3 research outputs found
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Cross disciplinary evaluation framework for e-health services
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel UniversityE-health is an emerging field in the intersection of information systems, healthcare and business management, referring mainly to healthcare services delivered and enhanced through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). In a broader sense, the term characterizes not only a technical development, but also a wider way of thinking, an attitude, and a commitment for a network to improve and connect provider, patients and governments. Such a network will be used to educate and inform healthcare professionals, managers and healthcare users; to stimulate innovation in care delivery and health system management; and to improve the healthcare system locally, regionally, and globally. The evaluation of e-health services in both theory and practice has proved to be important and complex. E-health evaluation will help achieve better user services utilization, justify the enormous investments of governments on delivering e-health services, and address the aspects that are hampering healthcare services from embracing the full potential of ICT towards successful e-health initiatives. The complexity of evaluation is mostly due to the challenges faced at the intersection of three areas, each well-known for its complexity; healthcare services, information systems, and evaluation methodologies. However, despite the importance of the evaluation of e-health services, literature shows that e-health evaluation is still in its infancy in terms of development and management. The aim of this research study is to develop, and assess a cross disciplinary evaluation framework for e-health services and to propose evaluation criteria for better user’s utilization and satisfaction of e-health services. The evaluation framework is criteria based, while the criteria are determined by an evaluation matrix of three elements, the evaluation rationales, the evaluation timeframes, and the evaluation stakeholders. The evaluation criteria have to be multi-dimensional as well as grounded in, or derived from, one or more specific perspectives or theories. The framework is designed to deal effectively with the challenges of e-health evaluation and overcome the limitation of existing evaluation frameworks. The cross disciplinary evaluation framework has been examined and validated by adopting an interpretive case study methodology. The chosen case study is NHS direct which is currently one of the largest e-health services in the world. The data collection process has been carried out by using three research methods; archival records, documentation analysis and semi-structured interviews. The use of multiple methods is essential to generate comparable data patterns and structures, and enhance the reliability of conclusions through data triangulation. The contribution of the research study is in bridging the gap between the theory and practice in the evaluation of e-health services by providing an efficient evaluation framework that can be applied to a wide range of e-health application and able to answer real-world concerns. The study also offers three sets of well-argued and balanced hierarchies of evaluation criteria that influence user’s utilization and satisfaction of e-health services. The evaluation criteria can be used to help achieve better user services utilization, to serve as part of e-health evaluation framework, and to address areas that require further attention in the development of future e-health initiatives
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Assessing information management as a tool for the ongoing maintenance of built assets
Much attention has been made of optimising information modelling in the construction sector.
Government bodies have mandated collaborative working environments as a means of enhancing the
process of delivering assets that not only meet user expectations, but also reduce project costs and
enhance timely completion. An impetus is being placed on the need to reduce total lifecycle costs –
33% by 2020 (Construction Leadership Council, 2013) – so, more emphasis needs to be placed on
the acceptance and use of information for the ongoing operation and maintenance of our built assets.
Central to this concept is breaking down the disparate silos that constrict the architecture,
engineering, construction (AEC) and asset management (AM) industries.
This research project attempts to explore the phenomenon of whole-lifecycle asset information
management, from the perspective of those critical to the process, the asset managers. Using cases
from the UK Higher Education (HE) sector, individuals at all levels of the organisational structure
(i.e. managerial through to technician) were engaged and an understanding of the varying roles and
responsibilities used as a starting point for discovery. A grounded theory approach is adopted,
iteratively collating qualitative data from four universities, as well as concurrent thematic analysis of
said data, finally validating the theoretical findings against a fifth university. Working a cross-section
of universities through semi-structured interview sessions allowed for a fluid approach, capturing the
true narrative of the individual whilst adapting one’s understanding of the overarching phenomenon.
Findings highlighted:
- The wasteful model of information management, as currently exists within HE AM
departments; roles, timeliness, accuracy, duplication and missing information all contribute
towards delays and costly resource demands.
- Inefficient and ineffective handover from the capital AEC teams to the AM teams, at the
point of practical completion; greater preparation was requested by means of pre-planned
site visits at scheduled intervals.
- AM subjects were generally unwilling to adapt to the increasing demands of digital
technologies and visual displays; the process was therefore found to be superfluous activity.
- AM subjects’ experiential knowledge was underutilised and not captured / incorporated
within project development; cyclical lessons were not learned. This thesis contributes to knowledge by way of a theoretical framework, developed in response to
the findings from the interviews. The PPTC Lifecycle Framework introduces the concept of
‘channels’ as an additional project dimension to the pre-existing ones of ‘people’, ‘process’, and
‘technologies’, linking each to key activities and their respective lifecycle stages. The framework
highlights the necessity for a ‘softer landing’. It also provides the means for asset managers to be
more inclusive in the end-to-end development of built assets, so that they can ensure the successful
preparation of all asset management information for ongoing operation and maintenance