3,192 research outputs found

    National Digital Infrastructure and India’s Healthcare Sector: Physician’s Perspectives

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    Patient-centric digital infrastructure can potentially enhance the efficiency of healthcare systems. However, even in developed nations, evidence suggests low adoption rates for such infrastructure and lack of support from clinicians is considered as one of the most critical hindering factors. In this study, we examine physicians\u27 perceptions of the proposed large-scale information technology initiative in India that aims to transform the health sector and provide universal health coverage to all residents of India. We employed the information ecology lens to understand the broader changes in the healthcare system that could result from the initiative. We use focus group discussion and in-depth interviews to comprehend the perceptions of doctors about the initiative. Drawing upon Foucault’s conceptualization of power, we find that physicians, the key stakeholders in this initiative, are skeptical about the changes in the locus of power in the new ecosystem. Specifically, they perceive that knowledge power has shifted from a historical “expert knowledge power” to power related to “data management.” The physicians believe that changes are expected to manifest through monitoring, controlling, and managing the data rather than providing knowledge-based services. We present recommendations to engage physicians\u27 perspectives in implementing large-scale patient-centric digital infrastructure

    Med-e-Tel 2017

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    Enhanced quality of electronic clinical record through open-source tool

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    Electronic records are significant to control healthcare information and save patient lives to increase the value of service in healthcare.This paper is drawn from an ongoing, large-scale research project of implementing an Electronic Clinical Record (ECR).The overall aim in this study is to introduce a new tool for the ECR deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges emerging from the implementation of the ECR, and in particular, to study how to manage a gradual transition to a digital record.The aim is to enable the physician and patient to get access to the electronic clinical record.It will propose a new open-source tool to improve the clinical systems.The objective of this research is to ensure sufficient in-depth knowledge of the challenges confronting service delivery related to health, especially in the healthcare sector; and a grasp of how the underlying ICT infrastructure and an ECR might be expected to assist in meeting these challenges.Results of our study identified the need for more research in this particular area as no definitive solution to the long-term access to electronic clinical records was revealed.Additionally, the research findings highlighted the fact that a few medical institutions may actually be concerned about long-term access to electronic records

    Telemedicine: An Augmentation Strategy to Mitigate the Primary Care Shortage

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    According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the primary care workforce shortage in 2025 will exceed 46,000 primary care physicians. Healthcare business leaders in Gwinnett County, Georgia have not evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine (TM) to mitigate the workforce shortage. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to determine factors primary care physician administrators consider when deciding to implement TM as a potential solution for the growing physician shortage. A purposive sample of 20 primary care physician administrators located in Gwinnett County, Georgia was drawn. The theory of disruptive technology was the conceptual framework. Data collected stemmed from semistructured interviews with each participant and review of organizational plans and workflow documents. Data were recorded, transcribed, and coded to develop themes. Three themes morphed from the study: TM awareness and education, TM cost and reimbursement, and TM implementation and utilization. Results indicated that awareness and education of leaders toward TM requires improvement, costs, and reimbursement were variables for deciding to implement or not implement TM, and TM implementation requires knowing the appropriate use of TM. The implications for positive social change include the potential for primary care physician administrators to positively influence the healthcare workforce shortage by adding flexibility to manage patient workflow with TM. Additionally, the potential for physician administrators to utilize TM for healthcare access, creating savings in transportation, energy consumption, and resource optimization, may provide better access to hard-to-reach populations

    Lifeline: Tech innovations for maternal and child health - Part 2

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    At 16% and 27%, India contributes the highest global share of maternal and new-born deaths. Most of these are preventable through simple, proven and low-cost solutions. With close to a billion mobile phones and over a million broadband connections, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can address the key informational and process challenges to RMNCH+A in India.Dasra's report, Life Line, lays out the key challenges and solutions, alongside the work of scalable and impactful social organizations for funders' consideration

    "Retail Teleclinics"-A Low Cost Scalable Healthcare Delivery Model for Rural India

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    Rural India has an acute shortage of doctors whereas urban India is over supplied. Many medical graduates are reluctant to serve in rural areas due to poor civic structures. By adopting technology we planned to strike a balance in this disparity. Our project AWISH is a social enterprise. AWISH in Sanskrit means “to reach” which denotes the mission motto-providing medical consultations in rural areas by utilising telemedicine. We have evolved an efficient, cost-effective, sustainable, scalable healthcare delivery model after pilot project, “AWISH retail teleclinics”. We have identified, recruited and trained the pharmacy owners in rural areas who provide a 4ftx4ft space in their pharmacy for a teleclinic facility. The Teleclinic is equipped with a computer, LED TV, printer, broadband Internet, pulseoxymeter, glucometer, digital thermometer and BP apparatus. Special videoconferencing software which works on 256KBPS bandwidth is provided. The pharmacist is trained to use the equipment and the approximate cost to the pharmacist for the equipment is around US$1,000. Free consultations are provided for three months and the telemedicine GP runs free medical camps weekly for three months. This familiarises the doctor with the patients, and also increased pharmacy revenue. Medical consultations were provided by our parent institute-Nightingale Multi-specialty Hospital where a dedicated telemedicine wing has been setup. For all patients general consultations are provided. Specialist consultations are provided when required. Currently we are operating 10 Teleclinics and planning to scale up to 100 in a year. All the pharmacy owners have recovered their investment. Present average footfalls are 20 per day in each centre. Our audit results on the project’s social and financial impact are promising. For a developing country with poor primary healthcare in rural areas the only resort is dependency on quacks which many a times proves to be problematic to the uneducated population. Our model has proved to be an economical and effective solution

    Med-e-Tel 2013

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    Internet of Things brings Revolution in eHealth: Achievements and Challenges

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    The medical field has benefited greatly from the technological revolution around our world, as well as the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT aims to make life easier and more convenient by bridging the various gaps in connecting various devices that people employ. A wide range of applications and technologies, including wearable device development, advanced care services, personalized care packages, and remote patient monitoring, benefit healthcare professionals and patients. These technologies gave rise to new terms such as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), the Internet of Health Things (IoHT), e-Health, and telemedicine. With the advent of technology and the availability of various connected devices, smart healthcare, which has grown in popularity in recent years, has been positively redefined. Through the selection of literature reviews, we systematically investigate how the adoption (and integration) of IoT technologies in healthcare is changing the way traditional services and products are delivered. This paper outlines (i) selected IoT technologies and paradigms related to health care, as well as, (ii) various implementation scenarios for IoT-based models. It also discusses (iii) the various advantages of these applications and finally, (iv) a summary of lessons learned and recommendations for future applications
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