a challenge. For instance, if a user is informed that the air quality is "poor", what does that mean for him/her, and how can this information be acted upon? Despite individuals having a unique relationship with their environment, the information on the state of atmospheric components and related hazards is currently mostly generic, and seldom personally relevant. This undermines citizens' interest in their environment, and consequently limits their ability to recognize and change both their contribution and their exposure to air pollution. In Oslo, two EU founded projects, CITI-SENSE (Engelken-Jorge et al., 2014) and Citi-Sense-MOB (Castell et al., 2014), are trying to establish a dialogue with citizens by providing them with the possibility of getting personalized air quality information on their smartphones. The users are able to check the air quality in their immediate surroundings and track their individual exposure while moving through the urban environment (Castell et al., 2014). In this way, they may be able to reduce their exposure such as by changing transport modes or routes, for example by selecting less polluted streets to walk or cycle through. Using a smartphone application, citizens are engaged in collecting and sharing environmental data generated by low-cost air quality sensors, and in reporting their individual perception (turning citizens into sensors themselves). The highly spatially resolved data on air quality and perception is geo-located. This allows for simultaneous visualization of both kinds of the sensor

  16. Reproductive health services in Malawi: an evaluation of a quality improvement intervention.

    PubMed

    Rawlins, Barbara J; Kim, Young-Mi; Rozario, Aleisha M; Bazant, Eva; Rashidi, Tambudzai; Bandazi, Sheila N; Kachale, Fannie; Sanghvi, Harshad; Noh, Jin Won

    2013-01-01

    this study was to evaluate the impact of a quality improvement initiative in Malawi on reproductive health service quality and related outcomes. (1) post-only quasi-experimental design comparing observed service quality at intervention and comparison health facilities, and (2) a time-series analysis of service statistics. sixteen of Malawi's 23 district hospitals, half of which had implemented the Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) intervention for reproductive health at the time of the study. a total of 98 reproductive health-care providers (mostly nurse-midwives) and 139 patients seeking family planning (FP), antenatal care (ANC), labour and delivery (L&D), or postnatal care (PNC) services. health facility teams implemented a performance and quality improvement (PQI) intervention over a 3-year period. Following an external observational assessment of service quality at baseline, facility teams analysed performance gaps, designed and implemented interventions to address weaknesses, and conducted quarterly internal assessments to assess progress. Facilities qualified for national recognition by complying with at least 80% of reproductive health clinical standards during an external verification assessment. key measures include facility readiness to provide quality care, observed health-care provider adherence to clinical performance standards during service delivery, and trends in service utilisation. intervention facilities were more likely than comparison facilities to have the needed infrastructure, equipment, supplies, and systems in place to offer reproductive health services. Observed quality of care was significantly higher at intervention than comparison facilities for PNC and FP. Compared with other providers, those at intervention facilities scored significantly higher on client assessment and diagnosis in three service areas, on clinical management and procedures in two service areas, and on counselling in one service area. Service statistics

  17. What Do Information Technology Support Services Really Cost?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leach, Karen; Smallen, David

    1998-01-01

    A study examined the cost of information-technology support services in higher education institutions. The report describes the project's origins and work to date and reports initial results in three areas: network services, desktop repair services, and administrative information systems, looking in each case at economies of scale, outsourcing…

  18. Service quality of Early Childhood Education web portals in Finnish municipalities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koskivaara, Eija; Pihlaja, Päivi

    Increasing number of governmental organizations have transformed material on their web sites as a way of providing users with information about their products and services. In this paper, we apply Yang et al (2005) instrument for analyzing municipal early childhood education (ECE) web sites in Finland. The objective of the study was to find out the quality of ECE web portals as well as to give hints to improve their value from users' point of view. In general the five dimensions, usability, usefulness of content, adequacy of information, accessibility, and interaction, of the Yang et al model seems to be applicable also in the early childhood education environment.

  19. Using geographical information systems and cartograms as a health service quality improvement tool.

    PubMed

    Lovett, Derryn A; Poots, Alan J; Clements, Jake T C; Green, Stuart A; Samarasundera, Edgar; Bell, Derek

    2014-07-01

    Disease prevalence can be spatially analysed to provide support for service implementation and health care planning, these analyses often display geographic variation. A key challenge is to communicate these results to decision makers, with variable levels of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) knowledge, in a way that represents the data and allows for comprehension. The present research describes the combination of established GIS methods and software tools to produce a novel technique of visualising disease admissions and to help prevent misinterpretation of data and less optimal decision making. The aim of this paper is to provide a tool that supports the ability of decision makers and service teams within health care settings to develop services more efficiently and better cater to the population; this tool has the advantage of information on the position of populations, the size of populations and the severity of disease. A standard choropleth of the study region, London, is used to visualise total emergency admission values for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and bronchiectasis using ESRI's ArcGIS software. Population estimates of the Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) are then used with the ScapeToad cartogram software tool, with the aim of visualising geography at uniform population density. An interpolation surface, in this case ArcGIS' spline tool, allows the creation of a smooth surface over the LSOA centroids for admission values on both standard and cartogram geographies. The final product of this research is the novel Cartogram Interpolation Surface (CartIS). The method provides a series of outputs culminating in the CartIS, applying an interpolation surface to a uniform population density. The cartogram effectively equalises the population density to remove visual bias from areas with a smaller population, while maintaining contiguous borders. CartIS decreases the number of extreme positive values not present in the underlying data as can be

  20. SEQUenCE: a service user-centred quality of care instrument for mental health services.

    PubMed

    Hester, Lorraine; O'Doherty, Lorna Jane; Schnittger, Rebecca; Skelly, Niamh; O'Donnell, Muireann; Butterly, Lisa; Browne, Robert; Frorath, Charlotte; Morgan, Craig; McLoughlin, Declan M; Fearon, Paul

    2015-08-01

    To develop a quality of care instrument that is grounded in the service user perspective and validate it in a mental health service. The instrument (SEQUenCE (SErvice user QUality of CarE)) was developed through analysis of focus group data and clinical practice guidelines, and refined through field-testing and psychometric analyses. All participants were attending an independent mental health service in Ireland. Participants had a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) or a psychotic disorder. Twenty-nine service users participated in six focus group interviews. Seventy-one service users participated in field-testing: 10 judged the face validity of an initial 61-item instrument; 28 completed a revised 52-item instrument from which 12 items were removed following test-retest and convergent validity analyses; 33 completed the resulting 40-item instrument. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency and convergent validity of the instrument. The final instrument showed acceptable test-retest reliability at 5-7 days (r = 0.65; P < 0.001), good convergent validity with the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (r = 0.84, P < 0.001) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87). SEQUenCE is a valid, reliable scale that is grounded in the service user perspective and suitable for routine use. It may serve as a useful tool in individual care planning, service evaluation and research. The instrument was developed and validated with service users with a diagnosis of either BPAD or a psychotic disorder; it does not yet have established external validity for other diagnostic groups. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  1. Provision of a Medicines Information Service to Consumers on Facebook: An Australian Case Study.

    PubMed

    Benetoli, Arcelio; Chen, Timothy F; Spagnardi, Sarah; Beer, Troy; Aslani, Parisa

    2015-11-23

    Social networking sites (SNSs) have changed the way people communicate. They may also change the way people seek health advice. This study describes the provision of a medicines information service on Facebook to individual consumers. It aimed to discuss the pros and cons, and inform health and pharmacy stakeholders and researchers about the opportunities and challenges of providing such a service. We adopted an exploratory approach using a case study method. NPS MedicineWise, an independent, not-for-profit Australian organization, runs a public question-and-answer service on Facebook, dubbed Pharmacist Hour. Consumers following the organization's Facebook page are invited to post medication-related questions often with a suggested health topic. A wide range of questions and comments are posted related to medication usage. The pharmacist answers the queries, providing evidence-based medicines information and using consumer-friendly language, during the specific 1-hour period. The most popular questions in the past 12 months were related to adverse effects, treatment options for conditions, and drug interactions. The service had a mean number of engagements (defined as a like or share of the Pharmacy Hour post) of 38 (SD 19) people and a mean 5 (SD 3) questions per session. The Pharmacist Hour Facebook service addresses the medicines information needs of consumers and indirectly promotes other appropriate and relevant NPS MedicineWise products and services to further assist consumers. The service offers a new medium for a quality use of medicines organization committed to promoting awareness about the correct and safe use of medicines in Australia.

  2. Developing quality indicators for community services: the case of district nursing.

    PubMed

    Davies, Philippa; Wye, Lesley; Horrocks, Sue; Salisbury, Chris; Sharp, Debbie

    2011-01-01

    Quality indicators exist for the acute and primary care sectors in the National Health Service (NHS), but until recently little attention has been given to measuring the quality of community services. The innovative project described in this paper attempted to address that gap. To produce a framework for developing quality indicators for Bristol Community Health services. To develop a set of initial indicators for Bristol Community Health services using the proposed framework. After familiarising ourselves with community services and NHS policy, gathering the views of stakeholders and consulting the literature on quality indicators, we designed a framework for indicator development, using the 'test' case of the district nursing service. The long list of possible indicators came from best practice guidelines for wound, diabetes and end of life care, the three conditions most commonly treated by district nurses. To narrow down this list we surveyed and held workshops with district nurses, interviewed service users by telephone and met with commissioners and senior community health managers. The final set of quality indicators for district nurses included 23 organisational and clinical process and outcome indicators and eight patient experience indicators. These indicators are now being piloted, together with two potential tools identified to capture patient reported outcomes. Developing quality indicators for community services is time consuming and resource intensive. A range of skills are needed including clinical expertise, project management and skills in evidence-based medicine. The commitment and involvement of front-line professionals is crucial.

  3. Reorganisation of healthcare services for children and families: Improving collaboration, service quality, and worker well-being.

    PubMed

    Martinussen, Monica; Kaiser, Sabine; Adolfsen, Frode; Patras, Joshua; Richardsen, Astrid M

    2017-07-01

    This study is an evaluation of a reorganisation of different services for children and their families in a Norwegian municipality. The main aim of the reorganisation was to improve interprofessional collaboration through integrating different social services for children and their parents. The evaluation was guided by the Job Demands-Resources Model with a focus on social and healthcare workers' experiences of their work, including job demands and resources, service quality, and well-being at work. The survey of the employees was conducted at three measurement points: before (T 1 ) and after (T 2 , T 3 ) the reorganisation took place, and included between 87 and 122 employees. A secondary aim was to examine the impact of different job resources and job demands on well-being (burnout, engagement, job satisfaction), and service quality. A one-way ANOVA indicated a positive development on many scales, such as collaboration, work conflict, leadership, and perceived service quality, especially from T 1 to T 2 . No changes were detected in burnout, engagement, or job satisfaction over time. Moderated regression analyses (at T 3 ) indicated that job demands were particularly associated with burnout, and job resources with engagement and job satisfaction. Perceived service quality was predicted by both job demands and resources, in addition to the interaction between workload and collaboration. The reorganisation seems to have contributed to a positive development in how collaboration, work conflict, leadership, and service quality were evaluated, but that other changes are needed to increase worker well-being. The value of the study rests on the findings that support co-locating and merging services for children and their families, and that collaboration is an important resource for healthcare professionals.

  4. Enhancing the quality of case studies in health services research.

    PubMed Central

    Yin, R K

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance on improving the quality of case studies in health services research. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data, drawing from previous case study research. RESEARCH DESIGN: Guidance is provided to two audiences: potential case study investigators (eight items) and reviewers of case study proposals (four additional items). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The guidance demonstrates that many operational steps can be undertaken to improve the quality of case studies. These steps have been a hallmark of high-quality case studies in related fields but have not necessarily been practiced in health services research. CONCLUSIONS: Given higher-quality case studies, the case study method can become a valuable tool for health services research. Images Figure 3 PMID:10591280

  5. Information persistence services designed to support home care.

    PubMed

    Rocha, Nelson Pacheco; Queirós, Alexandra; Augusto, Filipe; Rodríguez, Yosvany Llerena; Cardoso, Carlos; Grade, José Miguel; Quintas, João

    2015-03-10

    Due to the challenges faced by health and social care systems, in particular those related to actual demographic trends, home care emerges as a potentially cost-effective solution to answer the needs of citizens, and to allow the reallocation of resources to alternatives to hospitalization or institutionalization. Home care services require cooperation between different actors, including health and social caregivers, care receivers, and their informal caregivers (eg, relatives or friends), across time, space, and organizational boundaries. Therefore, it is foreseeable that eHealth services can contribute to their improvement. The aim of this study is to evaluate information persistence services based on the Reference Information Model (RIM) of the Health Level Seven (HL7) version 3 to support formal caregivers, both health and social care providers, and informal caregivers in the context of home care services. A pilot study was set up involving two Portuguese institutions that provide home care services for the elderly. Defining of information requirements was performed according to a comprehensive process. This included a review of the literature, observations of work activities, interviews with caregivers, care receivers and their relatives, analysis of paper documentation related to care receivers' histories, health conditions and care plans, and brainstorming groups involving specialized professionals. Following this, information objects were implemented and validated. The methodological approach, as well as the information persistence services, proved to be robust and adequate to specify, implement, and validate different types of information objects related to home care services for the elderly. This study also reinforces the application of the RIM of the HL7 version 3 beyond the strict scope of health care, allowing the persistence of not only health care information, but also information related to social assistance activities. This study contributes to the

  6. Information Persistence Services Designed to Support Home Care

    PubMed Central

    Queirós, Alexandra; Augusto, Filipe; Rodríguez, Yosvany Llerena; Cardoso, Carlos; Grade, José Miguel; Quintas, João

    2015-01-01

    Background Due to the challenges faced by health and social care systems, in particular those related to actual demographic trends, home care emerges as a potentially cost-effective solution to answer the needs of citizens, and to allow the reallocation of resources to alternatives to hospitalization or institutionalization. Objective Home care services require cooperation between different actors, including health and social caregivers, care receivers, and their informal caregivers (eg, relatives or friends), across time, space, and organizational boundaries. Therefore, it is foreseeable that eHealth services can contribute to their improvement. The aim of this study is to evaluate information persistence services based on the Reference Information Model (RIM) of the Health Level Seven (HL7) version 3 to support formal caregivers, both health and social care providers, and informal caregivers in the context of home care services. Methods A pilot study was set up involving two Portuguese institutions that provide home care services for the elderly. Defining of information requirements was performed according to a comprehensive process. This included a review of the literature, observations of work activities, interviews with caregivers, care receivers and their relatives, analysis of paper documentation related to care receivers’ histories, health conditions and care plans, and brainstorming groups involving specialized professionals. Following this, information objects were implemented and validated. Results The methodological approach, as well as the information persistence services, proved to be robust and adequate to specify, implement, and validate different types of information objects related to home care services for the elderly. This study also reinforces the application of the RIM of the HL7 version 3 beyond the strict scope of health care, allowing the persistence of not only health care information, but also information related to social assistance

  7. Assessing quality of health services with the SERVQUAL model in Iran. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Teshnizi, Saeed Hosseini; Aghamolaei, Teamur; Kahnouji, Kobra; Teshnizi, Seyyed Mehrdad Hosseini; Ghani, Jalil

    2018-03-01

    The five-dimension service quality (SERVQUAL) scale is one of the most common tools for evaluating gaps between clients' perceptions and expectations. This study aimed to assess the quality of health services in Iran through a meta-analysis of all Iranian studies which used the SERVQUAL tool. A systematic literature review has been performed in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Iran Medex, Magiran and Scientific Information Database. All relevant English or Persian studies published between January 2009 and April 2016 were have been selected. Papers were considered if they regarded all five dimensions of the SERVQUAL tool for assessing the quality of health care services. Two reviewer independently extracted mean and standard deviation of five dimensions and characteristics of studies. The quality of studies included in meta-analysis using STROBE checklist. Of 315 studies initially identified, 12 were included in our meta-analysis. All analyses were performed in Stata MP v. 14. Patients' perceptions were lower than their expectations (gap = -1.64). Responsibility (-1.22) and reliability (-1.15) had the lowest gaps, and tangibility and empathy (-1.03) had the largest gaps. Except gender, other variables had no significant associations with gaps. Patients in the cities of Arak (-3.47) and Shiraz (-3.02) had the largest gaps. All dimensions of service quality were negative, which implies that the quality of health services in Iran has not been satisfying to patients and needs to be improved.

  8. Elektronische Informationsdienste im Bildungswesen (Electronic Information Services in Education) Gesellschaft Information Bildung Conference (GIB) (2nd, Berlin, Germany, November 17-18, 1994).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diepold, Peter, Ed.; Rusch-Feja, Diann, Ed.

    These papers on educational technology were presented in three workshops at the second annual conference of the Society of Information Education (GIB). Discussion includes electronic networks, CD-ROMs, and online databases in education, the quality of educational software, database services and instructional methods, and the use of the Internet in…

  9. Improving Service Delivery: Investigating the Role of Information Sharing, Job Characteristics, and Employee Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bontis, Nick; Richards, David; Serenko, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose and test a model designed to investigate the impact of job characteristics, employee satisfaction, and information sharing on two key indicators of quality service delivery, such as worker perceptions of their efficiency and customer focus. Design/methodology/approach: During the project, 9,060…

  10. Autonomous Preference-Aware Information Services Integration for High Response in Integrated Faded Information Field Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Xiaodong; Mori, Kinji

    The market and users' requirements have been rapidly changing and diversified. Under these heterogeneous and dynamic situations, not only the system structure itself, but also the accessible information services would be changed constantly. To cope with the continuously changing conditions of service provision and utilization, Faded Information Field (FIF) has been proposed, which is a agent-based distributed information service system architecture. In the case of a mono-service request, the system is designed to improve users' access time and preserve load balancing through the information structure. However, with interdependent requests of multi-service increasing, adaptability and timeliness have to be assured by the system. In this paper, the relationship that exists among the correlated services and the users' preferences for separate and integrated services is clarified. Based on these factors, the autonomous preference-aware information services integration technology to provide one-stop service for users multi-service requests is proposed. As compared to the conventional system, we show that proposed technology is able to reduce the total access time.

  11. Assessing Medical Tourism Services Quality Using SERVQUAL Model: A Patient’s Perspective

    PubMed Central

    QOLIPOUR, Mohammad; TORABIPOUR, Amin; FARAJI KHIAVI, Farzad; SAKI MALEHI, Amal

    2018-01-01

    Background: Continuous quality improvement of the hospital services is a basic requirement of medical tourism industry. The different dimensions of hospital services quality are assessed constantly to improve the service of medical tourism. The aim of this study was to determine the services quality of medical tourism in private and public hospitals. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the quality of hospital services were assessed in view of 250 Iraqi tourists referred to Ahvaz private and public hospitals in 2015. Data were collected using a valid medical tourism SERVQUAL questionnaire (MTSQ). This questionnaire includes 8 main dimensions with 31 items. Finally, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean of age of patients was 39±2.2 yr. The mean of hospital length of stay was 3.87±1.36 days. The most patients were admitted to Orthopedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Obstetrics, and Gynecology departments, respectively. There was a negative gap in all of the dimensions of service quality in the studied hospitals (P>0.001). The highest and lowest quality gap was seen in the “exchange and travel facilities” (−2.63) and the “tangibles” (−0.68) dimension, respectively. Conclusion: There was a negative gap in all of the dimensions of service quality in the studied hospitals. Therefore, the hospital services quality is improved to attract the foreign patients. PMID:29318124

  12. An initial approach towards quality of service based Spectrum Trading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bastidas, Carlos E. Caicedo; Vanhoy, Garret; Volos, Haris I.; Bose, Tamal

    Spectrum scarcity has become an important issue as demands for higher data rates increase in diverse wireless applications and aerospace communication scenarios. To address this problem, it becomes necessary to manage radio spectrum assignment in a way that optimizes the distribution of spectrum resources among several users while taking into account the quality of service (QoS) characteristics desired by the users of spectrum. In this paper, a novel approach to managing spectrum assignment based on Spectrum Trading (ST) will be presented. Market based spectrum assignment mechanisms such as spectrum trading are of growing interest to many spectrum management agencies that are planning to increase the use of these mechanisms for spectrum management and reduce their emphasis on command and control methods. This paper presents some of our initial work into incorporating quality of service information into the mechanisms that determine how spectrum should be traded when using a spectrum exchange. Through simulations and a testbed implementation of a QoS aware spectrum exchange our results show the viability of using QoS based mechanisms in spectrum trading and in the enhancement of dynamic spectrum assignment systems.

  13. Assessing Pre-Service Teachers' Quality Teaching Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Weiyun; Hendricks, Kristin; Archibald, Kelsi

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to design and validate the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubrics (AQTR) that assesses the pre-service teachers' quality teaching practices in a live lesson or a videotaped lesson. Twenty-one lessons taught by 13 Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students were videotaped. The videotaped lessons were evaluated…

  14. Analysis of the question–answer service of the Emma Children’s Hospital information centre

    PubMed Central

    Heinen, Richard C.; Heymans, Hugo S. A.

    2010-01-01

    The information centre of the Emma Children’s Hospital AMC (EKZ AMC) is a specialised information centre where paediatric patients and persons involved with the patient can ask questions about all aspects of disease and its social implications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the question–answer service of this information centre in order to determine the role of a specialised information centre in an academic children’s hospital, identify the appropriate resources for the service and potential positive effects. For this purpose, a case management system was developed in MS ACCESS. The characteristics of the requester and the question, the time it took to answer questions, the information sources used and the extent to which we were able to answer the questions were registered. The costs of the service were determined. We analysed all questions that were asked in the year 2007. Fourteen hundred thirty-four questions were asked. Most questions were asked by parents (23.3%), healthcare workers (other than nurses; 16.5%) and nurses (15.3%). The scope of the most frequently asked questions include disease (20.2%) and treatment (13.0%). Information on paper was the main information source used. Most questions could be solved within 15 min. Twelve percent to 28% of total working hours are used for the question–answer service. Total costs including staff salary are rather large. In conclusions, taking over the task of providing additional medical information and by providing readily available, good quality information that healthcare professionals can use to inform their patients will lead to less time investment of these more expensive staff members. A specialised information service can anticipate on the information need of parents and persons involved with the paediatric patient. It improves information by providing with relatively simple resources that has the potential to improve patient and parent satisfaction, coping and medical results. A specialised

  15. Governance of quality of care: a qualitative study of health service boards in Victoria, Australia.

    PubMed

    Bismark, Marie M; Studdert, David M

    2014-06-01

    To describe the engagement of health service boards with quality-of-care issues and to identify factors that influence boards' activities in this area. We conducted semistructured interviews with 35 board members and executives from 13 public health services in Victoria, Australia. Interviews focused on the role currently played by boards in overseeing quality of care. We also elicited interviewees' perceptions of factors that have influenced their current approach to governance in this area. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes from interview transcripts. Virtually all interviewees believed boards had substantial opportunities to influence the quality of care delivered within the service, chiefly through setting priorities, monitoring progress, holding staff to account and shaping culture. Perceived barriers to leveraging this influence included insufficient resources, gaps in skills and experience among board members, inadequate information on performance and regulatory requirements that miss the mark. Interviewees converged on four enablers of more effective quality governance: stronger regional collaborations; more tailored board training on quality issues; smarter use of reporting and accreditation requirements; and better access to data that was reliable, longitudinal and allowed for benchmarking against peer organisations. Although health service boards are eager to establish quality of care as a governance priority, several obstacles are blocking progress. The result is a gap between the rhetoric of quality governance and the reality of month-to-month activities at the board level. The imperative for effective board-level engagement in this area cannot be met until these barriers are addressed. 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.

  16. Service quality and perceived value of technology-based service encounters: evaluation of clinical staff satisfaction in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hung, Chung-Jye; Chang, Hsin Hsin; Eng, Cheng Joo; Wong, Kit Hong

    Previous research has evaluated technology-based service encounters (TBSEs) in the delivery of health care by assessing patient satisfaction. This study examined service quality and perceived value of TBSEs used in health organisations from the perspective of clinical staff, with staff technology readiness as a moderator. A quantitative survey was conducted in Taiwan, across private and public healthcare organisations. Results showed that TBSEs had a direct effect on service quality and perceived value, which in turn had a direct effect on staff satisfaction in using TBSEs. However, service quality had no effect on perceived value when moderated by technology readiness. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

  17. Information Services at the University of Calgary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norris, Douglas

    The University of Calgary was the first university in Canada to combine its library, computer center, and audiovisual services into one unit. For a period of three years the Division of Information Services administered and coordinated library services, computer services, and communications media. The organizational structure, objectives, and the…

  18. [Reorganizing the management of specialist uro-andrologic ultrasound health-care service: impact on professional quality].

    PubMed

    Dell'Atti, Lucio; Russo, Gian Rosario

    2011-01-01

    The process of organizing a ultrasound service nowadays can be improved by properly managing the user's request, the speed of response and safety, the standardization of methods and skills. The outpatients at our uro-andrologic ultrasound clinic (O.U. of Urology in Ferrara) received a questionnaire each; we administered a total of 640 questionnaires. The number of questionnaires collected was 532. Patients were asked to give an assessment of services using a qualitative method according to a 4-parameter response scale: very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied. The identification of indicators to be monitored by the user's perceived quality was accomplished by establishing the correlation coefficient between different parameters of analysis and an overall rating of the sample. Some of these parameters were: the relationship with the practitioner, the availability of doctors, the ability of doctors for reassurance, the completeness of information and facilities hygiene conditions. When these parameters vary, positively or negatively, also the citizen's overall opinion changes. The customer satisfaction is an important component of the quality of care, it represents both an indicator of the effectiveness of health intervention and the ability to meet quality requirements of the health service organization. The objective of an ultrasound service should be to provide, within a reasonable timeframe, the supply of high quality with qualified personnel, with adequate tools and procedures.

  19. Does Information Matter? Competition, Quality, and the Impact of Nursing Home Report Cards

    PubMed Central

    Grabowski, David C; Town, Robert J

    2011-01-01

    Objective We evaluate the effects of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI), which introduced quality measures to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Nursing Home Compare website, on facility performance and consumer demand for services. Data Sources The nursing home Minimum Data Set facility reports from 1999 to 2005 merged with facility-level data from the On-Line Survey, Certification, and Reporting System. Study Design We rely on the staggered rollout of the report cards across pilot and nonpilot states to examine the effect of report cards on market share and quality of care. We also exploit differences in nursing home market competition at baseline to identify the impacts of the new information on nursing home quality. Results The introduction of the NHQI was generally unrelated to facility quality and consumer demand. However, nursing homes facing greater competition improved their quality more than facilities in less competitive markets. Conclusions The lack of competition in many nursing home markets may help to explain why the NHQI report card effort had a minimal effect on nursing home quality. With the introduction of market-based reforms such as report cards, this result suggests policy makers must also consider market structure in efforts to improve nursing home performance. PMID:21790590

  20. Does information matter? Competition, quality, and the impact of nursing home report cards.

    PubMed

    Grabowski, David C; Town, Robert J

    2011-12-01

    We evaluate the effects of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI), which introduced quality measures to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Nursing Home Compare website, on facility performance and consumer demand for services. The nursing home Minimum Data Set facility reports from 1999 to 2005 merged with facility-level data from the On-Line Survey, Certification, and Reporting System. We rely on the staggered rollout of the report cards across pilot and nonpilot states to examine the effect of report cards on market share and quality of care. We also exploit differences in nursing home market competition at baseline to identify the impacts of the new information on nursing home quality. The introduction of the NHQI was generally unrelated to facility quality and consumer demand. However, nursing homes facing greater competition improved their quality more than facilities in less competitive markets. The lack of competition in many nursing home markets may help to explain why the NHQI report card effort had a minimal effect on nursing home quality. With the introduction of market-based reforms such as report cards, this result suggests policy makers must also consider market structure in efforts to improve nursing home performance. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  1. Health Service Quality Scale: Brazilian Portuguese translation, reliability and validity.

    PubMed

    Rocha, Luiz Roberto Martins; Veiga, Daniela Francescato; e Oliveira, Paulo Rocha; Song, Elaine Horibe; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

    2013-01-17

    The Health Service Quality Scale is a multidimensional hierarchical scale that is based on interdisciplinary approach. This instrument was specifically created for measuring health service quality based on marketing and health care concepts. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Health Service Quality Scale into Brazilian Portuguese and to assess the validity and reliability of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study, with public health system patients in a Brazilian university hospital. Validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength of the association between the Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument and the SERVQUAL scale. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient; the intraclass (ICC) and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used for test-retest reliability. One hundred and sixteen consecutive postoperative patients completed the questionnaire. Pearson's correlation coefficient for validity was 0.20. Cronbach's alpha for the first and second administrations of the final version of the instrument were 0.982 and 0.986, respectively. For test-retest reliability, Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.89 and ICC was 0.90. The culturally adapted, Brazilian Portuguese version of the Health Service Quality Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure health service quality.

  2. Identifying profiles of service users in housing services and exploring their quality of life and care needs.

    PubMed

    Bitter, Neis A; Roeg, Diana P K; van Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs; van Weeghel, Jaap

    2016-11-23

    Housing services aim to support people with mental illness in their daily life and recovery. As the level of recovery differs between service users, the quality of life and care needs also might vary. However, the type and amount of care and support that service users receive do not always match their recovery. In order to improve the quality of care, this study aims to explore whether subgroups of service users exist based on three dimensions of recovery and to examine and compare the quality of life and care needs of the persons in these subgroups. Latent class analysis was performed with data from 263 service users of housing services in the Netherlands. Classes were based on three variables: personal recovery (Mental Health Recovery Measure), social recovery (Social Functioning Scale), and clinical recovery (Brief Symptom Inventory). Subsequently, the quality of life (MANSA) and care needs (CANSAS) of the different classes were analysed by the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Three classes could be distinguished. Class 1 (45%) comprised of people who score the highest of the three classes in terms of personal and social recovery and who experience the least number of symptoms. People in class 2 (44%) and class 3 (11%) score significantly lower on personal and social recovery, and they experience significantly more symptoms compared to class 1. The distinction between class 2 and 3 can be made on the significantly higher number of symptoms in class 3. All three classes differ significantly on quality of life and unmet needs. The quality of life of service users of housing services needs improvement, as even persons in the best-recovered subgroup have a lower quality of life than the average population. Workers of housing services need to be aware of the recovery of a client and what his or her individual needs and goals are. Furthermore, better care (allocation) concerning mental and physical health and rehabilitation is needed. Care should be

  3. Healthy satellites provide quality service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Margittai, Paul

    The procedures used by Telesat Canada to ensure the performance of Anik satellites is described. At the Satellite Telemetry, Tracking and Command station, each Anik satellite has its own dedicated antenna. Telemetered information from the satellites is received, processed and forwarded to the Satellite Control Center. There the satellite controllers issue all commands to the satellites, and continually monitor the telemetered data. These data, describing the state of health of the satellites, are then analyzed by engineering specialists. The satellites are held in their precise orbital positions by means of specially developed software. The Anik C and D satellites employ travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) in the transpounder channels. The TWTA saturated flux density (SFD) and equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) are regularly measured and their trends scrutinized. This ensures that customers receive the radio frequency power needed for high-quality service. The satellite electrical power is supplied by the solar cell array and batteries. Power system performance is evaluated regularly to ensure that power is available to operate the required number of TWTAs. In addition to rain-fades, short service interruptions can be caused by high voltage trip-offs of TWTAs, and by electrostatic discharge related anomalies. To minimize these interruptions, Telesat ensures that the satellite controllers are fully trained and prepared for any eventuality, and the relevant operational procedures are continually refined. A fully trained staff of satellite controllers keep interruptions caused by high voltage trip-offs of TWTAs and by electrostatic discharge to a minimum.

  4. Automatic geospatial information Web service composition based on ontology interface matching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Xianbin; Wu, Qunyong; Wang, Qinmin

    2008-10-01

    With Web services technology the functions of WebGIS can be presented as a kind of geospatial information service, and helped to overcome the limitation of the information-isolated situation in geospatial information sharing field. Thus Geospatial Information Web service composition, which conglomerates outsourced services working in tandem to offer value-added service, plays the key role in fully taking advantage of geospatial information services. This paper proposes an automatic geospatial information web service composition algorithm that employed the ontology dictionary WordNet to analyze semantic distances among the interfaces. Through making matching between input/output parameters and the semantic meaning of pairs of service interfaces, a geospatial information web service chain can be created from a number of candidate services. A practice of the algorithm is also proposed and the result of it shows the feasibility of this algorithm and the great promise in the emerging demand for geospatial information web service composition.

  5. Use of Networked Information Sources and Services By Information Science Faculty in Services: A Field Study Performed at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abouserie, Hossam M. R.

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore and investigate the ways faculty at The School of Information Studies at Syracuse University use Networked Information Sources and Services to support their service tasks. Library and Information Sciences faculty were chosen as the population for this study. The study aimed to answer the following…

  6. Factors Influencing Perceptions of Service Quality in Cooperative Extension Workers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anaza, Nwamaka A.; Rutherford, Brian N.; Widdows, Richard

    2012-01-01

    The authors examined the direct and indirect impact of empowerment on service quality as perceived by Extension staff. Using a sample 283 respondents, the results revealed that along with empowerment, constructs such as job satisfaction and organizational identification positively affected service quality. Undoubtedly, each of these variables…

  7. Quality of the delivery services in health facilities in Northern Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Fisseha, Girmatsion; Berhane, Yemane; Worku, Alemayehu; Terefe, Wondwossen

    2017-03-09

    Substantial improvements have been observed in the coverage of and access to maternal health service, especially in skilled birth attendants, in Ethiopia. However, the quality of care has been lagging behind. Therefore, this study investigated the status of the quality of delivery services in Northern Ethiopia. A facility based survey was conducted from December 2014 to February 2015 in Northern Ethiopia. The quality of delivery service was assessed in 32 health facilities using a facility audit checklist, by reviewing delivery, by conducting in-depth interview and observation, and by conducting exit interviews with eligible mothers. Facilities were considered as 'good quality' if they scored positively on 75% of the quality indicators set in the national guidelines for all the three components; input (materials, infrastructure, and human resource), process (adherence to standard care procedures during intrapartum and immediate postpartum periods) and output (the mothers' satisfaction and utilization of lifesaving procedures). Overall 2 of 32 (6.3%) of the study facilities fulfilled all the three quality components; input, process and output. Two of the three components were assessed as good in 11 of the 32 (34.4%) health facilities. The input quality was the better of the other quality components; which was good in 21 out of the 32 (65.6%) health facilities. The process and output quality was good in only 10 of the 32 (31.3%) facilities. Only 6.3% of the studied health facilities had good quality in all three dimensions of quality measures that was done in accordance to the national delivery service guidelines. The most compromised quality component was the process. Systematic and sustained efforts need to be strengthened to improve all dimensions of quality in order to achieve the desired quality of delivery services and increase the proportion of births occurring in health facilities.

  8. Scientific and Technological Information Services in Australia: II. Discipline Formation in Information Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Middleton, Michael

    2006-01-01

    This second part of an analysis of scientific and technical information (STI) services in Australia considers their development in the context of discipline formation in information management. The case studies used are the STI services from Part I. A case study protocol is used to consider the extent to which the development of the services may…

  9. Automated Information System for School Food Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazarika, Panna; Galligan, Stephen

    1982-01-01

    Controlling warehousing operations and food inventory, administering school cafeteria activity, and measuring the profitability of food service operations are identified as food service administrative problems. A comprehensive school food services information system developed to address these problems is described. (Author/MLF)

  10. From service quality in organisations to self-determination at home.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Tur, V; Moliner, C; Peñarroja, V; Gracia, E; Peiró, J M

    2015-10-01

    In our proposed model, family members' perceptions of service quality in organisations improve communication about self-determination. In turn, family perceptions of communication openness have a positive relationship with self-determination attitudes of family members. Finally, these attitudes predict self-determination behaviours of individuals with intellectual disability, as reported by family members. We tested this model with a sample of 625 family members (196 using 'day care services' and 429 using 'occupational services'). Multi-sample structural equation modelling (SEM) supported the model. Communication and attitudes fully mediated the link from service quality to self-determination behaviours. Improving family members' perceptions of service quality and opening channels of communication between professionals and family members are useful strategies to facilitate parents' positive attitudes and increase the frequency of self-determination behaviours at home. © 2015 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Information Services Study. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherratt, Christine S.; And Others

    In 1991-1992, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries conducted an Information Services Study with support from the Office of the Provost. Its purpose was to study how faculty, research staff, and students in three disciplines on campus gather information for their work. Members of the departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences,…

  12. Evaluation of outpatient service quality in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Patient's expectations and perceptions.

    PubMed

    Al Fraihi, Khalid J; Latif, Shahid A

    2016-04-01

    To investigate perceptions and expectations of patients regarding hospital outpatient services by using a service quality gap model and factors influencing such gaps. In this cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between October and November 2014 in the outpatient waiting areas of a hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, a sample of 306 patients was selected by convenience sampling technique. The data was collected through an Arabic version of the service quality (SERVQUAL) questionnaire consisting of 2 parts: patients' demographic characteristics, and 22 items scales of patients' expectations and perceptions of SERVQUAL. The data was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis, independent, and paired t samples tests and one way analysis of variance test The results showed that the proposed model for service quality dimensions had a good fit by satisfying the recommended values. The patients' expectations exceeded perceptions in all service quality dimensions indicating statistically significant service quality gaps (t=26.3, p less than 0.000). Findings revealed that the empathy dimension contributed most patients' expectations (4.7 ± 0.5) and perceptions (3.7 ± 0.8) scores, and responsiveness contributed least to expectations (4.5 ± 0.6) and perceptions (3.2 ± 0.8) scores. Prompt services showed highest service quality gap, while observation of privacy showed the smallest service quality gap in the statements. The study showed a significant association between gender, age, education, multiple visits, and service quality dimensions. The proposed model is valid and reliable and significant service quality gaps of all 5 dimensions need to be prioritized and addressed by focused improvement efforts of hospital management.

  13. Sources and summaries of water-quality information for the Rapid Creek basin, western South Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zogorski, John S.; Zogorski, E.M.; McKallip, T.E.

    1990-01-01

    This report provides a compilation of water quality information for the Rapid Creek basin in western South Dakota. Two types of information are included: First, past and current water quality monitoring data collected by the South Dakota Department of Water and Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and others are described. Second, a summary is included for all past water quality reports, publications, and theses that could be located during this study. A total of 62 documents were abstracted and included journal articles, abstracts, Federal agency reports and publications, university and State agency reports, local agency reports, and graduate theses. The report should be valuable to water resources managers, regulators, and others contemplating water quality research, monitoring, and regulatory programs in the Rapid Creek basin. (USGS)

  14. QaaS (quality as a service) model for web services using big data technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmad, Faisal; Sarkar, Anirban

    2017-10-01

    Quality of service (QoS) determines the service usability and utility and both of which influence the service selection process. The QoS varies from one service provider to other. Each web service has its own methodology for evaluating QoS. The lack of transparent QoS evaluation model makes the service selection challenging. Moreover, most QoS evaluation processes do not consider their historical data which not only helps in getting more accurate QoS but also helps for future prediction, recommendation and knowledge discovery. QoS driven service selection demands a model where QoS can be provided as a service to end users. This paper proposes a layered QaaS (quality as a service) model in the same line as PaaS and software as a service, where users can provide QoS attributes as inputs and the model returns services satisfying the user's QoS expectation. This paper covers all the key aspects in this context, like selection of data sources, its transformation, evaluation, classification and storage of QoS. The paper uses server log as the source for evaluating QoS values, common methodology for its evaluation and big data technologies for its transformation and analysis. This paper also establishes the fact that Spark outperforms the Pig with respect to evaluation of QoS from logs.

  15. Provision of a Medicines Information Service to Consumers on Facebook: An Australian Case Study

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Timothy F; Spagnardi, Sarah; Beer, Troy; Aslani, Parisa

    2015-01-01

    Background Social networking sites (SNSs) have changed the way people communicate. They may also change the way people seek health advice. Objective This study describes the provision of a medicines information service on Facebook to individual consumers. It aimed to discuss the pros and cons, and inform health and pharmacy stakeholders and researchers about the opportunities and challenges of providing such a service. Methods We adopted an exploratory approach using a case study method. Results NPS MedicineWise, an independent, not-for-profit Australian organization, runs a public question-and-answer service on Facebook, dubbed Pharmacist Hour. Consumers following the organization’s Facebook page are invited to post medication-related questions often with a suggested health topic. A wide range of questions and comments are posted related to medication usage. The pharmacist answers the queries, providing evidence-based medicines information and using consumer-friendly language, during the specific 1-hour period. The most popular questions in the past 12 months were related to adverse effects, treatment options for conditions, and drug interactions. The service had a mean number of engagements (defined as a like or share of the Pharmacy Hour post) of 38 (SD 19) people and a mean 5 (SD 3) questions per session. Conclusions The Pharmacist Hour Facebook service addresses the medicines information needs of consumers and indirectly promotes other appropriate and relevant NPS MedicineWise products and services to further assist consumers. The service offers a new medium for a quality use of medicines organization committed to promoting awareness about the correct and safe use of medicines in Australia. PMID:26596328

  16. Collaborating to Shape New Information Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pritchard, Sarah M.

    2016-01-01

    "portal: Libraries and the Academy" has as its mission to address library and information services in a campus-wide context, focusing on librarians' engagement with learning services, joint technology initiatives, cross-disciplinary and cross-functional research, faculty partnerships, and scholarly publishing and public policy, but…

  17. Community-Based Information Technology Services 1: What (Some) Users Want.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldwell, Barrett S.; Robertson, Jenifer W.

    1996-01-01

    Addresses issues regarding the design of electronic community information services and user preferences for information services. Presents results of surveying 80 Wisconsin residents about their community information needs. The following community information needs were identified: library services, local government and banking, local calendars of…

  18. 41 CFR 105-53.143 - Information Resources Management Service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Information Resources... FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.143 Information Resources Management Service. (a) Creation and authority. The Information Resources Management Service (IRMS), headed by the Commissioner, Information Resources...

  19. 41 CFR 105-53.143 - Information Resources Management Service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Information Resources... FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.143 Information Resources Management Service. (a) Creation and authority. The Information Resources Management Service (IRMS), headed by the Commissioner, Information Resources...

  20. 41 CFR 105-53.143 - Information Resources Management Service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Information Resources... FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.143 Information Resources Management Service. (a) Creation and authority. The Information Resources Management Service (IRMS), headed by the Commissioner, Information Resources...

  1. 41 CFR 105-53.143 - Information Resources Management Service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Information Resources... FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.143 Information Resources Management Service. (a) Creation and authority. The Information Resources Management Service (IRMS), headed by the Commissioner, Information Resources...

  2. 41 CFR 105-53.143 - Information Resources Management Service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Information Resources... FUNCTIONS Central Offices § 105-53.143 Information Resources Management Service. (a) Creation and authority. The Information Resources Management Service (IRMS), headed by the Commissioner, Information Resources...

  3. Information Brokers/Free-Lance Librarians: An Alternative Reference Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hogan, Matthew

    This paper examines the profession of information brokerage through a look at types of services provided, and through a discussion of major issues, including that of fee for service. The types of information broker and free-lance librarian services are identified: (1) non-profit reference and research services administered by public libraries and…

  4. Design and development of a tele-healthcare information system based on web services and HL7 standards.

    PubMed

    Huang, Ean-Wen; Hung, Rui-Suan; Chiou, Shwu-Fen; Liu, Fei-Ying; Liou, Der-Ming

    2011-01-01

    Information and communication technologies progress rapidly and many novel applications have been developed in many domains of human life. In recent years, the demand for healthcare services has been growing because of the increase in the elderly population. Consequently, a number of healthcare institutions have focused on creating technologies to reduce extraneous work and improve the quality of service. In this study, an information platform for tele- healthcare services was implemented. The architecture of the platform included a web-based application server and client system. The client system was able to retrieve the blood pressure and glucose levels of a patient stored in measurement instruments through Bluetooth wireless transmission. The web application server assisted the staffs and clients in analyzing the health conditions of patients. In addition, the server provided face-to-face communications and instructions through remote video devices. The platform deployed a service-oriented architecture, which consisted of HL7 standard messages and web service components. The platform could transfer health records into HL7 standard clinical document architecture for data exchange with other organizations. The prototyping system was pretested and evaluated in a homecare department of hospital and a community management center for chronic disease monitoring. Based on the results of this study, this system is expected to improve the quality of healthcare services.

  5. Enabling the Usability of Earth Science Data Products and Services by Evaluating, Describing, and Improving Data Quality throughout the Data Lifecycle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Downs, R. R.; Peng, G.; Wei, Y.; Ramapriyan, H.; Moroni, D. F.

    2015-12-01

    Earth science data products and services are being used by representatives of various science and social science disciplines, by planning and decision-making professionals, by educators and learners ranging from primary through graduate and informal education, and by the general public. The diversity of users and uses of Earth science data is gratifying and offers new challenges for enabling the usability of these data by audiences with various purposes and levels of expertise. Users and other stakeholders need capabilities to efficiently find, explore, select, and determine the applicability and suitability of data products and services to meet their objectives and information needs. Similarly, they need to be able to understand the limitations of Earth science data, which can be complex, especially when considering combined or simultaneous use of multiple data products and services. Quality control efforts of stakeholders, throughout the data lifecycle, can contribute to the usability of Earth science data to meet the needs of diverse users. Such stakeholders include study design teams, data producers, data managers and curators, archives, systems professionals, data distributors, end-users, intermediaries, sponsoring organizations, hosting institutions, and others. Opportunities for engaging stakeholders to review, describe, and improve the quality of Earth science data products and services throughout the data lifecycle are identified and discussed. Insight is shared from the development of guidelines for implementing the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Data Management Principles, the recommendations from the Earth Science Data System Working Group (ESDSWG) on Data Quality, and the efforts of the Information Quality Cluster of the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP). Examples and outcomes from quality control efforts of data facilities, such as scientific data centers, that contribute to the usability of Earth science data also are offered.

  6. Quality evaluation in health care services based on customer-provider relationships.

    PubMed

    Eiriz, Vasco; Figueiredo, José António

    2005-01-01

    To develop a framework for evaluating the quality of Portuguese health care organisations based on the relationship between customers and providers, to define key variables related to the quality of health care services based on a review of the available literature, and to establish a conceptual framework in order to test the framework and variables empirically. Systematic review of the literature. Health care services quality should not be evaluated exclusively by customers. Given the complexity, ambiguity and heterogeneity of health care services, the authors develop a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers (patients, their relatives and citizens) and providers (managers, doctors, other technical staff and non-technical staff), and considering four quality items (customer service orientation, financial performance, logistical functionality and level of staff competence). This article identifies important changes in the Portuguese health care industry, such as the ownership of health care providers. At the same time, customers are changing their attitudes towards health care, becoming much more concerned and demanding of health services. These changes are forcing Portuguese private and public health care organisations to develop more marketing-oriented services. This article recognises the importance of quality evaluation of health care services as a means of increasing customer satisfaction and organisational efficiency, and develops a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers and providers.

  7. 42 CFR 440.260 - Methods and standards to assure quality of services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Methods and standards to assure quality of services. 440.260 Section 440.260 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH... and Limits Applicable to All Services § 440.260 Methods and standards to assure quality of services...

  8. 15 CFR 950.2 - Environmental Data and Information Service (EDIS).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental Data and Information... REGULATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA SERVICE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AND INFORMATION § 950.2 Environmental Data and Information Service (EDIS). The Environmental Data and Information Service is the first Federal...

  9. 15 CFR 950.2 - Environmental Data and Information Service (EDIS).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Environmental Data and Information... REGULATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA SERVICE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AND INFORMATION § 950.2 Environmental Data and Information Service (EDIS). The Environmental Data and Information Service is the first Federal...

  10. The quality of service in passenger transport terminals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oprea, C.; Roşca, E.; Popa, M.; Ilie, A.; Dinu, O.; Roşca, M.

    2016-11-01

    The quality of service in transport terminals is differently perceived by engineers, economists, transport operators and sociologists. The traveler's perception is nevertheless decisive. The quality of service is well connected with the inside design of terminals, with the facilities in terminals and with the provided service standards. In order to provide a high level of service, the activities taking place in the public transport terminal and the maximum travelers flow size must be carefully analyzed and dimensioned. The purpose of modelling is to find the best route for each traveler from origin (entrance) to destination (exit) through all the intermediate service points, taking into consideration the instant network conditions. In developing the model we consider the walking, the waiting and the serving time. Using a simulation program written in ARENA we determine the waiting time. For validation, the model is used to evaluate the performance level in Bucharest Basarab station. By comparing the total walking distance for the possible routes and the utility function that describes the utility of all activities from entrance to exit we can find the optimal route.

  11. Service Quality Assessment for NASA's Deep Space Network: No Longer a Luxury

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barkley, Erik; Wolgast, Paul; Zendejas, Silvino

    2010-01-01

    When NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) was established almost a half century ago, the concept of computer-based service delivery was impractical or infeasible due to the state of information technology As a result, the interface the DSN exposes to its customers tends to be equipment-centric, lacking a clear demarcation between the DSN and the mission operation systems (MOS) of its customers. As the number of customers has continued to increase, the need to improve efficiency and minimize costs has grown. This growth has been the impetus for a DSN transformation from an equipment-forrent provider to a provider of standard services. Service orientation naturally leads to requirements for service management, including proactive measurement of service quality and service levels as well as the efficiency of internal processes and the performance of service provisioning systems. DSN System Engineering has surveyed industry offerings to determine if commercial successes in decision support and Business Intelligence (BI) solutions can be applied to the DSN. A pilot project was initiated, and subsequently executed to determine the feasibility of repurposing a commercial Business Intelligence platform for engineering analysis in conjunction with the platform's intended business reporting and analysis functions.

  12. SIDECACHE: Information access, management and dissemination framework for web services.

    PubMed

    Doderer, Mark S; Burkhardt, Cory; Robbins, Kay A

    2011-06-14

    Many bioinformatics algorithms and data sets are deployed using web services so that the results can be explored via the Internet and easily integrated into other tools and services. These services often include data from other sites that is accessed either dynamically or through file downloads. Developers of these services face several problems because of the dynamic nature of the information from the upstream services. Many publicly available repositories of bioinformatics data frequently update their information. When such an update occurs, the developers of the downstream service may also need to update. For file downloads, this process is typically performed manually followed by web service restart. Requests for information obtained by dynamic access of upstream sources is sometimes subject to rate restrictions. SideCache provides a framework for deploying web services that integrate information extracted from other databases and from web sources that are periodically updated. This situation occurs frequently in biotechnology where new information is being continuously generated and the latest information is important. SideCache provides several types of services including proxy access and rate control, local caching, and automatic web service updating. We have used the SideCache framework to automate the deployment and updating of a number of bioinformatics web services and tools that extract information from remote primary sources such as NCBI, NCIBI, and Ensembl. The SideCache framework also has been used to share research results through the use of a SideCache derived web service.

  13. Innovative United Kingdom Approaches To Measuring Service Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winkworth, Ian

    2001-01-01

    Reports on approaches to measuring the service quality of academic libraries in the United Kingdom. Discusses the role of government and the national background of quality measurement; measurement frameworks; better use of statistics; benchmarking; measuring user satisfaction; and possible future development. (Author/LRW)

  14. Mobile information and communication in the hospital outpatient service.

    PubMed

    Jen, Wen-Yuan; Chao, Chia-Chen; Hung, Ming-Chien; Li, Yu-Chuan; Chi, Y P

    2007-08-01

    Most healthcare providers provide mobile service for their medical staff; however, few healthcare providers provide mobile service as part of their outpatient service. The mobile outpatient service system (MOSS) focuses on illness treatment, illness prevention and patient relation management for outpatient service users. Initiated in a local hospital in Taiwan, the MOSS pilot project was developed to improve outpatient service quality and pursue higher patient safety. This study focuses on the development of the MOSS. The workflow, architecture and target users of the MOSS are delineated. In addition, there were two surveys conducted as part of this study. After a focus group of medical staff identified areas in which outpatient services might be improved by the MOSS, the first survey was administered to outpatients to confirm the focus group's intuitions. The second administration of the survey explored outpatient satisfaction after they used the MOSS service. With regard to outpatient attitudes, about 93% of participants agreed that the mobile outpatient service improved outpatient service quality. In the area of outpatient satisfaction, about 89% of participants indicated they were satisfied with the mobile outpatient service. Supported by our study finding, we propose that more diverse mobile outpatient services can be provided in the future.

  15. The Directory of Fee-Based Information Services, 1978-79.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warnken, Kelly

    This directory lists information brokers, freelance librarians, independent information specialists, public and institutional libraries that offer information services, and information service companies in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. Arranged alphabetically by state and then by broker/company name, the…

  16. Multi-modal quality of service project

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-03-01

    The overall purpose of this research project has been to help develop a quality of service analysis for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle modes. It has been driver by four major objectives which have shaped the research agenda since the summer of 1998...

  17. Using Feedback from Data Consumers to Capture Quality Information on Environmental Research Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Devaraju, A.; Klump, J. F.

    2015-12-01

    Data quality information is essential to facilitate reuse of Earth science data. Recorded quality information must be sufficient for other researchers to select suitable data sets for their analysis and confirm the results and conclusions. In the research data ecosystem, several entities are responsible for data quality. Data producers (researchers and agencies) play a major role in this aspect as they often include validation checks or data cleaning as part of their work. It is possible that the quality information is not supplied with published data sets; if it is available, the descriptions might be incomplete, ambiguous or address specific quality aspects. Data repositories have built infrastructures to share data, but not all of them assess data quality. They normally provide guidelines of documenting quality information. Some suggests that scholarly and data journals should take a role in ensuring data quality by involving reviewers to assess data sets used in articles, and incorporating data quality criteria in the author guidelines. However, this mechanism primarily addresses data sets submitted to journals. We believe that data consumers will complement existing entities to assess and document the quality of published data sets. This has been adopted in crowd-source platforms such as Zooniverse, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia, Mechanical Turk and Tomnod. This paper presents a framework designed based on open source tools to capture and share data users' feedback on the application and assessment of research data. The framework comprises a browser plug-in, a web service and a data model such that feedback can be easily reported, retrieved and searched. The feedback records are also made available as Linked Data to promote integration with other sources on the Web. Vocabularies from Dublin Core and PROV-O are used to clarify the source and attribution of feedback. The application of the framework is illustrated with the CSIRO's Data Access Portal.

  18. Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: a SERVQUAL analysis.

    PubMed

    Al-Borie, Hussein M; Damanhouri, Amal M Sheikh

    2013-01-01

    Saudi Arabian hospital performance, vis-á-vis patient satisfaction with service provision, has emerged as a key policy and planning concern. Keeping in view public and private hospital service quality, this article seeks to provide guidelines to the on-going Saudi Arabian health service reorganization, which emphasizes decentralization, bed-capacity expansion, research-based policymaking and initiatives in the health insurance sector. The article outlines an empirical study that compares patient satisfaction with service quality in Saudi Arabian public and private sector hospitals. The authors employ a stratified random sample (1,000 inpatients) from five Saudi Arabian public and five private hospitals. Data were collected through questionnaire using the SERVQUAL scale. For reducing the language bias the questionnaire was translated into Arabic. The response rate was 74.9 percent. Data were analyzed using SPSS and appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Cronbach's alpha for five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, safety and empathy) were high and the SERVQUAL instrument proved to be reliable, valid and appropriate. The results showed that sex, education, income and occupation were statistically significant in influencing inpatients' satisfaction, and all the null hypotheses were rejected. Only inpatient age was not significant. The study highlights service quality influence in the design of broader healthcare strategies for Saudi Arabian public and private hospitals. It demands that management researchers and analysts must identify regional service quality consistencies and related inpatient demographic indicators. The study offers some insights into, and guidance for, hospital quality assurance in Saudi Arabia in general and the urban hospital setting in the Middle-East in particular.

  19. Effect of E-Service Quality on Customer Online Repurchase Intentions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Tung-Hsuan

    2012-01-01

    In the early years of online retailing, having an online presence and low prices were believed to be key drivers of success. More recently, electronic service quality has become essential as an online marketing strategy. Online stores provide higher service quality to create online customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, and keep a…

  20. Outsourcing of Corporate Information Services: Implications for Redesigning Corporate Library Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agada, John

    1996-01-01

    Examines the trend in outsourcing information services and suggests it threatens the survival of corporate libraries. Topics include changes in the competitive corporate environment; characteristics of outsourceable services; managing change; redesigning the corporate librarian's role; and implications for redesigning corporate information…

  1. China's Chemical Information Online Service: ChI2Net.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naiyan, Yu; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Describes the Chemical Integrated Information Service Network (ChI2Net), a comprehensive online information service system which includes chemical, technical, economic, market, news, and management information based on computer and modern communication technology that was built by the China National Chemical Information Centre. (Author/LRW)

  2. Evaluating Service Quality from Patients' Perceptions: Application of Importance-performance Analysis Method.

    PubMed

    Mohebifar, Rafat; Hasani, Hana; Barikani, Ameneh; Rafiei, Sima

    2016-08-01

    Providing high service quality is one of the main functions of health systems. Measuring service quality is the basic prerequisite for improving quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of service in teaching hospitals using importance-performance analysis matrix. A descriptive-analytic study was conducted through a cross-sectional method in six academic hospitals of Qazvin, Iran, in 2012. A total of 360 patients contributed to the study. The sampling technique was stratified random sampling. Required data were collected based on a standard questionnaire (SERVQUAL). Data analysis was done through SPSS version 18 statistical software and importance-performance analysis matrix. The results showed a significant gap between importance and performance in all five dimensions of service quality (p < 0.05). In reviewing the gap, "reliability" (2.36) and "assurance" (2.24) dimensions had the highest quality gap and "responsiveness" had the lowest gap (1.97). Also, according to findings, reliability and assurance were in Quadrant (I), empathy was in Quadrant (II), and tangibles and responsiveness were in Quadrant (IV) of the importance-performance matrix. The negative gap in all dimensions of quality shows that quality improvement is necessary in all dimensions. Using quality and diagnosis measurement instruments such as importance-performance analysis will help hospital managers with planning of service quality improvement and achieving long-term goals.

  3. Government Information Locator Service (GILS). Draft report to the Information Infrastructure Task Force

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is a draft report on the Government Information Locator Service (GILS) to the National Information Infrastructure (NII) task force. GILS is designed to take advantage of internetworking technology known as client-server architecture which allows information to be distributed among multiple independent information servers. Two appendices are provided -- (1) A glossary of related terminology and (2) extracts from a draft GILS profile for the use of the American National Standard Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Library Applications.

  4. Identifying role of perceived quality and satisfaction on the utilization status of the community clinic services; Bangladesh context.

    PubMed

    Karim, Rizwanul M; Abdullah, Mamun S; Rahman, Anisur M; Alam, Ashraful M

    2016-06-24

    Bangladesh is one among the few countries of the world that provides free medical services at the community level through various public health facilities. It is now evident that, clients' perceived quality of services and their expectations of service standards affect health service utilization to a great extent. The aim of the study was to develop and validate the measures for perception and satisfaction of primary health care quality in Bangladesh context and to identify their aspects on the utilization status of the Community Clinic services. This mixed method cross sectional survey was conducted from January to June 2012, in the catchment area of 12 community clinics. Since most of the outcome indicators focus mainly on women and children, women having children less than 2 years of age were randomly assigned and interviewed for the study purpose. Data were collected through FGD, Key informants interview and a pretested semi- structured questionnaire. About 95 % of the respondents were Muslims and 5 % were Hindus. The average age of the respondents was 23.38 (SD 4.15) and almost all of them are home makers. The average monthly expenditure of their family was 95US $ (SD 32US$). At the beginning of the study, two psychometric research instruments; 24 items perceived quality of primary care services PQPCS scale (chronbach's α = .89) and 22 items community clinic service satisfaction CCSS scale (chronbach's α = .97), were constructed and validated. This study showed less educated, poor, landless mothers utilized the community clinic services more than their educated and wealthier counterpart. Women who lived in their own residence used the community clinic services more frequently than those who lived in a rental house. Perceptions concerning skill and competence of the health care provider and satisfaction indicating interpersonal communication and attitude of the care provider were important predictors for community clinic service utilization

  5. Value-added strategy models to provide quality services in senior health business.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ya-Ting; Lin, Neng-Pai; Su, Shyi; Chen, Ya-Mei; Chang, Yao-Mao; Handa, Yujiro; Khan, Hafsah Arshed Ali; Elsa Hsu, Yi-Hsin

    2017-06-20

    The rapid population aging is now a global issue. The increase in the elderly population will impact the health care industry and health enterprises; various senior needs will promote the growth of the senior health industry. Most senior health studies are focused on the demand side and scarcely on supply. Our study selected quality enterprises focused on aging health and analyzed different strategies to provide excellent quality services to senior health enterprises. We selected 33 quality senior health enterprises in Taiwan and investigated their excellent quality services strategies by face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews with CEO and managers of each enterprise in 2013. A total of 33 senior health enterprises in Taiwan. Overall, 65 CEOs and managers of 33 enterprises were interviewed individually. None. Core values and vision, organization structure, quality services provided, strategies for quality services. This study's results indicated four type of value-added strategy models adopted by senior enterprises to offer quality services: (i) residential care and co-residence model, (ii) home care and living in place model, (iii) community e-business experience model and (iv) virtual and physical portable device model. The common part in these four strategy models is that the services provided are elderly centered. These models offer virtual and physical integrations, and also offer total solutions for the elderly and their caregivers. Through investigation of successful strategy models for providing quality services to seniors, we identified opportunities to develop innovative service models and successful characteristics, also policy implications were summarized. The observations from this study will serve as a primary evidenced base for enterprises developing their senior market and, also for promoting the value co-creation possibility through dialogue between customers and those that deliver service. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford

  6. 76 FR 8753 - Final Information Quality Guidelines Policy

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Final Information Quality Guidelines Policy AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on Final Information Quality Guidelines. SUMMARY: These guidelines should be used to ensure and maximize the quality of disseminated information...

  7. 75 FR 37819 - Proposed Information Quality Guidelines Policy

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Proposed Information Quality Guidelines Policy ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on Proposed Information Quality Guidelines. SUMMARY: These guidelines should be used to ensure and maximize the quality of disseminated information. The Department's guidelines are...

  8. Service Quality in Higher Education--A Case Study of Universiti Brunei Darussalam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alani, Farooq; Yaqoub, Yasir; Hamdan, Mahani

    2015-01-01

    No one doubts the value and importance of quality education, and quality assurance is one major driving force to achieve this. Measuring the performance of service quality of education services of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), as part of the quality assessment, was assessed based on Parasuraman's five Servqual dimensions. The assessment was…

  9. Competition, information, and quality: Evidence from nursing homes.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Xin

    2016-09-01

    Economic theory suggests that competition and information can both be important for product quality, and yet evidence on how they may interact to affect quality is sparse. This paper estimates the impact of competition between nursing homes on their quality, and how this impact varies when consumers have better access to information. The effect of competition is identified using exogenous variation in the geographical proximity of nursing homes to their potential consumers. The change in information transparency is captured by the launch of the Five-Star Quality Rating System in 2009, which improved access to the quality information of nursing homes. We find that while the effect of competition on nursing home quality is generally rather limited, this effect becomes significantly stronger with increased information transparency. The results suggest that regulations on public quality reporting and on market structure are policy complements, and should be considered jointly to best improve quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. AQUA-USERS: AQUAculture USEr Driven Operational Remote Sensing Information Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laanen, Marnix; Poser, Kathrin; Peters, Steef; de Reus, Nils; Ghebrehiwot, Semhar; Eleveld, Marieke; Miller, Peter; Groom, Steve; Clements, Oliver; Kurekin, Andrey; Martinez Vicente, Victor; Brotas, Vanda; Sa, Carolina; Couto, Andre; Brito, Ana; Amorim, Ana; Dale, Trine; Sorensen, Kai; Boye Hansen, Lars; Huber, Silvia; Kaas, Hanne; Andersson, Henrik; Icely, John; Fragoso, Bruno

    2015-12-01

    The FP7 project AQUA-USERS provides the aquaculture industry with user-relevant and timely information based on the most up-to-date satellite data and innovative optical in-situ measurements. Its key purpose is to develop an application that brings together satellite information on water quality and temperature with in-situ observations as well as relevant weather prediction and met-ocean data. The application and its underlying database are linked to a decision support system that includes a set of (user-determined) management options. Specific focus is on the development of indicators for aquaculture management including indicators for harmful algae bloom (HAB) events. The methods and services developed within AQUA-USERS are tested by the members of the user board, who represent different geographic areas and aquaculture production systems.

  11. 76 FR 71934 - Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing-Special

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-21

    ..., mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing... interested individuals and organizations on a revision of a currently approved information collection that...

  12. Analysis of the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, satisfaction and behavioral intention for physical therapy patients

    PubMed Central

    Ko, Min-Seok; Lee, Won-Hwee

    2017-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention in physical therapy patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study surveyed 335 patients who received physical therapy treatment at five medical institutions in Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. This study conducted path analysis on the collected data using Smart PLS 2.0 M3. [Results] The analysis of this study showed that service encounter quality had significantly positive relationship with service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Service value had significantly positive relationship with patient satisfaction and behavioral intention. Patient satisfaction had significantly positive relationship with behavioral intention. [Conclusion] Improving the perceived quality of service encounters for physical therapy patients increases service value and patient satisfaction, and positively influences behavioral intention. PMID:29200644

  13. Analysis of the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, satisfaction and behavioral intention for physical therapy patients.

    PubMed

    Ko, Min-Seok; Lee, Won-Hwee

    2017-11-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention in physical therapy patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study surveyed 335 patients who received physical therapy treatment at five medical institutions in Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. This study conducted path analysis on the collected data using Smart PLS 2.0 M3. [Results] The analysis of this study showed that service encounter quality had significantly positive relationship with service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Service value had significantly positive relationship with patient satisfaction and behavioral intention. Patient satisfaction had significantly positive relationship with behavioral intention. [Conclusion] Improving the perceived quality of service encounters for physical therapy patients increases service value and patient satisfaction, and positively influences behavioral intention.

  14. Phoenix: Service Oriented Architecture for Information Management - Abstract Architecture Document

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    implementation logic and policy if and which Information Brokering and Repository Services the information is going to be forwarded to. These service chains...descriptions are going to be retrieved. Raised Exceptions: • Exception getConsumers(sessionTrack : SessionTrack, information : Information...that exetnd the usefullness of the IM system as a whole. • Client • Event Notification • Filter • Information Discovery • Security • Service

  15. 75 FR 23219 - Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing-Special

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-03

    ... other forms of information technology. All comments received in response to this notice, including names... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing... interested individuals and organizations on the extension with a revision of a currently approved information...

  16. A 2-1-1 research collaboration: participant accrual and service quality indicators.

    PubMed

    Eddens, Katherine S; Alcaraz, Kassandra I; Kreuter, Matthew W; Rath, Suchitra; Greer, Regina

    2012-12-01

    In times of crises, 2-1-1 serves as a lifeline in many ways. These crises often cause a spike in call volume that can challenge 2-1-1's ability to meet its service quality standards. For researchers gathering data through 2-1-1s, a sudden increase in call volume might reduce accrual as 2-1-1 has less time to administer study protocols. Research activities imbedded in 2-1-1 systems may affect directly 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Using data from a 2-1-1 research collaboration, this paper examines the impact of crises on call volume to 2-1-1, how call volume affects research participant accrual through 2-1-1, and how research recruitment efforts affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators. t-tests were used to examine the effect of call volume on research participant accrual. Linear and logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of research participant accrual on 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Data were collected June 2010-December 2011; data were analyzed in 2012. Findings from this collaboration suggest that crises causing spikes in call volume adversely affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators as well as accrual of research participants. Administering a brief (2-3 minute) health risk assessment did not affect service quality negatively, but administering a longer (15-18 minute) survey had a modest adverse effect on these indicators. In 2-1-1 research collaborations, both partners need to understand the dynamic relationship among call volume, research accrual, and service quality and adjust expectations accordingly. If research goals include administering a longer survey, increased staffing of 2-1-1 call centers may be needed to avoid compromising service quality. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Service quality perceptions in primary health care centres in Greece

    PubMed Central

    Papanikolaou, Vicky; Zygiaris, Sotiris

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Context  The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient‐centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. Objective  To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary health care centres in Greece. Strategy  SERVQUAL was used to examine whether patients have different expectations from health care providers and whether different groups of patients may consider some dimensions of care more important than others. Results  The analysis showed that there were gaps in all dimensions measured by SERVQUAL. The largest gap was detected in empathy. Further analysis showed that there were also differences depending on gender, age and education levels. A separate analysis of expectations and perceptions revealed that this gap was because of differences in patients’ perceptions rather than expectations. Discussion and conclusions  This paper raises a number of issues that concern the applicability of SERVQUAL in health care services and could enhance current discussions about SERVQUAL improvement. Quality of health care needs to be redefined by encompassing multiple dimensions. Beyond a simple expectations–perceptions gap, people may hold different understandings of health care that, in turn, influence their perception of the quality of services. PMID:22296402

  18. Service quality perceptions in primary health care centres in Greece.

    PubMed

    Papanikolaou, Vicky; Zygiaris, Sotiris

    2014-04-01

    The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient-centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary health care centres in Greece. SERVQUAL was used to examine whether patients have different expectations from health care providers and whether different groups of patients may consider some dimensions of care more important than others. The analysis showed that there were gaps in all dimensions measured by SERVQUAL. The largest gap was detected in empathy. Further analysis showed that there were also differences depending on gender, age and education levels. A separate analysis of expectations and perceptions revealed that this gap was because of differences in patients' perceptions rather than expectations. THIS paper raises a number of issues that concern the applicability of SERVQUAL in health care services and could enhance current discussions about SERVQUAL improvement. Quality of health care needs to be redefined by encompassing multiple dimensions. Beyond a simple expectations-perceptions gap, people may hold different understandings of health care that, in turn, influence their perception of the quality of services. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. DCASR (Defense Contract Administration Services Region) New York, Total Quality Management Plan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-07-01

    service quality measures on-going Commanders Directors 2. Investigate significant changes on-going Commanders in trends in terms of quality Directors 3...customer satisfaction on-going Commanders indicators and significance of the trends in Directors terms of improvements in product and service quality , and

  20. IPPF Co-operative Information Service (ICIS). August 1977.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    The pooling of documentation service resources has resulted in the creation of an International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) integrated bibliographic information system. The former Library Bulletin has become IPPF Cooperative Information Service (ICIS). Entries in ICIS are classified according to the following nine categories: (0) General…

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