PLS-SEM path analysis to determine the predictive relevance of e-Health readiness assessment model

There exist a sizable body of research addressing the evaluation of eHealth/health information technology (HIT) readiness using standard readiness model in the domain of Information Systems (IS). However, there is a general lack of reliable indicators used in measuring readiness assessment factors, resulting in limited predictability. The availability of reliable measuring tools could help improve outcomes of readiness assessments. In determining the predictive relevance of developed HIT model we collected quantitative data from clinical and non clinical (administrators) staf at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi Ghana using the traditional in person distribution of paper-based survey, popularly known as drop and collect survey (DCS). We then used PLS SEM path analysis to measure the predictive relevance of a block of manifest indicators of the readiness assessment factors. Three important readiness assessment factors are thought to define and predict the structure of the KATH HIT/eHealth readiness survey data (Technology readiness (TR); Operational resource readiness (ORR); and Organizational cultural readiness (OCR). As many public healthcare organizations in Ghana have already gone paperless without any reliable HIT/eHealth guiding policy, there is a critical need for reliable HIT/eHealth regulatory policies readiness (RPR) and some improvement in HIT/eHealth strategic planning readiness (core readiness). The fnal model (R2=0.558 and Q2=0.378) suggest that TR, ORR, and OCR explained 55.8% of the total amount of variance in HIT/eHealth readiness in the case of KATH and the relevance of the overall paths of the model was predictive. Fit values (SRMR=0.054; d_ULS=6.717; d_G=6.231; Chi2=6,795.276; NFI=0.739). Generally, the GoF for this SEM are encouraging and can substantially be improved

Influencia de las TIC y la calidad de la prestación del servicio en un hospital en Ica, 2022

La presentexinvestigación tuvo como principal objetivo determinar la relaciónyque existe entre la influencia de las TIC y la calidad en la prestación de servicios en un hospital en Ica, 2022. Fue dextipo básico, con un tipo de diseño correlacional, siendo no experimental, de corte transversal y con un enfoqueycuantitativo. La muestra estuvo conformada por 78 profesionales dexla salud que hacen uso de las tecnologías. La recolección de los datos se llegó a realizar a través de 2 cuestionario de elaboración propia y con rangos según laxescala deyLikert. Para los análisisxdescriptivo e inferencial de datos obtenidos se llegaron a emplear los programasxMicrosoft Excel y elxestadístico SPSS 25. posteriormente, para determinarxla correlación de las variables, se llegó aplicar la prueba paramétrica de Rho de Spearman. Obteniendo como resultados que existe una correlación de 0,638 entre ambas variables, considerado un nivel positivo moderado, llegando a la conclusión de que existe una relaciónxsignificativa entre la influencia de las TIC y la calidad en la prestación de servicios

Rural Health

Rural health is the study of healthcare systems in rural settings. This book presents a comprehensive overview of rural health care and addresses such topics as human resources, maternal mortality in developing countries, safety of healthcare workers, zoonotic and veterinary diseases, and much more. Chapters include case studies and research in the field of rural health

Implementation of e-health interoperability in developing country contexts : the case of Zimbabwe

The provision of information technology-enabled healthcare services (e-health) has been adopted by numerous public and private facilities in both developing nations and advanced nations. However, one of the obstacles to the adoption of health information systems has been cited as their lack of interoperability resulting in their reduced effectiveness. In view of this, the study sought to explore the interoperability of health information systems employed in the country and then propose a framework to direct the process of implementing e-health interoperability. The study’s methodology was qualitative and a case study was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews were employed to gather data from e-health stakeholders in state-owned institutions and private enterprises. Document review was also conducted to substantiate findings from interviews. Data was analysed using thematic analysis and NVivo 12 software. The study’s findings revealed that several health information systems were implemented and their interoperability was low. Technological, terminology, organizational as well as regulatory and legal barriers were identified as hindrances to interoperability. The enablers for implementing e-health interoperability also revealed by this study include: development of re-usable software components, train the trainer approach to transfer of skills and regional conformance testing. The consequences of lack of interoperability among health information systems reported by this study include: burden on the worker, wastage of resources and high cost. The study also proposed a dual framework to guide the implementation of e-health interoperability. The study’s recommendations include the development of an e-health policy, an e-health strategy and the upgrade of ICT and telecommunication infrastructure to facilitate health information exchange.School of ComputingD. Phil. (Information Systems

Reducing under-five mortality in Makonde district’s public healthcare institutions: an exploratory investigation into the potential role of emerging technologies.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Under-five mortality rate remains unacceptably high globally, with Sub-Saharan Africa being the region with the worst under-five mortality outcomes. The United Nations reported that an average of 15 000 under-fives died daily in 2018, translating to 5.3 million under-fives dying annually. The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) estimated that up to 5.5 million under-fives died in 2021. The outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) worsened the situation for child healthcare in low-resource settings due to overwhelmed and strained healthcare systems. Promoting the health and well-being of under-fives remains a priority of the United Nations and its member states, as evidenced by the setting of under-five mortality goals in both the expired Millennium Development Goals and the current Sustainable Development Goals. Globally, under-five mortality outcomes are meagrely improving, registering a 4 per cent improvement in 18 years. Zimbabwe is one of the countries with high under-five mortality rates, with the Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces having the worst under-five mortality rates, according to the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) report. Despite the evidence of emerging technologies helping to reduce under-five mortality rates in other regions and countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom and South-West Nigeria, the potential of such technologies to reduce under-five mortality rates in Zimbabwe’s public healthcare institutions has not been explored. Although Zimbabwe has registered improvements in under-five mortality rates over the years through such programmes as free healthcare for under-fives in public health facilitie s, child immunisation programmes, provision of nutritional supplements and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), the rates are still unacceptably high and above the SDG target of 23 per 1 000 live births, making Zimbabwe ranked amongst the fifty countries with the highest early childhood mortality in the world. The country’s poor under-five mortalit y rates suggest that the existing methods need to be complemented by different approaches. Guided by three theoretical frameworks, the Diffusion of Innovation, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Capabilities Approach, the researcher explored the potential role of emerging technologies in reducing under-five mortality in Makonde District, Zimbabwe. The key deliverables of this study included a framework for the adoption of emerging technologies to reduce under-five mortality in resource-constrained settings like Makonde district. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used, in which 20 healthcare professionals from Makonde public health facilities participated in interviews and a focus group, while 90 healthcare professionals and 391 mothers of under-five children xi responded to questionnaires. The researcher used purposive and snowball sampling to identify interview and focus group participants, where experience and whether one works in the paediatric ward, works with children or pregnant women were critical considerations. Mothers of under-fives were randomly sampled. The study revealed that the participants arguably value under-fives the most and would accept any technology intended to improve their health and wellbeing. They perceive emerging technologies as helpful in areas like improving diagnosis, minimising loss to follow-ups and providing data-driven, evidence-based and personalised paediatrics. The impediments to adoption included the fear of medico-legal hazards, centralisation of digital health decision-making, network problems, resistance to change and demoralised workforce. There is generally poor knowledge of emerging technologies by healthcare professionals in Makonde District. The study proffers recommendations on what needs to be done for emerging technologies to be adopted in Makonde District’s public healthcare institutions to reduce under-five mortality. An adoption framework is also presented.No isiZulu abstract available

Current State of ICT in Healthcare Delivery in Developing Countries

Electronic health is one of the most popular applications of information and communication technologies and it has contributed immensely to health delivery through the provision of quality health service and ubiquitous access at a lower cost. Even though this mode of health service is increasingly becoming known or used in developing nations, these countries are faced with a myriad of challenges when implementing and deploying e-health services on both small and large scale. It is estimated that the Africa population alone carries the highest percentage of the world’s global diseases despite its certain level of e-health adoption. This paper aims at analyzing the progress so far and the current state of e-health in developing countries, particularly Africa, and proposes a framework for further improvement. Keywords—E-health, developing countries, framework, ICT, healthcare